Slappa M.A.S.K KOA Bag Review for G73JH

[Si3]

Please try to refrain from quoting this post as there are a lot of pictures! Thanks!

Hey All,

Intro
So like most of you who have purchased the Asus G73JH, I want a bag that can actually fit it but also had enough room to carry my other stuff. So I went searching. I came across the Dell XPS backpack for $30 from buy.com and couldn't resist to buy it! For the price, it was a steal... just couldn't pass the offer (like most of you ). I got it and was really happy with the quality of the bag. It was pretty much the best bag that I have ever purchased. The amount of space that this thing had, plus the added cushion was enough to make me smile... but one thing bothered me. I really didn't think I would mind it, but the XPS logo was driving me crazy. Plus, the G73JH would have a tough time fitting in the sleeve pouch. It would fit, but it was really tight and difficult to put in and out.

So, having been spoiled by the Dell XPS bag and also have a bag festish , I went looking for a bag that had the quality and the space of the Dell but without the logo. And lo and behold, the Slappa M.A.S.K KOA Custom Backpack! This bag looked like it had everything that I wanted and then some! I also like the fact that you could customize it to your liking. I couldn't really find real pictures or reviews of it, so I decided to take the plunge and see what it was like.

My Order:
[1] M.A.S.K. KOA Custom BackPack
Face: KOA M.A.S.K.
Inner Lining Color: Red
Insert: SLAPPA Silver Crest
[1] HardBody PRO Headphone Case (review for this coming soon!)

The Design
So the bag shipped and arrived super quick! Total of 3 days to PA from NC. Heres some pictures of it .





The backpack came in a pretty big box with slappa logoed tape sealing it. As you can see from the two pictures above, I was very pleased to find the backpack in a draw string bag rather than a plastic bag. It had a nice printed logo on that says "SLAPPA." It's not much, but it gives you an idea of the what kind of company we are dealing with. So far so good , now for the actual backpack.









The face of the backpack may not be for everyone, as it is pretty out there (kind of look like it was made for alienware, you know the alien look?). But the good thing is that you can get a different face for it called "High Five" as the whole thing detaches. The reason that I got the "KOA" face was because it looked to me as it had more space. It does stick out a lot more than the "High Five" but I needed the extra pockets and space.

The material that is used is the 1680D Ballistix Nylon, very similar if not the same as the Dell XPS material. It is very thick and well stitched. I don't think I will worry about it ever ripping, but only time will tell.



The zippers for the main compartments have holes for mini locks, like the ones on the luggage bags do. But I realized that the front set doesn't do much as the other zipper opens the front up all the way and doesn't have the same function to lock it. But it's nice to know that the main back compartment, where your laptop is stored, can be locked.

The Front Pockets







There is a total of three pockets in the front for the KOA. The top to are exactly a like while the bottom is different.

I took three of my standard size game cases so that you can get an idea of how much the front top pockets can hold. Without much effort, I was able to put in the three cases. I fanned the cases out so that you can see them, but it doesn't have to be fanned out for all of it to fit. Both sides are capable of doing this. I have to say I was very surprized just how deep these pockets were, but it makes sense as the front does bulge out quite a bit. One thing I will note is that the front bulge will not stay flatten out. If this bothers you, you might want to get the "High Five" which is flat.



The bottom pocket is a smaller pouch that has a key latch. You could probably throw in some small things, but it won't hold too much.

The Side Pockets



Right Side:
The pocket has three pens/pencils holders, a small slotted space, and one that is a little bigger. The part that flaps out has a nice mesh pocket.





Left side:
Your standard mesh water bottle holder. I wish it was a little higher to secure it a little more, but it will do. Cans will hold without a problem.

The Back



On each of the straps, there are two loops that I believe you can attach additional pouches (like a cell phone holder) but honestly I'm not sure what they're for. I'm not sure it slappa sells any pouches, but you can always find some from different company. Note: pen is in there only to show you the loops. The strap is not padded as well as the Dell XPS, but it is better than your normal strap.



The back has the slappa logo as the cushion, creative! Again, it's not as well padded as the Dell's, but I'm pretty sure the way it is designed it will help to keep some space between you and the bag for ventilation. I'm not sure about the comfort for a long travel, but then again how long do you plan to hull a huge amount of weight?



The handle is made of sturdy plastic. Again, Dell's is a little nicer, but this isn't that important.

Compartment #1
In this compartment, there is two ways that you can get in it. The first zipper opens all the way, allowing to take off the face completely. The second zipper opens up only half way for quick access.



Opened most of the way so you can see what it looks like .





This is the insert that I chose. Everything minus a couple were a little too loud for me. This one was the one that I liked the best, nice and simple. It is held in by velcro all around the edge to keep it secure. I don't see it coming off too easily, especially for daily use. Slappa says that there will be options later down the road where you can purchase additional different designs. This is also said to be true for the faces of the bag. But for the time being, you are stuck with the one that you choose, so choose wisely !





In these two pictures, what you see is the single zipper that opens up all the way. How this closes is that the zipper overlaps about an inch. Note: this is the reason that I stated before on why the first zipper that has the mini lock holes are useless as this single zipper has no way to be locked and can be easily opened. But I really don't think I will be locking it anyway .





On the back of the face, we see three pockets and two elastic loops. The top two pockets are identical to each other while the bottem is a lot larger.

The top pocket is easily able to hold the HP voodoo mouse that the G73JH came with, wire and all. It closes nicely by velcro.



On the bottem we see two elastic loops that I have absolutely no idea what they are for . So let me know what you think!

The bottom pocket is opened and closed by zipper. It is capable of holding 2 standard DVD/Game cases. I tried a third case, but it would not fit. So two is the max, fitting easily.



This is the second way of getting in to the main compartment. It only opens up half way for quick access. What you also see is the two sets of semi-circle loops. I'm guess that these are used to insert a strap to secure the bag even more from popping open.



The first compartment is a little shy of 1 DVD/Game case width. You could definately put some books or even a second laptop as its bigger than the second compartment (main).

Compartment #2 (Main)



This is what I consider the main compartment as it holds the laptop. It's really nice to see zipper opens up most of the way so that you can easily put your laptop into the sleave. Note: this is the compartment that you can lock up .



There is a total of 2 velcro, 1 zipper, and 1 mesh pocket. It also has a velcro loop that comes out to hold your headsets. Also notice the nice red lining ! You have a choice from this red, blue, and regular black for your lining.



Once again, I used the HP Voodoo mouse to show you how big the mesh pocket is. I don't believe I can squeeze the wires in comfortably.



This middle pocket may seem like it is the same size as the one on the right, but with a careful look, you can see that this is a little bigger. This pocket is capable of holding the HP Voodoo mouse with the flap closed, but definately not the wires.



The right pocket is a little smaller than the middle one. As you can see the HP Voodoo mouse does not fit all the way and the flap cannot be closed.



Heres the velcro loop in action with my Audio Technica ATH-M50. You can shorten it and have a tighter hold by rolling up the rest.



This bottom zipper pocket is a lot bigger than the one in the first compartment. It can hold about 4 DVD/Game cases. I think it could probably hold a small 10in netbook, but don't quote me on that. But if it could that would be really nice, as I plan to get one so I don't have to whip out the beast all the time for simple things .





And finally, here's the G73JH in the laptop sleave! It actually fits into the sleave really nicely, withou much effort at all ! But the only draw back is that the flap does not close all the way. Honestly, it's not too big of a problem . If you really wanted to, you could always get some cheap velcro strips and extend it so that it can close the flap. I think I might do this.



And heres a picture showing the zipper closing up the second compartment. Its looks like its a little close to not fitting, but in actuality it fits nicely! I didn't have any trouble closing the zipper up all the way. No tricks, methods, or any other non-sense like the Dell XPS!

The Comparison
And for those that have the Dell XPS backpack, or the free Asus standard backpack, heres a comparison shot of all three together side by side. The Dell is taller than the Slappa. Slappa is fatter than the Dell, but both still makes you look like a ninja turtle . The Asus is the smallest out of them all.

Link to the Dell XPS backpack pictures and review by thauch:G73 backpacks?
Link to the Asus backpack pictures and review by Ziddy123: G73 backpacks?









Conclusion
So far, my experience has been great with Slappa. Their customer service is amazing. They forgot to ship me one freebee thing which wasn't that big of a deal, but Dom on this forum quickly responded, apologied, and said that he would get it out that same day! I'm still waiting for it, but once I receive it I will add it to this review.

After using this bag, I really have no major cons about it. I can confidently say that this is probably the best backpack that I have ever bought. The material that they used is great, the craftmanship is excellent, the functionality is amazing, and the looks are customizable! The only draw back that I see people having might be the price. It's priced at $130. But I can easily say that it was worth every penny.

If you have the G73JH, then look no further because this is the bag for you! Look for my DJ headset case review from Slappa as well! Slappa HardBody PRO Headphone Case Quick Review

Aesthetic = 9
Quality = 10
Functionality = 10
Cost = 7

[dkillone]

Really nice review, love the pics. I have the XPS bag myself for my G73, which I like so far.

Still though, Good job!

[s0ysauce45]

Awesome review! I almost bought this bag for my M17x, but I went with a Slappa Spyder instead.

[skygunner27]

Awesome review +1 rep

[Si3]

Really nice review, love the pics. I have the XPS bag myself for my G73, which I like so far.

Still though, Good job!

Awesome review! I almost bought this bag for my M17x, but I went with a Slappa Spyder instead.

Awesome review +1 rep

Thanks guys! I hope this helps some of you decide on a bag ! Let me know if you have any questions.

[aramis109]

I have this bag too, and love it. It's really nice. I actually fold the flap down inside the laptop pouch so it's not in the way at all. Just got back from my 3rd trip with it, and it's great in the airport. It's a little snug up top when you zip it up but I bring SO much stuff that I have no complaints about the bag at all.

[Si3]

I have this bag too, and love it. It's really nice. I actually fold the flap down inside the laptop pouch so it's not in the way at all. Just got back from my 3rd trip with it, and it's great in the airport. It's a little snug up top when you zip it up but I bring SO much stuff that I have no complaints about the bag at all.

YOU! It's because of you that I spent over $100, lol ! I just want to thank you because I found this bag because of the post you wrote in the G73 bags. I would have never found it if wasn't for that! Thanks !

[aramis109]

YOU! It's because of you that I spent over $100, lol ! I just want to thank you because I found this bag because of the post you wrote in the G73 bags. I would have never found it if wasn't for that! Thanks !

LOL!

I seriously love the bag- I had people asking me about it during my trip when I pulled out my laptop, power supply, mouse, a switch, three network cables, power brick, notepad, pen, gum, RSID token for VPN and still had plenty of pockets. "How'd you get all that into that bag?!" and, "Man, that laptop is huge- it fits in that?!"

I got mine with the black interior and black Slappa logo, but I almost got the red. Oh, and the thing is great to pop open at the airport security gate and not have to take out the laptop, and then slide it under my seat on the plane (don't like overhead compartments for it). I get through security with far less hassle now.

[_Lightning_]

Thanks for sharing those images! I'm also shopping for a backpack for my g73 and this one certainly looks nice! Good job with the review!

[Si3]

Thanks for sharing those images! I'm also shopping for a backpack for my g73 and this one certainly looks nice! Good job with the review!

Thanks! It looks like we might also get some pictures of the "High Five" face later tonight from lethial. If he post in the review forum, I'll like it to here .