If you’ve recently purchased an iPad, chances are good that you’re also in the market for a suitable bag. Carrying the iPad in your hands all day isn’t much fun, after all. Fortunately, the iPad accessory market is in full swing by now and there are many great options to choose from. To make the decision a little easier, we’re taking a closer look at the 10″ Portable Muzetto from WaterField Designs today.

The Muzetto is a line of vertical, messenger bags that are available in sizes from 15.5″ x 11.75″ x 2.7″ for a 15″ Laptop down to 10.5″ x 8.5″ x 1.5″ for personal items. The 10″ Portable Muzetto measures 11.5″ x 9.3″ x 2.0″, which makes it the perfect match for the iPad with some room for additional accessories.

First Impression & Design

The first thing one notices about the Muzetto is how elegant the leather exterior looks and feels. The build is solid and the bag wears very comfortably. The padded shoulder strap is adjustable and should fit most sizes. Also, this bag does not feel like a purse. Quite the opposite. The Muzetto sports a professional, yet stylish, look that will work great with shorts, jeans, or even a suit.

To keep the bag closed WaterField Designs decided to rely solely on the weight of the flap instead of using magnets or zippers. This allows the bag’s contents to be accessible at a moments notice without comprising their safety. I was a bit weary of this concept at first but learned to love it rather quickly when being able to access my wallet from within the bag while riding my bike without having to fumble with any zippers. It’s rather genius, really.

Inside The Bag

The inside of the Muzetto is lined with a gorgoues, bright golden colored fabric, perfectly complementing the elegant exterior. The bag features two separate main compartments, each of which is divided into two smaller sub-spaces. The main compartment fits your iPad (with or without a case) as well as an Apple Bluetooth keyboard, for example. The pocket within this compartment features the bag’s only zipper, making it perfect for important documents such as passports or other travel documents.

The smaller compartment on the front of the bag is lined with soft fleece and will hold various iPad accessories such as chargers, cables, and power adapters. In addition, there’s a square pocket that’s perfect for your wallet or iPhone. We only wish that WaterField Designs would’ve included two of these, so that we wouldn’t have to choose between them.

On the backside of the bag there’s an additional, document sized, slide-in compartment that can fit anything from business papers to travel documents, or a newspaper.

Overall the interior of the Muzetto is very compact while still fitting your most important documents and accessories. If you pack too many items, however, the bag will start to bulge unsightly.

Our biggest gripe with the interior may be the fact that you can’t separate Apple’s bluetooth keyboard from the iPad. Both items fit only into the bag’s main compartment, which could potentially lead to the keyboard scratching up an unprotected iPad. An additional divider would’ve been a nice addition.

If you keep your iPad in a case, or don’t use a separate keyboard, however, this won’t even be an issue for you. Also, WaterField Designs offers a matching, multi-layered ‘SmartCase’ to add an extra layer of protection for $59.

Even though both iPad and keyboard... ... fit, they must share the same compartment.

Comfort & Protection

I’ve seen other reviewers describe the Muzetto as heavy. I didn’t get that impression at all. Weighing in at just a little over 1lb the bag feels solid without compromising comfort. There’s no noticeable fatigue, even after wearing the bag for multiple hours.

In addition, the bag will offer generous iPad protection for light use and travel. If you’re into extreme off-road biking, or other hazardous activities, however, you may want to choose a bulkier bag with thicker protection. (Or get the matching SmartCase mentioned above.) In my opinion, the Muzetto is the perfect trade-off between size, comfort, and protection for the busy city traveler.

The busy city traveler can easily fit his iPad office into the Portable Muzetto.

Bottom Line – Our Recommendation

The 10″ Portable Muzetto is a compact messenger bag without frill or fuss, making it the perfect choice if mobility is a priority. The Muzetto will fit your iPad, iPhone, Keyboard, important accessories, as well as your most important documents for the day. In addition, the professional look & feel will also appeal to many guys out there.

The 10″ portable Muzetto will cost you $189 plus shipping and is currently available for pre-order in six different colors at sfbags.com. It’s not the cheapest iPad bag out there, but at least you know that you’ll be paying for quality. Go for it!

Pros:

• Elegant look & feel
• Compact, yet practical
• Contents are easily accessible
• Comfortable
• Sturdy
• Fits iPad, keyboard, documents, as well as a few accessories

Cons:

• Apple Keyboard and iPad must be placed within the same compartment
• Only one front pocket
• A bit pricey