Essential Internet Business Owner Stuff (EIBOS): STM Duplex

I’m starting a new series that I’ve been thinking about for some time now, called essential Internet Business Owner Stuff, EIBOS for short. As more people start living the lifestyle of an Internet company owner, or even team member, things change. Leather briefcases aren’t needed, nor are expensive suits. When you work online, you can really start buying things for function, colors you like, and even the cheap price. Rock a Wal-Mart laptop bag, it’s all good, wear some shoes from the thrift store, the coffee shop owner won’t kick you out. Basically in this world, your vibe is what you make of it, and EIBOS aims to help you get some ideas going towards making the most out of your day to day life as an Internet business person. I'll review stuff I own since I know those things well, bags, apparel, coffee mugs, flip flops, no comfortable thing is out of bounds in this series.

So first up is The Duplex, a laptop bag by the company STM. This bag not only has a fresh name, it’s got two components to help justify it. Most laptop bags are slim, think laptop sleeves, while most messenger bags aren’t padded, so it’s tough task to find a bag that can hold all your crap, and keep your $2,000 Macbook Pro safe. Welcome to The Duplex.

The Duplex offers a padded sleeve that comes out of the bag and works as a micro briefcase, it also fits snug in the bag when needed. The bag can fit 13 and 15 inch laptops, and I've squeezed a windscreen 15 incher in there a few times when traveling for work.

Another neat feature of this funky hybrid messenger laptop bag is the pivoting clips for the shoulder strap. Most straps get extended in different directions when you use them, this often causes the bag to sit uncomfortably on your side or back. With the STM Duplex a plastic pivoting clip on both ends of the shoulder strap curb this from happening, making even the wildest of bag swings a tangle-free experience.

Today these sturdy bags are 20% off, so go for it, I use mine all the time and love it.

Click the pic for a link to eBags. No I'm not an affiliate of them, just dig there efficient retailing of bags online.