Ultimate Laptop Bag?

[Minotaar]

Going to buy a laptop for the first time. Need a backpack; easier to use, holds other crap, can wear it longer than a messenger bag or briefcase. Not as conspicuous either.

Oakley's Icon 2.0 looks great and is durable but IT DOESNT FIT AN INSPIRON 8600! (ack!) Also lacks sufficient organizer stuff, and has no water bottle holder.

Booq looks nice, but expensive, and the design of the BP3 has too many components exposed to the elements. And the velcro is going to wear out and exacerbate that problem more.

The other system (booqXL) is even more rediculously expensive, and too plain to be interesting.

Ogio Metro seems like a good pick. Dissapointed at not having a rigid handle.

Jansport Airlift Exos Transport seems good, but plain, expensive, and also hard to find. Cant seem to find it in the TX area to preview in person before buying. Has a laptop sleeve like the booq, and seems seriously well designed. Wish it was nicer looking. Pussy nylon quality. (600? pssh)

Abercrombie used to have nice backpacks and messenger bags. I've got a messenger bag, all their lugguge is many years discontinued. They use obscenely high denier nylon (like the thread looks as thick as a wooden pencil lead) and I can attest to its build quality, but again, 10 pounds on one shoulder via messenger bag is pain. Need backpack.

Targus:
Strong nylon and construction, butt ugly. Lacking in seriously wide straps. well priced tho.

Ideals:

Rigid handle
Laptop sleeve, with .5 inch padding
backpack sleeve holder, with additional .5 inch padding
Watter bottle holder
organizer pockets
Completely waterproof nylon construction (no retarded mesh)
Cell phone/pda pouches
Wide, strong straps
something designed by an industrial engineer with a real brain.

Have you noticed that everyone markets their friggen laptop bags to apple users? I feel like any non-powerbook is some sort of strange nonstandard notebook. Everyone markets with those things - booq, oakley, ogio... sigh.

 

[traxxton]

I have the Targus Matrix amazon link for my TC1100 tablet. I think the Matrix looks great. I have alot of stuff in there and it is kinda big (some people were supprised that I had a small tc1100 in such a big pack). Its on sale for $35 after mir and bought another one for the R300Z that I plan to by from hp in the next few months. Officemax had the cheaper nylon version for $19 after mir the other week.

 

[abellamy]

That Targus looks good - if a little bulks and with the rebate is a bargain.

Have a look at the Crumpler bags - very tough and nice styles!

 

[ActuaryTm]

There have been a few recent threads regarding inquiries along this line. The search function can be very useful.

That said, will post the same suggestions as in a few of the other aforementioned threads:

• Victorinox
• Booq
• Crumpler
• Tom Bihn
• Etc.

 

[dementedlemur]

I really like my Gregory Mountain Products Beta laptop backpack. They make awesome internal frame backpacking packs and the quality shows in their other products. The only problem is that it's very difficult to find.

 

[jamesbond007]

I second the vote for the Targus Matrix backpack. :thumbsup: Very well-constructed, tough and durable, but also stylish. (at least I think so)

 

[frazzled]

I use the VoltXL from Spire to carry my .. (alright, so it's a 17" Powerbook), but I used to use it to carry my Voodoo m460 .

It's extremely well made..distributes the weight well, an excellent bag.

JT

 

[lansens]

Originally posted by: jamesbond007
I second the vote for the Targus Matrix backpack. :thumbsup: Very well-constructed, tough and durable, but also stylish. (at least I think so)

Very nice bag at a decent price and tons of room.