I’m a fan of traveling light, though that’s sometimes much harder to do than say. That’s because I have to have certain things with me at all times and those things aren’t items that I can just put in my pocket. For instance, I like to carry around my tablet for some light reading, web browsing, or even to do some work on. I also carry around a second phone, my charging cables, and my PS Vita (for when I need to take a break or pass some time). There’s no way I can carry all that in my pockets and I also don’t want to carry a huge backpack just for those items. This is when a small shoulder bag comes in handy, but the trick here is to find one that doesn’t look like a woman’s purse. That was a dilemma I had until I found the WaterField Muzetto Outback Canvas Bag. It’s a small shoulder bag very similar in style to the one Indian Jones would carry, making it a bag I had to check out for myself.
Style
The WaterField Muzetto Outback Canvas is not unlike a messenger bag, though not as wide as one. Instead, it has the profile of an upright rectangle than on on its side. The personal sized one I got is not very large and is about as large as a ream of paper. It’s not quite as thick, but it about as wide and tall.
A majority of the bag is covered in tan, waxed canvas which has an almost aged, vintage look to it. The material is made in such a way where it is supposed to look better the more it is used and abused. The only hint of color will come from the inner flap and front part of the bag which can be had in six different colors – Black, Copper, Flame, Green, Pearl, Pine. The one I got is black as it’s the manlier color, although copper is not bad either.
The bag is not overly stiff like it looks and instead is actually quite flexible and soft. That doesn’t mean it won’t protect your contents because the canvas is quite strong and durable. The flexibility however does mean that you can fit a variety of different shaped objects in there. The material also offers decent water-resistance thanks to the large flap that covers the main compartment. It should protect all your items from light rain, though I’m not sure how it would handle a large storm.
Style wise, it’s a very handsome shoulder bag. The shoulder straps are nice and thick with a well cushioned shoulder pad. The strap looks strong enough where it looks like it will last for ages and goes really well with the tan colored canvas. However, the Muzetto Outback Canvas isn’t the type of bag someone in a suit would be rocking. This is a casual bag, really rough looking and adventurous, but that doesn’t mean it lacks sophistication. This would be like driving a jeep, covered in mud, but on the inside you have leather seats, carpeting, AC, and a rocking stereo system.
Features
The version of the Muzetto Outback Canvas bag I got was the personal sized one which might be small for some, but was the perfect size for my needs. This one features a pocket in the rear for quick access and three pockets under the flap. The outer pocket under the flap is large enough to fit my iPad Mini while the main compartment can hold much thicker objects. The main compartment also has a zippered pocket to hold things you don’t want rattling around. The interior of the bag is lined in ballistic nylon, though one of the pockets has felt like material as its inner lining.
- Available in durable tan, waxed, cotton canvas which softens over time.
- Accent colors include Black, Copper, Flame, Green, Pearl, Pine
- Sizes are based on devices:
- Personal for tablets up to 7″ (iPad Mini, Nexus 7, Kindle Fire)
- 10″ Portable for the iPad Air and 10″ tablets (Samsung, Kindle)
- 11″ Laptop for the MacBook Air
- 13″ Laptop for MacBooks & other laptops. Also fits 13″ MacBook in a Vertical WaterField SleeveCase (not included).
- 15″ Laptop for MacBooks & other laptops. Also fits 15″ MacBook in a Vertical WaterField SleeveCase (not included).
Experience
I was a little afraid that the WaterField Muzetto Outback Canvas was going to be a bit too much like a purse because of the size I chose. That wasn’t the case at all. I think it’s because of the way the bag just looks in person with its rugged, aged looking canvas that it looks quite manly. Of course it doesn’t hurt that the bag looks similar to the ones that Indian Jones uses on all his adventure.
It’s a very heavy duty bag thanks to the materials it uses. The canvas is very strong and thick and looks like it will stand up to some heavy abuse. The inside however, especially the pocket used to hold your iPad, is lined in felt so although the bag is quite rugged, it’s also plus enough on the inside to cradle your tablet like a baby and not cause any scratching.
I found the main compartment was large enough to hold my PS Vita in a case, my phone, and a few cables. There was even room to carry something like my keys are my in-ear headphones. What it isn’t large enough to carry however is my mirrorless camera as with its lens attached, it is just to thick to fit in there. It however has no problem holding a standard point-and-shoot camera.
This is really more of a bag that you take with you on an outing in the city where you only want to carry your absolute essentials comfortably. It’s not too small and it’s not too large and fits pretty much everything you need on a day adventure. Obviously you can hold more if you get the larger sized versions of this bag, but for me, the personal size is the best size for what I needed.
Final Thoughts
This isn’t the first time I’ve looked at a WaterField product. You may remember the WaterField PS Vita CitySlicker Case I reviewed a while back. It’s still the only thing I use to carry my PS vita around and it is a product that has really lasted. Like the CitySlicker, I’m equally as impressed with Muzetto Outback Canvas. The construction is top notch and the high quality materials used means it will last a very long time through all your adventures.
There is nothing about the bag I dislike and can’t really find a single fault with it. The size I had chosen was the personal sized one but if you need something larger, WaterField does make this in a 10, 11, 13, and 15-inch sizes. This will allow you to carry more stuff as well as much larger tablets or even laptops if you want.
Overall, I’m very impressed with the WaterField Muzetto Outback Canvas. This is the perfect bag to take with you on a day outing if you only need to carry a few things with you. I like the fact that it doesn’t look like a purse and looks like a bag that you can take with you on an adventure, not unlike a certain famous, globe trotting archeologist. If you’re looking for something rugged, versatile, and good looking, the Muzetto Outback Canvas is the bag for you.
