Gary Waterfield:

Subject: Thanks for finding us!

Congratulations on being part of an exclusive group of people who own a San Francisco-made WaterField product. You might see another one— at an airport, a café in Florence, or a business meeting in Austin.  The best cases in the world attract some of the best and most diverse people in the world and we are glad to have you be part of our community. 

All our bags and cases are made by the most skilled sewing team in San Francisco. Please keep in touch and let us know what else we can do for you.

BTW, how did you bump into us? 

Thanks again,
Gary Waterfield

Gary,

Wow, such a personal e-mail, deserves an equally personal response. “Here we go…”

I’ve known about you since the early days back when Jason O’Grady had an email newsletter called “PowerPage” based on the Powerbook (so this would be in the 90’s around the time Jobs was interim CEO). He used to write about you as a good place to buy laptop bags (back when laptops were rare, I had a PowerBook Duo 270c and later a Powerbook 2400c/180 but was in school so couldn’t afford a dedicated laptop bag—I used a Jandd messenger bag I picked from from their warehouse in Santa Cruz on closeout in 1995). I think when the IBM switch occurred I ended up buying a Tom Bihn one for my MacBook Pro instead (back when George Bush was president because Tom Bihn had those subversive tags written in French which I used to get a good price selling it on eBay many years later). Don’t get me wrong, the Tom Bihn bag was tank (only the sold-separately strap broke and they sent me replacement hardware which I still use on my photography bags), but laptops kept getting smaller and the “Empire Builder” became a bit too much for my aspirations.

I eventually bought a laptop sleeve from you (an earlier iteration of the one I just ordered for the iPad Air 9.5″) for my MacBook Air in 2010. I still use it today when I have a bag without its own sleeve and it’s still probably the best thought-out design for a laptop sleeve ever: easy access with a safe and secure velcro closure instead of the inconvenient zipper like competitors; ample neoprene padding inside with ballistic nylon outside and yet not bulky; tasteful fill-grain leather accents that protect high wear areas; available in horizontal for use in my messenger bags or vertical (for backpacks?); and an extra pocket for holding a power supply or cables, or an iPad! in a pinch. It has never so much as frayed even a little in the last six years.

You may actually recall this: I was living in SoMa at the time and offered to pick it up at your HQ which was in Mission Bay. When I came by, you thought I was applying for a job because you were interviewing people for warehouse and shipping! Nah, I just came to pick up my beloved laptop sleeve! 😀

I also have another bag of yours which is my “on the go bag” for computer accessories no matter what bag I am using. In fact it is right here next to me as I type in Starbucks across from the Computer History Museum in Mountain View!


I think it was an iPod bag, but I use it for to hold a power supply, cables, surge protector, USB charger, extra USB battery, and assorted adapters, minty gum and screen wipes. 😉 The bright color means I have no trouble finding it no matter what bag I’m lugging around.

As for the current purchase: walking home from the JCCSF, I was worried I left my hat at the gym and flipped over my gym bag from my back. It landed on the concrete pavement with a loud *THUD* and I realized that the iPad pro I carelessly dropped inside is not long for this world without a sleeve just for “those times.” I thought of you immediately, of course! (I confess I researched other options, but you’ll be happy to know that you still make the best stuff.)

When Apple opened their store in Palo Alto in 2001, they had printed outside a manifesto that read: “5 down. 95 to go.”

“Apple currently has around 5 percent market share in personal computers. This means that out of one hundred computer users, five of them use Macs. … Because if only 5 of those remaining 95 people switch to Macs, we’ll double our market share and, more importantly, earn the chance to delight another 25 million customers. Here we go …”

The hipsters can have their Timbuk2s, Chromes, and Rickshaws (heck, I’ve been known to own a bag or two from them). But for thoughtful form following function and a bulletproof design that will outlive the fads, nothing beats you guys at WaterField. It a shame that owning a product from you could ever be called “exclusive.” The rest of the world doesn’t know what they are missing.

All the best and take care,

terry

Followup

Gary:

Subject: O’Grady’s Powerpage – I do remember…

You have an amazing memory.  I remember all that – again – now.  The Tom Bihn GWB tags – yes.

I guess we are still exclusive – we are all about keeping the quality and the consistency – perhaps someday less exclusive – but I doubt it.  We have a smallish sewing shop here in Mission Bay where you ‘applied’ for work – and we’ve been at production capacity for a spell now – and in a good place.  It still feels great when long time customers come back and write to me – Thank you.  Your iPod Gear pouch seems to be hanging in there.

Gary

The sleeve arrived. My iPad feels a bit safer now. 🙂

Check WaterField Designs out at sfbags.com.