The mission for Brenthaven, a Seattle-based company is to design and build innovative, high-quality cases that provide peace of mind for your digital lifestyle. The Brenthaven Collins Collection has been designed with Apple products in mind – the collection includes a range of bags and sleeves with style, functionality, while remaining at an affordable price point. This means that this range is perfect for professionals and students who are going back to uni.
UPDATE (March, 2016): Unfortunately Apple has discontinued selling the Brenthaven series, It’s currently unclear where you can purchase them in Australia.
The collection is available exclusively from the Apple Online Store, ranging from $204.95 for the 15-inch backpack to $99 for the vertical messenger bag, and just $54.95 for the sleeve – all which feature a distinctive blue or grey fabric, and vegan leather material, along with metal zippers and smart access compartments/pockets.
I recently reviewed a number of bags in the collection over at AMVSEMENT, but here I’m going to give you the run-down of products available in the range, including an overview and some highlights.
The Collins Collection
The range includes four bags and a sleeve (available in two sizes):
- Brenthaven Collins Backpack (15-inch)
- Brenthaven Vertical Messenger Bag (13-inch)
- Brenthaven Slim Brief Bag (15-inch)
- Brenthaven Sleeves for MacBook Air (11/13-inch)
- Brenthaven Courier Bag (13-inch)
You can learn more about each bag from the Apple Online Store, and keep in mind that you get free shipping with the purchase, plus you can also return items up to 14-days after purchase.
Brenthaven 15″ Collins Backpack
The backpack gives you the most room, with a range of quilted pockets and compartments, as well as a padded pocket for the MacBook range (up to 15-inches in size – the largest MacBook Pro available.)
- Plenty of room for your MacBook, iPad, iPhone, and essentials such as uni books. etc.
- Padded compartments designed for your Apple devices
- Padded back and shoulder straps
- Stylish and slim, despite being a large backpack
Brenthaven 13″ Vertical Messenger Bag
The most affordable bag of the collection, at only $99.95. Its design makes this bag slim in size, but has enough room to allow you to carry your MacBook, and other items while also making a fairly good day bag. I also found it to fit the new iPad Pro well, along with some books and more.
- Cheapest bag in the collection
- Slim design
- Accommodates an iPad (including iPad Pro), MacBook
Brenthaven 13″ Collins Courier
Easily access and carry your MacBook, iPad and more with the Courier bag, which is designed for those who are seeking functionality as well as style. The entire compartment, which is opened from the top via zippers is padded as well as room for a MacBook up to 13-inches in size, along with an iPad and a book or two. While it is not the cheapest bag of the collection it is still quite affordable at $119.95. The use of a lot of padding makes this bag feel extremely soft and comfortable.
- Padded pocket for your MacBook and iPad
- Slim profile and comfortable to wear
- Front compartment for an iPhone, pens
Brenthaven Collins Slim Brief
This bag has the traditional briefcase look in mind, but one which is stylish and slim at the same time. The Collins Slim Brief is the second bag in the collection which will fit the larger sized 15-inch MacBook Pro, and one that contains more compartments and pockets if you want to fit more. Brenthaven have included quilted compartments, quick pocket for an iPhone, a removable shoulder strap and even a separate compartment for a mobile battery for charging on the go.
- Plenty of room for your MacBook, iPad, iPhone and essentials such as uni books
- Padded compartments designed for your Apple devices
- Shoulder strap which is also removable
- Mobile battery compartment
Brenthaven Collins Sleeves for MacBook
Moving away from bags to the only non-bag product of the collection is the Collins Sleeves for MacBook Air, which is available in both 11-inch and 13-inch sizes. Both sizes feature a padded compartment, accessed via a zipper around the top, that is designed to protect and fit your MacBook Air perfectly. The 13-inch size will also fit the new iPad Pro, while the 11-inch can fit the new 12-inch MacBook, however they have been designed specifically for the Macbook Air.
There is also a pocket located at the front, great for small things like a thin book or a Lightning Cable for your iPhone, though you won’t be able to fit much more than that.
- Designed to protect your MacBook Air
- Padding protects your device
- Small front pocket
- Stylish fabric and vegan leather design
The complete collection is also available from the Apple Online Store for Education, and while there is no discounted pricing for these accessories, Apple do offer discount pricing on the Apple Mac and iPad Range, which can be purchased at the same time. The Back To Uni sale is also currently running giving you a free pair of Beats Solo2 Headphones on selected Mac computers.
