By Peter Wells
STM Goods (the new name of STM Bags) have long been a favourite for storing digital gear. The Sydney-based company makes its laptop bags tough. So tough, I've only just retired an old STM gym-style backpack that I bought back in 2009.
For the past few weeks I've been carrying all my stuff in a Moroccan Blue STM Prime. Like the Tardis, this tiny little bag fits a lot more inside than you would expect. On a recent trip to the US, the STM was loaded with a MacBook Pro, a DSLR camera, two lenses, a plethora of cables, tablet, Kindle, large headphones, a bunch of batteries, notepad, pens and a water bottle.
STM's backpack is a lot more spacious than it looks.
There were plenty of compartments to keep everything separated, hidden pockets for valuables such as a passport, colour-coded straps to easily see which pocket you were opening, and side pockets for easy access to the water bottle. And all of this fitted in a bag small enough to slide under an economy airline seat, and comfortable enough to wear all day long.
STM backpacks are simply the most comfortable way of carrying a large amount of digital gear. The shoulder straps are nice and wide and well padded, and the back of their bags are always sturdy and supportive. The killer feature is a suspended sling for the laptop that lifts the laptop a little, so the weight of your device doesn't drag you down. It also provides your laptop with a little more padding and protection from the outside world.
This makes STM the perfect backpacks for weighed-down modern school kids, protecting little spines from all the devices we're loading them up with. And thanks to all that padding, they'll show your child's laptop a lot more care than your child ever will.