I really love this bag, it’s perfect for my use - which is for my laptop, water bottle, book to go to the office taking very crowded tube lines. I love the minimalist look, the material feels good and I appreciate how light it is. You do need a padded sleeve to protect a laptop but I don’t think the bag needs padding as it can be kept very small and light when not carrying a laptop. My very small nitpicks would be that the small pocket inside should have a zip and ideally be stitched on the other side of the bag - when my laptop is in the bag and I have something in this pocket it kind of bulges out and is not too comfortable. Definitely no deal breaker, I highly recommend this bag if you want something small, light and useful. Handmade in Manchester is also really cool.