Last year I researched carrying cases for my iPad. There is not much that I carry back and forth to my office very day other than my iPad and a few of its accessories, so it seemed overkill to carry a briefcase every day. I ultimately selected two vertical messenger bags to evaluate and my favorite was the Tom Bihn Ristretto for iPad, which I reviewed last June. I've used it almost every day since then and I frequently recommend it to others. It's a great product.
[UPDATE 11/30/15: Note that the specific model that I reviewed here is the 11" Ristretto for iPad, which is no longer sold. Tom Bihn now sells the Ristretto only in one size, a 13" size. Other than the size difference, the rest of this review should give you a good sense of the pros and cons of the current 13" version.]
Tom Bihn recently redesigned the Ristretto to add some improvements, and they sent me a free sample of it a few weeks ago to update my review. The original Ristretto was already a great bag, and now it is better.
What stayed the same
The best parts of the Ristretto didn't change. It is an incredibly durable bag that can hold far more items than you would suspect upon first inspection.
The main compartment of the bag is divided into two. The back portion is a padded area that holds any model of the iPad, with a flap that folds down around the iPad to protect it. The iPad is well protected in the bag, but it is also quickly and easy to get the iPad in and out of the bag. The front portion of the main compartment can hold just about anything. I use it to hold my Apple Wireless Keyboard and other items.
The main compartment also has o-rings to which you can clip all sorts of different accessories such as an included keystrap or optional organizer pouches. I like storing items in pouches so that you know where they are located and can easily get them out of the bag. For example, I keep a MOBiLE CLOTH in one of my pouches. See my original review for more on the o-rings and pouches. In this picture, red arrows show you the locations of the o-rings in the main compartment:
The back of the Ristretto still has a slanted pocket that can hold a magazine or a folded piece of paper. I often find myself quickly sliding items into this back pocket.
The Ristretto comes with a standard shoulder strap, which works fine, but for an extra $20 you can get the much more effective Absolute Shoulder Strap that I discussed in my review of the original Ristretto. It is by far the best shoulder strap that I have ever used.
What is new
My biggest complaint with the original Ristretto had to do with the front. Originally there were two compartments in the front, a zippered front pocket and an open-top pouch with sleeves for holding pens, an iPhone, etc. While the zippered pocket was useful, the open-top pouch was not because it was too easy for items to slip out. As a result, I never really used it. As I noted last year:
Although the pen compartments work well, the two medium size pouches are my only real disappointment with this bag. I find that items that I put in them tend to easily fall out. I wish that there was a cover or some way to secure those compartments. Because there is not, I tend not to use them very much.
I suppose I wasn't the only one to notice this, and this is the major change in the new Ristretto. Now, instead of a front pocket and a front pouch, there is just a single front pouch that is completely protected with a curved zipper. Inside of that pouch you will still find small compartments to hold pens, an iPhone, etc., but you can also just toss whatever you want into the pouch and zip it all up to keep it secure. This design change is a big improvement. There is also a single o-ring in the front pouch.
Another nice improvement is the handle on the top of the bag. On the original Ristretto is was just a fabric loop:
It wasn't the most comfortable thing to hold, and that was a shame because while I normally use the shoulder strap, sometimes it is useful to just grab the bag from the top. Now, the Ristretto has a padded nylon handle that feels great in your hand and makes the bag much easier to pick up and carry without using the shoulder strap:
The other revisions are minor, but still improvements. For example, the new Ristretto also uses a slightly more durable fabric, but frankly even the original Ristretto bag was incredibly durable and could stand up to a lot of abuse.
A great bag
I've taken my original Ristretto everywhere since last year — back and forth to work every day, to court, to meetings, on countless trips — and it has held up like a champ. If there is a place in your life for a messenger bag to carry your iPad and lots of other items, the new and improved Ristretto is a fantastic product.
Click here to get the Tom Bihn Ristretto from the manufacturer ($125).
