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Recommendations For A Good Laptop Bag?
YOU LIKEWISE FAIL IT writes "So, I was jogging to the bus stop this morning when suddenly - snap, the weight of the laptop on my shoulder vanished, and I heard the dull thud of my powerbook bag hitting the pavement at a wince-inducing speed. The laptop seems to be alright, but the bag (a WWDC giveaway) is completely knackered. Does anyone have any recommendations for a good, impact resistant laptop bag that won't come flying apart under stress? Perhaps it's not too late to guilt work into buying me one for a late Christmas present."
Columbia makes some good bags too. Maybe something from North Face would be a little sturdier.
I have been pwned because my
Get yourself a good backpack. I got a great one for $40 at staples made by Samsonite.
I'm a big fan of the cases from Willow Design.
They're relatively heavy-duty and not too bad-looking, although they could be better.
Don't jog with a $1000+ laptop.
As Wile E Coyote would say "gravity makes a great servant but a terrible master"
I've got a Crumpler "Very Busy Man" messenger bag and it's great. The bag itself is quite padded; plus it has a laptop compartment that itself is padded. Holds my 15" Powerbook with room to spare, with space for lots of other stuff. Top-notch construction, waterproof flap, zippers that will never break, and more.
Plus you can't beat the names of any Crumpler bags: Wack-o-phone, McBain's Lovechild, etc.
http://www.crumplerusa.com
#DeleteChrome
The bag that thinkpads come with is great. Has a support system so the laptop literally hangs internally from the top by an elastic fabric. There's 2 full inches of dead space at the bottom.
I have a Targus bag, solely because of the fact that it was one of the only sturdy bags I could find that actually fit my 17" Powerbook and was under $100.
It's very sturdy, has a very strong shoulder strap & handle, and has enough room to carry my documents, my powerbook, iPod, iPod Dock & headphones, iPod & Laptop adaptors, extra power cable, and digital camera USB cable. It does everything I need it to, and it was pretty cheap too ($65 at Best Buy, IIRC).
And if you want to know if it's strong enough...I let my friend carry my powerbook in the bag. He tripped and dropped the powerbook, only to then land on top of it. Everything inside was just fine, and everything outside is fine too; barely a scratch on the bag itself.
Brenthaven makes really nice, highly padded bags, that have an extra, built-in, removeable sleeve in them. They make them for all the PowerBooks including the 17in ones. I got one about 6 months ago and have been very happy with it. (I've got the Deluxe Slim I think)
It was a bit on the pricey side compared to what I was thinking (about $100), but it's a really nice, well constructed bag and the padding will pay for itself if you ride the train like I do and would otherwise bang up your laptop.
http://www.brenthaven.com/products/index.html
Have a look at ThinkGeek, there are plenty of them.
http://www.thinkgeek.com/computing/bags/
Check out the bags from Crumpler - they're from Australia but they have stores all around the world. Simply the best bags you can get.
They started off doing bags for bicycle couriers and developed from there. Very strong, very well designed, pockets for everything and no dirty great "Hey, I've got a laptop in here so steal me!" logos and designs.
I have been using their "Crisp Suit" bag (look in the computer bags section) for over a year, including four weeks using it to carry two (yes, TWO) laptops around Asia while working in Korea, Thailand and Japan. The bag goes with me whenever I carry my laptop (read: almost every day) and I'm still in love with it.
Definitely worth finding the nearest Crumpler store / distributor and picking one up.
I left my body to science, but I'm afraid they've turned it down...
San Francisco's finest: Timbuk2.
They do a bunch of different bags, including commuter and courier bags with padded laptop sleeves. I got one after lots of friends steered me in that direction. Had it for a couple of years; it's bombproof. And also waterproof.
Pelican makes excellent protective cases. Almost unbreakable, water-tight, air-tight, dust-tight. The ones with the "pick-and-pluck" foam can be configured to fit a laptop and all accessories nice and snug. They have a few laptop-specific cases, and several general-purpose cases of all sizes/colors.
If you don't know where to find them near you, check with surveying supply shops, and electronics parts supply (the commercial type, not Radio Shack)
http://www.spireusa.com/
I've been using an Endo for a few years now, super rugged.. even survived the washing machine when it got super stinky once (another tale for another time) with no ill effects. Looks good enough for meeting rooms, rugged enough to handle travel, and slings across the back for bicycle/motorcycle rides or just to get the hands free.
The wife uses a Volt pack. Both come with padded sleeves for your laptop and the usual sets of pockets and storage.
Well worth the money.
Dump the IRS - http://www.fairtax.org
If your laptop survived, get another one of the same bag. $20 bag saves $1,500 laptop, I'd stock up on 10 of those instead of hoping your next bag does as good a job.
~Pev
sfbags (aka Waterfield Designs) has some really nice, customizable bags.
I use a sleevecase for my powerbook. The sleevecase fits the powerbook like a glove, and does a great job of protecting from bumps and scratches.
Slip the powerbook into the sleeve, and slip the sleeve into a messenger bag (or better yet, a leather version)... Perfection!
While we're on the subject, can anyone recommend a car that gets good gas mileage I can fit into the trunk area of my Ford Excursion that I can use to motor around the city streets? The Excursion gets awful gas mileage in the city so I'd like to carry an extra car with me to use for those short 4-5 block commutes between buildings on campus. I've thought about a golf cart or such but they're not particularly fast. Would a Ford Focus fit?
Timbuk2 makes some bombproof messenger bags - I've kept my PowerBook in one when I ramble about for the last two years, and it's held up great. You can custom-design your bag online, as well, which is most cool. If you prefer stock, they keep several types/styles in stock, and some are carried at the Apple Stores.
Mine is a Bolo with a few goodies and a center divider. I made mine with waterproofed canvas (unfortunately, they don't offer that fabric anymore), and I also have a sleeve for the 15" PowerBook as well. It's the best bag I've ever owned, and if I ever get another PowerBook I'll just make sure to buy a sleeve to fit. The sleeves have handles, too, for a little extra protection.
Timbuk2 also makes the best iPod holders, as well - and they make a handy case for a 1900-series iPaq handheld, too, along with a couple of SD cards. And their custom bags are US-made, which I find to be a nice bonus.
-- Josh Turiel
"2. Do not eat iPod Shuffle."
The Kensington Saddlebag has been the trusted protector of my various laptops over the years. This thing is indestructible, goes over the shoulder or as a backpack, has a spot for cell phone, pda, and zippered pockets for everything else. It's even big enough to be an overnight bag in a pinch. It's internal padding could be a bit thicker, but I wouldn't travel without a padded slipcase around my powerbook anyway.
Tom Bihn makes and sells backpacks and shoulder bags for all kinds of laptops. They're made in the USA of nice materials.
Many of the bags that don't have built-in laptop support have snaps that can be used to hold a ``Brain Bag'' (available in various sizes) for a laptop. The Brain Bags suspend the laptop in a cradle inside a box with hardish sides.
Nice bags. Nice people.
I have a timbuk2 sleeve for my TiBook in a messenger bag that i totally love. I take it everywhere! from coffee shops to random places and its been great. I have no complaints about it what so ever. The quality is top notch and theres a good solid padding on it. Some say its a bit pricey for the sleeve but i figure i spent close to $3000 at the time with all my "ever so important" upgrades, i can spend a few dollars more. I spent weeks looking for the perfect bag and been routed over and over again to eBags, searched high and low and couldnt find anything else better. anyway play with their site! i believe its timbuk2.com. you can fully customize your bag, and if you think about it... when do you really buy a new bag or backpack? so spend the money!!
Definitely check out Spire. As I write this I see 2 other suggestions for this company and I wholeheartedly agree with them. I asked around before I bought mine and EVERYONE I talked to was happy with them.
Seriously dude...Spire...
J
Abiit, excessit, evasit, erupit.
(keep in mind that I have an IBM X30, currently - a fairly small (8.5"x9.5"x1") laptop)
:P The end result here is a nice, durable laptop bag that's inexpensive, looks nifty, and is washable.
;)
The store-bought solution:
I'm a big fan of solid things that don't break. Thus, the item that fits the bill is a small aluminum briefcase. The briefcase I got was a bit big for what I need: 14x12x3 inches - a bit too big for my laptop (I foolishly didn't pay attention to what I was ordering). For a larger laptop it would work quite nicely - and in my case, it will fit the bill for a general carry-all, being as there's enough room for course books and a laptop side by side, as well as an envelope for things like pads of paper. There's also a sturdy synthetic fiber strap. It's maybe 3 or so pounds.
Additionally, I saw an iBook (more in your line of interest, it appears) at the local ibook shop in a similar case - only it was about 1.5" deep, and seemably just big enough for an iBook. (This briefcase was what I was looking for; alas, I never found it online)
Now, for the inventive geeky solution:
Another option I've found that might work nicely is a nice homemade bag. buy some 1cm rubber foam (or some other sort of impact-insulative of your choice) and some canvas of your choice. grab an old packing box (ofthe cardboard variety) as well. Then, wrap the foam around the laptop and cut it so that it would be a fairly snug fit around all but one edge - so it would cover 5 of the 6 surfaces - and cut it appropriately; secure with duct tape. then take the cardboard and fold it to fit over the rubber foam, and duct tape it so it makes a nice little sleeve for the laptop. tape over the edge of the foam/cardboard to form a 'single' glove. I wrapped ductape all around the cardboard on mine, so as to provide water/liquid resistence. This alone makes a nice carrying device if you use a backpack or briefcase to carry things around, as it's quite protective (I wrapped a palm pilot pro in such a manner - minus the foam - years ago, and it's been used since then, with many an encounter with the ground. no such encounters with the laptop thus far).
Then, if you're interested in actually having a 'laptop bag' take the canvas and stitch it together to form a fairly form-fitting sleeve for the cardboard/foam sleeve.
I'd recommend getting a plastic-fiber strap of some sort and sowing each end to the bottom of this bag, securely - then stitch it up the sides so as to prevent your little laptop falling incident. if you need a shoulder pad, sheep hide/fleece works quite well - just wrap a piece of canvas around it and sow it up. Use a nylon strap from an old backpack w/ the clasps to provide a nice closeable pocket for the laptop. I put a smaller pouch on the outside of mine for the AC adapter and some cookies.
I've toyed with the idea of using tanned deer hide (quite soft and very strong) for a "professional" cover for my sheath.
~/ssh slashdot.org ssh: connect to host slashdot.org port 22: too many beers
A little pricey, but worth being acting nice all year for. Well hard protection for your preciouss.
Holiday Cheers, Jouni
Jouni Mannonen | Game Designer, Consultant
I once had a $80 kensington case [with 'special impact density absorbant padding'], but when a coworker knocked the laptop off of a conferance table onto the ground [not even three feet], it broke one of the hinges for the LCD. Ahem.
The ideal situation I found was this: Fill a cheap walmart school bookbag with 16 inches of foam. I used a mattress-enhancer [lots of foam for around 12 bucks, and in convienient sheet form]. Cut as appropriate and fold the sheets in a coil, until the entire bookbag [get a smaller one, obviously], is almost bursting at the seams with excessive foam load. Leave just enough room for your laptop [and don't forget foam on the bottom and a few layers to fold over the top. I once dropped this down a flight of stairs. It just bounced happily to a rest, no damage to the laptop.
Plus, it looks crappy enough you can take it anywhere without it being a target for theft, like as a swanky specialized laptop case would be.
---
the pen is mightier than the sword, the sword is mightier than the court, the court is mightier than the pen.
I'm very happy with a Spire laptop backpack I bought a couple of years ago. It has a separate padded sleave for the laptop, several internal and external compartments, and chest and waist straps for stability when running. See http://www.spireusa.com/.
I'm a satisfied customer.
Willow Design's case for the 17" PB was the only case I've actually bought for a laptop- and I'm pleased with it. It has a lot of padding with plastic protective panels on the outside under the fabric, reflective stripes on all sides save the back, and the "portrait" orientation is VERY nice for such a wide laptop(otherwise, you DO take people out on the subway with it).
The handle on the case is padded and comfortable- the shoulder strap is padded and has sticky rubber on the inside so it won't slip.
The bottom has riveted rubber feet, so it stands off the ground. The back pocket expands out two inches or so if you've got something bulky. The front compartment holds my cell phone, pens, power supply, and light paperwork- the pockets are stretch fabric and once something's in, its not going anywhere. The 'lid' has an ID pocket and a mesh zip bag(which currently contains the DVI->VGA, s-video, composite, and mini->rca adapters(basically, every adapter it came with and more.)
As for looks- it's navy colored(and available in many other colors), so that's a drastic step over most everything else. I selected it because: a)it was compact b)it had a lot of pockets c)it was specifically fit for the 17". I've been very pleased with it, and I'm a very tough customer. About the only thing I'm going to do is apply outdoor-grade scotchguard(which I strongly recommend on ANY case, but do it OUTSIDE, it's NASTY stuff to breathe!)
For each powerbook model, they have basically 3 or so levels for how big a case you want. "just a case", "case with pockets for stuff" and "case with pockets for the kitchen sink". They also have models for regular PC laptops- I think they somewhat build-to-order.
The bags also carry a lifetime warranty. It came with a hand-signed letter by Nigel Peck(sp?), the owner of WD, stating as such. The online ordering was handled flawlessly.
Please help metamoderate.
This is what you're looking for:
http://www.highergroundgear.com/
Absolute best laptop case I've seen. Hands down.
I only buy Brenthaven bags for my laptops. A little pricey, but well worth the expense. In most of the bags, the laptop is suspended inside, and the padding all around is very thick.
A good bag is like insurance... after all, if you spend $3000 on a laptop, shouldn't you shell out $200 for a decent bag to protect it?
The best prices I've found online are at Irv's Discount Luggage.
Here's a real nice one from Think Geek, although a bit on the expensive side...
http://www.thinkgeek.com/computing/bags/5a4f/
This will get lost in the inordinate amount of suggestions, but what the hell, eh?
I got an expanding shoulder bag from Costco that has got a padded independent laptop sleeve. It's a Kirkland bag (seems to be Costco's own brand), and it's absolutely brilliant. It's been around the world with me and still looks brand new. The only slight concern is the weight. It's very tightly made though, so you have to expect some bulk. It's about 2kg on it's own I think.
Timbuk2 started making bicycle courier bags, so they're unreasonably durable in my experience. Waterproof, too. They've started making things like laptop bags, or if you want to, you can buy one of their courier bags and add in one of their laptop cases that fit inside. They make one that fits the 17" Powerbook, I'm fairly sure.
Oh, and they also make a neat little iPod case that'll go on the strap of the bag. (As well as a cellphone case, radio case, and strap bag. Totally handy stuff.)
i'll prolly spring for a brenthaven next time around, but when i was in the market, there were very few laptop-backpacks which would fit a 15" tibook. i think market demand for carrying bigger screen laptops has changed that though.
don't be a dumbass ;-) get a new bag to protect your gear(and your livelihood)!
three can keep a secret, if two are dead - benjamin franklin
I use the Brain Cell and Brain Bag, a small solid laptop case and high end backpack by Tom Bihn.
Extremely durable, and the absolute best combination I've seen for students. The site has a wide variety of different bags in many different styles though. Has a guide for which size case will fit which laptop.
I spent five years of my life in the Luggage and Leather Goods businesss and I have some opinions. There is always a limit to what you feel comfortable spending, but I have seen damned few bags that come even close to the powerbook bag by Brenthaven. USD$149 is not cheap, but it is not a four hundred dollar bag from Tumi or Hartmann either. I would never gamble a $3k laptop on a cheap bag, I can't afford the risk. Buy them at the Apple Store or direct from brenthaven.
Ross Winn "not just another ugly face..."
Just got one of these as a gift. Fits my 15" Ti Powerbook perfectly, and I can slip it into any bag. They have a cool image that shows when they dropped a 100g ball on it a piece of glass inside did not even shatter. Anyhow, these bags are made out of this COOL foam that is amazing. You put your fingers on it and your print stays there for a minute or two. High quality everything, and for a good price. 30 bucks. shinza.com
Otherwise, it depends on the laptop you have. My iBook is sturdier than hell (800MHz white etc) and it goes with me to all my classes (being a comp. sci. major and all). From what I've seen, the cheaper laptops such as low-end Dells are as fragile as Middle-East peace.
So, what bag do I use if I have so much experience? Well, I bought a $10 neoprene sleeve made by Sony for their Vaio laptops and I throw it in my backpack (which is made to carry 40-50 punds of stuff). That bag will never freaking break. The other nice thing about school bags is that they never seem to fail all at once, they tend to rip and give a little, givinng you plenty of warning to replace it. Just make sure not to put your laptop right in the back near your back and below all your books or whatnot.
I've jogged to many a class and that set-up refuses to show any signs of giving up.
I'd recommend another SF company WaterField over Timbuk2. Maybe that's because I see Timbuk2 bags all over SF and they just aren't special.
:)
:)
Both companies custom make their bags in San Francisco and the build quality is excellent. I mean strong, durable with no shortcuts. I think the fabric of the WaterField bags is a bit nicer than the Timbuk2's. Plus, they have a really nifty airline buckle thing that always gets commented on by the security screeners at the airport.
They both have a multitude of colors. Timbuk2 is a bit more configurable since they allow you to have 3 colors on your bag. I have the taxi colored WaterField and it is very neat.
The WaterField bag has a neat little sleeve for your laptop to slip into that perfectly fits my iBook (they come in different sizes). So instead of putting your laptop directly into your case, you can put it into a sleeve first that protects it against other objects in your bag. Very handy. Plus it can double as a bag itself.
I have to say that both bags are very roomy for their size. I have the smallest one and it still can fit my iBook, an IBM ThinkPad T30, my umbrella, my wallet, my iPod, my earphones, a cell phone, far too much change, my notepad and whatever other garbage drifts into my bag. Of course, with all this stuff in there, the bag is entirely too heavy (ThinkPad's aren't light!), but that's another problem.
With either company you get the satisfaction that you're getting a good quality product made in the US. Of course they are made in San Francisco where the price of labor isn't cheap, but you get what you pay for.
And no, I don't work for either company. I just happen to live within walking distance to them and have gotten sick of the poor build quality of textiles (explain to me why a $80 kenneth cole shirt should have lose threading?)
But then again, I want to be an elitist bastard, so maybe you shouldn't buy stuff from them.
The world is neither black nor white nor good nor evil, only many shades of CowboyNeal.
I am hard on stuff. I have had three keyboards on my laptop thanks to the "Pepsi syndrome" A book backpack lasts me a year has always been exceptional as far as I am concerned. 3 years ago I bought a Targus Laptop Backpack and the darn thing gives every indication that it is indestructible. It cost me about $70 shipped when I got it, but it shows every indication of outliving my laptop.
... is a Tumi. Yes, they are much more expensive than the competition. Yes, they may not look like the flashiest bag with all the cool compartments in all sorts of places.
But, the fact of the matter is, you get what you pay for. Tumi spends an incredible amount of time & money researching typical usage patterns, wear & tear damage, and the types of storage compartments that people actually use.
I'm currently on Tumi bag #2 in my lifetime (I switched from a backpack to a saddlebag two years ago). All the pockets seem to be in the perfect place, there's no significant wear to speak of... the bag looks great & protects my laptop very well. I'll continue to buy Tumi for all my luggage as long as I can afford it.
Do yourself a favor & spend the extra dough.
--Mid
I consider myself a sort of expert in bags and packs. I actually 'collect' them... well anyway, I'd have three choices: :-) They may have other laptop gear aswell.
1) Backpack Brandname 'Lowe'. They've got one called 'Megabyte' and it's made of some super-extra-hyper thick cordura stuff that looks like Flakwest material. Indestructable, looks cool, costs a little.
2) Eagle Creek. With them I like the bags more than the packs. They got a set that look unobstrusive, yet are specially polstered for laptops. In case you drop it again. Again this is reference grade quality and will cost appropriately. These you can take out to serious business meetings and you won't get queer looks.
3) Big Warehouse inhouse noname brands. Honestly. If you (can) trust your judgement, this is a secret tip. Most brands, exept for the ones I mentioned above, have gone seriously cheapo within the last few years, so it actually is worth a try. My current laptoppack is a no-name from "Horten" (german Warehouse joint), it cost about a third of the brandname stuff, doesn't look to flashy but is of top quality and has some neat extras. Here you have to be carefull and triple check for sloppy seams, cheap material, cheap zippers and brittle cheapo-plastic fastex-rippoff buckles. Keep an eye on all that and you might find a real bargain.
We suffer more in our imagination than in reality. - Seneca
I would suggest http://www.spireusa.com/ I bought a backpack from them about 2 years ago and used it to carry my dell 8100 (a brick!) as well as some school books (bricks also). I figured the weight would cause the pack to break but it help up quite well. Also some of their cases have what they call a boot that the laptop goes into the give it added protection. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.
But go for a laptop backpack. Seriously.
They may not look as professional, but your shoulder and your computer will thank you and you will never go back. Just make sure it is big enough for your computer, your periferals, and some other stuff.
Plus it doesn't look like it contains a computer. Security though obscurity does sometimes work. And while I wouldn't leave my computer lying around, it is also less likely to be stolen by a mugger etc...
42 - So long and thanks for all the fish.
I'm looking for a bag that can hold my PDA with cradle, an iPod and cradle, a cell phone with recharger, a tablet PC, a 12" sub-notebook, a 17" Toshiba notebook, a Dell Precision 650 workstation, a keyboard, a mouse, a 20" LCD monitor, a digital camera, a bigger digital camera, lenses for the bigger digital camera, an external USB CD writer, a network switch, a USB 2.0 hub, a UPS, an inkjet printer, and a laser printer. Are there any bags that would fit this?
I never quite understood the facination people had with hemp. There are better alternatives to nearly every major thing hemp gives you without that nasty problem of farmers hiding marijuana crops in their hemp fields.
For paper, kenaf is better than hemp. It produces more fiber per year with little effort.
Cotton is certainly better for most clothing (we are far too used to the texture) and rayon is quite nice for high end stuff. Nylon and polyester can both be derived from corn oil if we really wanted to and nylon is certainly tougher. Several types of spider silk are much, much stronger and plain old silk is, well, silkier.
Hemp does have the benefit of being the best natural waterproof substance, but now with our nifty nano-textiles we have materials that really really repel water.
Soap from hemp is ok, but the exotic blends we have now are far better.
Further, the process to industrializing hemp isn't exactly cheap. We have hundreds of billions of dollars invested in processing petro, cotton, silk, trees, etc. It would take decades before you saw any major shift (which is the prime reason why kenaf isn't the prime source of paper right now).
Hemp is sort of like the peanut. Sure, we've proven there are 10,001 uses, but few are any better than what we have already.
Maybe it would be taken more seriously if its most vocal supporters were also for the legalization of marijuana. I mean the money it costs to patrol farms for hidden crops of marijuana right now is extreme... with the added problem of having to find them inside a crop of hemp would be down right impossible.
The world is neither black nor white nor good nor evil, only many shades of CowboyNeal.
while laptop bags are made to look okay in a boardroom. I use a Timbuk2 messenger bag with a padded laptop insert that I removed from some Targus PoS when it died. It's lasted through five years of Fight Club-level travel, and I'm confident it could handle five years of Arthur Dent-level travel too.
The bag is also large enough to accomodate some tools, a book, and up to two days of clothing, meaning that I haven't checked baggage for a business trip in a long, long time. The smoothness of your travel experience is directly related to your ability to get from one end of a major hub airport to the other in the ten minutes between getting off of plane A and plane B's planned departure. If there are trams involved, this sort of trick is very likely to result in the death of your classic laptop bag's shoulder strap.
"Nothing was broken, and it's been fixed." -- Jon Carroll
If you own a Dell and their tech support screws you like they screwed me.. i'd highly recommend a Glad bag. Infact, you should be able to fit other things in there and when you carry it out to the front of your driveway, it will hold up...
Don't get mad... get glad...
1 2 1 2 The Naken Crew
I've always felt there were multiple choices, depending on what you like
1)A Domke satchel - Jim Domke designed what is probably the most used professional camera bags back when. These are the bags pros use for their "working" bags, (Not storage/shipping cases). You see almost every TV crew with a bunch of them. Well, they make a satchel....
2)Someone else mentioned Eagle Creek - not bad, mine held up
3)You might want to look at what Blackhawk Industries, Eagle Industries (NOT Eagle creek - different folks), Tactical Taylor, LBI etc offer. I know Blackhawk offers a briefcase, I don't think Eagle does. Folks, if it's made by one of this last group, they are built like your life depends on it, frankly because, for most of their customers, it does (They supply "after market" stuff to various military and police units - the ones that say "We'll spend our own cash on better than issue") You can find links via Lightfighter.com
-- 73 de KG2V For the Children - RKBA! "You are what you do when it counts" - the Masso
There is an excellent list of laptop bag companies in this MacNN thread.
Some of them are geared toward the Apple Powerbook, but most are general purpose ones that would work well with any computer.
-You may license this sig for only $6.99.
Rather than wrapping the computer in a shirt, I recommend making a neoprene sleeve out of a piece of insulate pad (available at REI or wherever) and some gaffer's tape. Simply cut a piece about twice the size of the laptop, fold it in half, and tape it up. Makes an indestructible nest, regardless of what kind of bag you choose to wrap around it.
Historically, I have found Eastpack to be a better quality backpack that Jansport. But that may have changed after Coleman bought them several years ago. Guaranteed for life... maybe longer.
It is cowardly, and a betrayal of whatever it means to be a Jew, to act as a white man
-James Baldwin
As the topic is carrying a laptop while engaging in physical activities beyond merely walking, I offer a cautionary tale, and a product opinion:
A laptop bag with a shoulder strap will tend to shift as you move, which is alright while walking, but intolerable on a bicycle or motorcycle. Because of this, I purchased a triangular shoulder bag -- the kind with a single large padded strap over the right shoulder, and a small side strap on the left to prevent the bag from shifting. Several laptop bag makers offer this style of bag.
It worked great until I was hit by a car while on my bike, and landed on top of the bag. The resulting tension concentrated on the single strap of the bag and broke my collarbone in two places (at the edges of the wide strap). I now have a 7" scar, a nice metal plate, and 8 screws in my collarbone to help me remember the event. No more shoulder-bags for me, and most laptop backpacks are uncomfortable (the strap presses on the bolt-heads).
I now use a Mountainsmith lumbar pack (a slightly more dignified version of a giant fannypack). This offers all of the no-shifting benefits of the backpack, without much risk of additional upper body injury if I feel the need to fling myself in front of a car again. As an added bonus the pack offers a small degree of back protection. The "Passage" model is/was designed for a 15" laptop + almost 2" of papers, has both a briefcase-style handle and shoulder strap that stows away. When I'm on the motorcycle, I use both the waist and shoulder strap, just in case one fails. I'd hate to see $2500 of equipment go skittering down the road without me. The Passage bag is very well made, has held up perfectly for more than a year, and provided adequate protection for the laptop in a few minors bumps/drops. It's available here, here, and some other places.
Jon
(Oh, and yes, the laptop survived the accident above -- inside an Otterbox.)
I think not...(*poof*)
Yeah - the bags that you can buy "off-the-shelf" at the Apple Store are the Chinese bags. Custom bags are SF-made, as are all the messenger bags (like my Bolo), and their smaller/accessory bags. The iPod cases are made in China, as are the laptop-specific bags. I don't know if the laptop sleeves are made in China nowadays or not, but mine (2+ years old) wasn't.
Even sneaker companies like New Balance have some of their shoes and products made overseas, despite their strong pro-US manufacturing philosophy. The economics are pretty harsh. If you service a mass market, you're likely to send at least some portion of your business overseas - it's a sad reality of a global economy.
The flip side of it is that companies like Timbuk2, New Balance, and others have at least a stated goal to keep as much manufacturing here as feasible, along with the business aspects of the company as well. New Balance employs a lot of people here besides the ones in China, and a good number of the people here are making shoes. I can live with that. And I buy New Balance's shoes.
-- Josh Turiel
"2. Do not eat iPod Shuffle."
My previous laptop I kept in a Targus with air suspension, and my current laptop is in a Brenthaven. I think I prefer the Targus... it's cheaper, lighter, and has the air suspension which has to be the best protection I've seen so far. The Brenthaven happened to be the only one at the time that would fit a 15" tibook so I had to switch at the time. For its credit, the Brenthaven's exterior is tougher, making it more immune to scratches and cuts that mar the Targus's thin leather covering. The Brenthaven also has a more comfortable (better padded) shoulder strap.
When will laptop makers design in some sort of way to transport CDs? I take my DVDs with me, and there never seems to be a good place to stick a CD wallet in laptop bags. I've been making do with binding together pages from a large CD wallet and hanging them in the Brenthaven's folding file area.
I work for the Department of Redundancy Department.
When I was a field engineer, I'd run through at least one laptop bag every six months. They'd usually be the "standard" style laptop + bunchajunk case that seems to be the industry standard. Not cheap stuff, either... Targus bags in particular were prone to busting zippers. They'd all leak like mad in heavy rain, too, so I'd have to wrap my junk in little plastic shopping bags before putting it in the case when the weather looked bad.
I got a Kensington Saddlebag in '98, and I've still got it today. It's ballistic nylon with thick suede re-inforcement, and it has a buckled flap rather than a zipper over all the inside compartments. Completely indestructable, mostly weatherproof, and not that expensive. It works well either as a shoulder bag or backpack (with hide-away straps included), or can be toted around like a briefcase. It's taller than it is wide (you slip the notebook into it sidewise), and this makes it more maneuverable than courier-style bags.
Your friendly neighborhood Apple Store will have a black-on-black model with an embossed Apple logo in black on the flap. CompUSA will have the more prosaic models... I have the black-and-tan, but my next one will be the black-and-grey.
I've got a hyuuuge Targus backpack that's been holding up well, but it's overkill unless I'm carying around all my Java books, and the zippers leak in the rain. The belt strap is a nice touch if you're walking long distances with a ton o' junk, tho.
SoupIsGood Food
i completely and totally agree. I have a Timbuk2 bag as well, the El Ocho (medium size) messenger bag with one of the laptop sleeves also produced by timbuk2. I'm an onsite network technician/all-around computer repair guy for my company, and i can carry...
- my laptop (Fujitsu P5020D.. somewhat small)
- my billing binder
- two medium size CD cases full of CDs
- my GameBoy Advance SP and 5 games
- my iPod (on the nifty strap carrier)
- my Nextel i90c (also in a nifty strap carrier)
- all my cables, pens, and loose little bits
- a decent selection of tools
and, it's comfortable (get the strap pad)!!!
in addition, you don't look like a moron carrying a filing cabinet on your back. the bags are handsomely made, and even with all that crap in them, they lay pretty flat and sleek against my back.
i can't say enough good things about this bag.
For anyone in Australia, I would highly recommend the standard technical merchandise range of bags. Being a *cough* hip, young */cough* teenager, I really wanted a laptop bag that looked nice.
I ended up going with the STM Alley, a messenger bag type affair. My bags go through alot, as my hole ridden previous backpack would tell you, yet thus far my STM Alley has not a single scratch. The Alley comes in two sizes, one for 12"s and one for up to 15.5"s. My 15.2" Mitac 8060b (sexy, sexy laptop) fits snugly inside along with some thin books, adapters, mouse and a CD wallet in the other compartments. However, if you need to carry any uberfat manuals and such around, a backpack would very likely have more space and be kinder on your back. My laptop is 2.7kg, and I find the combined weight of laptop and bag is fine for me.
STM also make backpacks and laptop inserts, as well as products to store/carry iPods, cameras, etc. Their website is standardtm.com.au . Plus, they're Australian made if that matters to you.
If you're not in Australia, or looking for a larger backpack, I think the Ogio Metro looks very nice.
This works well for me, as I don't need a traditional laptop bag; I usually use it biking or walking to work. It has a nice padded insert in which you place the actual laptop. This insert has a velcro closing flap, so it seals it up pretty good. There is a lot of storage and etc. too. Plus, it does have a handle on the side, so that if you really wanted to, you could carry it like a briefcase. It wasn't too expensive either, and certainly doesn't shout "I'm an expensive laptop, steal me!". My Thinkpad T22 fits nicely. I only wish it had a few padded pouches for the removable floppy drive and DVD player. The padded pouch for the laptop can be hooked up to the interior of the backback with little clips mounted inside the backpack, or you can simply pull it out, or have it floating around in the backpack if you want. Altogether, it's a nice backpack alternative.
"Would it kill you to put down the toilet seat?" -- Maya Angelou
You mean something like this?
New Ford Exorbitant Comes with Spare Explorer
Whatever you choose, make sure it has good padding. I've lost a lappy hd or two due to having my laptop in a backpack and putting it down too hard (used to just books in there). The best type of padding is this strap that suspends the laptop from the top of the bag, but cushioning is OK too. I use the bag IBM gave me when I worked there so don't know where to get it actually.
i use a military issue bag from a military surplus store, it's big enough to carry my 12" sony plus much accessories and other gear, and after ripping up a few bags before this, i can tell you that this one is built to last.
plus those stores are fun as heck anyways.
shaolin punk, activist post-industrial
I've got a Spire backpack w/ sleeve for my TiBook. Highly recommended. I originally had a Timbuk2 bag, but I guess I just don't find messenger bags comfortable (distribution of weight)?
When I was shopping around for my Powerbook bag, I found bagreview.com to be a great resource. He reviews many different kinds of bags, loads them up with a laptop, iPod, CD, cables, etc, and puts them through their paces. Definitely worth checking out.
$60/Month Colo'd Linux Server
A book bag or soft briefcase made by a company that make rugged outdoor gear is less likely to come apart under typical use/abuse, and doesn't attract as much attention as a Logo'd laptop case. Put your laptop inside a neoprene sleve inside the soft briefcase or small backpack, add a thick magazine (Wired, etc.) on the display side, and you will have a rugged case that doesn't yell "steal me!" in crowded public spaces.
And if you need an expensive briefcase to be seen along with your Armani business suit at some client meeting, carry your laptop in the backpack and your clean shirt/underwear in the expensive case on the trip thru the airport (but this is Slashdot, so never mind...)
I've been recommending Targus bags for years. Pretty much everything they make is good quality. (Well, I'd probably avoid their most basic nylon bag for a nice laptop, but it's just the thing, at $29 or so, to carry around an old "beater" laptop in.)
The "Universal Air" is a good option.... Under $100 and lots of padding.
What really impressed me with Targus was their willingness to honor their claimed "lifetime warranty". I had a bag that was years old and obviously well worn. The strap finally tore off on one side, and the zipper broke. Targus let me send it in, and they actually re-sewed all the torn stitching and replaced the worn inner panels with new ones, and returned it for free within a couple weeks.
Breakfast served all day!
Tumi sells a lot of different bags made with different material and with different features. Their "Fusion Z" material, which is what my case is made of, is simply amazing. It's extremely durable -- my bag doesn't even have a worn spot on it yet -- and it's self healing in the event of punctures.
More directed to the original post, the case also has a suspension system for the laptop. The computer sits in a sling, a few inches off the bottom of the case, and the sling is made out of stretchable material. So if you drop the whole bag, your computer never really even hits the ground. Very, very cool. I looked at Tumi's web site and I believe that this feature is called "SafeCase" but I'm not sure.
...the kenneth cole leather bag that came w/ my Dell laptop (for a bit of an extra charge) is phenomenal. Really sturdy, really good looking, and the most comfortable shoulder strap in the history of the world.
Don't recall how much these guys run if you buy separately; I'm sure it's not all that cheap, but I'll never want another laptop bag again.
=== "Some people see the glass as half-empty. Others see it as half-full. I see the glass as too big." -G. Carlin.
I use the Timbuk2 "Bolo" bag, which is the largest bag made in the world ever. It's 27" Top W x 14.5" H x 9" D x 20" Bottom W (from the site) and I use it to usually carry the following:
12" PowerBook
DigiDesign MBox USB audio interface
M-Audio Oxygen 8 25-key MIDI controller
iPod
Koss "can" headphones
Moleskine 12" notebook (non-digital variety)
12V power inverter (about 6" x 1.5")
Maxtor 250GB external FireWire hard drive
A whole lot of audio, FireWire, USB and assorted cables and power adapters
Cell phone
I keep the 12" PowerBook, iPod and their respective power adapters in a Targus laptop sleeve with shoulder strap, which is nice -- I can whip the laptop out if I need it and leave all the rest at home or in a hotel room for mobility. Timbuk2 now makes a laptop sleeve, I notice -- which I'll be ordering.
And in case you're wondering, I keep the Spyderco Civilian razor sharp knife that protects all of these items from thieves in the gun coat of my pocket. The Timbuk2's heavy duty latches make me feel pretty safe, too -- as does the chest strap, which keeps everything close.
I've carried this thing all around the country and even underground in storm drains (don't ask; check the Slashdot archives and you might find the story) and it's absolutely perfect. I can't recommend it highly enough.
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I cut pieces of neoprene to make a box, super-glued it together, then (ahem) sewed up a canvas sleeve to keep it from falling apart -- the neoprene isn't very abrasion-resistant. I use a separate small cordura bag to carry the charger, mouse, and whisker antenna for wireless. Works great. I ride a motorcycle to work when the weather's nice, and the whole shebang fits neatly into an Ortlieb Cross-Air pack. Um, this solution probably isn't for everybody, though.Eastern Mountain Sports has a really rockin backpack that has a laptop carrier in it that fits 15" laptops (my 15" power book and 14.1" IBM T30 both fit nicely). There's lots of space for cables/books/MP3 player/cell phone/power adapters/whatever in there as well. Great if you take public transportation.
Then again, it's not as stylish as an actual bag. But I work at a university, so I fit right in.