edithrenas: Greene + Gray Tribal 11″ MacBook Air Sleeve review

Friday, January 25, 2013

Greene + Gray Tribal 11″ MacBook Air Sleeve review

I have an 11″ MacBook Air laptop, and I love that it’s tiny enough to carry it most anywhere I go. What I don’t love is the possibility of scratching my shiny aluminum laptop, so I need a sleeve to protect my MBA while it’s being carried in another bag. I’ve found, once I read the full product description, that many sleeves that say they are for the 11″ MBA actually will fit up to a 13″ laptop. I don’t want a big sleeve that swallows the tiny laptop and is too big to fit in my bag. I want something that’s attractive, too, but it seems most of the sleeves I see are either plain black bags or have cutesy designs more suited to a pre-teen girl. I was very intrigued when I saw the fabrics that Greene + Gray use for their laptop sleeves. They are pretty without being cute, and the sleeves are in a size that actually fits an 11″ MacBook Air. I was pleased to be selected to try out the Greene + Gray Tribal 11″ MacBook Air Sleeve.

Click any image for an enlarged view.

The MBA sleeve is made of a premium waxed canvas that’s water resistant. The Tribal design is an attractive black geometric design printed on a natural-colored, 100% cotton canvas. The design is attractive and sophisticated. It won’t look out of place at the office, and it will look perfectly appropriate for a Saturday morning trip to the coffee shop, too.

The canvas fabric feels very sturdy. The bag is padded, front and back, with a dense foam that should be very protective against bumps. The foam is thick, and it helps the sleeve keep its shape. This is no thinly padded, floppy neoprene sleeve.

The closeup above is the best rendition of the color of the bag. You can also see the small natural-colored leather badge that’s embossed with the Greene + Gray logo and sewn to the front of the sleeve.

The bag measures about 12.6″ long X 8.75″ tall X 0.75″ thick. It weighs 7.1 ounces on my digital kitchen scale.

I was surprised to see that this sleeve also has a wrist strap attached to one end. It’s made of the same natural-colored leather used for the logo badge, and it’s attached to the sleeve with a square ring. The wrist strap is not removable.

The plastic zipper has two zipper heads with leather pull tabs. The tabs are also embossed with the Greene + Gray logo. The zipper teeth are plastic, so I don’t worry about scratches to the laptop as I put it in and out of the sleeve. You’ll notice that the zipper extends only about 1.25″ down the sides of the sleeve. Most sleeves I have used in the past unzip along the top and completely down one side, so it’s easy to lay the laptop inside. With the Greene + Gray, you have to slide the laptop in through a relatively tight opening, so I’m very glad they used a zipper with plastic teeth.

The back of the sleeve is plain, with no pockets. This sleeve is for the laptop only. There’s no room for a charger, cables, nor a travel mouse.

The interior is lined with a black, velvety fleece fabric. On the right side, you can just see a non-woven tag sewn into the seam. It shows fabric content and states the sleeve was made in China. I ripped this tag out after taking the photos.

The interior width of the sleeve just accommodates the 11″ MacBook Air. My daughter has a snap-on plastic case on the front and back of her 11″ MBA, and it will not fit inside the Greene + Gray sleeve.

There’s only a small amount of open space above the fully-inserted MBA. Just enough space that I don’t worry that the zipper head will drag across the laptop as I zip up the sleeve.

I think this Greene + Gray sleeve is perfect for the 11″ MacBook Air. It fits the laptop perfectly. It’s not some general purpose, one-size sleeve that some vendors try to pass off as a MBA accessory. The fabrics used for Greene + Gray bags will probably appeal more to women, but the Tribal design is certainly not so feminine to make it unsuitable for men. It doesn’t have pockets for your charger or other accessories, but it’s perfect for sliding into a bigger bag to protect your laptop from scratches. Unlike most sleeves, it has a wrist strap that makes the Greene + Gray sleeve perfect for protecting your laptop when you want to travel light. The wrist strap is sturdy and comfortable to wear on your wrist. And the padding keeps your expensive laptop safe, even when you are carrying it without stuffing it inside a bigger bag. The Greene + Gray sleeve has earned a place in my permanent collection of gear bags.

At $40, it’s a great buy to protect your MacBook Air. Greene + Gray also offers sizes for the 13″ MBA ($39.95) and the 13″ MacBook Pro ($49.95).

Product Information

Price:	$39.95
Manufacturer:	Greene + Gray
Retailer:	Greene + Gray
Pros:	Attractive, sturdy, water-resistant waxed canvas exterior Perfect fit for the 11" MacBook Air Thick, dense padding will protect the laptop Wrist strap makes it easy to carry
Cons:	No pockets for a charger or other accessories