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What's The Ultimate Multi-Laptop Bag?

huckin_fappy writes "One great bonus of my job, I can be effective anywhere I can get a broadband point. If someone have a wireless router running, even better! The downside? Hauling the gear. The hazard of the job is that I need to be running WindowsXP and Linux. I experimented with all sorts of VMWare, Bochs, Wine, etc, and none of it cuts it for my needs. So assume you find yourself lugging around 2 IBM A31P laptops everywhere, with wireless cards, power supplies, wireless mice, etc. What's the best solution? Is there a large bag out there that is designed for such a load? Or am I better with two smaller bags? If smaller, are there bags designed to attach together in bizarre ways to mke them easier to lug?"

23 of 72 comments (clear)

  1. Dual Boot? by Shadow_139 · · Score: 2, Insightful

    Just setup the laptop to Dual Boot. 80gb internal Hdd, and a small external USB/Firewire HDD, Iv seen and used 60gb host powered usb drives that work in Winblow and Linux installed. -------- "Dear Diary, I seem to be dead." -Nny

  2. apple by Councilor+Hart · · Score: 2, Interesting

    Don't know how fast it would be.
    But I say, sell your PC-equipment and buy a powerbook with virtual pc.

    1. Re:apple by RevAaron · · Score: 2, Informative

      How's it feel to be responded to by a zealot? Seriously though, if VMWare won't cut it, what makes you think VPC will?

      No joke. This guy may be marked a troll, but it's true: if VMware doesn't cut the cheeze, VPC won't. I I have a pretty badass setup- two monitors, two computers (one mac and one pc) and one kb+mouse, hooked up with win2vnc. I've XP on the PC, and wanted Linux too. First, I tried it under VPC, but it was so slow that I gave up. But under VMware it's quite nice- 5 times as fast. This Mac isn't the fastest on the block- a 1.25 GHz G4 PowerMac- but it's not like the PowerBooks are any faster, with the fastest at 1.5 GHz.

      I totally dig my Mac, but VPC probably wouldn't cut it for this guy.

      --

      Working toward a usable PDA environment in the spirit of Newton OS: Dynapad
    2. Re:apple by b-baggins · · Score: 2, Informative

      Click the folder icon at the bottom of the Virtual PC window and share your drive. It will show up as a network drive in virtual PC with the letter you assign.

      You can share a directory or an entire drive.

      You can also copy files to and from your Windows and Mac environment by dragging and dropping them.

      Finally, you can mount your Windows disk image as a volume in OS X (go to Settings in the virtual PC window).

      --
      You can tell a great deal about the character of a man by observing those who hate him.
  3. Backpack + Sleeves by TechnoBoffin · · Score: 5, Insightful

    I'd vote for a regular backpack and use separate sleeves for each of the laptops. That would give you individual padding on the laptops and lots of extra pockets for mice, USB thingys, dongles, power bricks, CDs, swappable drives, etc. If you're going to use the bag exclusively for the laptops, you could even fold up a towel or something to put in the bottom of the bag for extra padding in case of a drop, or just for the average setting the bag down. As a bonus, your bag won't stand out to thieves quite as much as a laptop-specific bag.

    --
    I'm not a cool guy, I just play one on T.V.
    1. Re:Backpack + Sleeves by Chaostrophy · · Score: 3, Insightful

      Most definately, your back will thank you! I caried too much for too long in a regular bag, the back pack is much nicer to live with.

      --
      Plato seems wrong to me today
    2. Re:Backpack + Sleeves by Techguy666 · · Score: 3, Interesting

      I work in a "laptop school" and one of my responsibilities is to review and research new laptop bags on the market. (Yeah, I have a weird job description.)

      You really aren't supposed to carry more than 15% of your body weight. Any more than that and your body's not going to be happy over a prolonged period of time. Two laptops, a mouse, power bricks, doodads, CDs, and a couple of hardcover manuals will load down a 160 pound man. Also, even with sleeves, laptops subjected to continually cramming into a backpack will start to show signs of wear on the LCD. The keys of your keyboard will press into the screen and leave indents.

      The short of this is, a normal backpack may not be the answer for everyone. Some people may need a combination of a backpack and one of those wheelie, travel bags with the extended handles. Some may opt for a bag with rigid compartments. Some may opt for a camping backpack with the funky bracing.

    3. Re:Backpack + Sleeves by HughsOnFirst · · Score: 2, Interesting

      Look for a Porta Brace DC-3 Director Case with Pocket for Laptop Computer. or a DC-2 or DC-1 if you want a really big bag

      I carry 2 laptops and a wireless router/access point in one all the time. Porta Brace makes cases for film crews and they know how to make great gear to carry heavy loads. They are also pretty well padded. Most film gear makes a laptop look like a happy meal toy in terms of cost.

  4. os x by i621148 · · Score: 2

    i use a g4 powerbook with virtual pc. windows xp runs great windows media center worked ok fedora core 2 runs great i am currently trying suse... i really like os x. it is like having the power of linux but all of the configuration gui's are highly polished and idiot proof. and if you want more power over anything you can just open the terminal.

  5. Both at once? by FooAtWFU · · Score: 3, Interesting

    You need to be running them both at once, I assume? Otherwise, why not just dual-boot?

    --
    The World Wide Web is dying. Soon, we shall have only the Internet.
  6. Targus CUN1 by vasqzr · · Score: 4, Informative


    We've had a Targus CUN1 for a few years. Carries our (not very small) Compaq Prolinea and Dell 8000. Also carries a Canon bubblejet printer and a ton of other crap. And it's a pretty small, tough bag.

  7. You need to hire yourself a Sherpa by nekoniku · · Score: 4, Funny

    ...to help you carry all that gear everywhere. Either that, or a porter in a fancy uniform.

    --
    "It's a wonderful idea. But it doesn't work." -- Tad Danielewski
  8. RoadWired bag by nekoniku · · Score: 2, Insightful

    I've got a RoadWired camera bag; they seem to make tough, capable stuff. Here's a mondo laptop bag that might do the trick:

    RoadWired Laptop Bag

    The video on their site of a guy unpacking one of their bags is impressive and kind of amusing at the same time -- sort of like when all those clowns get out of the little clown car.

    nn

    --
    "It's a wonderful idea. But it doesn't work." -- Tad Danielewski
  9. thinner by dleifelohcs · · Score: 2, Insightful

    Those are definitely not light, or thin laptops. Get a smaller, thinner one. And Dual boot or VMWare.

    Very sparse on the details of why you didn't like VMWare or even if you tried Dual Booting.

    Try it again.

  10. Two laptops? Save your back by SmallFurryCreature · · Score: 2, Insightful
    Unless you got the thinest and lightest under powered over priced gadgets this is going to weigh tons.

    Yet man kind has invented something for this. Wheels.

    Get one nice laptop with a nice screen and get a powerfull one.

    Get a professional carrying case with wheels. Something they use to haul tv equipment in. You are a geek, look like a geek.

    Fix one the powerfull ugly laptop in a permanant way but so you can still operate it. If you get a suitcase like model, screw the display to lid. so that when you open the lid of the cause you can then let the bottom of the laptop fall and have access to the machine without losing it if you need access.

    Lift the better looking laptop out of the case. Close case and put away. Hoopup good looking laptop to equipment in case and use vnc or similar to then have both oses running at the same time on their own hardware. If even VNC isn't good enough then use two ugly laptops, fix them permently inside and buy an LCD monitor mouse and keyboard and a KVM switch.

    Problem solved. Sure you look like a dork but this is /. Better then carrying two laptops in a bag. I did this for a while. Damn that shit is heavy.

    --

    MMO Quests are like orgasms:

    You may solo them, I prefer them in a group.

  11. LL Bean backpacks by Darkness+Productions · · Score: 2, Interesting

    You could always go for an LL Bean backpack. They've extremely comfortable (to me at least), have lots of padding for your back, and have a good amount of room inside the 2 main pockets. As a bonus, you get lots of other pockets to stick 'stuff' in.
    LL Bean Backpack

  12. already been discussed by nstrupp · · Score: 3, Informative

    This subject has already been covered about a month ago here. Personally I've been using an older version of this bag for about 5 years. I've recently considered purchasing a Crumpler bag. I know they have several bags capable of carrying more than 1 laptop, or a camera and a laptop. Specifically, look for Brian's Hot Tub. Another user reported toting 3 laptops in this one!

  13. More specifics by duffbeer703 · · Score: 2, Interesting

    I don't know how you travel... but your best best is to get a good-sized targus wheeled bag... they have several models designed to hold a printer & laptop -- you'll easily fit a 2nd laptop in there.

    As an added bonus, you won't have numb shoulders from lugging nearly 20 lbs of laptops & junk.

    --
    Conformity is the jailer of freedom and enemy of growth. -JFK
  14. Carry only one small laptop. by LWATCDR · · Score: 3, Insightful

    Setup a linux box someplace runing VNC and just use your XP Laptop to long into it. I do a lot of work on my linux box at work with my laptop at home using putty but then again am mainly doing server stuff.

    --
    See my blog http://ilovecookes.blogspot.com/ for light hearted technical information.
  15. Andiamo means "let's go!" by ross_winn · · Score: 2, Interesting

    I am a luggage snob. I ran a luggage and leather goods store for almost five years in California. The best bag ever made for your application is the 19" ErgoGrip Executive Mobile Office. Amazing construction, and tough as nails. I have the 22" version (I don't think they make that any more). One of my customes carried 3 laptops (he was a CCIE for PacBell in the mid-nineties) and raved about it. I think I sold five on his word alone.

    --
    Ross Winn "not just another ugly face..."
  16. Tom Bihn, once again by rich3rd · · Score: 2, Informative

    As in the last time someone asked for advice on a bag (wasn't it pretty recently?), Tom Bihn is the maker for rugged, utilitarian cases. The Brain Bag has two laptop compartments and other pockets galore for all your other gear. It may cost more than other cases, but it will last five times as long, so it's worth it. http://www.tombihn.com

  17. Targus Matrix Backpack by ||Deech|| · · Score: 2, Interesting

    For my money, the Matrix is a really nice pack to carry a bunch of stuff in.
    It has a padded compartment for one laptop, and another compartment in front of that with a nice elastic support divider where a second laptop nests nicely. I carried my IBM thinkpad T22 and a Compaq Evo N400C and all the associated power bits, along with a full folding tool kit, a digital camera, a digital recorder, my PDA, an MP3 player, a full size set of padded bose headphones with a boom mic, my braces, and misc. geek crap (cd's, wallet, a few cards, parts, etc) all very comfortably. The pack adjusts fairly nicely and has a waist strap and nice cushy shoulder straps with a very handy case for your cellphone on the strap and a nice hole to run the cable of your headphones out of. It's got a padded pocket sized for a cdplayer as well (but I only use that for my software cds)

    Oh, and it has a nice netting pocket with elastic straps for your jacket.

    Hope this helps. At about $50 or so, it's not a bad backpack at all. I've been pretty happy with the quality.

    --
    Run. I like water. Push My rutabaga.
  18. This won't work? by stinkyfingers · · Score: 3, Funny

    http://www.glad.com/trashbags.html