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Andrey “Rarst” Savchenko —  — Hardware — notebook, transport

How do you drag notebook around?

Several months into being full time notebook owner I conclude that my Dell Vostro 1310 is reasonably portable… But dragging it around with pack/unpack routine on top is hardly smooth experience.

My backpack is near end of life cycle (literally starts to loose parts) and I searched for something netbook-aware. Strangely no good finds.

Sleeve

That is what I bought outright, my backpack was in decent shape and I saw no reason to replace it. I went for neoprene Crumpler Gimp sleeve. I can say that it is excellent – reasonably thick to protect from bumps, durable and nothing sticks to it (I tend to get dusty). But it is an addition to bag, not a complete solution.

crumpler_gimp

crumpler_gimp

  • Pro – plays well with regular bags, good to pack and store notebook when not needed;
  • Con – inconvenient without bag to put it in, has no place for power brick and mouse.

Bag

Generic notebook bags is what gets bundled most often and there is myriad of those around separately. My problem is with design (here is where you put notebook and here is tiny remaining space where you can try to put anything else) and that bag is easier to bump into something. Yay for being honest about being clumsy. I prefer backpacks for a reason.

  • Pro – affordable, many models available, decent protection;
  • Con – near-useless for anything but notebook, inconvenient for my taste.

Backpack

Backpacks ftw, if I only could find one that I liked. There seems to be very few models of for-notebook backpacks and good chunk of those comes into hysterical color schemes, screaming how good it is for your cool Macbook.

Another issue is size – it is assumed that you need one for an 15” (or more) monster of a notebook. Logitech has almost perfect Kinetik model, but it is quite large.

  • Pro – excellent protection, space for other things;
  • Con – poor choice of models, high prices.

Overall

So I am kinda stuck here and could use some crowd wisdom.

What to you use to drag notebook around? How it works out for you? Specific brands and models appreciated.

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10 Comments

  • Seelenwahnsinn #

    I don't have a full-sized notebook, but I guess I can give my imput with my 10.1" EeePC. I bought a cheap, 6mm thick neoprene sleeve for it, and is still my only way to carry it around. I found it very convenient, as it adds no extra weight or bulkiness and protects it from water, dust and scratches. It's not really useful, anyway, if you need to carry other things around. That's why I stuck the sleeve inside an old binder I have for a few years. It fits perfectly and kills all my problems. I can carry my flash drives, SD cards, pen and paper (for college) and eventually CDs. I gotta say I really love it. It's light, resistant (the neoprene sleeve, combined with the sturdy and rugged binder makes it somewhat fall-proof) and really discrete. Of course, I don't have to carry around the power brick, which is a concern for most notebook users. The only time I needed to carry my power brick with me, I just stuck it on my pocket (seriously) and problem solved. I will admit sometimes I miss the convenience of a backpack, where I could carry books and other stuff around. But then again, I would rarely use it (probably once a month or even less), so I guess it's not worth it. Some may say it's easier to carry a backpack than a binder. It's true, but I live in a poor country and notebook thieves are everywhere you look. And they know what kind of backpack carries valuable items. The same goes to a bag. Recently a friend of mine lost his brand new notebook to a couple thieves right next to the college. And it was even in the day light, at peak hour! I study at night and have to walk around 2km in a poorly lit road right next to a violent neighborhood, so it's very comfortable to walk with a binder, as nobody suspects its content. But who knows, if you don't have this issue to worry about, I guess the backpack is the perfect solution :)

  • Jim Sefton #

    I have a Macbook Pro (15") and a Samsung NC10 netbook. When I need to have photoshop with me my MBP goes in my CompuDaypack. The laptop slides down where my back goes and the camera stuff goes below, leaving the top for other stuff. If I want to travel a bit lighter, or I dont need the laptop I tend to just launch the NC10 into whatever bag I have. It is fairly robust and protected from scratched in the suede(esque) folder that comes with it. Most netbooks I have seen are more robust than laptops, but if I wanted to protect it (or a laptop) more I would go with your crumpler solution (I love their stuff) and get a messenger bag to put it in.

  • Chocobito #

    I have a quite heavy backpack with 27 Lt. capacity, its have enough space for my 15' laptop, the charger, my Psp, some books, and other useless stuff that I have with me, but its become really heavy. Maybe I have to look a tiny model. (Backpack, or laptop)

  • Rush #

    Man Rarst, I picked up a Targus backpack that I absolutely love. Carries my Lenovo nice and snug, padded pocket. Still have enough room for two text books, notebooks (actual paper notebooks... hey, don't judge me they're collectors items). Front pockets for my Tilt, TX, Ipod and like 20 usb drives hubs and other junk. Goes with me anywhere I go.

  • Rush #

    My bad. Forgot info. Heres a link to it on Tiger, but I think I got it for like $25 but no idea where now. http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=3806983&CatId=1786

  • Rarst #

    @Seelenwahnsinn Yeah, I like my neoprene sleeve as well... But as in post - this is only additional accessory, not a complete solution. And 2.2kg notebook is too heavy to carry around in sleeve alone. @Jim Googled that backpack, way too large (17") for my needs and I don't have a camera. :) Should buy one (I say this for years). @Chocobito Not interested in large backpack, I need something that fits 13" notebook, some tools and of course some food. :) Be sure to come back and share if you find interesting smaller model. @Rush I quite like this one. But it seems that this specific model isn't sold around here, even if there are plenty of other Targus models available. :( Thanks for extensive comments, everyone. Keep them coming.

  • Chris Jean #

    I have a black SwissGear backpack that I got from Dell. I've used backpacks for carrying laptops for 10 years now and this is the best one I've had yet. It would probably be too large for your liking however, which is a good thing for me as I have a Studio 17 with extended battery. I don't see my black one on the site anymore, but this blue one is the same bag: http://accessories.us.dell.com/sna/products/Backpack/productdetail.aspx?c=us&l=en&s=dhs&cs=19&sku=A1614031 Why don't people wake up and realize that backpacks are much more versatile than standard laptop bags (I often throw a surge protector, books, a router, and all sorts of other gear in my bag)? In addition, backpacks distribute the load, so they are better for your shoulders, back, neck, and hips than a standard bag. All those benefits and you still gain a usable arm. Of course, they aren't exactly considered high fashion, so most people will be functionally limited by their bags and manufacturers will always limit their dedication to providing variety in backpacks.

  • Rarst #

    @Chris Interesting brand and one I hadn't looked at so far (not stocked in my usual places, but does seem to be sold around here). Thanks for suggestion, will look up models available. From quick search I quite like the style. And thanks for the comment, I think it's your first at my blog. :)

  • vostro #

    I have a dell vostro 1400 that I carry around in a neoprene sleeve with a piece of foam inserted to give it a little padding, and then in my day-trip mountaineering pack, which is great with pockets and such.

  • Rarst #

    @vostro It seems neoprene sleeves are pretty popular. :) Good material for this purpose.