Review: Muzetto shoulder bag for MacBook Air

The 2010 MacBook Air is one of the best machines to come out of Cupertino in while (except for the missing keyboard-backlight, that is) and every good notebook needs an equally good case to carry it in.

Whenever I get a new notebook computer I follow the same ritual: I get a sleevecase from Waterfield Designs so that it'll be protected in any type of bag. I got one for my 11-inch MacBook Air per usual, but since the the MBA is a different animal, I wanted to get a new bag for it.

The 11-inch Waterfield Muzetto ($219) is the kind of bag that you want to buy a computer to go with. It's a high-quality, vertical shoulder bag constructed of beautiful, naturally-tanned brown (or black) leather and with an accent color under the flap. Pictured is the brown leather with the pine accent.

What attracted me about the Muzetto was its size, it's small  -- just large enough to hold the 11-inch MBA in a 11-01 sleevecase ($47) -- but it'll also fit an iPad in a tablet slipcase ($29) and a magazine. It's perfect for bringing your 'Air to a day of meetings, light commuting or away for the weekend. The bag's flap naturally stays in place under its own weight so there's no velcro to interrupt something more important that's happening in the room.

The Muzetto's leather is naturally tanned at one of the last remaining tanneries in the United States and is distributed by a local Northern California company. U.S. tanneries have to adhere to much more stringent environmental laws than overseas tanneries do.

After being tanned, the leather on the Muzetto is treated with natural oils (not chemicals) to increase water-resistance and to generally care for the leather. It's then given a sanded finish to create a nice texture. The oiling allows you to easily rub out most scratches that you'll get and over time the leather will take on character like your first baseball glove or leather bomber jacket did.

The killer Muzetto setup will set you back $295:

• Muzetto - 11" Laptop Size (Air) - $219
• SleeveCase - Size: 11-01 Vertical w/Leather - $47
• Tablet slipcase - 10" - $29 (optional, for your iPad)

The oiled leather finish, classic style and minimalist design make the Muzetto from Waterfield one of my all-time favorite bags. It's the perfect fit and the best companion for the new 11-inch MacBook Air.

More pics follow...