Gadget of the Week:
Bag of travel tricks

What is it?

Laptop bags tend to fall into two categories: bloated travel beasts or limp, forgettable sleeves. The Thule Accent Convertible Backpack 17L carves out space in a third category: a slimline laptop carrier that knows its role and avoids turning into a fashion statement or a tactical gimmick.

For the past couple of months, it has been my primary laptop bag over a string of local and international flights, conferences, and the daily churn of meetings. It was chosen not because it tries to stand out, but because it promises not to get in the way. That alone puts it ahead of many competitors. The bag’s standout quality is its structure: it maintains a neat silhouette, never sagging when partially packed or puffing up when full.

The laptop compartment is separate and padded, accommodating up to a 15.6-inch laptop and a 16-inch MacBook without fuss. With my Dell XPS 13, it practically vanished. Despite the bag’s slim profile, it doesn’t feel like a tight fit, nor does it try to double as a cavernous gear sack. A second sleeve allows for a tablet, which can be useful, although it makes for a predictably snug fit. The rest of the internal layout is focused on tidy compartmentalisation. Mesh pockets, pen holders and cable pouches are sized realistically, although not generously.

The design isn’t showy, but neither is it bland. There’s a clean, business-like elegance to the exterior, with nothing flashy or aggressively branded. It looks at home in formal settings, but doesn’t feel like it’s trying too hard to be taken seriously.

The bag is set apart by a feature I’ve found unexpectedly valuable: its ability to switch roles without switching personalities. Most laptop bags are either backpacks trying to look professional or briefcases trying to survive modern travel. This one manages both, without drawing attention to the transformation. 

The shoulder straps tuck away flat into a rear panel, turning it into a slim, structured case that passes as a business bag in a boardroom. But when the day calls for mobility –  across airports, city streets or exhibition centres – it quickly becomes a backpack again, and looks entirely at ease doing so. There’s no awkward reshaping, no bulging zips, no hint that it’s been repurposed. Few bags offer this kind of shift, and fewer still do it this cleanly.

Another standout feature is a small, rigid compartment in the top front of the bag for fragile items like glasses or a smartphone, as well as items one needs to reach quickly, like credit cards or passports.

Materials are up to Thule’s usual standard. The outer shell is weather-resistant and the zips feel solid, though the rigidity of the bag means it’s not particularly forgiving when trying to squeeze in extra items. That said, this bag wasn’t designed for bulk. It’s a 17-litre pack with a clearly defined purpose: carrying a laptop and related essentials, no more, no less.

Its limitations are also its boundaries. There’s no room for shoes, lunchboxes, or headphones in hard cases. The bag works best for those who travel light: people who know what they need and prefer not to carry what they don’t. In that sense, it’s more of a precision tool than a flexible workhorse.

Strangely, it came into its own when I was given an upgrade to Premium Economy on a domestic United Airlines flight in the USA. I made the error of choosing a seat in one of the first rows of that section, not realising that the aircraft configuration meant only safety equipment could fit into the overhead bins in those rows. I could barely squeeze my carry-on bag under the seat in front of me, but there was no room to add a laptop bag.  Fortunately, in contrast to the bizarre design flaw on United’s part, the design excellence of the Thule laptop bag meant I could squeeze it into a narrow slot in the overhead bin a row back. 

Clearly, it is bag that will appeal to a specific type of user: someone who values clean lines and discreet functionality. It’s built for people who need a reliable, structured laptop bag that can adapt when required.

_{Photo courtesy Thule.}

How much does it cost?

The Thule Accent Convertible Backpack 17L sells for R3,499 on the Thule South African online store at https://thulestore.co.za/.

Why does it matter?

In a saturated market of over-engineered travel bags and underwhelming laptop carriers, the Accent 17L keeps its brief narrow and executes it well. It doesn’t attempt to solve problems most users don’t have, and addresses the core need of professionals who want a slim, formal, laptop-specific bag that can occasionally shift roles when the situation demands it.

What are the biggest negatives?

• The 17-litre capacity leaves no room for extras — it’s strictly essentials only.
• Internal organisation is fixed in structure, limiting adaptability for non-standard items.

What are the biggest positives?

• Slim, structured form factor makes it ideal as a dedicated laptop bag.
• Switches seamlessly between backpack and briefcase mode without compromising either function.
• High-quality materials and considered layout prioritise efficiency over flair.

* Arthur Goldstuck is CEO of World Wide Worx and author of ‘The Hitchhiker’s Guide to AI’. Follow him on Bluesky on @art2gee.bsky.social.