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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 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.
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.