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REI Quantum Checkpoint Brief

$99.50

(10)

Item # 809169

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The REI Quantum Checkpoint brief offers stylish new solutions for your fast-paced world, wrapped in an airport security checkpoint-friendly package.

Carries up to a 17 in. laptop computer in a fully padded laptop pocket
Designed to be TSA Checkpoint friendly, the brief opens flat by opening 2 buckles; allows laptop to remain inside and protected during security screening
Offers a modular design with separate office gear and computer carry compartments; both sides can be used independently or together.
100% post-consumer recycled PET fabrics are tough enough to withstand the urban grind and soft enough to feel good doing it
Slides over wheeled luggage pull handles for secure attachment underway, getting you through the airport smoothly and easily
Removable strap offers sliding shoulder pad and easy length adjustment; padded carry handle with soft edges provides comfortable grip
Includes internal organizer panel with multiple pockets for pens, electronics and small essentials; exterior pocket fits travel documents, tickets and boarding passes
Stretch mesh side pocket carries small essentials for easy access, or a 1-liter water bottle.
Reflective trim creates great visibility for active commuters; webbing loop provides reliable attachment point for LED blinking light (sold separately)

Imported.

Item 809169

$19.90

with coupon code ANNV13
May 17-27 Details

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REI Quantum Checkpoint Brief Customer Reviews

REVIEW SNAPSHOT®

by PowerReviews

REI Quantum Checkpoint Brief

3.9

(based on 10 reviews)

80%

of respondents would recommend this to a friend.

Pros

Easy access (4)
Enough compartments (4)
Good organization (4)
Lots of pockets and features (4)
Comfortable strap (3)

Cons

Best Uses

Travel (6)
Commuting (4)

- Reviewer Profile:
- Practical (7), Comfort-oriented (4), Career (3)
- Primary use:
- Business (5)
- Was this a gift?:
- No (9)

Reviewed by 10 customers

Sort by

Displaying reviews 1-10

Apr

2013

4.0

Good piece of gear

By Capt EH

from Spring, Texas

About Me Career, Comfort-Oriented, Practical

See all my reviews

Pros

Easy To Access Items
Easy To Carry
Easy To Identify
Easy to stow
Good Capacity
High Quality
Lightweight

Cons

Best Uses

Air Travel

Comments about REI Quantum Checkpoint Brief:

I am an international pilot and needed a briefcase that is light weight and will stow in limited spaces. The capacity is good yet can be stowed in the overhead of an RJ and goes through airport security easily. The detachable laptop case is handy and allows the use of cabin storage space that would otherwise be too small for other bags.

Comment on this review

Apr

2013

5.0

Terrific Bag

By Purdueboy

from Indiana

About Me Career, Comfort-Oriented

See all my reviews

Pros

Easy To Access Items
Easy To Carry
Easy To Identify
Good Capacity
High Quality
Lightweight
Stylish

Cons

Best Uses

Comments about REI Quantum Checkpoint Brief:

This bag is great. I used to carry 2 bags (1 for my laptop and cords and 1 for my binders, notepads, folders, tape measure, etc.). Now I can carry everything in one. The bag has room for my company laptop, power cords, camera, 2 charging cords for cell phone, 2 architects scales, pens, pencils, a tape measure, a binder, manila file folders, passport, and some notepads. I can carry everything I need for corporate travel in this bag. I have always been impressed with REI products. This is a well designed bag with room and good pockets.

Comment on this review

Jun

2012

(2 of 2 customers found this review helpful)

5.0

Great Combination of Size and Features

By dmfrost

from Seattle, WA

About Me Comfort-Oriented, Practical

See all my reviews

Pros

Easy Access
Enough Compartments
Good Organization
Good value
Great Color
High Quality
Separate Laptop Sleeve
Variety of pocket sizes

Cons

Best Uses

Computer
Office
Traveling

Comments about REI Quantum Checkpoint Brief:

I have been extremely impressed with this bag, and wished I'd had it for a whirlwind business trip around northern Europe in December. Displeasure on that trip with an awkward roll-around "carry-on" bag caused me to shop for this one. This REI Quantum is large enough for everything I need on a long trip, but versatile with the removable laptop sleeve and soft sides to avoid being too big for every day use. It fits under an airline seat yet still leaves room for feet.

The array of large and small pockets seems darn near perfect. The flexible dividers in the large pocket are excellent for keeping notebooks, folder, magazines and other reading material segregated, and the volume of that big pocket allows storage of a sweater or light jacket for easy access on a flight, etc. It also easily holds my lunch in day-to-day use. The half-width sleeve pockets are the perfect size for an iPad or paperback book of any thickness. The variety of small compartments in the organizer pocket are very well-designed, being just loose enough to hold a small camera, calculator, earphones, pens, business cards, etc. without being "sloppy". The outer pocket is handy for items that need quick access like boarding passes and all the stuff that has to come out of pockets to get through airport security.

The separable, padded laptop sleeve is a great idea that I've made even handier by sewing on more D-rings, so I can use it as stand-alone bag with the same shoulder strap when I need to carry just my laptop and notebooks to meetings during the day. I really like the little compartments to tuck away the unused clips when the bag sections are separated. BTW, that sleeve has enough room for a 15.4" Dell, the associated power brick and a mouse, and still has enough room for a spiral notebook and a few folders. TSA now seems to accept these foldout laptop sleeves.

The exterior and interior colors deserve mention. The grey outside looks better than the usual black but still avoids showing smudges, and the interior rust red keeps inside things visible.

When shopping for this bag, I took everything I might carry to REI - laptop, charger, mouse, thick novel, lunch container, camera and all the little junk and loaded each bag under consideration, as well as putting them on suitcase handles (some did not work as intended for that mode). Boy, was that revealing in finding the bag that worked for my needs and carried well. No, I won't use this one for bike commuting, nor is it intended for that, but it is perfect for daily car trips and airplane travel.

Last, this bag seems like an excellent value and very high quality compared to other brands of messenger bags.

Comment on this review

May

2012

4.0

Roomy and mostly convenient

By Janet S

from Austin TX

About Me Career, Comfort-Oriented, Practical

See all my reviews

Pros

Easy Access
Enough Compartments
Good Organization
Roomy

Cons

Bulky
Uncomfortable

Best Uses

Traveling

Comments about REI Quantum Checkpoint Brief:

I use this bag when traveling, about 4-6 times per year. Around town, I carry my laptop in a backpack instead.

This is a great bag, at a great price for a checkpoint-friendly bag. Most of them cost at least twice as much. Not having to handle my computer at the checkpoint means fewer chances to drop it, and fewer things to mess with overall. I don't have a problem with the laptop section sagging with my 15" Macbook Pro.

The main compartment is big enough to pack a change of clothes for an overnight trip. If anything, it's *too* big, and tempts me to bring more stuff than I need. I have to remind myself that just because I can fit more stuff doesn't mean I should bring it.

The flip side of "roomy" is "bulky". This bag is a bit too big to comfortably carry with the strap cross-body. The padded strap is OK, but may be insufficient if you load up the bag with heavy stuff.

The organizer pocket is convenient for things I need in-flight, like headphones or my Kindle. The outer zip pocket is handy for stashing boarding passes and ID.

While you can slide the bag over the handle of a roll-aboard bag, it does not "slide easily" as claimed in the product video. The fabric is rough and the bag is unstructured, which makes getting it on and off the handle just a bit too much of a pain. Instead, I use the add-a-bag strap on my roll-aboard, which also lowers the center of gravity of the combined bags, putting less weight on my pulling hand. I loop the brief bag's strap around the roll-aboard's handle, to discourage it from slewing sideways, though this is an imperfect solution.

That's the biggest shortcoming. I haven't found another laptop bag with this level of features at anywhere near this price.

Comment on this review

Apr

2012

4.0

Great for travel or commute

By DrSteve

from Santa Fe, NM

About Me Practical, Scientist

See all my reviews

Pros

Attractive
Easy Access
Enough Compartments
Good Organization
Roomy

Cons

Strap pad thin

Best Uses

Commuting
Traveling

Comments about REI Quantum Checkpoint Brief:

I have been looking for a briefcase that could double as a carry-on travel bag. (I prefer carry-ons with no rigid frame or wheels, for ease of movement in crowds and so I can always stuff it under a seat.) This one suits my needs. I had been using a messenger bag, but was getting frustrated having to deal with the top flap and sagging bag every time I wanted access. The Quantum will stand up on its own, and the top access allows me to rummage through or go right to my laptop.

I have a Macbook Air, so the laptop sleeve connection is plenty strong enough. An advantage for me, over the ease of getting through airport security, is the instant access to the laptop without having to go into the main compartment. The hip pad on the back adds to the comfort.

The best thing about this is the many compartments sized just right for my myriad accouterments. Too many carry-ons are simply one big compartment with a few extra pockets. This one is more like a real briefcase. I keep my eyeglass case in the large side elastic pocket, and my phone or iPod in the small zipper side pocket. But there is a place for everything.

If I have a dig on this, it is that is maybe too big. Plus, the pad on the shoulder strap is a bit thin for comfort. I rectified the strap issue by substituting the much more comfy strap from my messenger bag. Five stars for me would be this bag one size down and with a beefier pad on the shoulder strap.

Comment on this review

Mar

2012

4.0

Great Business travel bag

By Sailor Steve

from Toronto ON

About Me High milage traveller

See all my reviews

Pros

A spot for everything
Easy Access
Enough Compartments
Good Organization

Cons

Best Uses

Business travel

Comments about REI Quantum Checkpoint Brief:

I travel a lot for business and this bag has been fantastic. I searched for a while to find a new bag to replace a well worn briefcase. I spend a lot of time on planes and moving from offices to plants to job sites. This bag is my office. On long flights I am able to detach the smaller briefcase to hold my essentials while storing my other stuff in the overhead. Lot's of compartments and flexible storage.

This is a great bag for anyone spending a lot of time on the road.

Comment on this review

Jan

2012

(0 of 12 customers found this review helpful)

2.0

would not buy again

By waialua

from Hawaii

About Me Bargain Hunter, Practical

See all my reviews

Pros

Lots Of Pockets And Features
Rugged
Stylish
Weatherproof

Cons

Back pack strap - better

Best Uses

Travel

Comments about REI Quantum Checkpoint Brief:

Pricey....

Comment on this review

Oct

2011

(2 of 2 customers found this review helpful)

4.0

Nearly Perfect

By EAS

from Mid-Atlantic

See all my reviews

Pros

Comfortable Strap
Good Protection
Lots Of Pockets And Features
Rugged

Cons

Wears Easily

Best Uses

Commuting
Travel

Comments about REI Quantum Checkpoint Brief:

This bag provides for lots of room - I carry two laptops and all the accessories when I travel and this bag accommodates it all. It is easy to get through TSA. the ONLY drawback I have experienced is with the zipper cords - several have torn off. I will take it back to the store and get a new bag and keep on truckin'.

Comment on this review

Jul

2011

(1 of 1 customers found this review helpful)

4.0

For Those Who Want Flexibility

By JZ in DC

from Washington, DC

About Me Practical

See all my reviews

Pros

Comfortable Strap
Good Protection
Lots Of Pockets And Features

Cons

Best Uses

Commuting
Travel

Comments about REI Quantum Checkpoint Brief:

Great for travel since only have to undo two clips to pass through security scan. No more juggling laptop and other gear, while trying to put my belt back on. When I don't want to bring the laptop to a meeting or just want to carry the laptop to work on something, I can unclip the half I need without having to shift things to another bag. I do miss the upper zip pocket that was on the old Quantum bag. It was handy for quickly accessing/storing small items like headphones, pens, and USB drives that tend to get lost in the bag bottom.

Comment on this review

May

2011

(0 of 1 customers found this review helpful)

3.0

Too complicated and too heavy...

By Louis the Biker

from Boston

About Me High-End Shopper, Practical

See all my reviews

Pros

Comfortable Strap
Good Protection
Lots Of Pockets And Features

Cons

Heavy bulky
Not Weatherproof

Best Uses

Commuting

Comments about REI Quantum Checkpoint Brief:

Bag would be perfect if it was one unit and lighter. The clip on laptop section sags badly when I put my Mac in it. Overall there is too much padding and the empty bag weights over 3lbs. The only water resistant zip is on the laptop bag and none on the main bag.