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Advice On Notebook Backpacks?
UnknowingFool writes "I'm about to go on a whirlwind trip with my laptop. Currently I'm using a generic laptop bag, but it's not really made for trips like this. I want to see if I can get a good notebook backpack and wanted to know what experiences traveling geeks here have had with notebook backpacks. My criteria: 1) Around $50 2) Functional enough to be used after my trip as a generic backpack 3) Tough enough to survive hauling through airport, yet comfortable enough to endure wearing for hours 4) Enough pockets for my chargers, cables , etc." I've been impressed with some bags from Targus; any good suggestions out there?
I've been browsing around ebags.com, which seems to be a good source of data on bags (though I'm interested in messenger style bags).
I got one a couple years ago.. It's fairly well padded and comfortable. I used it for a year for everyday school use with no problems at all. I only stopped using it to give to a friend. I'd recommend it as it seems to fit your needs as described.
over and over
I thought the most important feature is to prevent theft? Well, a notebook bag isn't going to prevent theft, but a normal-looking back will prevent thieves from realising you're carrying a notebook.
SpireUSA makes great bags http://www.spireusa.com/
I use the Jinx backpack: Jinx Laptop backpack its $80 but i feel like it was well worth it. it has all the room for the extra stuff, its really comfy, and I feel like it is keeping my dell lappy nice and secure. It sounds like we do similar things, airports, etc. If you are willing to spend it, go for this one. Scapermoya.
Beware the Jubjub bird, and shun the frumious Bandersnatch.
These guys make great sturdy bags, with nice designs and pockets.
Crumpler computer bags
Whatever bag you use,Just dont forget the laptop at the airport or anywhere else.
Why does yahoo do this
My suggestion: get a regular JanSport (or whatever) backup, so theives can't tell you have a laptop.
Not too long ago, a /.'er told the story of leaving his empty laptop bag in the back seat of his car, only to return to a car with smashed windows.
Besides, I think a regular backpack is perfectly functional, unless you have a 17" laptop. Used one all the time for my old 12 incher (which was about the same time as today's 15 incher, because of widescreen and having the screen stretched very close to the edge).
I've been using an OGIO for many months now and I have to say it's the best backpack I've ever had. Lots of pockets and it has padding for the back which makes it not only comfortable but cushions the laptop nicely. The straps have padding too so they dont cut into your shoulders harshly when caring a heavy load.
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http://www.ebags.com/ogio/metro/product_detail/
I got one, an "Icon" brand one from CC awhile ago. Since sold the laptop, kept the bag and use it daily for school.
The backpadding supports work well when carrying textbooks for 4 classes.....
As someone else mentioned...carrying a backpack is a good way to prevent theft, as its less liable just to be "set down" for a second and less visible as a bag containing a laptop.
I got a new swiss army one from bestbuy. very comfortable. I do alot of air travel. Best thing to to have
-- Jason...
has a variety of nice bags. They aren't too pricey either.
~*~ ~*~ ~*~
yes, girls read /. too...
The targus bag I have is great, I even broke a buckle on it by slamming it in my car door and they sent me out a new bag in like a week.
Your main concern when picking one of their bags is your laptop fitting into it.
I have an Inspirion 9100 so I had to get the biggest backpack they had and it ran me $90.
You should also check out best buy, they sell quite a few targus bags there.
Brenthaven!
My Bag of choice for the powerbooks i've had so far. The current 12" PB has both a briefcase Brenthaven and a Backpack brenthaven. The other cool backpack is the Tom Bihn Brain Bag; got one of those for the TiBook.
http://store.yahoo.com/homestarrunner/stbadmebag.h tml
I bought a Targus bag and I am absoloutely in love with it. However, I do use a slightly larger laptop (around 6 lbs, 16" screen, Vaio) and my laptop fits almost too snugly into my the laptop protection slide that is in most Targus bags. If you have a larger laptop, make sure you try it before you buy it. That aside, I've been using my Targus bag for over a year now, bought it for $35 and I love it. Carries all the books I ever need, place for my mouse and all my cables... great bag.
http://www.targus.com/us/cases_notebook_backpacks. asp
I have an older model back pack which is no longer available.. but I'd live and die by it. I've had it for 2 years, and there still isn't a single tear in it. I can't belive how much crap I can fit in it. It gets used every day.. been dropped many times and has travelled with me on every flight for the past couple of years. I love it!
-Guns kill people like spoons made Rosie O'Donnell fat-
Not only this: http://slashdot.org/askslashdot/00/01/14/0137200_F .shtml/
0 48231&tid=137&tid=4/
but also this: http://ask.slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=00/04/14/2
I recently purchased one of the Targus bags (the TXL617), and I have been really happy with it. After years of owning a laptop, I tend to Targus because I have always been extremely satisfied with their bags, and recently started taking the train to work. The old laptop case I had became somewhat unwieldy, as I often needed to carry other things so I had a laptop bag AND a regular backpack. Then I found the Targus backpack, and its like a godsend. Plenty of pockets to store all my stuff without getting it mixed up, and I have used it for travel without my laptop with great results.
Here's the bag that I use. I've had no problems with it. It's really really comfortable, fits a bigger than average laptop and seems to keep it safe. It's got a good number of extra pockets. My only complaint is that it doesn't hold much else besides the laptop. It's not as big as my old Land's End backpack.
--
RumorsDaily
I got a Targus, man that thing has more room than anyother bag i've ever had. And the laptop is nice and secure in the bag. Best of part is that it looks just like a bookbag, and you can't tell that there is a notebook in there.
I looked around for a long time when I got my laptop and never found just the right backpack that was confortable, fasionable, and functional. I ended up getting an inexpensive laptop sleeve from ebags here.
This sleeve works great with my backpack and is handy to use by itself. It opens on the shorter side so it can be opened while in my backpack.
This sleeve in a backpack protect a laptop better than any laptop backpack I've seen.
Brenthaven sells the best backpacks I've ever seen. Definitely well above the $50 threshhold - more like $150-$200. But the contstruction is impeccable, lots of pockets, very comfortable, sternum straps, and expandable enough to be used as an overnight/weekend bag.
Apple-cobranded versions are available at Apple retail stores; standard product line is available at fine luggage stores near you.
http://www.brenthaven.com/
--
This space for rent.
They make a backpack for laptops that can hold a fair amount of stuff -- and its tough as nails.
I have a Samsonite Rafter backpack and I love it. It has a ton of pockets, it's very sturdy, and doesn't scream "laptop bag" the way many of them do. It also has a lot of handy features like a special pocket for a music player with a headphone pass through. Froogle says $40-$60.
Alienware sells a very nice one for about $90. Check out the Alienware Gear Shop for more info.
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http://www.alienware.com/GearShop_Pages/Gear_Shop
Arcteryx makes the Blade 21:a cks&p rod=1026
http://www.arcteryx.com/product.aspx?group=P
and it's the best laptop backpack I've ever owned. I've owned 7.
I like the Arcteryx because:
1) It's a great backpack; the straps are conmfortable and nothing digs into your bag. Why bother wearing a backpack that's not comfortable?
2) It will generally fit any computer; there are limits, but my 15" PowerBook wasn't a problem, even if I choose to carry it (unnecessarily so) in a Neoprene sleeve
3) It has a separate pocket for carrying files etc, which is fairly cavernous. There are two additional pockets for pens/cards/cables etc.
4) It is clean looking, and doesn't look like a dorky Targus notebook bag. The pack itself doesn't really have anything hanging off of it, so it never gets caught on things.
5) It includes a handle that lets you carry the bag briefcase style; very convenient when moving short distances, or arriving at corporate offices.
6) I can use it to carry my avalanche shovel on winter expeditions, although I have another pack that does that as well.
What I don't like about it:
1) Zippers can be bad for shiny white plastic iBooks; if you're carrying one of these, you'd better get a neoprene sleeve or something to avoid scratches (or buy a PowerBook, which was my solution to the problem; the Aluminum doesn't scratch easily.) I like Marware's Neoprene sleeve
2) There is no padding on the top of the bag (the side with the handle.) This is not uncommon - in fact this bag has padding on every other side, which is rare. I blame my golf clubs for it, but I have a minor dent in a corner a of PB which might have been prevented with padding on the top of the bag.
All in all a great bag; I considered some of the Swiss Army products, but they sort of look a bit too back-packy for me in a work environment.
Skot Nelson music is my saviour / i was maimed by rock and roll
back in the 70's and 80's, I used nothing but Jan Sport equipment. Then they got cheap. I found that a bag that was useable for 5 years suddenly went to 1 year lif time. I moved on and looked around. I replaced the briefcase with an Eagle creek backpack 5 years ago. Still holding up. Looking through there stuff, I see a few that should do you.
I prefer the "u" in honour as it seems to be missing these days.
Padded bag notebook sleeve, room for everything else... Here
Would be the Targus XL backpack, if you need spaaaace :)
They're pricy - the "One" bag I use is a 128 (got it for 70 at the outlet), but I'm a big fan. Sealed seams, big enough for a change of clothes along with a laptop, and a small little external pocket for an iPod.
. jsp?cgrfnbr=366059&merchant_rn=7385
Check em out here http://www.patagonia.com/za/PDC/Pgonia/store/shop
I'm willing to pay a bit extra b/c they give money back to environmental causes and design responsibly (non-toxic dyes etc.), but that may not be your gig.
I'm going with the crowd here, but there's a lot of reasons behind it. Getting a generic bookbag college student style backpack is good for a few reasons.
1. People won't guess you're carrying a notebook.
2. More research goes into these backpacks, and they're cheap because of high supply.
3. Generic backpacks have a lot of space. Most have good padding, and these packs condense when not full.
"And we have seen and do testify that the Father sent the Son to be the Savior of the World"
1 John 4:14
Eastpak makes normal backpacks with padded laptop sleeves. I bought one my freshman year and highschool and have used it almost every day for the past 7 years and it is still just as good as the day I bought it. The only potential problem is not being able to fit one of those huge 8 pound notebooks inside the laptop sleeve, but it should work for everything else.
http://usa.eastpak.com/EPFlash-Home-Locker.html
http://almostsmart.com
Some are out of your price range, but Booq bags makes great stuff. Its geared towards apple laptops, but it will work just fine. They give good measurements etc.
http://www.booqbags.com/
I highly recommend Jansport brand backpacks, they are comfortable and more importantly have a lifetime guarantee. In fact, I was in this situation a month ago; I wanted a laptop backpack but was happy with my current pack. Rather than buy a second backback designed for laptops, I dropped less mone (~$30) for a protective laptop sleeve that slips into my current (Jansport) backpack.
Sadly, PS/2 was yet another victim of USB, which doesn't care what you plug into it, the electrical slut.
I have been using their bag for a year and will never use another. Works like a normal bag when you don't have a laptop. Helps with my back too as it distributes the weight pretty good. Lots of pockets, etc to store stuff.
I tried several kinds and was never satisfied (Targus, etc).
Check them out.
My Eastpak backpack has a laptop sleeve in it and it has worked fine for the last four years.
I don't think they have a backpack version, but I hear Pelican cases are the best thing for carrying equipment around. A friend of mine told me she dropped a laptop down a flight of stairs in one of these things and it was fine. She also told me that during some news report video shoot, they had to throw all their recording equipment off of a boat and swim to shore because the boat was sinking, and all the equipment came out just fine because these cases are watertight and float.
I've been through a lot of backpacks, and the Booq line finally fits the bill. When they say the interior measures x.y.z, it measures it spot on. Fits my S150 like a glove, and doesn't let it slide around inside the pack. The mp3 pouch is a neat trick too. If you can afford the extra $ and you need to be mobile, this is the one to get.
http://www.booqbags.com
These bags are more expensive than you specified in your criteria, but they are great bags. I have the Brain bag, and it the best backpack I've had. It is really comfortable on your back, and the shoulder straps are padded so you can wear the backpack for a long time.
Does anyone know of a backpack that can hold a 17" Powerbook? I don't want to spend $179 on the "Professional" backpack Apple sells... how can a backpack be professional?
Anyway, any suggestions?
When I travel with my laptop I buy a bubble-wrap envelope from the post office , put the laptop in there and put the whole thing in the water bladder sleeve - takes 10 seconds to pull it out through airport security checks, and provides enough padding to keep it happy and healthy.
I have an ebag and it's much better than the usual laptop bags. It provides a good level of protection for the laptop and the straps are nice and wide. that makes carrying heavy and light laptops easy on the shoulders.
One of the best ways is to get a pizza box enclosure. This allows you to protect the notebook as closely as possible, but also allows you to place the pizzabox bag into a proper back pack.
This means that the bag you use won't be as easily recognisable as a laptop backpack(ie anything that says targus), and it allows you to use a bag that is both properly ergonomic for travel. If you want to use it later on as just a normal backpack then just remove the pizza box enclosure.
This is what i do with my 12 inch ibook. I use a STM bag. I bought it from here at www.streetwise.com.au. Then I can shift it into my backpack for riding, or a travel pack for when i travel around the country, or even throw it into a carry pack when just walking to work.
And if I was ever to get a proper laptop bag then i will buy the next size up, so that it can carry the pizza box enclosure. Gotta protect those assets.....
everything falls to the bottom of the bag. I've got cd cases, 2 power bricks, a portable harddrive, cables, mouse, etc, and everything gravitates toward the bottom of bag (and this is a "laptop bag" mind you). A better design would be to have a lot of little pockets, preferable located somewhere other than the bottom of the bag.
But best of all, it's ugly as hell. It looks like a cheap $10 Walmart bag. Just make sure get extra padding on the inside(for the laptop) AND extra padding on the outside(for your back). If you're unfortunate enough to have one of those heavy ass 10 pounder with a 17" screen, then you'll need the extra padding.
If it's not already waterproof, you can buy that stuff in a spray can at most shoe stores.
...would be a regular backpack--cheap as possible without being too shoddy--with a good amount of stains/scuffing, in conjunction with a solid, padded, but small laptop case. If you wish, use a pack with multiple compartments, or attach straps (backpack modding! Ha!) to the inside of the pack so you can stabilize the laptop.
Whatever you do, do _not_ travel with a laptop bag/backpack. The less it looks like you have a laptop, the better. (I know from experience. I've accidentally left my beaten-up backpack lying around with an iBook in it in college, and no one stole the laptop, in a college infamous for laptops being jacked in. Inconspicuous = good.)
Though be careful with the inconspicuous look. Dress causually in slightly worn clothing too when carrying the laptop. As long as people don't think you have anything worth stealing, they tend to leave you (and your stuff) alone.
By reading this you acknowledge that you have read it.
Im afiled service tech in the boston area and my backpacks take a beating the one that has lasted the best is from swiss Army it has a laptop sleave built in and really comfortable straps and the part that goes aginst your back is the vent style check it out you can get it at best buy for 50 bucks
Spend $100 on eBay for an old slow laptop. Put Linux on it. Be carefree during your vacation with your throwaway laptop.
I've had and XL for about 2 monthes now, and I like it a lot metter than my last Targus laptop back pack.
I got it because I needed a bag for the 17" laptop I had then from work. It's got a lot of smart features like the flip-down desk-ish thing that covers two mesh pockets (which are big enough for two half-liter bottles of water and a collapsable umbrella). There are a lot of other little side pockets for storing gatdets (iPod accessories, cell phone, USB key drive, etc).
The straps, howerver, aren't quite right. Wiating in long security lines, I notice that they put all of the weight on your shoulders and kinda squeeze in. For as long as the bag is, I would think that it should distribute more of the weight to your hips and lower back. It's not unberable, but it's not a serious hike-across-Europa pack, either. The waist strap helps, though.
That said, I still love it. It's great for daily commuting (including by bike). It's also got a nifty snap-off pocket on the front of the straps for a cell phone or MP3 player.
Also, it's frickin' huge. Like I said, 1 liter of water, a 17" laptop/cables/charger, an external 5.25" hard drive, files folder, conference notes, snacks - and it wasn't even looking full. You can live out of this thing for a week with no problem.
I have one of these. My 15" PowerBook lives in it. It gets used for everything, motorcycling, walking, carry on luggage.
They're an Australian company, so I'm not sure if you'll be able to get them anywhere else.
Timbuk 2 page
Plus, they hold about nine 16oz beer bottles just as comfortably. ;)
I've been tempted by Tom Bihn's laptop bags. Has anyone used them?
ObTangent - Tom Binh's bags got some press because of their French instructions.
I would also up your price point at least a $100 additional and spend the money for a really good bag. You can spend a lot of money of cheap bags over the years, or relatively little by buying it right in the first place. Avoid anything that advertised for tourists, and avoid anything from a department store like a target. Targus has some worth considering, but you probably want to check out the likes of Gander Mountain instead.
Small external pockets for things like cell phones on the outside ave very convenient - for pickpockets, avoid them. Remember as well that any locks you buy will routinely be cut if you bag is searched in an airport or the like, so make sure you get cheap locks. Also, if you have a seperate partition for 8.5 by 11 or A4 paper, that would be nice for things like map printouts. If the document pouch is sealable against moisture, all the better.
Whatever you do though, don't do anything to it that would say "steal me". Avoid stickers for ostentatious toys you might have like an Ipod, for they will surely attract theives. If your concerned about theft recovery, dont buy black. Most airports wont even look for a stolen black laptop bag, their are too many to make such a search practical. Also, dont forget to have whatever bag you buy waterproofed on the outside AND inside.
GOMBAC
Scroll down until you hit the GOMBAC. Looks like a normal backpack. Works like a normal backpack. Made to carry a laptop.
This bag is way over your projected price, but don't be put off by this. A Tough Traveler bag will last you for decades. You might even hand it down to your kids. Their stuff is absolutely "bulletproof" and since they actually manufacture their own bags, in their own American factory, by hand, anything that does go wrong can be repaired by the same people that made it.
Not only do I have Tough Traveler bags, but a Tough Traveler soft guitar case. I've put this case through hell for 20 years. I've never had a guitar damaged in one and not so much as a snap has ever failed. I know people who trust pre WWII Martins worth tens of thousands of dollars to these bags.
Your laptop cost you a lot of money. Spend another hundred or so to keep it safe, and probably never have to buy another bag again.
KFG
LEAVE THE LAPTOP BEHIND!
Engineering is the art of compromise.
I have a good jansport backpack which has the advantage of not looking like a notebook backpack. It is a notebook specific bag with a discreet yet well padded notebook pocket.
I use it as a regular backpack everyday, even though I only take my notebook with me every other day.
Highly recommended.
I would recommend whole heartedly the Lands' End Vertical Brief. It's about $60 or so. It's got a laptop segregation section in the main body. Plus, it's got a huge amount of pockets all over the place for cables etc. The main compartment is also nicely big enough to put paper documentation in with the laptop (on the other side of the partition. It has either a shoulder strap, or backpack straps (and of course, a normal handle.
It's defintely beyond your price, but I swear by the Axio pack from harodesign: it's a hard pack, and since I drive a motorcycle to work every day, it's the only thing I trust. I'm somewhat of a laptop bag snob (I've tried brenthavens, targus, etc) and this is the best one I've had yet. I actually carry two laptops in it! Of course, I warn you that people will call you boba fett if you wear it. ;)
Axio by harodesign
(btw, not a shill, just a satisfied customer!)
At Defcon last year they had these really neat laptop backpacks with hard outer shells. It looked like they'd protect well against a nasty fall. I can't find the product now; anyone know what I'm talking about, and where to get one cheap?
Thanks!
We recently had heard in the office over one of the Yellow Machine that's made by Anthology Solutions.
About a year ago I purchased an ObusForme backpack for my computer (the Axis Model). It is excellent. If you are not familiar with them, ObusForme is a company that got its start designing those back-pads for putting in your chair to get better support. The bags are designed using something they call the Comfort Support system. It really works. I had a Lowepro bag for about a year. It was excellent - really rugged, but I've got a bad back so switched to the ObusForme and I'll never go back. It was around $70 Canadian - so it was a good deal. Sure there are some excellent bags out there (Tumi, Brenthaven, Booq) but they are all 2-4 times the price. Check out ObusForme at http://www.obusforme.com/.
check Chrome for messenger style bags http://www.chromebags.com/ They some laptop specific ones also.
The best laptop I've ever owned was by Tom Bihn. Get the Brain Bag with the padded laptop sleeve -- no one's ever suspected I've had a laptop in there, it looks just like a big travelling pack with a belt to distribute the weight, lots of pockets, tightening straps on the sides, and you can beat the hell out of it.
e en=PROD&Product_Code=TB0104&Category_Code=TBP&Prod uct_Count=5
http://www.tombihn.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Scr
Additionally, the Snake Charmer is great for keeping your cables together and fits neatly in the space above the laptop in the rear zipper pocket.
(I don't work for these people, but I bought a bag at their Santa Cruz store before they moved up north -- I've had it for five years, taken it trans-Atlantic more than that number of times, and never had a problem with it.)
Samsonite has a lot of nice backpacks for laptops. I have had one for around a year that's cushoned, has an internal frame, and holds my laptop and all my other crap comfortably.
-- "Freedom is the right of all sentient beings" -Optimus Prime
$20 of PVC pipe, an old hiking pack frame and you can build a pack to do whatever you want.
Where are we going, and why are we in this hand cart?
Since we're on the topic... what about water-resistant? I'd like to be more at ease walking around London in fickle weather conditions. Any suggestions?
My wife bought a cheap briefcase with a zipper, to carry some of her paperwork from work. It looked very similar to one of the expensive laptop bags. She left it in our vehicle overnight, and the next day our vehical was broken into, and only that bad was missing.
Bought a Dell 8200 lugbook for work and home few years back. 15" UXGA screen made it too big for most of the $100+ leather bags i tried, and too heavy to be comfortable anyway. Bought a $40 targus and couldnt be happier. Padded with room for extra gear, best solution I've found yet. If you really plan to carry something around vs. just have it look good go targus, rest is a waste of money.
The first rule of USENET is you do not talk about USENET.
I used a normal Samsonite Atom III bag... it is comfortable to take with you, a lot of space and light. a backpack is still very vulnerable and i wouldn't advice to use it on a busy airport!
i used it for a period of at least two months. most of the time i had my laptop in there: a sony tr1 (slimline), with a dv camera, a camerastand, dsc camera, some batteries and a lot of memorysticks. and still could put the chargers in there with a coat. and if really needed, you coudl also put it in a case as protection if you take the plane (which i did on my way back [in an airporter]). or else, fold it to put it into your luggage if you really dont need to carry it around all the time.
samsonite is a brand which you could also easily buy overseas and... beware, in some countries it is even more expensive as it is considered a luxury item.
F/OSS & IT Consultant
I've been travelling around Australia and the World for the last 18months with work. Planes, trains and automobiles etc etc. The Targus Deluxe Sport backpack has never failed to take whacks etc with NO damage to the gear inside. Have a good trip :)
Two laptap backpacks that don't look like laptop bags are the Big and Little Easy Pack's from LL Bean.
They are inexpensive (around $49/$59 for little/big) and have the standard backpack straps, messenger bag (sling strap) and briefcase handle.
All editorial writers ever do is come down from the hill after the battle is over and shoot the wounded.
Your local Goodwill or Salvation Army.
I often find VERY high quality bags at the local thrift store. Sometimes, I even find new ones.
I found a brenthaven not too long ago and snagged it for $3.00
Yell & scream & rant & rave... it's no use... you need a shaaaave ~ Bugs Bunny
The Jansport Air Habitat (courier-style shoulder bag). I just bought one for a trip to Taiwan, carrying laptop, 4 batteries, 2 disk drives (CD/floppy), headphones, power supply, notepad (dead-tree variety). The bag started out good but got pretty noodly.
I have been using a Rakgear (http://www.rakgear.com/) for over two years at college and it's held up well. It's large and roomy and has some places for power cords and such. The main disadvantage is that it's expensive (around $80-90).
The Travelling Adventurer
The X Dimension
I have this one and absolutely love it. I'm out in the field 40-50 hours a week, and it holds up great. Fully synthetic so it resists the elements well. The padded back, chest strap and waist belt make it ultra comfortable when you have it loaded down. And it has tons of pockets and compartments for keeping stuff in aside from the padded laptop case. The extra pouch on the shoulder strap is real handy for a cell phone or mp3 player too ;) It is a bit pricy, but its definately worth the extra money.
Look no further than this...m l?locatio n=build,epic_bag&title=NIKEiD%3A%20Epic%201%20 iD
http://nikeid.nike.com/nikeid/history.ht
Don't know what I'd do without mine. Carries the 17 inch powerbook and some big a$$ textbooks about without killing my back. OR the computer. A lesson I've learned, don't skimp on protection for the computer. You'll regret it. Brenthaven makes the best protection in the world. Check out the movie on their website of the backpack being dropped with a powerbook inside. Makes me feel so much better about bag choice.
My gf bought from ebags, and she accidentally accepted one of their "free" offers which meant she was subscribed to some $$$/month fee for some discount "club" or something. Took her 3 months to notice. She's a bright girl, and certainly didn't want the damn club membership. I'm not saying it's illegal or anything, it's just always tough to read all the fine print, and always be on your guard against those things.
Don't vote for Eugene Papansanovich for Congress!
I have a bag from Eagle Creek. It's not a backpack, but it will fit inside any normal backpack easily. It's well padded (I've dropped it with the laptop inside without a problem), and it has a pocket on the outside for whatever accessories you want to bring with you. It's also got rings on either side of the bag which allow you to attach a strap using clips. They don't actually make my model anymore (or at least I can't find it), but they have some similar things.
My advice would be to go with something like this, since most laptop backpacks I've seen are basically a regular backpack with an object similar (but inferior) to this inside, and tend to have a lot less room in them than a good regular backpack. This way, you've got something more independent of the backpack too, so if you want to just take the laptop around at some point, you can do that more easily than you would be able to if you had a complete laptop backpack setup.
-"It seems like you're trying to exploit a security hole. Would you like help?"
I've got a big heavy "laptop".
[Alienware Backpack]
is what I use to haul around my 9 pound laptop. Plus, cellphone, mp3 player, and pda. Plus related cables/charges and a spare battery.
It's not exactly a normal backpack, and it's not laid out to carry around books, but it's extremly confortable to wear, and hold (the top strap).
$90 dollars might be out of your price range, but I enjoy mine.
I have a swiss gear laptop backback. I really like it as it has plenty of pockets for my accessories, and it does have plenty of padding in the laptop compartment. The straps also have shock absorbers and are well padded, which takes away some of the jarring that comes with lugging around a heavy backpack. I believe it set me back about 60 bucks, but it was well worth it.
http://www.standardtm.com.au/backpacks_sports.cfm
Best backpack I ever had.. Still have an erlier model than this I bought in 2001.
FWIW, I have been using the Targus Matrix bag for the last several semesters and it's great. It's pretty much all black and doesn't scream "Laptop" like some of them do, and has tons of room and compartments sized perfectly for wireless cards, cables, and other stuff. Another option if you want to be sly is to buy a laptop sleave from Spire or someone else to protect the laptop and use a standard bag that blends in even better. The only problem with a standard bag is that you wont have as much room for other stuff when the sleaved laptop is in it.
I have a Trager laptop backpack with which I have been quite happy. It looks like a normal daypack but comes with a semi-rigid padded laptop case ("Vertical Transporter" TM) that fits into a cloth pocket at the bottom rear of the interior of the pack. In addition to the main section, there are two large pockets, one on top of the other, and two small pockets with vertical zippers. The pockets easily hold a mouse and power adapter. Indeed, the main section is just large enough to hold both a good-sized laptop and a large digital audio recorder), with the power adapters for both devices, microphones, cables, etc. in one pocket. I've used it to carry books too and found it comfortable with a heavy load. In addition to padded shoulder straps, it has a strong padded handle at the top. It also has a waist strap, though it is not the sort of wide, padded waist belt you get with a full scale backpack. The site I just looked at, ebags, lists these for US$159.99, but I'm sure I paid less than $100 for mine.
I've got a 12" iBook (which is pretty durable, as far as laptops go) and I just went to the fabric store and got 1/3 yard of 1/4" foam, folded it in half twice, pinned it together with safety pins, and slipped the laptop into the open end. It just sits in my old Jansport (great quality, by the way -- and you can get it repaired free [+ shipping] for life), and I haven't had so much as a scratch even while carrying it around campus, the subway, and downtown and treating it as a college student would typically treat his bookbag. YMMV, but it works for me.
"[Regarding the 'cloud,'] ownership was what made America different than Russia." -- Woz
I have one (the Gravity) I picked up from Target that came with a small USB 2.0 Hub and a mini optical mouse. Since I DJ with my laptop, I picked this up thinking it would work out pretty well. It did. I carry the laptop, a FireWire drive, a Stanton DJ mixer, two USB audio output devices, a pair of headphones, and all assorted cables and power supplies and I still have enough room for a notebook, pens, pencils, duct tape, tooth brush, condoms, and clean socks.
I'm also travelling round the world. I can highly recommend the crumpler bags, really tough fabric, ample padding, comfortable straps and waterproof. Only downside is they're expensive. Cheapest place I found them is Simm Limm square, Singapore.
I've been using what I think is the the Targus Groove backpack for about a month or so now, and it's been great. There's lots of extra space, and it's much more comfortable to carry around than a regular laptop bag.
One thing you might want to consider, though, is that the name Targus on your bag probably means to thieves that there may be a laptop inside, while a bag from another lesser-known manufacturer may be more inconspicuous.
I recently got a targus backpack to carry both my books and my laptop. I found it at compusa and I would like to say that I have been quite happy with it. The bag has more storage than I need and the padding makes it very comfortable to carry. It even has an outter disk-man sized pocket with a small port so you can run your headphone cable out of. It did set me back around $70 or so, but I have a feeling I will be using the backpack for some time into the future. I think of it as an investment. Now, all I need is for someone to donate to me an iPod and my life will be complete! I'll even pay for shipping..haha..
Backpacks specialized for laptops will automatically demand a premium for the fact that they cater to a specific use. Plus they'll scream out that they are carrying a laptop.
You could just get a decent backpack and stick your laptop in a sleeve inside it. When not using the bag to carry your computer, you won't have the added weight from protective padding, and no nonfunctional laptop compartment.
I use a targus similar to this one: http://www.targus.com/us/product_details.asp?sku=T SB212 daily on my ventures around Purdue's campus. In it's third year of use and you literally can't tell. The Targus' are built to last, and their craftsmanship shows. Really heavy duty zippers, heavy nylon construction, and the most comfortable straps i've ever felt on a backpack. I don't exaggerate, it is by far the most comfortable pack i've ever had on, even fully loaded (when worn properly...) I used to bike to campus and with teh pack fastened with the waistbelt it was about a secure as it could possibly be. I would definately recommend it for any type of traveling...don't now how much the airlines would like it as i can't be the expert there. Oh, and the padding is more than adequate for most laptops.
Pacific design bags are great.
The be all and end all for any luggage concern: Tumi.
e arching&search=category&categoryid=13015&sub_site_ id=3
As the Robb Report calls it, "the Rolex of luggage."
http://www.tumi.com/search/index.cfm?fuseaction=s
I travel alot, an awful lot. Land sea and air. Had a reasonable case that started to tear with the monstrous Dell inspiron I used to lug. The way the bag was designed, it most likely would of been fine another few more trips but I thought I'd not risk it. Got a cheap and cheerfull case and I was cursing it, not enough room for everything, didn't seem sturdy enough, and I just couldn't get it comfortable to wear. Eventually found; http://www.targus.com/us/product_details.asp?sku=C DB1 and its wonderfull. Looks awfully plain, but it's got silly amounts of pockets all over it, protects well, and best of all, comfortable. It isn't cheap, but think about how much the laptop you're going to be carrying around costs, small insurance to have a good case.
Waiting for an amusing sig.
They make very durable, very functional, and good looking backpacks/laptop backpacks.. I've got one of these and I wouldn't trade it for any other. OGIO Metro
This backpack is the most useful and durable backback I have ever owned.
The only issue is that it is big. Back when all laptops were huge, it was the perfect size. If you have a small laptop, it might be a bit large of a space. OTOH, it will be big enough to hold many useful supplies. The only downside it that it does not have ties for a bedroll and such.
Now to think of it, for hiking I might get a big hiking pack and then put the laptop in a sleeve.
"She's a scientist and a lesbian. She's not going to let it slide." Orphan Black
For those who want to use a regular backpack, the protective sleeve that comes with Trager laptop backpacks can be purchased separately, e.g. here.
...A Canadian company. Their laptop backpacks are simply amazing, I highly recommend them. I've been using mine for years, its unbelievable how comfortable it is.
Heavy duty back pack. $45. +neoprene sleeve
http://www.portabrace.com/asp/ProdDesc.asp?DescCod e=BK
Technology -- No Place For Wimps! Grateful Dead and Jerry Garcia Chatroom -- http://www.wemissjerry.org
I don't see where anyone has mentioned Sumdex. I have had one for a couple years. It has been on many trips plus I use it to carry my notebook into the office. The shoulder straps are extremely comfortable and the layout is very usable. I highly recommend them.
Try this one from REI:
http://www.rei.com/product/47814912.htm?
I have the earlier year model and love it. It has a removable padded pouch for the laptop. It has tons of pockets and pouches for stuff. It also has special porus pads where the pack rests on your back so you don't get too sweaty back there. The handle on the top of the pack is really rugged and meant for lots of loading/unloading. It even has a mesh water bottle/cola holder.
All this and it's only $60.
I have been using one of these for sometime. Macpac is a great brandname recongnised by anyone involved with the outdoors.
I have travelled extensively with this pack and my ibm thinkpad through south east asia, europe, and north america.
http://www.macpac.co.nz/
I bought this for AU$100 which should be around US$65.
Nice backpack that I use to protect my books and/or notebooks (paper that is) as well [http://www.ems.com/products/product_detail.jsp?PR ODUCT%3C%3Eprd_id=845524442585619&FOLDER%3C%3Efold er_id=2534374302847025&fromTemplate=navigation%2Fs ubcategory.jsp&bmUID=1097458853101].
And it just dropped $30 to boot.
While this topic may have been covered before here on good ol' slashdot, I think it's a good subject to review now and again. Manufacturers of Laptop/Notebook backpacks typically change their models from year to year to keep things 'fresh', so what may have been true a year ago, may be different now in terms of availability and choices.
c om
n .com/257.HTM
I'm not sure how realistic the $50 price range is for a well-designed and built piece of luggage is, so, I'm going to post what I know to be good manufacturers/vendors and let you sort out how valuable it is to have a well-made, workable piece of gear.
First, if you live in a city where there's an REI (www.rei.com) I *HIGHLY* recommend you roll into the store and check stuff out first hand. They have a great selection of 'computer' luggage, including backpacks and briefcases (all soft cordura or similar fabric). Do a search from their homepage for "computer". You'll see choices from Arcteryx, Eagle Creek and Victorinox. Several people have mentioned the Eagle Creek and I see at least one person mentioned the Arcteryx. From personal experience with BOTH companies, their gear is well designed, durable and functional.
http://www.eaglecreek.com
http://www.arcteryx.
At my local REI store, I also had a chance to check out the Victorinox (of Swiss Army fame) computer bags, and they're pretty cool as well.
I have no doubt that the Patagonia bags that someone also mentioned are very well made and durable. They are also very well priced, though you can Patagonia stuff for cheap in their outlet stores. I don't think their outlet stores have a website (I did a cursory search on their website out of curiosity and didn't find anything).
Lastly, though this is probably on the outside of the topic of backpacks, I post it for anyone else who might be in the market for some kind of bag for their laptop/everyday use where a backpack is not a necessity. There's a company called Filson (www.filson.com) that makes some incredibly durable and handsome luggage from oil finished twill and saddle leather. Though they don't make a laptop *backpack* (they do have some rather nice rucksacks though), they *DO* have some rather nifty padded laptop briefcases. Although expensive, I expect they'd last 10 or 20 times longer than any other bag I've seen. If you have a proclivity towards creating emotional bonds with your gear, Filson bags may be a good investment for you.
http://www.filson.com/258.HTM
http://www.filso
I have my Acer Aspire 15.something inch screen notebook in a Targus Sport Deluxe Computer Backpack.. very happy with the weight/protection/price/amount of pocketsies. Goes well on the bicycle and walking
I got mine at Frys, but they're on Amazon and elsewhere too.
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B000 05T3H5/102-5371982-3864947?v=glance
stm
I'm very happy with mine. I tell people that i carry my Scanning Tunneling Microscope in it. Only the liberal voters believe me.
:wq
http://www.kensington.com/html/3208.html
I've had one of these just a little over a year. I love it. Lots of pockets and pouches, padded back and shoulder straps, and VERY durable.
http://www.asus.com/products/notebook/accessories/ travel_accessories.htm
ASUS Targus PRO Backpack
My friend has one and it's awesome
I've been using sleeves recently for laptops that you can just chuck in a backpack, briefcase or whatever. Then you can just stick it in whatever type of bag you want, rather than having a specific bag such as a laptop/backpack or whatever.
STM
I can't find my previous post, to the former story.
I said that there are two answers: 1) Find the ugliest backpack you can, so that you won't be the target of thieves, or 2) to distract the thieves, everywhere you go, take a supermodel.
Targus bags shout, "I have a laptop, probably an expensive one."
--
Is Bush drinking NOW?
I bought the Swiss Army 'davos' from REI almost a year ago and have never been happier with a laptop bag of any kind. Granted the bag is a little above your price range but I have found it to be well worth the cost. Swiss Army also appears to have a newer bag, 'verbier', which seems like a slightly less expensive and slightly smaller version of the same thing.
n fo.cfm?product_id=3529&category=49 n fo.cfm?product_id=3546&category=49
The big drawback to these bags is that they do not sell/ship with the laptop sleeve (at least as of the time of my purchase) and it must be purchased from a phone retailer (number and instructions included with bag).
This trouble asside the laptop sleeve is on par or better than that which comes with the Targus bags.
FFR:
http://www.swissarmytravelgear.com/webstore/morei
http://www.swissarmytravelgear.com/webstore/morei
Why not get a padded sleeve that you can put into any bag? Here's one example, but I'm sure there are others.
= &c2coff=1&safe=off&tab=ff&oi=froogler&q=brenthaven +sleeve
http://froogle.google.com/froogle?num=30&hl=en&lr
Laptop backpacks (to me) just announce "I have an expensive laptop, and I think I'm smarter than you thieves by putting it into this expensive backpack"
I'll create an amusing sig when I have something meaningful to post.
I have two Waterfield SleeveCases (purchased from http://www.sfbags.com/). They come in sizes to actually fit your laptop, and with side loading for regular soft bags, or top loading for backpacks. Your laptop is secure, and the bag doesn't scream "Take Me." The shipment was prompt, and the quality good.
I've got a Targus bag which I've been using for a year. The thing is rather comfortable, but can get a little rough after a few hours with it. I'd give you a link off the targus site, but it doesn't appear to be on there. The back and shoulder straps are completely padded, and the back most compartment is huge and holds a slip for my laptop. The slip has a netted pouch for nick-nacks (PCMCIA cards, etc) and there's space enough for my power adaptor. The next Compartment up has enough room for whatever books I might be carrying, notebooks, compartments for pencils, and another netted one that holds my minidisk player, LAN cables, etc. Then there's another front one that could fit smaller books, and two others on the sides of the bag (each about the size of a can of soda). From the looks of their site all the bags are nearly as spacious. With these bags full they can be quite bulky, but when I've got just my laptop in there, it doesn't seem so cumbersome.
There's a few problems with using Targus bags though.
If you're paranoid... since Targus is a name brand laptop bag it's pretty much a guarentee to thugs that you're carrying a laptop with you.
Second, I don't think any of their bags are particularly attractive. I think I got the lesser of the devils with the black/silver I have, but I still think it's kind of ugly.
The other route you could go, is get a truely comfortable bag and convert it to a laptop bag. Using cardboard, or some other type of padding to make a slip, then sew a cover on that and attach it to the inside of the bag. It's a little more covert and you might like it better. But I'm lazy, and I was willing to drop 75 on my bag.
Hey, it's my OPINION that dogs have eight legs and make a sound like a car horn every time they take a piss.
I use a leather backpack from Wilsons that is made for a laptop, but it certainly doesn't look like a laptop bag. The one I have isn't on the website anymore, but there is still an option listed there.
"Sometimes the only thing left to say is 'Oops'" -- debbers
When I went to KDE's Akademy this past August, I put my laptop bag through quite an ordeal - 3 hours in the middle of the night in the middle of pouring rain to get from north London to Stanstead airport by bus, and then a week and I half where I practically lived out of it. I would have liked to have had a proper backpack.
Perhaps I'm piggy backing the original poster here, and if it works well I'd be more then happy to carry his laptop and play backpack for him.
I too recently have found my self on a bag hunt. Though I've got a slightly different request. I have two specific items I'd like to pack into a backpack and have it fit to a tee.
One, a Laptop (15" Sager) the second, a Digital SLR (Digital Rebel) and a lens or two. So far every bag I've found for an SLR has been built for higher end photographers in mind, carrying 4-5+ lenses and multiple bodies. I my self, am not that fortunate.
Are there any other readers on Slashdot in a similar situation with laptop and higher level photography equipment? I expect this bag to be upwards of 80 to 100 dollars, but if it fits properly like I hope, it will be well worth the comfort of knowing $3000+ is riding safe and sound in the backpack made for it.
Computational Madness in a round package.
i've always been a huge fan of dana design (www.danadesign.com). i have a day pack that i have used every day (similar to: http://www.danadesign.com/packs/access/salish.asp) for the past 6 years, and two huge packs for week-long backpacking trips (http://www.danadesign.com/packs/arc/astralplane.a sp). everything is warrentied for life. the only thing they don't cover is animal damage. i've tested the warrenty a couple of times, and they'll send me the replacement parts in two days or so, and they don't require me to send the broken stuff back, they're great to deal with. i got my girlfriend the dana design messenger bag (http://www.danadesign.com/packs/street/ti.asp) and she's been using it everyday for about a year and it still looks as good as new. you'll probably pay more than $50, but it's worth it if you never ever need to buy another bag. i'd suggest the "suit" model. (http://www.danadesign.com/packs/street/suit.asp)
I have a Jack Wolfskin J-Pack, which is the only backpack I have ever seen that can hold my Sony VAIO PCG-GRX600K (11.5 x 14 x 1.75 inches) in a padded section. Furthermore, this pack can hold four or five US-letter-size binders, books, power supply, etc. It's pretty big and can be cinched down (by straps on the side) to compress it a bit if you are not stuffing it full.
It has an integral 'laptop lifter' - a little string you pull which raises the laptop a few inches up in the padded carrier, so that you can get it out easily. Sounds like a gimmick, but is very useful when traveling through airport security checks on multi-stop flights.
It's a great pack, the only problem is availability in the USA. Be sure to check it out if you live in or are traveling through Europe. Price in UK pounds - around 55.
See: http://www.wolfskin.de/
Througout highschool and now college, I admittedly thrash the hell out of my backpacks. I have gone through all of the major brands as well (Jansport, targus, etc.) and have destroyed them all. I have gone through broken zippers, torn compartments and bottoms of bags, I even wore the metal buckle off of a messenger bag from use! The best deal I have found are the victorinox swiss army laptop backapacks (which I currently own). They use balistic nylon instead of polyester (such as targus), and have a lifetime warantee(even though that I don't know exactly how long that really is...). Anyway, it is a good backpack, very light, and provides ample padding for a laptop. The one downside is the price, coming in at about $90-100. But still, check them out!
--nerviswreck
Try looking at the North Face site...
I think they have a bag for laptops...
They make great bags (a little more money) but should stand up to lots of abuse and have plenty of room... and can def server as a good backpack when you get back...
this one looks like a good one:
I saw one of these in an ad in a Mac magazine a few months back and wished I had had one during my trip to NYC for HOPE.
u k/ index.htm
http://www.unicorn-video.smartemail.co.uk/axio-
- When you do things right, no one will be sure you've done anything at all.
I suggest you take a look at Tom Bihn - I've had two of his Trager bags for over 5 years, used daily and not treated all that well, and they continue to look good but not shout "expensive toy here!"
They're a bit pricey [$100+] but as I said, I beat the crap out of them and straps, zippers, material deals well with it all.
http://www.tombihn.com/
I just bought a bag from http://www.booqbags.com/ very good but outside your price range.
http://www.goincase.com/prod_laptop/prod_lt_dcpack .php
Please, please, please check out Mountain Equipment Co-op's Darwin Daypack. I've been using it for over a month, and I'm very pleased with its performance/protection.
/. community as a whole is much aware of this treasure of a Canadian company, but I think a lot of us could save money on quality gear there. Poke around at http://www.mec.ca/ and let me know what you think.
D UCT%3C%3Eprd_id=520877&FOLDER%3C%3Efolder_id=67603 3&bmUID=1097459101744
I'm not sure if the
More information on the Darwin can be found directly at http://www.mec.ca/Products/product_detail.jsp?PRO
I made a post on the Internet!
I bought a nice little laptop backpack from Mountain Equipment Co-op for $56 CDN, so around ?$40? US + shipping. MEC is known for their quality (its a co-operative) and costumer loyalty. I bought it because I trust MEC, the price is right and it didn't look like it carried a laptop. I've been very happy with it so far. Very comfortable. I can fit my laptop cables with lots of extra space. They ship to US and Canada. http://www.mec.ca/Products/product_detail.jsp?PROD UCT%3C%3Eprd_id=520877&FOLDER%3C%3Efolder_id=67603 3&bmUID=1097459387480
Cheers
The north face recon bag is a bit more than you wanted to spend (approx $70-80), but comes with a lifetime warranty (i've taken advantage of it-they're pretty great about letting you take it back for whatever reason). It has a padded laptop part, is extremely well constructed, has nice pockets for all the associated gadgets (cell phone, pda, etc), and seems pretty water(proof|resistant).
Go to MEC.caD ER%3C%3Efolder_id=676033&PRODUCT%3C%3Eprd_id=52087 7&bmUID=1097459696396
THey carry a lot of Extreeme weather gear, but also have good day to day stuff as well. Much cheaper than anywhere else. I have a http://www.mec.ca/Products/product_detail.jsp?FOL
pack that works great. The one I had before was the bottom of the line model and lasted 5 years of engineering textbooks.
I looked into this a few months ago. I have a 15" powerbook and I settled for Belkin backpack
Bottomline, its really convinient and I have gotten a couple of my friends to buy it. All of us love it, so its worth a look.
KAR.
Hands Down the best, in my humble opinion, is Spire. (spireusa.com) Absolutely bombroof! Designed BY computer geeks for computer geeks. Very well thought out- I will no longer part with my hard earned $$ for anything else. I used to tear through bags at an alarming rate- going on 1 1/2 yrs with same spire with NO problems!!
They are pricey though- check on ebay etc first...
These were also highly recommended by Patrick Norton of TechTvs Screensavers...
I use the Kelty Gigabyte. They are a camping bag maker so there stuff is pretty durable.
kelty.com
I've loved my Outdoor Products Powerpack:r es/servlet/P roductDisplay?productId=35221688&memberId=12500226
http://www.campmor.com/webapp/wcs/sto
I've sung its praises at work.
The best feature of this backpack is the following:
Two external power adapter pockets allow user to charge laptop without removing it from the pack- ideal for charging at the airport, schools, etc.
Even if you don't get this backpack, be sure you get one with these! They're awesome - you just unzip the side pouch, pull out the power cord, and recharge.
If you have the money, pick up a Tumi Backpack.. You may be able to find a year old, but still new, nylon version at a Tumi store. It'll cost between $150-$300 for the nylon and $400+ for Leather. I've had mine for two years, and i travel about 40 flights/year and it looks like brand new. Also, i can fit my 15" Powerbook and 16.1" Vaio in as well as about 4 books, an ipod, power adapters, sunglasses, passport, checkbooks, and more!
I am in love with mine!
-------
artlu.net
Check out these guys:
http://www.ripcurl.com/product/bags/
They are a surfing company, but the bags work great for laptops. Lots of pockets and a lot of the bags come with waterproof pockets, a must if you live somewhere very rainy and you don't want to get your laptop wet.
I really like my REI Big Byte.
_.:*~*:._.:*~*:._.:*~*:._.:*~*:._.:*~*:._
ASCII art?? I thought it was a REGULAR expression
I bought a shoulder bag for my PowerBook from RadTech. If their backpacks are near the quality of the shoulder bag, I can warmly recommend them. They are a bit pricey, over $70, though. Premium costs.
The North Face has a few nice looking bags. I got the 'Firewall' (yes i think it sounds geeky too), and its been good, comfortable, and doesn't look heavy when its packed full of cables.
It doesn't expand much, so you won't fit much additional clothing etc, in it. Cables are fine, USB external harddisks, books etc all fit.
One problem: The right arm strap started pulling out. It was probably just the superficial part (its strongly stitched inside) but it seemed to pull out more and more.
I looked at the lifetime warranty, and its basically only USA-friendly. Since I travelled to australia, I would have to pack it up and post it back to the USA, and wait weeks for it to be fixed/replaced. Not an option if you are on the road, but thats a common problem with a lot of things.
Instead I got it repaired at a bag stitcher shop for $15 or so.
Might not be good if you are hiking around, it doesn't air much at the back, but you won't kill your back with it, unlike a crappier bag or a shoulder strap.
Brenthaven bags are pretty good. Alot of pockets, solid construction, comfortable straps. Try ebay when buying, it will save you $$$$$
http://www.brenthaven.com/
100% Insightful
Backpack aside, make sure to backup your contents beforehand incase a serious accident somehow happens to it or is stolen.
As for the backpack, I have no suggestions myself, sorry. I just wanted to point out the importance of having your data in two places at once.
I bought an EastPack in the summer of 1998 and I still use it on a daily basis this day. It has a laptop sleeve in the big pocket. I earned my degree in mechanical engineering (HEAVY books) and used it everyday in college carring around books and my laptop. As I said, I still use it. No tears, no torn straps, nothing. Only problem is, do they still make them like this? If they do, get one.
Just my experience.
I have (and like) the Targus Sport backpack. The best feature is the one-piece waterproof flap that covers the top and zippers.
If you're stuck walking around in the rain with your laptop on your back, this will protect your laptop from water getting in. Too many bag designs don't take inclement weather into account.
The only problem is that the pack is ugly as hell; black and white checked fabric, mesh waterbottle sacks for no apparent reason, and a pointless chest belt.
The good thing is that if you're wearing it, you won't have to look at it.
What a strange bird is the pelican, his beak can hold more than his belly can.
I'd suggest just getting a laptop sleeve, one or those padded deals that only the laptop fits into. They're available everywhere, and pretty inexpensive for the amount of protection. And the best part is, you can throw your laptop into whatever carrying bag you want inside the sleeve (backpack, briefcase, etc). Or even hide away just the sleeve and not worry as much about your bag.
You can browse REI.com for some ideas and find them locally. Jansport and Kelty make some really nice ones that are really inexpensive ($12ish).
j
Here is a good North Face pack http://www.thenorthface.com/opencms/opencms/tnf/ge ar.jsp?productId=42
I picked up the Swiss Army laptop bag a while back. I bought it in a rush at the local Office Depot, and am much chagrined at how heavy it is. The thing is so heavy (empty) that with the addition of my HP laptop it causes noticable strain on my back.
Word to the wise: if you're buying in a brick-and-morter store, bring your laptop along to test out the weight.
Right now I have an EastPak Unplugged
It's a huge bag (18x13x11: 2500 in^3) and ways only 1.25 pounds. But its laptop sleeve is poor and importantly it's got poorly-thought-out zipper design which tends to snag.
What I want is a reasonably large bag which is lightweight (important), has a good sleeve design, and has BIG ZIPPERS. The only two big-zipper bags I know of are Brenthaven (way too expensive, WAY too heavy) and Victorinox (good bag design, rediculously expensive).
Any ideas?
I've taken a notebook around the world and across the US many times over with a bag from Spire.
Highly recommended, and it can be used as a regular back. And you don't look like a dork carrying it (if that were to bother you)
http://www.spireusa.com/
These pretzels are making me thirsty.
I just purchased the Targus TXL617 and I love it. It fits up to a 17inch laptop, with PLENTY of room. It is very comfortable and priced about $50. Search on Froogle.com, i purchased mine through ebuyer.com. I live close to the university so i ride my bicycle there and i carry books for 3 or 4 classes, 3ring binder for papers, cables, mouse etc.
one word; lowepro!
This one was pretty inexpensive... has a padded insert to put the laptop into, which is removable. There are plenty of pockets for various stuff, and a lot of room to carry other stuff as well. I use mine to carry my Thinkpad T22 to and from work everyday, as well as the floppy and DVD drives. It's got plenty of room for lunch, some file separator things in one compartment, a bunch of various pockets and etc for pcmcia cards, cables, etc. It's definitely worth looking into. Mine, I believe, was $30-$40. It's also got a little handle on the side to carry briefcase style if you want.
"Would it kill you to put down the toilet seat?" -- Maya Angelou
There is no need to take along a laptop on a vacation.
Jesus was a compassionate social conservative who called individuals to sin no more.
is what I would suggest. I just use a Marware Sleeve on my iBook and then toss it in my Eddie Bauer backpack. I think having a laptop bag gives your item a greater chance of getting stolen than a regular back since a laptop is ususally more valuable than whatever's in a regular backpack. Eddie bauer backpacks aren't that bad in terms of price, and have known to be very rugged and well built. Mine has enough pockets and things to throw all of my books, charger, mice, etc. and nobody would know that there was a laptop inside.
It's huge and tough and build like a tank: It's got an enormous padded main compartment, a secondary full sized compartment big enough for another computer, a third full sized compartment with pockets for accessories, and a big zippered pocket on the outside.
After 8 years of constant abuse: All the seams are still well sewn and sealed on the inside and outside, so there are no loose threads or freys, like most backpacks develop. The fabric hasn't torn, the zippers have never broken or jammed. All top quality material and workmanship!
It's so well made, that it's still in excellent condition after 8 years. I would definitely get another one, but my old one still has years of use left in it.
Here's an article reviewing Tom Bihn's "Smart Alec" and "Monolith" bags. He has many models specifically designed for laptops, that you can order on his web site, and the prices are quite reasonable!
His web site says: "Tom Bihn has been designing and making bags for well over 20 years. The daypacks he made when he was 13 years old are still in use. And in Santa Cruz, California, where Tom grew up, his laptop cases and book bags are almost legendary."
-Don
Take a look and feel free: http://www.PieMenu.com
That's a good idea. I have a Jansport backpack with a "bladder pouch," but instead of a bubble-wrap I have a zippered neoprene sleeve for the laptop. The sleeve itself doesn't have room for the power supply or mouse, but combined with the various small pockets the backpack affords the whole setup has done me well on a number of trips. The neoprene sleeve is made by Tucano, but I bought it at a local computer store so it or something like it shouldn't be too hard to find.
I've had the Targus Groove notebook backpack for a couple months.
I love it! I nicknamed it "the geek's bag"... It's rough, around $30, contains enough pockets for a laptop, the power cord, an external mouse, a portable music player with headphones hole, a couple of notebooks, two small water bottles on each side.
Honestly, I was pleasantly surprised by it. I was buying it only to replace my old backpack and I just plain love it.
I found mine in Office Depot, and I'm sure you'll find Targus' notebook backpacks good!
---- I am certain of only one thing : I know nothing else.
One thing that is a determining factor in a laptop bag is the size of your laptop.
You want a bag that is light. Get a bag that is too big and you will regret it later. (Or your back will.)
Before you buy a bag, make sure it has compartments for all the cards, mice and other misc objects needed for your laptop. I have bought bags that had no place for PCMCIA cards.
Of the ones I have looked at lately, I like the one from Jinx and the ones by Targus. The Targus I looked at had extra padding and rubber in case you dropped it.
You can also get laptop sleeves that you can put in a regular backpack. You can get one that fits your laptop more than a generic laptop bag.
You will probably going to pay more like $80 for a good laptop bag.
"Trademarks are the heraldry of the new feudalism."
I've traveled all over the world with my Tadpole and it lives in its padded bag inside a big backpack. It gets packed aginst a stack of paper (flyers, reciepts and misc other papers) and some clothes that cna be packed flat.
If your in parts of the world where theft is very common, get one of the web meshes. The pick pockets in S. Africa are known to cut the bottom out of backpacks and steal stuff in crowds. The mesh stops that if you get a good mesh.
Sales Skyrocket After Media Expose' on Bag Labels.
Tom Bihn designs T-shirts based on labels; all proceeds to go to homeless veterans's charity.
PORT ANGELES, WA: Tom Bihn, a Port Angeles-based company that designs, manufactures and sells laptop bags, messenger bags, backpacks and briefcases, has garnered worldwide media attention this week after a Web blog posted the contents of the label sewn into most bags.
The inside label carries instructions on washing and caring for the bags. Because the bags are sold in Canada, the instructions are also printed in French. The French version, however, contains an additional phrase: "NOUS SOMMES DESOLES QUE NOTRE PRESIDENT SOIT UN IDIOT. NOUS N'AVONS PAS VOTE POUR LUI."
Translated to English, the phrase reads, "We are sorry that our President is an idiot. We did not vote for him."
This week, reports have aired on Seattle, Chicago and California NBC affiliates, on Seattle's KOMO radio and the nationally syndicated Paul Harvey radio show, on MSNBC's "Countdown with Keith Olbermann", and on the Port Angeles cable station PNN. Bihn has fielded inquiries from German, Irish and other international media outlets.
The company has recorded record sales this week -- with sales more than double all previous weeks in the company's history. Customers have flocked to the Seattle and Port Angeles stores to scoop up the bags with the now infamous label. E-mails and calls have poured into the store, with many customers ordering directly from the company's Web site at www.tombihn.com.
The "secret" message began as an inside joke among seamstresses and staff at the Tom Bihn factory, and was apparently intended to poke fun at company's founder and president, Tom Bihn.
Bihn has created a t-shirt featuring the label, and will donate all proceeds of the sale of the shirts to the Seattle Vet Center, specifically towards its Homeless Vet Program. The t-shirt is available for purchase on its Web site and at its Seattle retail store.
Tom Bihn products are proudly made in its Port Angeles, Washington, factory.
Supplies are limited. Be controversial. Place your order today.
Note: Feelings run strong on this issue. If you have something to say, we want to hear it. Please post in our forums.
Take a look and feel free: http://www.PieMenu.com
The downside is that you'll be spending more than $50. The upside is that the backpack will outlast your laptop. [Mine has been doing 50 mi of motorcycle commuting a day for the last 4 years, my wife's has been hauling schoolbooks for three years. Both have all seams, zippers, and fabric intact, if a little dirty.]
When I got my laptop from work I was provided with a crappy HP branded backpack. I knew there had to be something out there that was MUCH better so I looked around REI and found the Outdoor Research Powerpack. I bought mine at Campmor which has a better description then the Outdoor Research page does.
The backpack is awesome. It has a grove on the back that allows your back to breathe on those hot summer days. A cooling slit that allows you to leave your laptop on without taking it out of your backpack (this is nice when you are charging your laptop at the airport). As well as a pocket for everything I have ever wanted to carry with me (they are all labeled). Mouse, network cable, phone cord, mp3 player, CD's (Comes with a CD case, cell phone, power cord, cell charger, headphones and some other pouches.
I gotta say: This pack rocks.
Well, yes... It's always better to keep things completely out of sight. But I recall working at a job where one of the salesmen was just issued a new laptop, and someone saw him carrying it out to his car and putting it in his trunk. They waited until nobody was looking and pried his trunk open with a crowbar to get the laptop.
So you're still better off if people don't even think you're carrying a laptop when you're walking around. You never know if they're watching you put it away!
I dont remember how much I paid for it, but the best bag that I tried out was the new Swiss Army bookbag. It has incredibly soft padding and it can fit a lot of books plus your laptop.
I got a suprisingly low priced Targus Puls Backback It's very well made, been hauling it with me in a 45 min comute each way to and from school for the past 2 months, very well made. I even carried it with my laptop inside in a somewhat rainy day (I know it's stupid risk, but the wind destroied my umbrella :P), I arrived at school soaking wet, the bag was dry.
it's a good bag, I recommend it.
Won't somebody please think of the Karma!
I purchased a swiss army backpack at staples (www.staples.ca) for about 40$ to carry my dell d800. The laptop is a little big for the packs area but it does fit, it is very nice seems durable. It has many little pockets to help keep things organized. The straps are really nice and it has a waist strap as well to help allevate some of the load.
I use this backpack nearly everyday. It has a HUGE amount of room for books and stuff as well as fairly well-padded pockets for ipod and notebook. It also has a small pocket on one shoulder strap for a cell phone. I love it!
http://www.ogio.com/products/display.cfm?catid=5&U ID=411109&color=1
It's not as obviously a laptop bag as say a Targus, but it's really well put together with a discrete padded laptop pouch. A nice plus - you can open the main compartment without flashing the laptop, which you can't do with a lot of bags. Plenty of pockets and organizer space. I use it for my everyday work/school bag. Around $50 or so.
Ogio makes several other models as well.
I also have a boblbee backpack. I've never really been happy with it. It's excellent protection but it put *way* too much pressure on the laptop (I have a "widescreen" laptop) and crushed the rubber screen bumpers. It also doesn't have enough pockets - just a large main compartment with a cd/pen/pencil organizer. It's also a unique enough bag where it would conceivably be stolen just because of the way it looks. It is a great, protective bag for average or smaller laptops, but it by the time you add the options to make it usuable it's gonna be way over your $50 limit.
ObTagLine: The more you run over the 'possum, the flatter it gets.
I got one of those nice looking shoulder bags from Old Navy. It is an obnoxious orange and looks nothing like something a laptop would hide in. I took the freebie case which came with my Dell and cut out the part which secures the laptop and sewed it into the inner pocket of the Old Navy case. I also added some extra support consisting of a slim bit of paneling with a thin layer of foam glued to it. All the ugly parts are under the sewn canvas, so it looks like something from the store. It is also lighter than a leather laptop bag.
Total cost: $25 + sacrificed cheap laptop bag
It is quite durable and people don't think it's a laptop bag so the chances of it getting stolen are much less. I understand the parent wants something pre-fab from a store, but I figured I would offer up my own experience here. At the time I did this project, I could find no backpacks or shoulder packs which worked well for someone who commutes across town on a bike.
The only thing missing was waterproof materials. I used that stuff you spray on tents to improve their water resistence. After a couple of coats, I could safely make my 5 mile commute in the worst of downpours and still have a dry laptop at the office.
The only drawback: you need access to a sewing machine. Those babies aren't cheap, as the minimum you are going to spend on a "good" one is around $250. Though your friends might think you are a sissy for having a sewing machine, there are many practical uses for having one.
Jack Wolfskin makes some great bags, the Commuter is the most practical laptop bag I've ever used. It has a comfortable shoulder strap plus hideway backpack straps, is the right size for a small to mid-size notebook and has just the right amount of space for accessories etc. They have some bigger ones, too.
After roughing it up for 5+ years without it breaking down in any way I got somewhat bored with it and decided to get something new, a Crumpler Roll-O-Notes (others recommended this one, too). It is very well made and looks good, but I've found it not nearly as practical for everyday work as the Wolfskin one.
...is fantastic. Worth the money. VERY VERY comfortable, very cool/geeky (oxymoronic?) lots of room, all the right compartments, side carry handle, et cetera... Excellent piece of luggage. I think they go for around $90 but I assure you, worth the extra dough.
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I can recommend these after carrying one for school for 2 years. I got mine for like $40 on sale at CompUSA. It is functional for regular backpack use due to the large capacity of the non-computer pockets. It was tough and comfortable, I wore it trudging across our large campus many times. As I said, I liked it for its large (largest I could find) non-computer storage pockets - one utility compartment for cables, and one larger pocket for books, quite a few of them.
It comes with a ludicrous 'rack system' basically a plastic shelf inside the pocket that just gets in the way. You can pull it out and throw it away. It also has one of the largest padded computer sleeves I could find, big enough for my tank-like Thinkpad A31. Otherwise it has tons of utility compartments for all your knick-knacks.
I just bought an eddie bauer bag that fits this description to a tee. I was actually shopping around for a while and was surprised to end up with eddie bauer since it wasn't one of the brands i was considering. I just happened to go into the store one day and saw the bags out of the corner of my eye....
In any case I saw lots of bags that were way too into putting pockets and zips everywhere. The EB bag is perfect in that it has everything that I wanted but it's not too busy. The material is also really solid and I got it on sale for about $60. The laptop area is a pocket inside one of the 2 main compartments and there's even an area to put an mp3 player with a little hole for the headphone cord to come out of. I've been extremely happy with this bag and would highly recommend it.
only downside is that i don't think the website shows all the bags they have... (you have to actually go to the store to see their full selection).
so this might already be posted...
I've been carrying one of these for about 2 years now, and I can put forth my recommendation. Solid, comfortable, roomy, and protective.
I agree. I've had a BP3 for about a year now for hauling my 12" Powerbook around and it's awesome. It has some funky pockets that I never use, but there's plenty of space. I've taken this thing on about 10 different plane trips, a train trip, countless road trips, and a bit of biking and walking as well, and it's never let me down. It's always comfortable, has enough room that I can pack a weekend's worth of clothes along with my gps, F717, power adapters, Base station, 2-3 books, my laptop and still fit under the seat in front of me on the plane so I don't have to check bags. I highly recommend the BP3, despite it's extra cost.
I use a backpack made by Jansport specifically designed to secure laptops (they make a bunch; get one with the big computer safe) for moving around when i don't want to advertise the fact that I've got an expensive laptop. But my favorite bags come from a company called Tenba (www.tenba.com), which used to be best known for its photographer's bags. I've had two of their computer bags over the past 15 years (yes, they wear forever; the only reason I replaced the first one five years ago is I couldn't get some gum off of it). My advice: Get a briefcase bag with the computer safe (many different sizes) and pay the extra 20 bucks to get them to sew little hooks on the top and bottom so you can attach a backpack harness on it if you want to; it'll double as conserative briefcase or hip, comfortable, and convenient backpack. Tenba bags are notable for the wide variety of modification possible, using special modules you can add in to the bag, such as specific compartments for large camera lenses, etc. Definitely worth a look. Whenever I sling my Tenba backpack style on the subway someone always asks me where I got it (I don't believe they sell in stores, just trade shows and the Web).
Duct Tape
I use the Backpack that came with my sony (That I sold and replaced with a dell that does not burst into flame)....
Jinx is offering a nice looking backpack for only $80 or so.
Not a Twitter sockpuppet... but I wish I was.
My Recon (the Recon Flash is just mine with a light on the back) can fit a lot of crap in it, but has compression straps so that when it's almost empty (which is the norm for me) still small. The straps are great, and make it almost enjoyable to drag around for hours full of lead.
It has a laptop sleeve, water bottle holders, waist and chest straps (not that I use them), a pouch on the back that's great for, say, a hoodie or sweater, and a fucking huge zipper on the main pocket.
spire bags are the way to go.
... I lugged my laptop around when I was in the Peace Corps over in Ghana for 2 years ... I had a carabiner clipped to one of the metal loops on it ... I hooked it into the luggage rack on the top of many a bush taxi when there wasn't space enough in there cuz we were packed full of people ... did fine.
.. it's lined with some vinyl or whatever on the inside ... the bag looks wet, the inside was fine ... good thing cuz it kept my clothes dry as well .. the laptop also has an extra padding sleeve ...
... needed a bigger bag so I can pack some other shit in there and not just my cpu.
Really ... I am very happy with it, still ... I've had it for 4 years so far and still use it most every day .. even as a normal bag when I don't need to lug the powerbook around.
... worth every penny, really.
Suckers are bomb proof
Found my self caught up in a deluge a few times, she kept my laptop dry too
I have the old version of this meta bag
I think I paid $180 for it
-steve
Happened to a friend once outside a club. She had kept her stuff in the trunk before entering the club, and just took her id and her wallet. Someone had seen her do this, and when she came back everything was lost.
It's probably a better idea to put things in your trunk beforehand and then go wherever the hell you're going. You can try making sure that there's nobody around, but I'm sure that the guys who do this sort of thing are probably very organized and will keep subtle watch.
Better yet, don't carry things unless you absolutely have to.
My g/f has a bag from Outdoor Products. It is EXYTREMELY fuction. it has pouches for everything, cables, ipod, cd player, headphones, ac adaptor and more. Even has a detachable cd wallet. Cost is $65 at REI. You can look at it at http://www.rei.com/online/store/ProductDisplay?sto reId=8000&catalogId=40000008000&productId=47780431 &parent_category_rn=12353603&vcat=REI_SEAR CH
I'm going to pick one up for myself. I have yet to find a better pack for the price. Oh, it has thick gell straps and a channel down the middle of the back for air flow. Also leaves PLENTY of room for books and whatnot.
...really nice laptop-specific carrying case/backpack. Plus they're expensive.
Do what I did. Get yourself a nice, generic backpack, and buy a padded sleeve for your laptop to ride in when it's in the backpack. I've got a plain old JanSport schoolbag like I carried through grade school and high school, and a nice Sleevecase from Waterfield Designs.
I have a http://www.boblbee.com/ Boblbee Megalopolis Executive. It easily fits the 15" powerbook, and my 17" fits but not perfectly because the velcro strap can't reach around it. (their website says use IE but it mostly works in firefox and mozilla, and safari...)
This backpack is hardshell, with really nice padded straps and the part that sits on your back is nicely padded. There is also a lumba rsupport on the backpack which is really nice for walking. If you expect to get any benefit out of the lumbar, you will want the waist strap.
The only drawback to this backpack is the price, at $140 (I got mine from a discounr retailer,) it is pricey.
Another nice thing about these is they are very uncommon and you do get looks and comments if you are into that sort of thing. mine's matte black but I imagine you'd get a lot more comments with the chrome one!
There are also a number of accessories that go with it, including an overnight organizer with space for a change of clothes, etc.
A really great backpack.
The Brenthaven is a really nice design for a geek traveller. It's got the pocket for the laptop, but also a nice area for the charger, cell phones, pens, and other gadget. I usually slide some magazines in the same compartment as the laptop, and my DVDs in the front pocket (or the middle one). There are two side pockets for cell phones (a GSM and a CDMA, if that's what you need) but I don't usually carry them there as I fear they might fall out.
If there is one down side it is that you can put too much in the bag and it gets rather heavy. I started digitizing my DVDS onto a firewire hard disk rather than carry the added weight of say 20 DVDs. I also leave the charger in my checked bags, if possible, and use airline power when available.
I also recommend the Scott E-vest. Definitely a plus
They don't look like laptop bags, although they do look like upscale bags I suppose.
Head on over to
http://www.standardtm.com.au/
The one we bought was http://www.standardtm.com.au/backpacks_sphere.cfm
The laptop section carried my 12 powerbook in perfect comfort. Very well padded, an inch or two of extra padding at the bottom to protect it when you put the bag down too hard, this section is water tight (well the zip is meant to be water proof, and it worked for us).
The front section holds an iPod (the cables can pass througha specially design hole to the outside) and a digital camera (Sony DSC-T1 fits perfectly). Both are stored in their own little velcro pocket, and with the headphones sticking out through the designated premade hole, we padlocked this section closed.
Side pockets for bottes of water, mobile (cell) phones, keys etc. and the back pocket is big enough to shove a jumper or two in.
We bought this backpack before we left Australia specifically to keep our three tech toys safe while we toured Japan and the US. Worked flawlessly. There is so much padding on the back it's a pleasure to carry. You can fit more in than you think, but it's quite small (which is a godsend when travelling, who wants to lug?).
The only catch is now that we've settled into Toronto for a while, the fact that it's divided into 3 sections means that it's not easy to shove extra warm clothes into it, now that we no longer take the laptop with us.
I'm sure one of their other models will suit if you don't have a 12".
Cheers,
Oracle.
The fact that a fish swims in water does not make it an expert in fluid dynamics. GogglesPisano (199483)
The Boblbee backpack series is pretty nice and has a tough frame around it. I don't have one, but was impressed by them (except for the price) at Defcon earlier this year.
http://tinyurl.com/4ny52
I have a thinkpad backpack from IBM, cost was about
50.00. Had it for over 2 years now. Been on many outdoor trips, and has held up fine, no rips/tears etc.I think it should fit most laptops, and it is made by Targus.
You can get it from www.ibm.com
...into the mysterious and scary and obviously expensive future!
I read the whole thread. I am tempted to start a "real men back in the day" subthread, because real men back in the day used army surplus stuff! Both ways, to and from!
and we LIK3D it!
For real, army surplus, check it out you young geeks! I am amazed not one mention! Is this a lost art? What happened???? (don't say it, I know what you are thinking wisenheimerzzz....)
The US grunt forces have a container made from heavy duty cloth with handles and straps for ANYTHING in the world that could conceivably be man portable. ANYTHING. And you NEVER have to sweat the color!
Instructions: goto nearest mil surplus store, seek out large pile of pack/web gear looking stuff, usually inside old wooden crates or on back dusty shelves. This will take awhile as you have to DIG. You will find TREASURES buried in there, just gotta look. Now, peruse the offerings, you WILL find several that are most intriguing in configuration and style and will be close to what you want. You will also see some that will make you go YES, this will fit my.....whatever, you weren't even thinking about. Pick out bag or bags of choice, drop a FEW DOLLARS max. Also pick up a few of the cheapest pieces of crap they have just for more material and extra straps and buckles and do dads like that. You are set now.
Now,go home, aquire your heavy duty waxed thread and large curved upholstery needle from your gear stash (you DO have this,correct?) and MOD the bag to fit YOUR personal gear exactly the way YOU want it.
MUCH mo coolah than yupster bags!
Get a diving supplies shop to make you a sleeve of thick neoprene according to your specification. With the laptop inside it you can just throw it into amy backpack and virtually nothing could harm it. It's a good solution for smaller notebooks. Bigger laptops probably need a dedicated bag.
Stop worrying about the risks of nuclear power and start worrying about the risks of not using nuclear power.
Has heaps of pockets etc. Is comfortable to wear (my laptop is about 3kg) doesn't really look like it is a laptop bag and has good padding and restraints around the laptop to protect it. It only cost AU$100 which is pretty good really.
Hettar.
I bought Sumdex backpack a few years ago for college and love it. I still use it today carrying the laptop, various console cables, tools, and various patch cables to different buildings on campus.
http://www.sumdex.com/pon415.htm
This is the one I have.
I don't worry about it and just make sure not to leave it unattended or at least not out of sight.
The targus is nice because it has more padding but it's a lot heavier/more awkward to carry.
Jesus was a compassionate social conservative who called individuals to sin no more.
There are two models, canvas and leather. The leather is definitely more pricey, but looks terrific. It doen't scream "PLEASE STEAL ME BECAUSE THERE'S A LAPTOP INSIDE." It just fits in with the rest of your everyday flashy urbanwear.
Oh, and it is the only piece of computer luggage I've ever owned that has gotten spontaneous, umprompted compliments.
For those of you who tote PowerBooks, it has just enough headroom for a 15-incher (because it's wider than, say, the average Stinkpad -- which fits just fine).
I don't have specific suggestions, just a tip. I've used several types of laptop backpacks and what always fails first is the part where the top strap joins the body of the backpack. There is a lot of stress in this area due to the weight of the batteries and all the electronics, and many backpacks aren't designed with this in mind. Look for heavy material and multiple stitching in this crucial area. Good luck, and if you find a good one, let the rest of us know!
Ron
Oliver's law of assumed responsibility: If you're seen fixing it, you will be blamed for breaking it.
I highly recommend the Mobile Edge, Backpack,... I has excellent padding and storage for much more than just the notebook.
I got really frustrated looking for a laptop bag that would hold my accessories (especially since I always found myself unpacking things when I wanted to make the bag light, then having to repack them), so I did the homebrew thing and made my own. I was able to pick up sturdy denim ends for C$4/m, some web, snaps and Velcro. I made a bag that actually holds my accessories and made them snappable so I can tear out things I don't need right now. And I made them themed, so, all my A/V cables are on one snappable sheet and Ethernet cables are on another. It's quiet nice.
You can probably find plans for a knapsack or messenger bag that you like, and go from there. Even if you aren't very proficient with a sowing machine, it's mostly straight lines.
What commercial bag can boast pocket for a wifi card and a removable holder for headphones?
--Andre
Are.
Jackass.
Noun verb agreement.
It is not that hard. You know, I even hear they teach it to grade schoolers now.
Their webpage doesn't have their entire product line listed, and it focuses more on their laptop offerings. They have many more backpacks (not made for laptops) which aren't listed on the page. Some of their packs are pricey, but they have some backpacks under $60 or 70 which would probably work great.
All of their backpacks are made in NW Washington, and I've been very happy with every one I've owned. They make very sturdy backpacks and are a great company in general.
http://shinza.com/ ..thats what I did for my 12" powerbook. I had a very good eastpack backpack which I didnt want to give up after getting the powebook. So I looked for a good simple protective sleeve and I found the zero shock sleeve from Shinza. Its great...I would highly recommend it and since it has so frills and fancy hooks or designs it doesn't my powerbook looks. It costs like $30 or so.
http://mysteryranch.com/, founded by dana gleason of dana designs (well-known backpacking brand), offers a laptop sleeve called the Office Box. they just redesigned their site and it appears not all their products are yet listed, but here are some notes about it from an email conversation i had with them about powerbook compatibility.
--
On the Foam size, It is a quarter inch structured closed cell foam
(trocellinling) backed with plastic sides. While this may seem to thin its more how we use it. The way the Office Box suspends the laptop means if dropped the structure of the Box takes all the force. In other words a straight foam case (even thick foam) gets most of the structure comes from the laptop. And as you found out dropped the wrong way the case means nothing. With the Office Box most of the force is taken by the Plastic sides and structure of the outer foam sleeve leaving the inner sleeve with
the laptop untouched.
Our Designer made the Office Box after destroying a laptop with it in his pack while travailing a few years ago (he is great at breaking things). He has not yet managed to break his current laptop in the Office box.
- - - - - -
nudely strut
I was bought an Eddie Bauer backpack, and was surprised by how good it is. Looks like a regular backpack, has plenty of functional pockets, and the back is nicely padded. Can fit jumpers, lunch etc in the main compartment without squashing anything because the laptop has its own pocket within the compartment.
I've been carrying it around for an hour a day for the last year and have no complaints.
Ive looked at a lot of laptop bags, but none really impress me. They are fine for carrying your puter to and from school or work, but are hardly fit for long term travel.
I am a big fan of modularity and I already have nice old school Mountainsmith gear: a tour pack, a Bugaboo daypack, and a full sized Frostfire 3 for long camping/hiking trips. They also have built in loops and buckles that allow them to clip together, if you need a bit more room, and are all constructed of cordura. (Mountainsmith has since moved operations to Korea and theyre current rip-stop based stuff is no better than Nike or North Face-so ebay is the way to go.)
Ive been using the bugaboo practically daily since I bought it about 8 years ago-its made it through high school, college, and seen over 15 countries-not a single thread has come unstitched. It has a comfortable internal fram and I can carry 25+ pounds a full day of wallking without becoming sore. There is no way Im going to shelve a pack of that quality and use a flimsy, overpriced Jansport just so I can have a special pocket for my powerbook.
So here's the plan. I got one of these Sumdex pouches <URL:http://www.sumdex.com/pon310.htm> which i currrently just stick in the pack with whatever else is going. But I called REI and got the names of some people that do custom mods and repairs for packs/goretex/camping gear/etc and am going to get something a bit more elegant made. stitch some webbing to the backside edge of the sumdex pouch with some snaptops inserted. the matching snap-bottoms are inserted in a piece of webbing stiched to the interior wall of the pack. This keeps the weight of the puter close to your center of gravity, so its easy to carry, and it keeps it well away from the extremities of the bag, so it wont get damaged when you drop your pack on the ground.
When youre camping and dont need the puter, just unsnap and you have the full space for clothes, sleeping bag-strap a snowboard to the outside--whatever.
While Im at it, Im going to put in an iPod pouch and a headphone nipple, and it will cost me less than the prrice of a new bag, not to mention save closet space and my back.
I just returned from three weeks running around China with my 17" Powerbook and SLR camera. The best setup I've found is to use a bicycling backpack - they are very strong, but lightweight and have cross straps to help with the weight - in combination with a thin case for the laptop. In my case I've got an "inCase" leather case for the PowerBook and an "Outdoor products" cycling backpack. The pack came with a big pouch for a water bottle, which of course I removed.
The PB just barely fits, but there is enough room for the camera, an extra lense and misc other stuff. You'd never believe it from looking at it. Actually, that's another benefit - it doesn't *look* like you're carrying thousands of dollars worth of electronics around wtih you... You look like a backpacking kid.
In the future I'm planning on fabricating some kind of custom padded interior for the thing to hold camera and camcorder, lenses, etc. individually so that I don't need the individual cases.
Pat Niemeyer
I use one of the better targus backpacks as i work in a less than desirable area. I find they are extremely comfortable for the walk from the station, with the laptop stored firmly close to your back. You can walk a long way with a lot of weight without advertising that you have a valuable laptop with you. Worth every cent!
-cv
i had a targus and the piece of shit plastic clips broke once it frosted over. i did not like it. my new samsonite bag from best buy was about $50 after some rebates a while back. this things is AMAZING. i love it to death. many pockets and clever holding places, stylish yet subtle, and it also has great ergonomics for me. good luck.
I am college student and carry my laptop everywhere, my spire bag has held up extremely well. Its made of the nylon used in kevlar jackets so it extremely rugged. Its basically the hiking backpack of notebook bags. I bag my bag off of everything (including the back of my car during driving) and still not scratch or defect on my laptop.
One really great thing about their design is the separate 'boot' bag that they use to store the laptop. So you can remove it when you don't need your laptop and still know your laptop has protection.
Oh yeah, tons of pockets. Its size is actually deceiving, it looks much smaller then you would think would it be to carry as much as it does.
The quality is amazing and great customer service.
Funny,
I Know a salesmen who got a brand spankin' new laptop for the price of a trunk lock.
When I bought my laptop backpack (which was a simple one, but got me around the world fine) I made sure I replaced the plastic clips on the shoulder straps and carry handle with stronger metal ones. Only cost a few bucks from a bag shop to get it done, and worth it for the extra strength.
I have used a backpack from Uphill Down (http://www.uphill.com/) for my notebook computers for several years, and have really enjoyed it. They have several available in your price range that don't scream "Computer" for all the world to see. Some advice - WIDE PADDED STRAPS! A computer is amazingly heavy when you have to lug it around over any distance. Also, the more padding around the computer the better it has saved my bacon dozens of times.
I have been extraordinarily hard on laptop bags, but I have had this Samsonite backpack i picked up at Fry's for a couple years now. it looks well worn but nothing is even close to being worn out, it is a well made piece.
Looks like an average backpack, doesn't even remotely scream laptop. Solid support, comfortable to wear for long periods, sizeable laptop sleave, lots of well designed pockets for accesories. The newest models have a rather cool mp3 player pocket with a headphone cable pass through hole.
I've had this bag for over 5 years! Five years! No problems at all. It fits all I need, carries horizontally as a briefcase, wears like a backpack, and has a comfy oversized shoulder strap if you can't decide how you want to lug it. It's waterproof (watch out for the zipper though which can't stop everything), doubles as a pillow in the late-night air terminals, and is just about indestrictible. I've seen it get wedged (without the laptop in it of course) into the wheel gears on the x-ray table at LAX. They just reversed the gears expecting the worst, no damage whatsoever. Made from ballistics-grade Cordura (whatever that means). Honestly the best darn bag I've ever had. It's not quite $50 (runs $62 plus the internal padded bag that I use standalone for quick short trips), but it's close enough and it's worth every penny. JandD will also fix anything for life. So even if you break it, they will repair it. Who can beat that?
I've purchased two Spire bags, and recommend them fully. The one in particular that will interest you is the Meta http://spireusa.com/products/ME5.html It's unfortunately above the budget that you specified, but its still worth a look. They also have other bags closer to your range, which are slightly smaller in size as well.
The Meta that I have is about four years old, and has been beaten, dragged, dropped and abused throughout the world. I bought it specifically because it met worldwide carry on requirements for airline and rail, had room for a 15" powerbook and enough clothes for a week. Its still in great shape and will probably last me another half decade. It has made my travels an order of magnitude easier, limiting the number of bags I've had to carry.
The new version looks a bit larger, and with more internal pockets, and more friendly design. They're even made in the USA (Boulder, CO) and don't look like a laptop backpack. I also have an Endo http://spireusa.com/products/EN3.html which I use every day, when I'm not traveling, and have the same praise for. These bags are worth the money, and I'd buy another in a second.
Seriously consider not being cheap about getting a good bag, it will last you many more years than your laptop. The spire's even have different sized sleeves you can get so that your laptop will fit snugly, and so you don't have to buy a new pack if you get a new computer. Hopefully this gets above the 0 level, even though it's been posted so late.
I'm not related to the Spire company, just an overly satisfied customer who hopes they're still in business if I need another bag!
Never, ever leave anything in your hotel room. My laptop goes in the Jesus bag that has return tickets and other must have stuff. The Jesus bag rarely leaves my side and most often rides right on my belly. Usually, my clothes bag rides in the trunk and the Jesus bag rides on the passenger seat, unless I'm someplace where carjacking and other in your face break ins happen. If I'm going to dinner and don't want to lug the bag, it might ride in the trunk.
Both bags, of course, come inside with me.
For laptops, I prefer a purse style shoulder bag to a backpack. It's easier to sling other shoulder bags that way and I don't have to worry about people picking it behind my back.
Friends don't help friends install M$ junk.
I've had the "Targus Sport Deluxe Notebook Backpack", which is on the page linked from the story, for about a year now. I've been extremely happy with it. Good padding for my laptop, waist and chest straps for taking weight off the shoulders, and lots of little compartments. Even a handy cell phone holder right on the shoulder strap.
I haven't really travelled much with it, but it's served me well for carrying my laptop and accessories to and from work on my bike. I'm sure it would easily survive an airplane trip as a carryon.
I have owned two Targus Deluxe Sports and loved them both. They have planty of room, a top handle, super comfortable shoulder straps and great compartments. They also look sporty enough to look somewhat different from a "computer bag" and if you don't like the Targus logo it can be removed. I have owned a ton of laptop bags and by far this is my most favorite travel bag. I would also put in a plug for Acme Made Bags, they make the best quality day-to-day bag I've ever owned.
http://www.acmemade.com/index.html
--And sektor spoke and said unto the people. Hey, buttwipe hand me the cheezeos.
Follow this link to get last years opinions. Also posted by Timothy... http://slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=03/12/24/012120 6/
My criteria: 1) Around $50 2) Functional enough to be used after my trip as a generic backpack 3) Tough enough to survive hauling through airport, yet comfortable enough to endure wearing for hours 4) Enough pockets for my chargers, cables, etc.
That's a pretty tall order for a $50 bag. You should decide whether you want a regular old backpack plus some sort of padded case for your laptop, or a bag designed and built to carry a laptop. If the former, check out the REI Outlet for some decent packs at very good prices. Another source for the same is Campmor. You can add something ilke the Kelty computer sleeve for $20 more.
If you're willing to spend a little more money, check out the Timbuk2 Detour. We've go about five different Timbuk2 bags around here and every one of them is a winner. I've been using an El Ocho with a padded cell to carry a PowerBook for a few years now, and it shows almost no wear despite frequent use. The Detour looks like an even better solution with a carry handle, a courier-style shoulder strap, and a pair of backpack-type straps.
makes the most durable, intelligently-designed bags I have ever owned. These things are hand-made and take a righteous beating. Worth every penny. Check out the accessories, such as the Snake Charmer for containing cables and such, cushioned non-slip shoulder straps and, for the luddites, a paper organizing insert called the "Freudian Slip". http://www.tombihn.com/
I travel five days a week and after returning from a three month stint in Europe on Business I traded in my overpriced Tumi bag for a generic Northface (Recon I believe). It is super comfy on the back; has room for a laptop sleeve (I don't use one given the back padding and the lack of ownership); and generally has worked out well. I tote about 30 to 50 pounds of gear around and it is durable and spacious. I demo'ed every bad I could get a hold off in a 2 hour shopping spree with my actual gear packed in and to my dismay the Northface won. Not "trendy", but functional.
Here's the direct link to the bag i talked about above:
Targus Sport Deluxe Notebook Backpack
I was looking for a cool bag that was both utilitarian and stylish for my laptop. After having looked all around, I got fed up with all the crap that I saw and decided to go outside the box for my bag. I ended up buying a snowboarding bag that I came across as I was looking for snowboarding gear. The company name is Drop, they make gloves, goggles, and backbacks with thin profiles, plenty of pockets, and enough padding to take a fall on the hard Northeastern ice and still not crush your ipod or drink or have your shovel stab you through the back.
As for going to work in one of these new age things, it looks weird when I wear a suit and carry this backpack, but I don't give a shit, that's me.
Then I got a Jansport, this bag's grandfather. The organizer is very cool, with enough pockets for CF, several PC cards, wires, pens, freaking everything. I've had it for nine years and it has held up to daily use and abuse on bike. Overloading it ripped one seam, which was not used to hold anything in and was easy to sew back up.
When traveling, I came to prefer the shoulder bag to a back pack for compactness and difficulty of pick pocketing. I had started to wear my back on my belly in crowds but it was uncomfortable.
Friends don't help friends install M$ junk.
I have been using a Jansport "widescreen laptop" backback for about 8 months. I travel from the West coast to Europe for business several times a year with a widescreen Dell Inspiron 8600, and regular backpacks would not properly accomodate it. The Jansport was not as cheap as one might like ($100) but it works terrifically. I doesn't look unusual, and so does not call attention to itself. The machine is very well protected in a separate section of the pack with rigid reenforcements, and there are ample pockets and sections for everything (papers, electronics, sweater). The Jansport is comfortable and appears very durable. It has enabled me to bike commute again as well. Certainly worth the $100!
The strap buckle on my Eagle Creek saddle-bag lasted about 3 weeks of toting between my car and the office and my apartment. That is, quite frankly, pathetic. It's a good thing I was loosly holding the handle, or the powerbook would have been smashed to bits.
Please help metamoderate.
Since no one has mentioned it, I'm on my 4th bag, and I like the Access, by High Sierra.
- $60 (I paid $49.99 at my local luggage store)
- compression straps (I really wanted compression straps -- and they are hard to find in a laptop bag)
- padded compartment
- plenty of pockets
- hip belt
- built in bag rain coat that may be deployed (which also pads the buttom of the bag during encounters with gravity)
Isn't the laptop's size, or desired bag size of import? If it is one of the 17" surfboards, then my understanding is that the choices get pretty narrow.
One person that I know that was silly to buy a desknote brick (12lb, 2" thick, 17" screen, Desktop Pentium 4 chip inside) couldn't find a conventional laptop bag, he ended up getting a piece of carry-on luggage to carry it.
Willow Designs. Hands down. The cases are actually padded(gasp! Shock! Amaze!) and very intelligently designed. They also offer(ed) different sizes. For the 17" powerbook, for example, they offered something like 5 different 'sizes' of cases, ranging from a simple padded slipcase to a zillion-compartment case. You get exactly what you need to store your stuff, nothing more, nothing less.
Unfortunately, they're on the way out the door business-wise, because they can't compete price-wise with the shit cranked out by the chinese companies for Targus and the like.
I have the Vermillion case, which is designed specifically the 17" powerbook. It holds the powerbook portrait-style so you don't take people out when you turn around on the subway- important when the thing is a few inches shy of two feet wide. The powerbook fits into the padded sleeve like a glove, very tight and secure, and all sides AND the top and bottom are padded, with a semi-hard shell outside of the padding; the shell is then covered with that super tough fabric stuff, which I treated with Scotchguard to help repel water+dirt. Thin strip of reflective tape on each side. Riveted feet into the bottom keeps it off wet pavement/subway floors. The strap is well padded as is the handle (unlike the common hard rubber handle on most bags, or worse, the soft foam handles that last 2 weeks). It has an expanding compartment on the back that will hold a thick book or two (or in my case, headphones.) The front pocket has divided compartments which are stretchy spandex-like, and hold whatever's put in them- even if you turn the bag upside down while open.
It cost around $80, and it's the best money I've ever spent on an accessory. I've seen countless laptops damaged in "laptop bags" that came with the laptop- they just do NOT protect the laptop in the slightest.
Please help metamoderate.
no doubts about it, been using it for over 2 years, with my transportable (a 3.5 kgs laptop) computer, without a problem. Has enough airmiles to travel the world a couple of times, a hundreths of kms in bike (used it while cycling to work for more than one year)
With that and a folding bag for clothes and books, I've got enough for days on the road. The laptop rides in front of me and the clothes ride behind me so that the straps go over my head and cross each other.
Friends don't help friends install M$ junk.
I have one of these, which holds my laptop, all the various and sundry crap to keep it connected, my cell phone (with charger), a notebook for work, two cd cases (music and software), my iRiver cd player and a hardcover copy of Cryptonomicon. And it still fits underneath the seat in front of me. Of course, the Highly Trained Airport Security Person may have been tempted to ask "Where's your laptop case, and what's all this junk in your backpack?"
Mail? Put "slashdot" in the subject to pass the spam filters.
Flying with a laptop has become harder as the size and number of carry on bags changes but often a laptop is not seen as a carry on if it is in a small enough bag.
My travel bags are;
- A large pack that will hold all my stuff. This can be my back pack, suitcase or a duffle.
- A small carry on bag for all the stuff I want during the flight. Right now I am using a nylon zippered pouch on a belt or a small one strap back pack if I need a little more space. (really long flights)
- A small, tight fitting, padded laptop case that I carry on.
While I am moving about the laptop goes into the large pack and the small bag gets emptied into the large bag and stored.
No bag is perfect for everything and be prepared to find damage and wear. After many years of travel I have learned to appreciate lightweight over ruggedness.
p.s.
If you travel with a PowerBook sleep it, don't turn it off unless you want to wait for a full boot up and log it at security. It happened to me a couple of times where they wanted to see my laptop working and did not recognize the grey start screen as being on. (Anyone know how to replace the start screen with the XP desktop background?)
Twitter, you're a petulant cock-gobbling sycophant to Linux Torvaldyos! Quit taking DP from ESR and RMS's feculent cocks and why dont you try to stop sucking quite so much? Get out of your parents' basement and see the real world - maybe then you'll see how pathetic you sound, with your neverending stream of bullshit about how Microsoft is stalking you. Wasn't it you who said that Microsoft believes your insane ranting is actually a threat to them, so they PAY PEOPLE to reply to you on Slashdot? No sir, I don't get any money. I do it for the love. Someone has to go up against your paranoid whining. So get back in your cage and shut the fuck up already.
I can definitely recommend Spire bags. Mine is excellent.
I have a Timberland laptop backpack that my wife bought 5 years ago for law school. When she finished with it I used it for grad school, and now I use it for work. It regularly has a laptop in it along with a few textbooks, and it's still in great shape. It's also quite nice looking, holds a lot of stuff, and isn't obviously a laptop bag.
My Web Page
Sept 5, 2001, I bought a RakGear backpack for $70. The line was subsequently bought up by Targus and then KILLED OFF. It looks like the one in the picture at this URL:
/rakdeluxe.htm
http://www.login.co.th/cgi-bin/cs?asset=21&id= 747
Closer, or actually it is (except mine is black with olive or deep green, not blue, trim):
http://shopper.cnet.com/RAKGEAR_DELUXE_NOTEBOOK_ BA CKPACK_BLACK_NAVY/4014-6459_9-5979339.html?q=
Model RBND05. The only thing I could recommend to Targus if they care to resurrect the bag is to flatten the internal rack's feet and widen them, and reinforce the bottom. I loaded my rack's shelves with color magazines, papers and even my BJC-85 bubblejet alternately. Over time, the weight ruined the leather on the outside, although on the inside the damage is invisible because the nylon/whatever material is resilient. But, dragging the bag or repeatedly pushing it along by foot on a bus or on another floor WILL damage it after about 2 years.
I don't like that Targus bought up my bag's style and then seems to have killed it off. It's a nice bag.
This bag:
http://homeworktips.about.com/cs/productreviews/ gr
seems less "backpack-bomberish" in that they removed the lower side and back pouches that I stuck batteries and toiletries and even a surge strip into, but I don't think it will carry the weight of stuff I can carry in mine. It is WELL worth the US $70.00
Also, check epinions:
http://www.epinions.com/content_60065943172
This bag clearly shows the removable star-shaped/4-point accessory strap which could tie down a number of things...
Also, read:
http://www.worldchiropracticalliance.org/news/ra kg ear.htm
http://www.shentech.com/tarakiba.html
------------
The rest of this is from my attachment to "Do yourself a favor", at:
http://slashdot.org/comments.pl?sid=124854&cid=1 04 72989
It seems they and SONY both benefit, as the best features of the Rack Gear bag are now labelled with those two names, but they dispensed with the book/notes rack inside. I use my rack, since it lets me organize things. Fully loaded, I've marched, ahem, walked 14 miles (from 1245 AM to 0515 AM) from Mountain View (El Camino & Castro) to San Jose (Winchester & Stevens Creek) once with some 28 to 32 pounds of laptop, accessories, paper, a 5-or 6-plug surge strip and thick 6-foot cable by Fellowes on once side, and my toiletries (toothpaste, brush, mouthwash, toilet seat covers, and other things) on the other side, and such inside it. The worst part of the walk was my shoes, but that RACK GEAR bag was not too uncomfortable. A military friend of mine said that much weight on my 150-lb body frame, in the context of that walk on concrete would more than be sufficient to meet some beyond-normal fitness tests...
Depending on my needs, I can remove some papers or a book and insert my pair of 2-inch thick add-on speakers, the audio converter wire, a small 5-port switch, two 5-foot lengths of Cat-5, 2 or 3 thinwire RJ-45-wired pieces, it's OWN power supply, in addition to the screw drivers and tools. I basically have a 35-lb computer office on my back. Why the hell? I felt I needed a laptop to show the SBA/SCORE my business plan spreadsheets in action rather than on paper. I also stuck inside the bag my Canon BJC-85, 2 or 4 spare or redundant laptop disks, the PCMCIA adaptor for them, and some floppies as well, plus several CDs/DVDs of Mandrake. Yep, talk about ROAD WARRIOR. AND, on the strap side, where the laptop is padded and against my back, there is a section to stick yet MORE paper, between the LT and the racked area of the backpack. I've only seen maybe 3 in use, one in Oregon and maybe 2 in Calif.
The DOWNside of this pack is if you use yours like I do mine, the shelf feet will, after a year of lifting/dragging on bus floors and running to chase buses, wear out the leather bot
Previously: "Linux... Toward the Sunrise..." Now: "Linux... Toward the-- No, now, part of Every Sunrise"
Macpac New Zealand is most know for Alpine / tramping gear, but have a great laptop bag called Thinktank.
g ue /do,displayitem-view/mid,76/miid,2204/diid,385/
http://www.macpac.co.nz/products/display/catalo
I have 3 packs from them... hard to beat. Best of they have a lifetime warranty.
I would think that the Targus would be more comfortable for longer trips since it has that belly strap which helps take the load off your shoulders. I've had it for over a year and it still looks as good as the day I received it. I would have to say that it appears to be very well made. However, if I had to pay for a backpack i'd still be using my el'cheapo backpack I got at a flea market.
"Thanks to the remote control I have the attention span of a gerbil."
For years, I've been using the large messenger bag from Timbuk2. Unfortunately, though, they no longer offer the oilskin cloth they used to make them out of - a pity, because mine looked great, wore well, and didn't scream "laptop!" when you looked at it. I also have the padded laptop sleeve for it, in the same color scheme and fabric.
It's an absolutely cavernous bag - which is why this past year I partially switched. I still use the Timbuk2 bag when I have to haul a huge amount of stuff for work, and I keep my Wintel laptop in it. I have an Inspiron 600m and the sleeve holds it nicely - it worked well with my old TiBook as well.
My new main bag is an Incase backpack, which is the perfect size for my current PowerBook, some supplies, a notebook, my Palm, and my iPod. In other words, basically my whole office plus music. It's not as fancy as some of the other backpacks, but it fits well, and doesn't look "ultra-laptoppy" like the Kensington and Targus bags all do. And at $80, it was pretty reasonable compared to most of the other ones I've seen.
Incase also has a nice sling pack that holds a lot less, but still accommodates a mid-sized PowerBook or equivalent. If size is ever a concern it may be worth checking out.
-- Josh Turiel
"2. Do not eat iPod Shuffle."
I've had my tenba backback for years now, and it is in as good a condition as new. All handmade. I highly recommend:
http://www.tenba.com
...you want Filson.
I got a Mountain smith Explore [froogle] from eBags.com for my 15" Powerbook and it works great. The nice thing about this backpack is that the laptop is suspended above the bottom of the bag in an interior neoprene sleeve.
Yeah the people that make the Swiss Army Knives, also make an amazing bag: http://www.ebags.com/victorinox/precision_gear_lap top_pak/product_detail/index.cfm?modelid=14780
I go to school and work. I have destroyed backpacks by putting to much weight in them. The shoulder straps usually tear away from the backpack. I found the Samsonite Rafter to be great. I could put my text books in there, it has a padded sleave for my laptop. It also has an internal frame and a padded back to make it comfortable to use. I've had it over a year, and the arm straps are still on it with no signs of wear.
Its closer to $75 USD but its been a awesome laptop backpack and it doesnt stick out like a sore thumb target for thieves. I have a 12" AlBook in my STM Sports backpack in its laptop pouch and its worked great. You could fit a regualr sized laptop in the pouch as well.
f m
5
http://www.standardtm.com.au/backpacks_sports.c
http://www.laptoptravel.com/Product.aspx?ID=202
The pack also has straps for hiking and whatnot. Its been a pretty good backpack for the last 2 years. Check it out.
...but I've still gotta mention this one from Mountainsmith. I don't know if you can find it cheaper than is shown on the link or not, but it's worth the $80 bucks for its size and durability. It looks better in "person" than in the photos, too.
..hear me out.
I have a lowepro dZone (dryzone) 100 backpack. It's about $250.
I fit:
1x Canon 1vHS
& 17-40mm, 15mm, 75-300, 24-85mm
& Speedlight 550ex, 440ex + cords
1x Horizon 202
1x Lomo LCA
9x Film
1x FAT (almost 2") laptop
2x Full height tripods (Manfrotto 190PRO and 918)
1x Change of clothes, and all other odds and ends.
It's a normal sized backpack. It's also 100% waterproof, and submergable to 5m without any of your gear getting wet.
For the investment of hardware, and a case that doesn't look like a case, I've never ever looked twice at the initial cost.
I always recommend Filson.
I use the briefcase/laptop bag, but they offer several backpack models that would do the trick. Filson was founded during the Gold Rush. Their bags aren't stylish, but they're old-fashioned and tough. You want durable? Filson's duffle bag will carry a 1968 1500 c.c. Single Port Volkswagen engine. You'll pay for lasting quality.
Order a catalog. It's the ultimate guys' company, and the catalog is filled with stories like, "Your pants protected my leg from a chainsaw," and, "Your coat saved me from a bear attack." Truly chest-puffing masculinity. It's not a catalog your wife will be interested in stealing.
Seriously, Filson's among my favorite companies. The craftsmanship is unmatched. You won't worry about anything being stolen from your secure bag -- and you won't ever, ever worry about it ripping or tearing. Most of Filson's luggage carries the disclaimer, "Clean by wiping or brushing only. Gains character with use." This stuff is made to last.
Last Christmas, I bought a Filson blanket. $200 is damn expensive for a wool blanket, but (a) it's the warmest blanket I've ever owned, and (b) I have every expectation that I'll be able to hand it down to my grandchildren. Filson is never cheap, but it's always money well spent.
crib
Please don't read my journal
I got a really cool looking laptop bag from Gap... not the first place you'd think to look, but I happened on it recently just when I was looking for one. And it costs only $30 something. I've been very happy with it... its comfortable to carry, easily holds my big 17 inch laptop, has enough pockets, and it looks stylish.
I have an Acer Aspire 17xx, which has a 17" screen, but a normal (15") aspect ratio. Anyone know of a laptop bag that can hold it?
I've been carrying my Thinkpad 600X around in a large Eastpack bag for ages with no problems at all. Sorry, I don't even know what model bag this is, but if you can stuff a 1U Cisco in it (just barely), you know you found the right one :-)
Shallow 1U Ciscos like a 19xx switch fit very easily. A deeper one like a 25xx or 26xx or 29xx is a very tight fit. A 2U one like a 2948 probably would not allow the zipper to close, although I haven't tried it to find out.
My Thinkpad has always dwelt very happily in this backpack, and because it's just a regular bag, it gives no one a hint that there's a notebook inside.
The bag itself has been quite durable, as well. I bought this one about four years ago and all the zippers still work perfectly. Before that, I owned two Trager bags, and the zippers crapped out on both of them. Sure, I routinely overloaded those bags and that doubtless contributed to their demise, but I have routinely overloaded this Eastpack too, and it has not only taken it all in stride, it's lasted longer than either of the Tragers I owned previously. The Tragers didn't suck, they were pretty good bags and would be fine under normal use, I'm sure. However, this East pack as stood up much better under abnormal use (or abuse, if you like).
I bring my laptop everywhere along with heavy books and pretty much anything. I have the JanSport Java and I bought it from eBags.com. I have the anarchy green version and it is not only extremely tough and high quality but it looks good too. I think it only cost me like 40 bux and it was free shipping.
I know that it's above your $50 price range, but I've been using the APC backpack with their power system. It's a decent looking backpack, with only an APC logo on it (which isn't a well known logo), and a decent amount of storage. It has a few extra pockets for stuff like cell phone and pda or mp3 player. There is also a zip out pouch which works great for a zip-linq data cable and crossover adapter (and cisco cable adapter, and retractable phone & usb cables) and the extra heads for the power cable.
The best feature is the power brick which provides power for you laptop, and has 2 powered USB connectors which you can use to power or charge your other devices. I have one USB cable charger for my nokia phone, and the other one powers my APC mobile wifi router.
I have last years model of this: http://www.targus.com/us/product_details.asp?sku=T CG650
I know you already said you were impressed by some of their bags but this thing is awesome. My 15" Fuji fits in it perfectly and the three big pockets will basically expand out to hold anything. I carried an Oxygen8 keyboard, a firewire external soundcard including my bulky power adaptor and the thing still had room for more.
The only bad this about it is that there's so many tiny pockets to stash stuff that sometimes stuff gets lost in there.
g>What we want to do is get China's economy doing
>as well as possible for a long time. Buy Chinese
>and get the country on the right path.
There is certainly a logic to that.
A logic that should also apply to Castro's Cuba!
And to North Korea.
And to Iran.
??? Or maybe your just a WalMart exec.
I just purchased a Swissgear laptop backpack from Best But for $70. I can't seem to find it on Wenger's site so I can't link to it.
It's the BEST laptop bag I've ever seen. Tons of pockets and holders for different things. The straps are comfortable and have elastic on them for shock absorbsion while walking/running. Plenty of padding. I can actually fit 2 laptops in it comfortably, tons of cables, 2 phones, an ipod, a bunch of protein/energy bars, and whatever else I can fit in it.
It's built like a tank and seems to just expand more and more no matter how much crap I stuff into it. It's not huge, but I just weighed it and I have 38 pounds of crap in it.
I heard that OfficeMax has them also. There were only 3 left when I went to pick one up. I'm going to buy another just in case I need it and they stop producing them.
Need Free Juniper/NetScreen Support? JuniperForum
I got my saddlebag free when I bought a Palm, I think it was about four or five years ago. I didn't have a laptop to use with it, so it just served as a backpack for a while.
However, since getting an iBook I've used it every day for the past two years, taking it everywhere I go. I could probably convince anyone I just bought it last week, it's still in "like new" condition. The parent isn't lying when he says it's VERY durable. If I lost it, or it somehow got torn apart tomorrow, I'd order a new one immediately.
I went with a 'sleeve' for my iBook by InCase, which I throw in my regular backpack, a Lowe Alpine. I like the combo of a slim 'laptop condom' that I can take on its own in a pinch, with a rugged outdoor daypack. I started this in college and now take it to work every day, I wouldn't have it anyway else!
"The chief enemy of creativity is 'good taste'" -Pablo Picasso
Not sure if they still make it, but the Megabyte by Lowe Alpine is a great backpack designed to store a laptop. I toured in a rock band for 3 years with it and never had a problem with the backpack or my laptop. I highly recommend.
i had one of those huge targus dealies and when i got to vancouver i had to get a darwin. for $50CDN you can't go wrong. it is a little small, but that just forces you to pack smarter.
also, its not obviously a laptop bag... a bonus if you're going to leave it around at all (which you shouldnt, if you love your lappie).
the only downside: my 12" pb tends to rattle around a little, as i assume a 12" iBook would.
http://www.spireusa.com
killer bags, i've been using my old endo for years now.
my first suggestion is you might want to up your budget. There are a ton of great bags out there in the 80 - 100 range, and they are a great investment, especially since you mentioned heavy travel. It's better to spend a little more on a well made bag for your laptop which will cost more to fix if it breaks due to lack of addequate protection. If you decide to go that route, check out bags by Samsonite, Targus, Crumpler, and JanSport, which offer many great options. You'll feel better that you spent the extra money when you have to schlep the thing across giant airports or if you accidentally bang it on something rushing to catch a flight/train/boat/bus/metro.
Holy crap, that bag weighs 4 pounds! No way in hell would I wear that.
Brenthaven makes shoulder cases, backpacks, and wheeled cases all designed to protect your laptop. A few friends of mine at work have them and they love em. I think they come with a lifetime warranty too.
http://www.rei.com/online/store/ProductDisplay?sto reId=8000&catalogId=40000008000&productId=47814912 &parent_category_rn=12353603&vcat=REI_SEAR CH
I carried my Dell laptop in it for a year and a half of non-stop travel through every US state. I highly recomened it. Very sturdy, comforable, and does not look at all like a computer bag. I think it fits all your other requirements very well.
I want to see if I can get a good notebook backpack ... My criteria: 1) Around $50
HAAA HA HA HA HA!!!!
Seriously - good luck!
In my experience 'good' and 'under $50' simply do NOT go together. You must pick only one.
...I bought one 2 years ago. Has a padded compartment for the laptop, room for clothes and peripherals, and a front pocket for pens, supplies, cables, etc. Also has a really cool drawer on the bottom: perfect for iPods, mice...anything fragile (the drawer is protected by a hard plastic shell).
The bag can be used as a messenger bag, or a backpack (the backpack straps fit into a hidden compartment when not in use). All grips and straps are foam padded, and very comfortable.
And the price is right! $50
http://www.standardtm.com.au/index.cfm I use one of these bags at school everyday and carry my laptop everywhere withit. It even has a pocket for my Ipod. I highly recommend it.
I've had one of these for a few months, and it's absolutely one of the nicest bags I've seen. Priced around $50 if you get a good deal, it's a backpack designed with laptops in mind. It's a nice, fairly large backpack, with compartments in all the right places, and a padded compartment to fit a 15" (or 15.2 or 15.4 or whatever) laptop. And if you want, you can tuck away the backpack straps, and attach an overhand strap, and voila, true laptop bag. It's pretty nice.
The Boblbee has a hard plastic casing and a padded, soft backplate/strap section. The laptop area is directly behind this backplate -- meaning that when you wear it, your laptop is as safe as it can possibly be.
It's light as hell and you can carry anything up to a 15" laptop in it -- I carry my 12" PowerBook around with me everywhere I go. The great things about the Boblbee other than the hardshell are that they're extremely lightweight, extremely ergonomic and extremely extensible -- you can get all sorts of accessory pockets and things that hook onto it. The pack itself also has little elastic catches that can narrow and widen it as necessary. I've done three-day trips with nothing but my Boblbee to carry three days worth of clothes, the PowerBook, a Palm, a couple of graphic novels (Warren Ellis rocks the hizzy), a non-electronic notebook, pens and souvenirs. All of them fit in the Boblbee.
If you've got $179, I can't recommend any backpack more highly. The only drawback is that it's a bit bulky, size-wise (but not weight-wise). But I have the biggest one, because I'm a friggin' gorilla and the smaller Boblbees looked rather effete strapped to my big goofy self.
Hedgren Extreme: http://www.hedgren.com/modules/collections/product s.php?cid=1
Paid less than $50 for the Extreme S during the last sales and it doesn't look like a laptop bag at all. I can fit the 12" powerbook, 200GB firewire disk, PSUs, assorted cabling and blank DVDs in it no problem (using only the internal pockets, the front pocket is still empty). The back of the bag is a contoured solid shell, which makes it very comfortable.
twitter, international splat of misery.
how about northface bookbags? i dunno if anyone mentioned them, but for the money ($40-$80) theyre really good. place some are complatible with the "mainframe" laptop sleve with offers good protection. i got the "Recon" pack and it has like a strechy pouch in it that hold my 12" ibook perfectly it would also be good for a 15". well hope this helps therse bags are definately made to last.
I've got 2 laptops, one is a 12" iBook G3, and the other is a DELL Inspiron 9100.
If you know these two, then you also know they are total opposites when it comes to size and weight.
I find that usual laptop bags are WAY too large for the iBook, and WAY too small and too flimsy for the DELL behemoth (It is a desktop replacement with upgradable graphics, ok?)
For the iBook you can just basically use anything to store it, but the perfect protection for it is a slim bag which just fits snugly around the iBook, and makes it look like a biggish pencil case. For the DELL I had a leather bag tailor-made to look like a briefcase/suitcase. (Cost only slightly more than the over-priced generic laptop bags.
The bad thing about laptop bags are that they are a prime target for thieves, thus by using something else you can save yourself lots of pain.
I like my Tucano notebook folder quite a lot. It's made of neoprene, only a few milimeters think, and holds my 15" PowerBook safe and dry. With such a cover, you can put your notebook just into any backpack you like, no need for a special one.
This sig is stolen from someone who had a much better idea than I had.
I used to use a http://www.booqbags.com/ booqbag first generation BP3 model until it got pickpocketed in a Brussels café due to it having a flashy orange shell...I am curently using an Allyco Life backpack but rumour has it that the company is out of business so I have been eyeing a booqbag Boa.XM for my 14" iBook...I do a lot of traveling in Europe and I recommend getting something that has a minimum of zippered compartments, lockable, hidden zippers, waterproof, has stealth compartments (for hiding money) and is a solid black (or dark) color (I was told by Brussels police that colored packs = tourist = easy mark)...
Christ, I thought women were the only ones silly enough to spend over 100 bucks on a bag.
Forget coach, prada, etc.
Go to you local army surplus store and plop down a whole 10 bucks for a great green bag. Spray it with a 2 dollar can of water proofing and you have a road warriors godsend bag.
For all those wanks that spent way to much on their girlie man bags -- this goes out for you -- SUCKERS!
Looks like it is time to replace your Personality Module. You are a bit to clingy, guess I better replace your fuser to
. . . makes some really nice, if a bit pricey, bags with padded laptop compartments:
Here, and here.
While they mostly make snowboards, they do make solid swag.
i have a targus gravity and i've been fine with it but if you are really going to wear it for several hours at a time with a laptop, then i suggest you find one with extremly well made straps. those are fine for me but i don't use it for horus at a time. i say straps are very important.
We can't afford to be neutral on a moving train.
This may've been mentioned before, but it's important (you wouldn't want the straps to fall off during a backpacking trip). My Targus backpack split along the top due to the weight of the laptop (about eight pounds), then the straps starting breaking off also. You may want to make sure the backpack you get is up to the task, weight-wise.
Planet 21 (50 Euros back in the days, so that should fit your budget nicely as well), ordered through Dell.com. I've been heavily using it for a year now, doing a lot of airports and up until now it still looks new. One thing I really like about it is that it has double zippers, which you can 'lock', so it is pretty hard for someone to open it without you noticing.
It has some nice weak stuff in the back and on the shoulders and a waist belt, so I guess you could even use it when going on some rougher tracks. Personally I haven't used the waist belt though.
It is not a cool looking sack though, it still features a lot of business look, so it might not be so suitable for using without the laptop. And if you overload it (add some harddisks and some Linux Journals) it will not fit in the airplanes lockers.
The site where: "I'm right, as long as you ignore the things that prove me wrong", became a valid method of debate.
I've got the Targus Sport Deluxe Computer Backpack- Blue/Black at the bottom of the page and absolutely love it. Was good enough for my school books too when I was in college and will be again when I go back to school. It has plenty of room for anything you need and more. Also a couple of "hidden-like" pockets on the backpack. It looks a little more than you are wanting to spend, but it's well worth it!
Alcohol & calculus don't mix. Never drink & derive.
LLbean made a laptop backpack a while ago. I bought one, it was $49. If you've ever had an LLbean backpack, you know that they are rugged, and this bag was no exception. It shows no signs of wear 2 years after I got it. As for features, the padded laptop compartment is nothing terribly fancy, but it keeps your laptop safe using a minimum amount of space. The front compartments aren't specifically made for electronic accesories, but my spare battery fits perfectly in one of the pouches and the interior mesh compartments keep cords separated nicely. Its too bad they discontinuted it and don't offer a similar bag these days.
Even those who arrange and design shrubberies are under considerable economic stress at this period in history.
APC bags are great. I got one at fry's electronics for around 50 dollars. It's designed to work with some other APC product that charges your laptop when it's inside the bag, but I don't have that. It is rugged (My last laptop bag ripped after a month of use) and fits my laptop snug with good padding. The shoulder straps take a second to get accustomed to, but they are comfortable. I also cut off the belt strap because I don't really use that. It definitely has proven to be rugged and comfortable for me, and has countless compartments to put stuff into.
I know its slightly off topic, but has anyone produced a bag designed for the G5 Imac yet? Surely it lends itself perfectly to being portable but it would require a specifically designed bag to protect the screen and hold the keyboard etc. Just wondering if any /.'ers had spotted anything?
I use a 10 node beowulf cluster, you insensitive clod..
If I'm going downtown or anywhere where I know I'm going to be leaving stuff in the car, I'll put it all in the trunk before I depart. When I park at my destination, I just get out and leave. No one sees me putting stuff in my trunk.
hi,
/each/ day! they have a superb quality. my first boblbee was a "peoples delite", now i have a "mentor". the latter is not quite as stylish as the first, but is much more practical with a lot of pockets and a soft bag which you can mount on top of the backpack shell itself.
;)
i have now my second boblbee backpack. in 5 years. yes, these are the backpacks which just dont break or wear out otherwise. and i wear the backpack
the main point in the boblbee is ergonomics. even fully loaded and weighing some 20 pounds you don't get back aches at all, even when you wear it for hours - hard to believe but so it is. the soft back is like a pillow on your back and very soothing that way.
when empty or only lightly filled you almost forget that you waer a backpack and that is the reason that i really always and ever have it with me - it just doesn't bother to have it with you..
no, i'm not payed by boblbee - although, maybe i should ask them
PAT
SEO Test: TIGI und SEBASTIAN - Online Shop - V
I have one from STM. Their bags are labelled as "luggage for the global digerati". I can recommend their 'sports' model.
The good things about these bags are:
Good bags.
Just get a Pelican brand case.
I got tired of replacing $1000-$1500 laptops, and found that a good hardshell case is cheap insurance.
Not only that they're waterproof.
You can also stick the whole bit in a messenger bag or backpack.
Ordered it along with my notebook. Perfectly sized for my 15.4" widescreen model, cell phone pouch, mp3 player pouch with headphone passthru, plenty of room.
I use mine to carry the notebook, power adapter, mouse, headphones, game controller, power strip, LAN cables (never know when an impromptu LAN party may spring up when you hang out with geeks), as well as all my books for college.
the bag has gone flying off a bus seat more than once, computer took no damage. same with light rain.
The compartments have no ventilation, so leaving the machine running even for a quick walk from one building to another results in a sweating back.
Also, aside from the small HP logo on the back, it has no sign that it may hold a computer.
I used to get high on life, but I developed a tolerance. Now I need something stronger.
try the axio hard-shell backpack. An excellent pack, fits my Dell 8500 snugly with room to spare for many additional gadgets..
I highly recommend back from Hedgren, they only seem to be available now in europe but you can get a limited set of them in the US and Europe through samsonites "Trunk and Co Line". I have one bag i got in amsterdamn 2 years ago and it is one of best purchases i ever made. -s
While not having used this myself, I was impressed by the bags made by Hedgren (a Samsonite company). The Samsonite Hedgren Extreme series is their laptop backpack series. http://www.hedrgen.com/
As for bag reviews, I've used the Targus Slam backpack for the past year and I think it's great: http://www.targus.com/us/product_details.asp?sku=R GS012
It's incredibly roomy, with enough space for a change of clothes _and_ text books. Targus put in lots of extra features like separators to keep papers together. The shoulder straps are very well padded. The only down that I can think of is that the waist belt is only webbing (not padded). This bag is very big and roomy and easily accomodates everything I carry around with me at school: two+ textbooks, a binder (or two) my laptop + cables and my lunch pail. There's extra pockets on the sides and a comm-pouch on the back. The comm-pouch can hold media or a discman (with an audio-out port in the bag) plus a cell-phone and pens.
www.sfbags.com
best evar
Laptop backpacks have a built-in pouch for your notebook--convenient if you have to take it out frequently, but they aren't that great for traveling in my experience.
A better solution might be to get a travel backpack together with something that wraps tightly around just the laptop. There are some notebook pouches or cases that even let you open the notebook without opening it.
Another choice might be to get a notebook that is built for it. The Apple iBooks, in particular, are designed for student usage and pretty good for that (if you can live with their OS and modest performance; Linux works pretty well on them, though).
I use a Rakgear backpack that works pretty good. It's not all that conspicuous, but it is a well-designed laptop bag I think, is fairly comfortable, etc.
Random and weird software I've written.
I got mine cheap from COMP-OOSA some time ago. What a champ. Super durable, lots of pockets, looks like I just bought and it's been through bikerides, motorcycle rides, and a thesis.
Check out EastPack.com... my model isn't available anymore, but they have newer improved models. Can't imagine it being any better than it already is. Toured Philly, NYC, & Washington DC all on foot for weeks with this baby, lugging a heavy dell latitude C610 and accessories, food, and other essentials. Bought it the first day of touring when we started out in Philly. Since then it's been great for Disney Land, more trips to NYC, day hiking in Montana, and many trips to Vancouver BC.
Had it 5 years now, doesn't show a sign of aging, still good as new. It was a little more then you mentioned ($65), but probably the best money I've ever spent.
*TheDarb
This sig intentionally left blank.
The only complaint that I have about the backpack is that the zippers are sort of crummy. Those problems, however, didn't show up until I'd given it at least 8 or so months of wear. They're still functional, just irritating. Besides that it's awesome. It even fits my 15.4" widescreen!
I looked everywhere for that perfect bag. The thing I didn't like about the targus and other major brands was that they just looked too nerdy (no offense). I'm in college and need to attract the ladies, not turn them off with some suitcase lookin thing. I searched everywhere, including another ask slashdot that was the same question. FInally I foudn the perfect bag in zumiez at the mall. It's made by Savier (dont bother google-ing it, their site has never worked). It's rugged, versatile, and even has the neopreen suspended notebook sleeve. It is well padded, and has not given me ANY trouble and all. It even has some really convenient drink holders and cd holder with a little headphone out hole. The one I got cost me like $45, although they have more expensive ones with built in speakers and such (nerdy). The only place I could find them on the web are at zumiez online store - but I would suggest going to your local mall and taking a look for yourself. here's the link: http://www.zumiez.com/zshop/catalog.asp?cat_id=BAC KPACKS+%26amp%3B+BAGS&by=cat&dept_id=6
The one I got is not there, but it's somethinglike the team insulator bag. Another thing, nobody has ever heard of savier, so you wont be automatically tageted my theives like you will with a targus. Seriosuly, best backpack ever.
or else!
I've got a Hedgren backpack with a notebook compartment and - though not being affiliated to Hedgren - this rucksack rocks.
Its not from the most recent collection, though these seem to be very similar.
You can stuff a big binder, pens and a pad, your notebook and it's cables inside and still have some space left for your lunch pack...
I once made the mistake of taking a too big a laptop bag. When I checked in they said I had to weigh my bag and it was about 1/2 KG over the weight allowance. I had the choice of ditching my clothes, the laptop bag or the laptop. I choose the laptop bag. You have a 6-7kg total weight allowance on aircraft so make sure it fits under that weight allowance or you'll have to ditch the bag.
http://www.backcountry.com/store/JAN0079/c3/s8/Jan sport-Optimizer-Backpack-1850-cu-in.html
1. $99.90 is a bit pricey, but it is the best damn backpack I have ever baught.
2. On off days I can carry stuff for a long weekend with no problem. The gel straps are comfy and the "mesh back" makes it easy to carry for hours and not have that "sweaty back" syndrome I had with other backpacks.
3. I used to be a systems engineer deploying SAN's all over the US, so that bag has been through quite a few airports and still looks pretty new even after 1.5 years of constant beating.
4. Besides having a dedicated notebook "pocket" which has a spring type cushion on the bottom in case the bag is dropped (also great of stuffing folders as well), it has 2 large compartments to hold chargers, dongles, fiber cables, xover, clothes and etc, 1 smaller compartment to hold pens, floppies, and PCMCIA cards, 1 front pocket great for keys, gum and USB keys. Two small side pockets great for loose change and/or hankerchiefs. Top pocket which can hold CD player, MP3 player and wire the headphone cables through a dedicated "headphone port". (Holds the Bose noise canceling headphones and a gameboy SP with no problem). Having a cell pocket on the left shoulder strap that holds Nokia 8250 is great/horrible because you can never claim your cell phone was out of reach or you didn't hear it.
I have a Nike laptop bag that I bought about 2 months ago and love. I ride my bike to work everyday with my laptop and no complaints. It's got 2 compartments; 1 for the laptop and 1 for whatever else. There is padding between your back and the laptop and it keeps things nice and snug.
The Information Revolution will be fought on the command line.
I bought a very good Ogio Prodigy backpack from ebags.com almost three years ago and have used it extensevely to traverl everywhere. It has provided a superb protection for my TiPowerBook, a Zip drive, an external CD-RW, a Newton Messagepad, cables and allows me also to carry some books and folders.
If you want a little bit more of protection using a laptop backpack, I suggest you to combine it with one of those sleeves that ebags.com also sell. You will end your trip with your laptop as good as new without breaking your bank account
kathmandu make one called the "Undergroud",
has two main compartments, is padded,
is good for a tall person and isn't too heavy =)
I'm pretty happy with my hama 15 silver-black backpack.
7 &s ectionid=319
http://www.hama.co.uk/product.asp?productid=131
++K
<[letter kay][at][number seventy seven][dot][finnish TLD]>
Good points about it:
It's its. They're their, there. You're your. Who's whose? A looser loser, though those two too threw through the trough.
Robbers increasingly look for high-potential targets, like people with the tell-tale white Ipod earphones. If you get a Targus bag, remove the brand labels.
If construction was anything like programming, an incorrectly fitted lock would bring down the entire building...
New Laptop bag ~ mugger magnet. Any suggestions how I can pre-distress a new bag. (I've seen a few stealth laptop bags but never seen one I liked)
when buying bags/backpacks for my laptop and photo equptment i have always sticket to lowepro..
http://www.lowepro.com/
I vaguely remember a US supplier being publicised, but you can get them everywhere in Australia
Personally i used a crumpler backpack 'Base Toucher (L) ' With a crumpler school hymn book holder to contain the laptop sony z1, this strong padded hymn book then slips into the backbacks removeable laptop compartment, also as 5 internal pockets three that are big enough. I have been on numerious moterbike trip with this backpack, attached to my back for over four hours, this is made possiable with the very nicly designed back padding, gives v nice support and ventilation. Just a little pricey
OK so I'm pretty sure I abuse my gear much more than anyone else here so far, but no-one's yet pointed out the huge and real problem with a neoprene sleeve in a backpack - they don't do anything to stop the laptop being squashed - and so you end up with lots of dead bits of screen in no time as you start to cram the backpack full or squeeze the backpack into a small space.
If you're actually going to check-in your laptop (brave man) or if you're going to throw the bag around yourself / sit on it / whatever then definitely go for a (Pelican) peli-case. These are indeed indestructable - I routinely drop/throw $2000 worth of camera gear in one and don't even worry about it. On the flip side they're expensive, heavy, bulky and are a bit slower to get the gear out of.
Unless it's about all I'm carrying (when I actually do use a sleeve in a small backpack) then I tend to carry (sometimes dozens of) ordinary bags (with well protected gear) which I can abuse and a laptop bag which I look after. I like to be able to use the laptop while travelling, otherwise I'd stick it in a pelicase, pack it with the rest of the gear and forget about it.
Oh, and like others say and buy a well engineered bag whatever - it's worth it when the buckles don't snap / straps tear off / bottom wears out.
Mil surplus gear is great but then so are padded straps and the ability to take it into an office.
Matthew Ryan
http://www.mdryan.net/
You might want to check out the bags section of Gravis footwear. Padded "floating" laptop holster, big enough even for 17" desktop replacements, and plenty of pockets for all your cables and reasonably rain-proof. Although they might be a little over your initial budget, at least it won't make you look (and feel) like just another nerd who's equipment would likely be stolen. I myself carry the 2003 special edition Metro bag, and everybody is amazed that it contains a laptop...
I have an old backpack I've been carrying around for about the last 10 years. I really hated giving it up for a laptop bag, but decided that I wasn't going to carry around an expensive Powerbook in a plain old backpack either (after doing this for a couple years with the Powerbook's predecessor).
I ended up getting one of these. It's padded and fits the laptop snugly, and hopefully gives it a bit of protection. At the same time it fits easily inside my regular backpack and the shoulder strap detaches when it's not needed. Cords and accessories go into the various compartments in the backpack itself and there's plenty of room left over for carrying books, my other electronic goodies (iPod, GBA, digital camera), and I've even gotten an Xbox in there with everything else before.
As an added bonus, it's much less obvious what's in it. That doesn't mean I leave it sitting around on the front seat of my car or anything, but every little bit helps I guess.
Mainly, it lets me transport my laptop relatively safely while still carrying everything around in my old JanSport. Can't beat that as far as I'm concerned.
Game... blouses.
I didn't know there was a big homeless problem amongst vetinary surgeons...
Seriously: the word 'vet' over here means animal doctor. When I was living in the US, I thought "WTF?" when I saw a bumper sticker saying "If you value your freedom, thank a vet". I wondered what animal doctors had to do with freedom in particular.
Of course, it twigged that they meant veteran, but it's just one of those 'two peoples separated by a common language' things I guess.
Oolite: Elite-like game. For Mac, Linux and Windows
check out
www.one40fivestore.com
I got a great gravis backpack with laptop section. Really well thought out.
thanks
oswald
http://www.spireusa.com/
I bought a bag of them (the Zoom) and it has a laptop compartment with extra padding that can be removed and used as a laptop sleeve with its own handle. I have nothing but praise for these bags - you feed in your laptop model and it tells you which pouch will best fit the laptop. My laptop survived a 6ft drop from a train overhead luggage rack (pausing to bounce off my head:-( ) and it was unharmed. Their bags don't scream LAPTOP either. But at $120, probably a bit more than you want to spend though.
I bought the STM Sports Backpack and the STM iPod Cocoon about 3 months ago, and have been VERY happy with both.
They are very well made, and the backpack has tons of space and smart layout/design for laptops, water bottles, ipods/MP3 players, and gym clothes. And the Cocoon is fantastic for protecting my iPod.
$0.02 (CDN)
Here's a whole bunch of suggestions
Dang, you guys are into some big $$ with the costs of these bags! I guess the economy is not as bad as I thought!
I have a great Eastpak laptop bag that has a padded laptop pocket, but was very inexpensive and is relatively well-built. I use it to bring things to school every day, whether I have my laptop with me or not. It doesn't look at all like a laptop bag (it's bright red and says "Eastpak") so there's very little chance of getting mugged. It also cost $25 when I bought it. I don't remember the model but a quick glance at Amazon shows the Eastpak Unplugged, which looks similar but perhaps a little larger, and costs $30.
I have their panniers and saddle bag on my bike. I've traded in my jansport back pack for one of their midsized packs. If I had a laptop I'd probably get this pannier.
-- john
I have had http://www.targus.com/us/product_details.asp?sku=C DB1 bag for several years. It has been around the world with me several times (snow ice heat americans) and outlasted 3 laptops (due to age not misadventure). The only wear is slight wearing of the edges not a single seam has come loose. I really really recommend this case.
I've been using a backpack I got from Microsoft. The best one I ever owned. Lots of space and pockets. There are also pockets for your cellphone and ipaq. :)
Don't know who actually makes them though?
I travel every day with a laptop. This is the best laptop bag I have found after going through a few. It has room for 2 laptops if you choose to carry more. The second slot could be a protable printer. The manufacuturer has other accessories that work with the bag that hold cables etc. The thing I like most about the bag is its durability and warrenty. http://www.tombihn.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Scre en=PROD&Product_Code=TB0104&Category_Code=300&Prod uct_Count=2/
Try Incase (http://www.goincase.com/) They make a decent backpack for laptops. I have their nylon backpack that I use with my Powerbook. Most of their line is geared toward Apple products but any similarly-sized laptop can fit. Has numerous pockets for chargers, WiFi detectors, network cables, MP3 player, mobile access point, CD's, flash drives, etc.
I bought a DJ backpack for transporting vinyl records about 3 years ago in Paris, and I happily adapted it to the best laptop carrying device ever. Lots of pockets, and the laptop just lays in the padded center compartment with my books or other gear when travelling. Get one with good shoulder straps and you will feel and look great in it. It is, of course also good for transporting your laptop and a stack of choice vinyl records, for the laptop DJ on the go.
Having worked at the campus computer store at UNC-Chapel Hill for four years, I've seen a lot of bags come and go. As of 2000, all incoming freshman are required to own a wintel laptops, so as of now there are ~13,000 floating around our campus.
By far, the most consisten bags we've sold are Jansports. They're not fancy, but they have two advantages that you can't beat for the money: One, a padded foam brick with a bowed plastic "spring" in the bottom of the bag, important because that bottom edge of your bag takes a hit *every time* you set the bag down. Sounds like common sense, but most laptop bags (even the high-dollar ones) have about 1/4" of padding around ALL edges. Two, a lifetime warranty. Straight up, something great to have.
So, for the money, I'd go with Jansport. Particularly The Optimizer, though this is beyond your pricepoint.
However, what you're asking for is a bag you can really beat the hell out of, and the lifetime warranty on the Jansport bags doesn't mean that the things won't break, it just means you can get them repaired if you do. If you want something tougher, you're going to spend a lot more money - probably twice the dollar amount. I've been impressed with the design of Crumpler bags, as they have large YKK zippers, ripstop nylon, and other materials that you look for in good camping gear. That said, I haven't seen how they actually perform.
The only bags I would recommend against are the Targus bags. In particular, the Sport Deluxe model. The thing looks coo, but it has a lot of absolutely useless mesh, tassles, rivets, and other bag design gie-gahs that do nothing but snag and tear. I have seen a lot of customers' Targus backpacks go to pieces. This is a brand built on marketting to the business executive type, and they have failed at building a bag for the "urban adventurer."
A final word on your choice of a $50 price point: when your bag fails, you're 1,000 miles from a repair center, and you now have a $2,000 4.9lb paperweight that you must drag around with you, you'll wish you had spent another $50. I don't think you need an exotic $200 bag, but understand that with Jansport, Crumpler, and perhaps a few other bags, you get what you pay for.
I've been quite happy with the Kensington bag [kensington.com] I bought at Circuit City. It has gel and lumbar support and plenty of room to store everything I need when I go mobile. Very durable, too. Cost is $70, but well worth it.
I have a Dicota BacPac Jump, quite happy with it, strong, good fitting, all i wish from a laptop backpack !
I can recommend the Jansport.com lapstation. Here's a pic: http://www.nbags.no/images/lapstationbig.jpg I use this bag for 5 years straight and it's still looking very good. I use it on nearly every holiday and about 3 times a week for travelling by train in Germany. It has enough room to store a complete laptop set with batteries etc., CDs and plenty of books. It behaves like a little black hole. :-) You don't see that its a laptop backpack, because the laptop is stored directly behind your back. The jansport page has some more pics.
Greetings!
The Freitag bags are extremely customizable, waterproof, made of recycled materials, simple to use. too simple to break and don't look like laptop bags. This website allows you to 'construct' the bags virtually before you order. (That alone is worth the $50, right?) http://www.freitag.ch/
Just put the computer in the smallest case you can find, wrap it in a large plastic bag, wrap that in a stuff sack, and put it in a day pack. No clues that you are carrying anything particularly valuable. Comfortable. And not nearly as heavy as any "computer specific" pack. Also, packing your computer bag in a larger backpack or suitcase will be a pain.
I spent a year traveling the world that way, through Scottish rain and Egyptian heat and lots of other places, without a problem.
The Journalist by Ultimate Direction is a great bag. It coverts from a backpack to a shoulder pack, has lots of gear pockets and even carries your water bottle.
http://www.ultimatedirection.com/journalist.html
I have a regular old JanSport backpack with an extra padded pocket to hold the laptop. I've logged about 200k flight miles with it over the last 2.5 years or so. My suitcase is falling apart, but the backpack is fine.
I've used a chrome citizen for 3 years now,http://www.chromebags.com/ This thing is virtually bullet proof. Big enough for any laptop an ipod,a days worth of gear. Great bag.
I have a Backpack laptop bag made by Taurus in black leather that has been my favorite one for years. It was probably ~6-7 years ago when I bought it though, and I don't see it on their website anywhere :( The leather makes it very comfortable, has good padding everywhere you'd want it.
11*43+456^2
You can google for this bag. I've used it for 3-5 years now (not sure when I bought it). It looks as good as the day I bought it. I am very rough on bags in general. This one travels to work every day, goes on airplanes, car trips, you name it. It costs $32 (according to a random google search).
I have a Wenger (the people that make the swiss army knife) and it is great, really sturdy, lots of pockets, super confortable(I am field engineer and I wear it a lot) and priced around $70.
I love mine.
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a spx?ID=9 354&large=1#
It has come with me around the world. Lots of room for backpacking, padded laptop compartment, front cellphone pocket, and a rugged look. This is nice because it doesn't scream, "STEAL ME!"
I have the nicer "monochrome" color which is acceptable even in the office I think. Here is the Recon II in the same color as mine:
http://www.rockymountaintrail.com/detail.aspx?I
and the Recon I which I have, but only in blue color:
http://www.rockymountaintrail.com/detail.
#6495ED - cornflower blue
I've got a Travelpro laptop backpack - it's extremely sturdy, although it does look like an obvious laptop bag. There are loads of pockets & I think it has a lifetime guarantee (or very long one anyway). They make a big thing out of the fact that a lot of aircrew staff use their bags because of their toughness (of the bags, not the crew!).
It's not particularly suitable for carrying lots of clothes etc, so it's ideal for somebody carrying a laptop around between business meetings in areas you aren't likely to get mugged. For that I use a Timberland pack which is pretty hard-wearing.
About 2 years ago, I went on a field support assignment to eastern Europe. I was on the road every week for 6 months. I used the Targus Sport Deluxe Notebook bag to tote around my laptop and it worked great. It's costs more than $50, but you can pack an enormous amount of stuff into it. Very comfortable to wear also. My trips included 4 flights a month and it survived the airports over there just fine. I highly recommend this bag. I still use it.
I was in the same situation in 02, I went with a Samsonite backpack from fry's electronics for about $60. It's been with me every working day as well as business and personal travel, airplanes and public transit, just about everywhere I go since oct 02, and is in outstanding condition. In this time I've carried a thinkpad 560x, now replaced by an x21 in the padded laptop pouch, a/c adapters/cds/pcmcias/spindles in the front section and countless geek reference books. I can never get down below 5lbs with it, yet to me it looks about as good as new. I wish I could find the tag on this thing, but I remember it was sold as a laptop/cd bag, yellow tag with fabric and cushion materials sewn into the tag to demonstrate it's protective ability, scotch gaurded, some marketing schpeel about being ruggedized, seemed like it was geared towards college kids. bag is a synthetic canvas, grey, has held up against rain and countless tosses into my truck. I will certainly be looking for another when (if) this one ever dies.
I used to hate laptop bags. But I have to say, the Dicota bags are pretty damn good. They're light (I find Targus bags to be somewhat heavy even without a laptop in them!) and very practical. I think they meet all your criteria for being suitable bags for laptops while traveling and an all purpose backback otherwise. I have an older model of the 17" bag for my Apple powerbook, check it: http://www.dicotaus.com/?tID=9. It's a bit more than $50 (around $70) but totally worth it in my opinon. Messenger bags are alright if you're into style, and I'm the messenger bag type, but messenger bags are bad for the back if you're gonna be doing seriously traveling. I travel all over Europe for work and fun with this bag, always with laptop on hand. Anyways, good luck, Mike
i have a bag made by the swiss army people. i paid about $70 (US) for it, but it's light weight and durable. plenty of storage, and provides a lot of protection for the laptop. it is worth the extra money.
http://www.tombihn.com/page/001/CTGY/100
I have a Tom Bihn Brain Bag for my PowerBook. When I bought it I had a 14" G3, now I have a 17" G4. When I got the larger machine, I just bought a different inner pocket that carries the laptop vertically instead of horizontally.
With the Brain Cell (padded pocket), it's pushing $200, but well worth it. Mine is about 4 years old, and shows no wear at all. They are built to take a beating, and are actually comfortable to wear for extended periods.
Eastern Mountain Sports has a great laptop bag. I've had mine for about 4 years and it has always come through for me. AND anything you buy from EMS has a lifetime guarantee, no reciept needed, no questions asked. I returned a pair of Vasque hiking boots to them after 3 years with no reciept and they paid me $160 cash for them (I only paid 120 to begin with).
well the price i have for recommendation is not fully in your range but it is defiantly worth. an aussie company call Crumpler Bags (www.crumpler.com.au) they have a bunch of different types of laptop bags that are practical as well as wicked cool looking. The company's prices are a bit high but you can also search a cheaper bag web site for crumpler stuff at www.ebags.com. the one i like the best for my personal use is the back pack bag in the Sheep Scarer or the Base Toucher (a bigger version)..it is a really neat bag that opens from the back. you need to roll the shoulder straps back to get at the main pouch.. but there are outside pockets.. but it makes it fairly pick pocket proof... jsut a thought.. best of luck..
By "cute messenger girls", do you mean that crowd of dreadlock-wearing, cigarette smoking, locker-room smelling, hairy legged girls who loiter around the entrances to the buildings downtown? Some might call that cute, I suppose, this is Slashdot.
I want to delete my account but Slashdot doesn't allow it.
Yes
And at least this beats more dupes.
http://www.targus.com/us/product_details.asp?sku=T R601
I've been using this backpack for some time now, and have actually just returned from a month trip around the US. I like the top loading main section, which is great for airport security and the straps are comfy. I am gonna add a sternum strap to it, as I carried 2 laptops this trip, and fell it'd help. Also in the main compartment is a filing section for papaers and such, but I put books in it. The zippers on this section have a hole so you can lock it.
The side pockets are divided up and fit PCMCIA cards great. Also fit a pad of paper and pens, for quick note taking. I carried cables of all types, about 50 in total. It's got a hideaway water bottle pocket, too, which was convenient at times. The smaller front pouch was big enough for my wallet as well. There is also a cell-phone pocket on the straps, which has holes in the bottom for your hands free set if you need.
Part of my trip was to repair a PC (at in-laws house). I was able to carry all the goodies needed for that. The pockets aren't for anything in particualr, so you can use it for a general pack afterwards.
After quite a bit of useage, I really recommend this bag. It's more than your $50 (it's $80) but I fell it's well worth it.
GoLite:
p ?number=PA5209
http://www.golitestore.com/store/NS_proddetail.as
At a little over a pound, it fastens around your waist and has a messenger style strap. Result? no neck or shoulder strain.
Additionally, it's closer to your budget than most of the other suggestions on this page.
Plus, you won't see everyone else with it.
I have a plan. Using mainly spoons, we'll tunnel our way out of the city...
I used to have a Roadwired Mega Media Bag. www.roadwired.com. Tough as nails, spacey and roomy. They do a backpack also. Probably the best bags in the industry.
the future is but past forgotten
I have the 15" WXGA toshiba, and wanted portability AND having a case the laptop would actually fit in! I found the targus fit both these issues nicely, and it has plenty of pockets for power adaptor, blank dvds, tv tuner, webcam, etc....... yes, anyone who knows the Targus name will think "expensive laptop inside", but no more then any standard laptop case does. I liked it so much, I got one for my wifes almost identical laptop, and she already has the $150 rolling laptop case.
I own a samsonite backpack, with a really nice padded compartment for you laptop.
It also has a port for your headphones (using your MP3 player or similar device.)
Its the shiznit.
I'm too lazy to read all the replies, but I use something called a laptop envelope when I bike-commute. Google "laptop envolope" and you'll see what I'm talking about. Using this, *anything* can be a laptop case.
I use an REI Big Byte laptop backpack. It's comfortable, protects the laptop well, and designed so that it can be used as a regular backpack. It cost $60.
http://blogostuff.blogspot.com/
Shaun Jackson, an architecture professor at the University of Michigan, has designed a series of totally unique laptop bags. They can even be layed on your lap to function as a portable desk. I have been using the 15" BackOffice model for almost a year now and I will never switch to anything else. It does everything. My favorite features include:
Here's a link to his website: http://www.sjdesign.com/
NOTE: I am in no way related to Shaun or his company. I'm simply an extremely satisfied customer who believes in the quality and design of his products.
I have two U.S. Army issue rucksacks - one small and one large with a metal frame that fits both - both of which have a pouch at the top for mounting one of the old PRC box-style radios. This pouch is sufficient size to hold a laptop, and you have the added storage to cover your other travel gear as required. Open the cover flap, and release a strap - and the computer is in your hands. The computer is closest to your back - and with a full pack, would be surrounded on the outside by other things.
These systems are tough - and having them for over 10 years now, they appear to be brand new.
Lodragan Draoidh
The more you explain it, the more I don't understand it. - Mark Twain
http://www.ems.com/products/product_detail.jsp?PRO DUCT%3C%3Eprd_id=845524442305899&FOLDER%3C%3Efolde r_id=282574488340287&fromTemplate=search%2Fresults .jsp&bmUID=1097504890361
I have two of the early models of this backpack. It doesn't look too much like a computer bag, good for travel. I had a problem with one of the Zippers, they replaced the entire bag, it only cost me shipping, that was about 5 years after we bought it.
i got one of these from the container store for ~$80, and it is awesome. It's got a very well padded section for the laptop, and a place for everything- cords, power adapters, PDA, pens, magazines, umbrella, you name it. Pockets galore. Extremely well designed and well made. It can function as a backpack, messenger bag, or a briefcase. I don't recall what the actual brand is (some european company) but you might be able to find it elsewhere for cheaper.
As several other people here have mentioned, JanSport makes several different laptop backpacks that are inexpensive, light, and durable. I have a 12" Powerbook, and found that this:
i d=16&pid=T160
http://www.jansport.com/productdetail.php?tid=4&c
works quite well. Lots of pockets inside for accessories, and a side pocket that's the perfect size for my iPod! It also looks like an ordinary backpack, so it makes you less of a target for snatch-and-run theives.
I'm not cool enough to have a
You use a Mac and run a weblog. Trust me, nobody would notice.
Blar.
See Recommendations For A Good Laptop Bag?
:)
Some 824 comments
My other UID is 1337
Eastern Mountain Sports (EMS) makes two terrific laptop bags:
Short Circuit
Hard-Drive Day Pack
I've had a short circuit for years and have lugged it through airports, shipyards, and countless bike rides.
targus makes at least one of their backpacks label free.
look for the targus matrix west point eddition on froogle
http://www.rei.com/product/47577196.htm?vcat=REI_S SHP_TRAVEL_TOC
It's double your price at $99, but extremely durable and comfortable. You'll end up using it as your main briefcase even after your trip.
Either are good picks, I've personally been using a samsonite backpack for a couple of years now and I ride a motorcycle to and from work and haven't lost anything yet. The backpack isstill as strong as it was the day I got it. It's even survived my gf using it take her books and drawing tablet back and forth to art school.
If you really want something tough I would suggest going for the multi-layer approach. It has kept my laptops alive through some quite rough years.
Start with the laptop. Add a first layer of protection in the form of a thin, padded "laptop cover". This also helps keep water away. Then put it all into one of those standard laptop bags of the thin sort, togeather with all the equipment. Then put this into the backpack. I am using a cheap and rather worn Eiger 30 for this. There is also enough space for a few books and a lunch box.
The end result is a laptop that's protected from most of the things you can imagine. I have bicycled to the university like this for a few years and it has survived some rather nasty accidents. It has also survived heavy rains (it never gets through the laptop bag) and even a quick bath (don't ask...).
This is probably partly due to the excellent quality of the ASUS (M2400) laptop, but also due the many layers of protection. Not to mention that it's a very cheap solution compared to a specialized bag.
... really doesn't ever work!
My wife purchased a laptop backpack from Spire USA (http://www.spireusa.com/) and it's possibly the best laptop backpack I've seen. She's had it for five years now, and it's held up exceedingly well.
I used to think printing on on Unix sucked. Then I figured it out. Printing on Unix *does* suck. Like a Kirby.
Yeah? Well I had my laptop in a regular backpack and cast it in four feet of solid concrete. Someone got out a pneumatic drill and still managed to get to it! Darn thieves.
I came across, and bought from, Willow Design.
http://www.willowdesign.com/
I was looking for a 12" Mac PowerBook bag. I bought "on the blind" after reading some reviews online. Absolutely thrilled with it. Beautifully made, perfect fit, very comfortable. All in all, delighted, and would seek an opportunity to buy from this company again.
I'm very happy with my Darwin pack from Mountain Equipment Co-op. It looks like a regular old non descript bookbag, but inside it has a padded pocket that holds a laptop. The pocket is about 5" from the bottom of the bag so when you put the bag down it doesn't make contact with the floor. It also has pockets for CD player, Cell phones/PDAs, straps, velcro, neoprene/mesh outer bag and loops to clip your 'biners on.
Has anyone had any experience with cases like the Infocase Fieldmate with the User Harness? It seems to put the laptop right at your hip and suspended from straps to your shoulders. Then it can be folded up and rests flat against your stomach. Seems like the perfect acessory for picking up chix.
User Harness
I've got a Trager Cross Country bag (which came from eBags). Its a three-way -- carry handle, shoulder strap, and disappearing backpack straps. Its slides easily over a rolly-bag handle -- good for schlepping through airports. There's room on the inside for a laptop of good size and a notebook or two as week as a pretty spacious outside pocket for all your cables/chargers/other gear.
I've had mine a long time (>3 years) and use it every day. Its great. Nothing's broken, torn, or ripped. Its outlasted 3 laptops and show's no real signs on wear. They have a bigger one and a smaller one now too.
What did you expect when asking such nonsense?
300 different opinions of course.
Well here it goes 301: it makes very little difference what you buy, a bag of any kind is just that: a bag.
IANAL but write like a drunk one.
I liked the Targus packs but they just weren't what I wanted. Then I saw the Swiss Army packs and was impressed. I thought they must cost $50 or more, but was pleased to find out that they were under $40. From looking at the stitches andconstruction, it looks like a tougher bag than the targus bag. It's quite comfortable and would work very well as a general purpose backpack. I like the way the pockets are laid out. I find it very convenient and after over a year of daily use, there is no wear on the pack.
I recomend the Domke canvas jounalist shoulder bags, http://www.saundersphoto.com/html/body_satchels.ht m available at B&H http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/controller/home?O= productlist&A=details&Q=&sku=16030&is= REG for around $85 to $90, a lot less than over $200 heavy duck twill canvas bags that are sold at filson.com. The Domke bags may be, at this point less mythical than Filson, but give it time - they are strong and functional, and made for the purpose of traveling a computer in a harsh enviroment. With their background in making pro level photo bags the features needed to survive over time show their value. I particularly like the non-slip shoulder straps with rubber inter-woven into the heavy cotton straps. Plus, with the canvas bags (they do make versions in ballistic nylon) with use, the bags shape and folds accomadate your style of use and your hip. With its soon aquired worn-blue-jean look it also does not scream, "HEY, Please steal the expensive laptop/camera/lenses inside me." Of course unless you know the Domke tag, and for me I have blacked that out on my bag.
Moderation in all things - including moderation.
A very good and smart bag for laptpots is the Patagonia "One Bag": http://www.patagonia.com/za/PDC?OPTION=PRODUCT&mer chant_rn=7385&cgrfnbr=366163&sku=48092&ws=false&pr omo_cat=&promo_cat_id=
The best backpack I've used is an $8 Magicase Professional - interior sleeve for the laptop, padded/ventilated back and should straps, roomy main compartment with the laptop sleeve(which holds the laptop off the bottom of the laptop. It has three zippered compartments layered back of the main compartment, with a bungee type lace on the back (works pretty well for a wide range of uses). There are also two good-size side pockets. I also own two Targus cases - a standard case and a backpack my wife gave to me, nice but both scream NOTEBOOK HERE. My cheapo offbrand backpack provides good protection of my hardware and plenty of space to haul it and whatever else the job might entail - and it is not obviously a computer case/bag/backpack at all. Every little bit helps when you visit the places I do......
thanks for listening and happy motoring
I dontt know if anyone else has suggested it but MobileEdge makes some really killer, high quality stuff. I haul my laptop, books and various other items to class in it everyday. The quality is better than anything from Targus amd probably cheaper if you get em' here: About $55 Shipped http://www.newegg.com/app/ViewProductDesc.asp?desc ription=34-997-609&depa=0
Tumi is known more for its luggage, but honestly, I've never had a better laptop bag. Now, this will certainly break your bank (~$150-200), but it is worth every penny you'll save on your back (think doctor's bills). Go and try them on at any high end luggage store. They are excellent.e arching&search=category&CategoryID=13014&sub_site_ id=3&flylink=backpacks
http://www.tumi.com/search/index.cfm?fuseaction=s
"Failure is not an option. It comes bundled with any Microsoft Product."
I have a reliable bag from Overland Equipment Company, which I found in a university bookstore for approximately $60. One nice thing about the Overland bag is its mesh shoulder straps, which are very comfortable. In addition to a PC and accessories, it can hold 4 1.5-in binders in the main compartment. The sides are open-topped mesh with elastic, for carrying books, oversized water bottles, or two Red Bulls in each. I suggest picking a bag out in a store because you can test the padding and latching directly. Having gone through several bags in the past, I cannot recommend buying one unseen, rather untouched. Bring your laptop with you, if you can. Also, I have discovered that SWAG bags are the most unreliable of all, usually lasting until the morning of your next flight to a trade show. There's few things as annoying than having all your stuff on your apartment floor while a taxicab is honking to take you to the airport.
-- Jimtown Kelly
As a ... hmmm.... how does the populace brand me.... a "savage baggage handler" for an air carrier I handle those wimpy cordura backpacks/computer cases daily. TRUST ME ... If it ain't HARDSIDE it ain't guaranteed to make it. Sure, 99.9% do but.....
Granted, you plan to carry the said case/bag on board as you have been totally assured that is your right. /cough..hack..gag/ sorry... 'All overhead space is filled and that bag is too big for under the seat on this (previously unknown) express aircraft.' At that point you surrender your computer in whatever wimpy covering to ME... mwuhahahahahaa!.
Look, I'm just a guy doing the same ole job every day. I handle several hundred bags a shift. Yours is one of .. say twenty "carry-ons" to be loaded in the cargo bin. I may handle bags carefully but another ramprat may not. Also, your single precious bag has now become the cohabitant of an area that contains at least 50 other bags (average on an express jet). /friendly stewardess voice/ "Cargo can shift slightly during takeoff and landing"
Now... /me whipping out his handy sliderule.. let's figure the force of the corner of one HARDSIDE bag (could be a metal case actually) weighing in the range of 70 pounds falling from a height of 2 feet (conservative) on your SOFTSIDE computer case. Kiddies, try this experiment at home!
Sooo... I would recommend a hard side case. An old-fashioned briefcase (reinforced with foam padding) or better yet a Pelican case http://www.pelican.com/cases/cases.html . Ohhh yeah!! /Tim Allen: grunt grunt grunt!!/ The 1490 looks good. Yes, they're expensive but compare them to the replacement cost of your notebook.
Personally I can find very little justification for a notebook computer unless you are on-the-job/in-the-field with need to connect daily for work. Otherwise it's a toy. True, I loved my Compaq 386/25 but it passed away and I have learned that my notepad/pen/brain combo is eminently more reliable and hardy. But then again I have yet to submit to a cellphone. Does that make me a Luddite?
Jagd
:: Better to be slain by a dragon than never to have seen one at all.
Please return your license ID and leave this site inmediatly.
I recommend TravelPro and Costco Kirkland travel straps to use with whatever bag you choose. The perceived weight load and security is better.
I actually use a double strap because they can be crossed to configure as a backpack tote.
No one should nor do airlines allow you to check your computer. It seems that software is not the only thing stolen these days.
Computers are carry on only. But, there are many carry on situations. I have flown internationally almost 50 times with regional flights on each end. There is a great variety of space available and weights allowed - especially when you switch to a regional prop plane. Basically I use a TravelPro Wall Street computer roll on and a CostCo Kirkland computer bag as my carry on combintion (one plus one). I use a CostCo Kirkland 24" roll on as my checked bag with an Eddie Bauer medium duffle inside. The handles are long enough on both rolling bags so I don't have to hunch my 6'1" frame when I pull them.
I follow the bag within the bag approach. My computer goes into a neoprene sleeve. That goes into the lightest bag with handle and strap I can find (or make). Actually I sewed some reinforcement straps on a ripstop travel tote that not only holds my computer and scanner but is used as a shopping bag when I get to destination. Everything goes into my carry on computer travel bag.
I use a Costco Kirkland computer carry on bag. Loaded it is about 25 pounds. Some areas though only allow 15 pounds of carry on. I pull the inner tote bag out as my carry on, seal my basic carry on with locks/ties to check it, and get on the plane.
Some places don't care what size or weight you bring as long as it fits under the seat. (Before everyone got so restrictive I once had a 90 pound carry on.) As soon as you get to the plane, if it doesn't look like it will fit they will ask you to check it. I pull my computer tote and check the rest at the door. The Wall Street is sometimes questioned but the Kirkland computer bag, as long as it is not zipped to maximum size and stuffed, fits just about everywhere.
Sometimes I travel with computer and scanner along with a DVD burner and external hard drive. Everything has its own neoprene cover and also a padded case before it is put into either carry on bag.
Both the computer and scanner will fit into the lightweight tote bag with handle and strap. That package will fit in either the TravelPro Wall Street or into the CostCo Kirkland computer bag and can be pulled as an optional carry on in very restrictive areas.
Bagging the computer is only part of the problem. You have to negotiate bathrooms and food stalls in the airport, buses and trains and taxis from the airport to city services, and sometimes some long walks. The Wall Street has wheels but it is hung as an extra bag on my 24" Kirkland checked bag and the computer bag has a back strap so it sits on top attached to the handle or, once the big bag is checked, the Wall Street carries the computer bag.
A major point is having to tote this junk. Think high quality straps. Check the swivels and gates on the strap ends. I switched the TravelPro and Kirkland straps with each other because the TravelPro gate was falling off the overlly large D ring. It locks tighter on the smaller Kirkland while the Kirkland strap makes a tougher carry strap for the heavier Wall Street.
I've never traveled without my computer but if you want just one backpack bag for everything, don't take the computer. If your idea is jeans and hiking boots, don't use professional grade TravelPro bags and specialized computer bags. However, checking in with a blaser, slacks and good looking professional travel bags helps you get an upgrade sometimes - always ask.
In case you are wondering why I need three or four bags. Other than computer gear I often travel with nothing in my bags thanks to WalMart type stores as shopping places for underwear and changes of clothes. I do love to buy things from around the world to bring home. My major buys are bags. I have the world's largest collection of useless bags!