To boost your confidence for the day ahead, throwing Thule’s Gauntlet MacBook Attaché is a handy measure, confirming your ultimate preparation for anything life throws at you. At a glance, the robust casing and water-resistant zipping makes the Gauntlet well-qualified to fetch odd looks – the relatively fortified exterior does look more military than city slicker. But you would expect nothing less from Thule; Swedes know what works and how to corrugate a frame for a turbulent future.

Volume

In fact the subtle ‘clamshell’ design of Thule’s messenger bag enables its best feature – some volume in a streamlined package. Whereas other messenger bags either come in too wide or too slim – including other ‘sleeves’ or ‘envelopes’ from Thule’s own range – the shape of the Gauntlet attaché creates enough room to throw in a charger along with some other essentials – optics, snacks, or a change of whatever. With the extra volume you can be secure for an entire day or even for an overnight mission.

Interior

Slip inside the Gauntlet and you’ll discover an assortment of storage options. A row of three elasticated pouches can house items like USB wires, spare phones, backup batteries or a couple of cosy snacks, each attached to the central and single ‘leaf’ of the case. On the other side of this divider, a single elasticated pouch is perfect for safely storing your 13-inch MacBook Air or MacBook Pro into.

Return to the side facing the three small pouches and you’ve got a netting to cradle odd items – your charger, or flimsy items like a quick-dry towel, swimmers and pair of goggles. On the opposite side you have a casual elastic band to secure a book or magazine. Admittedly, this strap on this side could offer a little more security or include a cross-hatch – items do bump around a little.

An exquisite comes in the form of a strap that reaches from the side with the elasticated pouch, over the central leaf and the slot for your MacBook, to meet a velcro patch around the belly of the MacBook pouch. This creates a brilliant fixture to make sure your valuable electronics are as compact as possible, in case your Gauntlet launches itself into life a little too abruptly.

Straps

Now to return to the carrying options. The Gauntlet comes with a shoulder strap that it well padded and extendable. One of the neat details with the shoulder strap can be found in the way it is connected to the pack – either side of the zip to promote a neutral carrying style. If you want to carry the messenger bag by your side, a pair of straps are very comfortable and robust – true bodyguard mode.

Thule’s Gauntlet MacBook Messenger bag comes in at $80 – more at Thule.com