Aer Tech Brief Review

The most unique feature of the Aer Tech Brief is its structure. While most laptop carriers are backpacks, the Aer offers a modern take on the business briefcase.

Comfort and Fit

Since the Aer isn't worn like a backpack, it was a little tricky for our testing crew to compare it side by side against more traditional models on our list. In the end though, we loved the freedom and ease this model offers.

One of our top testers used the Tech Brief daily for work. After three weeks of use, their notepad was covered in positive remarks that aligned with the overall feeling of our testing crew. What we all loved the most was the easy grab-and-go nature of this bag. It offers a lot of freedom that traditional backpacks can't. With the Aer, there's no hoisting, slinging, positioning, or clipping. Simply grab the handles and go. In many ways, we're not sure it gets more comfortable than that.

For those days when you feel like giving your hands a break, the Tech Brief can easily be transformed into a comfortable messenger case. We liked that this bag's shoulder strap wasn't some chintzy gimmick. It's adjustable, has a substantial 3-inch-wide pad, and self-locking clips. It easily fastens into place, allowing the Tech Brief to ride comfortably on the side of the body. This is a great option if work is a few blocks from the subway station or those who commute by bike or scooter.

Aer didn't skimp on this bag's shoulder padding. It's thick and comfy and it stays in place.   Credit: Jason Wanlass

The strap is adjustable, allowing the bag to ride high on your hip. This is nice if you need to move a lot because it keeps it from swaying around.   Credit: Jason Wanlass

A closeup of the strap's locking clips. They're plastic but sturdy.   Credit: Jason Wanlass

Measuring the width of the shoulder padding. When compared to other models, this is one of the widest pads in our lineup.   Credit: Jason Wanlass

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Laptop Protection

We feel the Tech Brief could benefit from a few improvements, but overall, this case provides above-average protection for your tech.

The majority of the Aer is protected by dense, 1680-denier Cordura ballistic nylon. In short, this fabric is about as good as it gets. It's super strong, protective, and fairly impervious to rain or snow. The main laptop compartment is shrouded in this high-quality nylon, along with a decent amount of padding. It's also protected by a waterproof zipper.

A close up of the Aer's dense ballistic-nylon fabrics.   Credit: Jason Wanlass

Conducting our simple, but effective, paperclip test. By dragging the end of the clip across the fabric, we can immediately see how it handles scuffs and scrapes. Even with applying serious force, we couldn't scratch this bag.   Credit: Jason Wanlass

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We feel the Tech Brief protected our laptop well. During our daily usage we never had any concerns or problems; however, we did wish the laptop sleeve offered a securing strap to hold our laptop in place. We also felt that the storage sleeve could benefit from a more generous false bottom, which would allow the laptop to be suspended. This safety design offers more protection if the bag is dropped or accidentally laid down with too much force. However, we intentionally plopped it down on tables and counters a little harder than needed, and our laptop was protected.

During our water tests, we drenched the Tech Brief with sink water and checked for leaks. We were particularly aggressive with its waterproof zipper. At the conclusion of our at-home tempest, we were impressed at the Tech Brief's ability to shield the bag's interior from moisture. Specifically, the waterproof zipper held well, leaving the laptop compartment dry.

Dousing our Tech Brief with tons of sink water to see how it battles with the elements.   Credit: Jason Wanlass

Spraying directly at the zippers to see if they will fail.   Credit: Jason Wanlass

A close up of this case's waterproof zippers. They offer a rubberized material that seals over the zipper teeth in order to hold out water.   Credit: Jason Wanlass

We placed a paper towel inside of this case before we started the testing. It was still perfectly dry at the end of our at-home rainstorm.   Credit: Jason Wanlass

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Storage and Organization

The Tech Brief offers a smaller capacity than many of the models in our lineup, so keep that in mind. However, our testers really liked its overall layout, and felt it was well organized.

It's important to remember that the Tech Brief is designed like a briefcase. So if you need a bag that can carry your work or school essentials plus lunch and workout clothes, you might want to check out some of the other models we've tested. We're certainly not implying that this bag is too small. It offers plenty of organizational space for all of your essentials. It even has a key clip and a pocket for a smart-tracking device. One key feature the Tech Brief doesn't offer is a water-bottle holder.

A close up of the laptop sleeve. We liked that it was tight-fitting.   Credit: Jason Wanlass

We loved this case's stretchy interior pockets. They allowed us to securely pack a variety of oddly shaped items. From ear buds, to Kindles, to eye wear, and more, these pouches enveloped whatever we were stored and kept it in place.   Credit: Jason Wanlass

A glance at our Tech Brief for today's work. Its organizational system is easy and convenient to use.   Credit: Jason Wanlass

This case isn't the largest in our lineup, but its main compartment is still large enough to hold shoes, gym clothes, a light jacket, or an umbrella.   Credit: Jason Wanlass

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Ease of Use

Simple and straightforward is the name of the game with the Aer Tech Brief, earning it its very best marks in this metric.

It doesn't get much easier than grabbing this bag's two over-sized handles and making tracks to wherever you're headed. The Aer Tech Brief has a near-perfect layout, so finding your things is easy. This is something briefcases simply do better than most backpacks. Additionally, the Aer is easy to wipe down or deep clean, although it should be hand-washed and air-dried. What we loved the most was the ability to grab things while on the go. You can't do that with a backpack.

Versatility

What first drew us toward the Aer was its interchangeable carrying options. We also loved that it was a briefcase at heart, but didn't necessarily look like a traditional hard-sided one.

The Tech Brief has an understated appearance and isn't available in tons of bright colors. We know that it won't appeal to everyone. However, based on its own merits, we think this bag is next-level for professionals or students seeking a briefcase that has the ability to be worn as a messenger bag. We think the Tech Brief has a cleaner, businesslike style that lends itself better to the workplace or other professional settings. However, having the ability to sling it over the shoulder at the end of the day gives it a level of versatility that we really loved. It also has a perfectly placed luggage strap for travel.

Should You Buy the Aer Tech Brief?

First things first, based on its construction quality alone, we feel the Aer Tech Brief is extremely well-priced. When it comes to value, this bag is all-in. On the whole, we think its briefcase/messenger design will appeal to a broard audience, but we also know for sure that office workers, professionals, or grad students will really appreciate its polished look. If your packing style leans more to that of a pack rat, you may not like this bag's overall storage volume.

What Other Laptop Backpacks Should You Consider?

If a true messenger bag is what you're looking for, we think you'll really like the Osprey Metron 18 Messenger or the Timbuk2 Especial Stash Messenger. We also liked the non-traditional vibe that the Bellroy Tokyo Wonder Tote brings to the table. None of these carry options are as comfortable as a true backpack though, and for that, we recommend the Timbuk2 Authority Deluxe.