Czechoslovakian BAREX Map Case, Surplus

Now you have an awesome opportunity to purchase a faux leather dream of the proletariat! This here walks among the royalty of East European map cases. Czechoslovakia sure has been fond of those folks carrying maps; this case looks like it came from some 1970s Italian fashion house. And if you are one of those modern GPS people who hates paper maps, it makes a very swanky retro laptop case.

Features

This awesomely special case is made from shiny brown Barex, which is a faux leather made from laminated polymer-based plastic but looks a lot like the leather made in the ‘70s. The shoulder strap and the strap closing the flap are made from proper leather though.

The flap is closed with a buckle familiar from old briefcases. There should be a key included but we cannot guarantee that every single one will have one. Nevertheless, the buckle will work just fine without it, you just cannot prevent access to the case with the lock. However, you might keep your sanity if the key isn’t included because it is a bit special, and we needed three people to figure out HTF it works.

On the inside lid, there is a flat pouch for maps and such that is closed with two snap fasteners plus a small slot for a name tag. On top of the main compartment, there are elastic pen, etc. holders, a couple of flat pockets, and a pouch closed with two buckles. In the main compartment, you can even fit a smaller laptop, books, or all the maps you will ever need. Furthermore, there is one full-length and one half-length pocket for more maps or papers.

Additionally, there are two metal D rings at the lower edge, the purpose of which remains a mystery to us. At least you can use them to hang this thing somewhere, and a bit more paranoid person can put a padlock there if the regular lock isn’t enough.

Sizing

The outer measurements are c. 37 x 27 x 5 cm (14.6" x 10.6" x 2"). The thickness of course depends on how much crap you shove inside. The accordion-style side walls have space to expand almost to double the width. The weight when empty is c. 770 g (1.7 lbs).

Condition

Czechoslovakian military surplus. These are technically unused but they have been lying in some dark bunker since the Cold War, and probably some politburo officer has been ordered to move them from one slot to another to pass the time. So, some of them can have small scratches, warehouse dust, and other signs of wear. That’s why we sell them used.