Altura Urban Dryline Briefcase 15

Altura's Urban Dryline Briefcase 15 is a sturdy piece of luggage that offers excellent protection from the elements but has limited storage space and doesn't fit all laptops.

The Briefcase is part of Altura's Dryline range which is made from impressively rugged and waterproof fabric. I confirmed this with a highly scientific experiment, namely filling it with old back issues of Cycling Plus and leaving the briefcase outside overnight in the rain.

Joyously, the news that Lance Armstrong had secured his fifth Tour victory was still perfectly dry and legible.

The Briefcase is well padded and has thick bumpers on the bottom, so your precious gadgets are protected from the rough and tumble of commuting. That padding does mean the Briefcase is rather smaller inside than appearances suggest.

There's no give in the fabric either, so this isn't a piece of luggage that you can cheat more space from by stuffing it until it bulges.

That's the biggest problem I have with the Briefcase, it's just too damn small. The Briefcase comes with a padded laptop sleeve (too short for my laptop, which stuck out of the top like a partially unwrapped choc ice) and by the time you've slid that into the main compartment there's precious little space for anything else. Maybe a lock and a few papers, but that's your lot.

There is a small outer pocket with an organiser for pens, USB sticks etc but even that fills up quickly. If you need a way of safely transporting your laptop to meetings across town then it's fine, but if your commuting needs are more extensive (sandwiches, clean pants, pint of milk, handcuffs, gaffa tape etc) then you're probably better off buying something else, like the Dryline 17 that Shaun tested a few years ago.

To be entirely fair, the 15 in the name refers to the size of laptop that the case is designed for. I have no idea what size mine is, but it's obviously bigger than 15 inches. It's not a huge problem but even with a less wide laptop space in the Briefcase would be limited.

Externally the Briefcase is all business, finished in black and one shade of grey with a swoosh of reflective piping to break up the seriousness. The fittings are standard Rixen & Kaul KlickFix with an adjustable retaining clip to fit most racks. You also get a carry strap and a protective flap to stop road filth from rubbing off on your smart work clothes.

Overall the Briefcase is a quality item but rather limited in what it offers.

Verdict

Sturdy protection for your computer, but not much space for anything else