Here's a review I wrote awhile ago, about my 10 favorite brands. Several of these offer backbacks, which I have.
1)
Hartman: has very nice leather. Quite durable and a very classic look. Good computer compartment with quality padding. The lining material of this laptop case is stylish and very well done. Overall as a business case for those times (frequently) when I'm in a suit, this is my second favorite. After 3 years, still looks great.
2)
Coach: (My Fav Business Bag) now this is a really classy bag, with an unbeatable lifetime warranty. Actually I have two of these. One that is five years old and has been all over the world with me. Finally last summer the stitching around the handle frayed. Nothing more. I sent it in and they returned it in a week. They not only replaced the handle they refurbished the entire case! New hardware, treated, buffed, and removed most of the scratches that come from regular (admittedly very careful) use. In addition they sent me a gift certifcate! So when I was in San Francisco I visited the store there, saw a new style and bought it with my $100. gift certificate.
3)
Tumi: a great bag with an attractive interior material and trim style. The leather is nice and has an attractive finnish, just not quite up to the Coach standard. I bought the expandable model and it has come in handy on long trips when I tend to bring more things home. I bought this bag when my luggage was lost by the airlines. They reimbursed me well, and I had enough left over to buy a matching computer case, as all my luggage is Tumi.
4)
Brenthaven: The only Ballistic Nylon case in my business collection. Very rugged, and more suited to business casual look. Great computer compartment very well padded. Comfortable shoulder strap. 3 years old and looking like new. Not a scratch because of the materials used.
5)
booqbag: Very different styling, great stitching. Good compartments and a very comfortable strap, however that could also be said for the others. Since all of these are expensive you do indeed get what you pay for. I've only had this one 6 months so I cannot comment on durability although I no reason to be concerned.
I treat all my leather bags, luggage, etc with a cleaner & conditioner and it makes a very significant difference in the look and longevity of the bags. I like the look of a bag that has been cared for a used. It develops character, and a certain unique look which makes it mine.
6)
Crumpler: I first saw these at Macworld in SF. The line was so long that by the time it was my turn they had sold out. So I went online and found a place in the US that sells them. Very funky, colorful in an odd way. The colors are just different in terms of shades, for example yellow (interior) is actually a toned down orange. Different colors for the piping, massive velcro closures in the insides of the flap closure, just very different. When I first saw them it took awhile to get used to the look, and that's exactly why I bought one. It was outside my comfort zone, and yet really cool. Now THIS is a durable and very well padded bag with lots of pockets and space for you laptop and stuff. This bag gets a lot of positive attention. Lots of colors to choose from when you buy one.
7)
Timbuk2: 100% made in the USA! Check out the web site. In SF on business with some retailers and was offered a tour of the Timbuk2 "factory". Very impressive, very environmentally aware, great morale of employess. They custom made a bag for me. This has become my favorite casual weekend, fun bag. While it is a messenger style bag, the strap is removable which is nice. I take my laptop everywhere and this is one bag that is very versatile. Besides being very well made and sturdy, it's also very light.
The have a portion of the web site dedicated to custom bags where you can choose colors, material, straps, accessory pockets, etc. Also it has a double padded waterproof (not just resistant) rubberized bottom. Especially designed for people like me that are picky and want it to look like new always. This bag is a real value, as it's less expensive than the Crumpler and every bit as high quality. From a durability standpoint, I feel they are equal.
Oakley: a very contemporary look. I really like Oakley products and a trip to one of the "O" Stores is fun. This is a company that understands branding and "the look". This is a ballistic nylon bag with suede like leather reinforcements on the corners. Rugged fasteners and the ever popular Oakley logo's. I also purchased their ICON backback which has a side zipper for access to the laptop without having to open that backback. Works great as just a backpack (or) a laptop carrier. Great choice of colors. They also have a great website. Cool sunglasses, and watches too.
9)
Trager: In Seattle on business and found Trager. Another impressive operation. Utilitariun and resonable style. Comes with a removable insert for the computer. I chose a vertical case which is quite nice for something different, and very comfortable on the shoulder.
10)
Tom Bihn: Somewhat like the Trager with better styling, but that's just my opinion. The optional removable computer case is quite nice. Zippers, compartments, pockets, all very nice a quite usefull. A crossover between a business / casual case.
Summary: Check out the respective web sites. Especially Timbuk2, Crumpler, Tumi & Oakley. Crumpler is made in Australia. I purchased mine online from a fantastic company at
www.bagyou.com. They provide exceptional service, the best prices and no I don't know them or an I promoting them, just a good co. to do business with. Timbuk2 is also great to deal with and very fast at making custom bags.
