<p>Anybody know of a particularly good one (or a purchase they regret)?</p>
<p>(cross-posted in college life section)</p>
<p>I'd personally recommend purchasing a laptop glove rather than worrying about a specific backpack. What you get is a neopryne, zippered case that fits snugly around your laptop -- then the laptop itself can easily be carried in any bag or case. The backpacks designed specifically for laptops end up with too much room and padding reserved for the laptop -- which of course limits the amount of space you have for books or other objects you might want to carry.</p>
<p>I disagree with calmom. Assuming you are a student, the laptop backpack is the way to go. I tried a regular laptop carrying bag. I walk around campus a lot and after one day my shoulder was KILLING me and there was enough space for only maybe a couple notebooks and a small textbook.</p>
<p>I bought a Nautica laptop backpack from their outlet store for like 20 bucks. I have a large laptop and it fit in well while leaving enough room to carry what you need. Unless you are carrying ALL your textbooks with you, space shouldn't be a problem.</p>
<p>A laptop glove is NOT a "carrying bag". It is a zipper case that goes around the laptop, so that the laptop can be carried in a backpack or any other case the owner chooses to use. That means that if the person doesn't already own a good backpack, they can choose the best quality backpack for carrying books or other stuff -- and then stick the laptop into the backpack. The problem is that backpacks made especially for laptops tend to be far more expensive than regular backpacks, but at the same time offer far less choice in terms of quality. </p>
<p>That is true of any case designed especially for laptops - such accessories tend to be far more expensive than they need to be.</p>
<p>So basically I'm saying that Shizz' comment is irrelevant - I don't think Shizz understands what a laptop glove or sleeve is, since the comment is about carrying bags.</p>
<p>I agree with calmom. With a sleeve you can then get any backpack you like (which you'll probably be using more often without carrying your laptop anyway)</p>
<p>For exceptional sleeves check out the vypers at booqbag.com <a href="http://www.booqbags.com/Detail.bok?no=98%5B/url%5D">http://www.booqbags.com/Detail.bok?no=98</a></p>
<p>You can also find laptop backpacks there. Though many are made for Apples, they also fit other brands and if you give them the size of your laptop, will tell you which of their sleeves fit best.</p>
<p>I saw an EMS backpack with a removable padded sleeve, which seems to be a good idea. Do you think the Vyper offers enough padding? Because it certainly looks sharp!</p>
<p>My S has been carrying his laptop to school almost everyday this past year in his backpack. He puts it in a separate compartment, no sleeve). The backpack has also contained several notebooks, books, lunchbag, etc... He did not want a zipout sleeve which would slow him down, and give him one more piece of clutter to deal with. The laptop's rexterior is a bit scratched but otherwise fine.</p>
<p>I guess it depends on how often the student takes the laptop to class. I can't imagine that it would be all that helpful for note taking in math and science classes. Do many kids actually carry it every day?</p>
<p>Actually, the reason why my S was carrying his laptop was his math and science classes. I'm not sure how he managed to write down equations fast enough (he has mathematica on his laptop). In college, he will have far less stuff to carry than in high school because of the smaller number of classes per day.
I've carried my laptop in a sleeve inside my large shoulder bag (without compartment).</p>
<p>Well...your kids are a lot more careful than mine</p>
<p>The problem with the sleeve is that I suspect it would not be used, and S said as much. It's easier to stuff the laptop into the backpack and run (only 3 mns between classes in my S's hs) than to zip it into the sleeve and put the whole thing into the backpack, run to the next class, take the sleeve out of the backpack, unzip it, put the sleeve back into the backpack in order to make use of the laptop. My S is not known for neatness. I'm reporting what my S told me. I was very willing to fork out $$ and he's never shown an unwillingness to spend my money :(.<br>
I have a laptop bag with compartments for all sorts of gadgets which I seldom ever use.</p>
<p>I tried to buy a laptop backpack: both S's refused to use it - told me it's too bulky and heavy, even when empty. I found a regular backpack with a laptop sleeve (not removable), and all I need now is to get the kids to go shopping with me and see if they like this one. For me it looks like the best solution. </p>
<p>I was carrying a laptop in a shoulder bag and in a regular backpack on several occations - it's too heavy in the first case, and in the case of backpack I'm afraid that bumping the laptop against the floor with no padding can result in some damages if one does it pretty often.</p>
<p>Alas, the glove will not work for our family: I just can't imagine any of my kids zipping and unzipping it every time they need to use the laptop... it'll end in those proverbial piles on the floor of their dorm rooms, I'm sure :)</p>
<p>got a targus at costco for $30 (half of what the computer stores priced it). </p>
<p>S also thought it kinda ugly and bulky -- not heavy. But, fortunately, I bribed his little sister, our fashionista, to tell him it looked "kinda cool".</p>
<p>It is bulkier than a regular backpack with all the padding, but it is serving him well at a summer prrogram this year</p>
<p>marmat,
What brand of regular backpack has a sleeve?</p>
<p>Thanks to all for the suggestions...keep 'em coming!</p>
<p>Another in agreement w/Calmom. I brought one for son and he uses it. He chose a swiss army backpack-it has a nice compartment for laptops but he seems to prefer the the glove. Last yr a friend found a Staples coupon on line, we used it for the backpack, surger, and lock. The glove I bought online-based on a CC student post.</p>
<p>The vyper sleeves remind me of the Oakley sunglasses "coffins"! Always cool in this neck of the woods.</p>
<p>lkf725:</p>
<p>Sorry, don't remember... I'll try to go shopping next week, then I'll tell you.</p>
<p>My S got a Targus from our local computer store. Not a fashion maven, he has not complained about the look. It is, however, pretty big.</p>
<p>My daughter used to throw her laptop into her book bag and the computer ended up with several dented corners - I assume from putting the bag down hard on the sidewalk. She thought it would be difficult to zip the laptop into a case between classes - like Marite's son, she does not have much time. I ended up buying her the Victorinox (Swiss army) cross suspension computer sleeve. It now comes in both horizontal and vertical models - she has the horizontal. This product has worked very well (she's used it for over two years now) and it fits into her regular Jansport backpack without a problem. The suspension design seems to protect the laptop well and the velcro strap makes it easy to slip the laptop in and out of the sleeve.</p>
<p>We bought D a Timbuk2 laptop backpack when we bought her laptop. It's nicely padded and she likes it a lot. She loves collecting bags of any kind ... purses, carrying cases, backpacks, etc. and she recently bought another bag (Ogio) that also transports her laptop nicely.</p>