I’ve been wanting to get a briefcase for work that will carry and organize all of my documents, tablet and laptop, hold up through daily usage and look great. Does the Tumi Alpha 2 Slim Deluxe Portfolio Brief meet the needs?

This bag caught my attention immediately as I was walking through a local department store. Even from afar, I could pick it out from the others on the shelf – in a good way. I can feel the quality of the materials not long after I picked it up and started to go through the bag. I really appreciate the thought put into the design. The pockets are well organized and what you end up getting with the Tumi Alpha 2 Deluxe Portfolio Brief is a well crafted briefcase that subtly adds a touch of professionalism to your look.

Update: 6/17/2016

We’ve had this portfolio briefcase now for over a year and decided it was time to take a second look at this bag. Watch below or on YouTube channel Tekuben Prime to get our thoughts on this bag after using it for a year, see the points of wear, and find out what we pack in it.

If you would like to buy this bag, please consider purchasing it from Amazon.com with this link. Doing so will help support our work here at Tekuben.

Tumi Alpha 2 Slim Deluxe Portfolio Brief Review

Exterior

This Slim Deluxe Portfolio Brief is available in Black Leather, Black Ballistic Nylon (like the one I have), Olive Ballistic Nylon and the newest addition, Anthracite Fabric. There are 2 front zippered compartments and two of what I call “slide-away” compartments on the front and back of the main compartment. The main compartment is enclosed by an L-Shaped zipper or what Tumi calls a “zip-around” design. I find this design makes it easy to know exactly where the zipper is located if the main compartment is closed.

The front lower pocket is limited in usefulness given its’ lack of depth. Good for business cards and receipts, I suppose. The U-Shaped zipper enclosed compartment is less restrictive. There is a pen and card organizer on the door flap and two zippered enclosures, including one that is RFID protected, against the body.

The leather handles are wonderful to hold. The thickness and drop, or distance from the top of the handle to the bag, allows for a great grip. Tumi made the right decision to use its’ silky smooth and comfortable leather on the part of the bag that your hands will touch the most.

The shoulder strap hooks onto the bag with a patented lock system and stays on your shoulder with a leather padding that feels equally as luxurious as the handles.

All zippers open and close smoothly, inspiring confidence in the quality of the bag.

On the very back of the back, there is what I thought to be another zippered compartment, but as it turns out, the bottom of the “compartment” also has a zippered opening to form what Tumi calls its’ Add-a-Bag system. Opening both ends allows your Slim Deluxe Portfolio to slide onto the extended handles of your carry-on luggage, effectively allowing you to transport both items with one hand. If you don’t plan on using it for its’ intended purpose, feel free to treat it as a bonus zippered compartment, or even as a “secret compartment” if you only access it by opening up the bottom zipper, as I did the first time I checked out the bag.

Interior

What the front pockets probably can’t hold for you, the main compartment sure can. Beautiful lining, a padded tablet holder and full width zipper enclosure. The main compartment can hold up to a 15-inch laptop, notes and folders. The magnetically enclosed front “slide-away” compartment has a cell phone slot (pre-iPhone 6 design, so not phablet friendly) and the slide-away compartment behind the main compartment may also prove useful for getting documents stored or pulled quickly.

The small red RFID compartment is a safe-haven for RFID chip equipped passports and credit cards from thieves using scanning equipment to steal information off of them.

As with every Tumi bag, the Slim Deluxe Portfolio has a unique tracer number that can be registered with Tumi to be used in the event that your bag is lost and Tumi would be able to notify you that it’s found if someone were to present it to them.

Overall

I’m satisfied with the Tumi Alpha 2 Series Slim Deluxe Portfolio Brief. It has a modern look and a high-quality, for the most part practical design. Like its’ name describes it, it has a slim profile and keeps to it. This is a great looking bag for the professional on the go with not a whole lot to carry. A laptop, a kindle, notepad and a few reports? No problem. It’s not your professor’s bag (think thick, overstuffed with books, papers and tests to grade). With this bag, keep it simple. Bring what you need, leave what you don’t. The name says it all. Slim (not too much room). Deluxe (the quality). Portfolio (for your laptop, resumes, notepad and iPad).

The Black Leather version of this bag retails for $495. If you want to go for the more subtle and modern look, the Black and Olive Ballistic Nylon are both $295. If you want the more fashionable look, go with the Anthracite Fabric also for $295.

This bag’s model number is 26110D2

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