best laptop backpack for 15.1" t61 with 9 cell battery?

[kkrathi]

Hi anyone has good suggestion for what laptop backpack I should buy for a 15.1" t61 with 9 cell battery?
Krish

[spsims]

I recently bought a Tumi. They had two sizes, one more suitable for a smaller machine and one just right for a 15.4" T61p with the 9 cell battery. The T61p just fits into the "laptop" section. The rest of the bag has room for a couple of water bottles or whatever on the sides, various document pouches on the back and a large traditional backpack section for power supplies, books, folders, etc.

The bag is comfortable on my back and light - when it's empty.

It was more than I wanted to pay, but I only buy a new bag every 4 or 5 years so the yearly "cost" wasn't that bad.

Stu

[Dead1nside]

I recently bought a Tumi. They had two sizes, one more suitable for a smaller machine and one just right for a 15.4" T61p with the 9 cell battery.

Which particular model did you get? They look very expensive.

[minc3d]

I was just looking at new bags on ebags.com and Jansport/North Face have plenty of great laptop backups under $100 on sale.

[archer6]

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.

[rxblitzrx]

Another vote for North Face. They're really expensive, but you get what you pay for.

[archer6]

Another vote for North Face. They're really expensive, but you get what you pay for.

Actually North Face is the lower end, with less protection, thinner materials and less stitching. I know, I have a couple for books. They are a bargain, but your computer will not survive a drop, as they have no padding other than a very thin sleeve. These packs are not designed for laptops, they just added a thinly padded sleeve as an afterthought. I know a friend dropped his T42 which was inside his Northface backpack and it cracked the screen, damaged the housing, and the keyboard. A total right off.

I accidentally dropped my T60 while it was in my Crumpler backpack and no damage was done. This is because it's designed specifically for laptops with high quality closed cell foam padding throughout the backpack. In addition, it has a removable heavily padded sleeve that has a flap so the computer is completely covered, not an open ended sleeve. Crumpler is made to protect your laptop.

So you must ask yourself.... is saving some money by purchasing a bargain backpack worth it? In his case he saved about $75 dollars on the backpack but it cost him over $2,000 to replace the computer......... In the end you will pay for choosing a cheap bag or pack that is not designed to protect, only to carry your laptop.

[kkrathi]

thank you all so much for the replies. I am looking for something that is extremely protective and business looking since I carry my laptop backpack with a business to business casual attire. So far I narrowed it down to these

timbuk2 (don't know if it is protective enough?)
http://www.amazon.com/Timbuk2-Hacker-Co ... 75&sr=8-21

Crumpler beer back laptop (seems very promising except that it has a odd non-businessy look atleast from the pictures. Please feel free to correct me if you use one!)
http://crumpler.bagyou.com/ttp/Crumpler ... id/10.html

Tumi t-tech pulse forsyth backpack (don't know if it can hold the 15.4" along with the 9 cell. don't know if it is protective enough like a crumpler or trager?)

http://www.passengersonly.com/catalog/t ... r-backpack

Trager 780b navigator laptop backpack (loved this a lot but haven't found a place where you can purchase it online)
http://tragerusa.com/bags/780B_lg.gif

So what do you guys think?

Krish

[archer6]

thank you all so much for the replies. I am looking for something that is extremely protective and business looking since I carry my laptop backpack with a business to business casual attire. So far I narrowed it down to these

timbuk2

Crumpler beer back laptop

Tumi t-tech pulse forsyth backpack

Trager 780b navigator laptop backpack
So what do you guys think?

My normal weekday attire is either a business suit, or business casual as I'm a CEO. I travel frequently and world wide. I have an enormous collection of cases and bags of all types, and materials such as leather, nylon, cordura of different weights. Not bragging, just the fact that I do enjoy having a variety of choices and prefer to have a selection of bags to choose from depending on where I'm going, and what I'm doing. And I do not like to carry the same bag all the time. Of the bags you listed, I own the Trager, and the Crumpler Beer backpack. I've personally looked at and handled the Tumi and as much as love Tumi bags and have a lot of their luggage, I've always been disappointed in their computer bags and find them terribly overpriced since they always fail to have proper fitting sleeves. When it comes to any type of computer case from Tumi they simply miss the mark. The Timbuk2 is another favorite brand of mine, however this particular bag is imported and not made in their SF shop. When I looked at one, I was very disappointed. It's simply not as nice as the Timbuk2 Commute Computer Messenger for example.

Between the Crumpler and the Trager what you cannot see in the pictures is the fabulous material, stitching and overall high quality of the Crumpler. I get more compliments on the Crumpler bag than any other backpack (and even some of my leather cases, such as Coach and Hartman) I have. The Trager is nice but actually much more casual, made from a very coarse nylon with huge oversize zippers that while rugged look out of place unless one is in levi's and out in the park or some other outdoor setting.

I truly believe you would be very impressed with the Crumpler. When I visit New York, San Francisco, London, or other major metro areas this is the bag of choice as they are very popular, and well accepted. It has a wonderful full coverage sleeve that lifts out, in the event that you wish to use it as a bag only for those times when you might not be carrying your laptop. It's also the most secure as the zippers are arranged in a fashion that no one behind you can unzip them. The backpack must be removed from your back to gain access to the main compartment and the computer. It has very useful pockets and is the most comfortable to wear. Frankly I enjoyed my first one so much that I ended up buying the other two sizes. As I also have quite a collection of ThinkPads and other laptops and rarely go anywhere without one.

Hope this helps.

Cheers!

[archer6]

So what do you guys think?
Krish

By the way I forgot to mention that I get my Crumplers from BagYou and have enjoyed terrific service. If for any reason you are unhappy they will take care of you. In fact since I purchased Black for business but really wanted something more sporty for the weekends, I just received a Red Beer Back from them and it's very cheerful looking.

Good luck with your decision.

[kkrathi]

Archer6 thanks for the detailed response. Could you tell me what crumpler should I go with if I want to buy that brand? I have 15.4" but with a 9 cell battery. So would beer back for 17" be right for it or would the bag be too big for my laptop http://crumpler.bagyou.com/ttp/Crumpler ... id/10.html ?

or should i go for the single king bag that is meant to be for the 15.4" computers http://crumpler.bagyou.com/ttp/Crumpler ... id/10.html ?

Krish[/url]

[archer6]

Archer6 thanks for the detailed response. Could you tell me what crumpler should I go with if I want to buy that brand? I have 15.4" but with a 9 cell battery. So would beer back for 17" be right for it or would the bag be too big for my laptop http://crumpler.bagyou.com/ttp/Crumpler ... id/10.html ?

or should i go for the single king bag that is meant to be for the 15.4" computers http://crumpler.bagyou.com/ttp/Crumpler ... id/10.html ?

Krish[/url]

I would go with the Beer Back, as the sleeves are meant for the standard batteries. While you could possibly fit it in the King Single, I find that even with my T60 which has the standard 4:3 display ratio as opposed to wide screen, I still prefer the larger size. While my T60 fits nicely with the standard battery in my King Single, it's too tight with the 9 cell I have. In addition, exact dimensions aside visually they look about the same size, so it's not a huge difference in the overall size of the bag. That said one thing you should be aware of is that the depth or how much the bag protrudes from your back is a bit more than a conventional "flatter" bag. One reason is that this bag has a very nice contoured shape where it meets your back, it allows air to circulate between your back and the bag which makes wearing it seem lighter and very comfortable. The straps are also very well designed for comfort and very even weight distribution.

I don't know if you saw the official Crumpler USA site or not, I will include the link. I would encourage you go there and click on the pictures (it's not obvious as there are no hyper links, you simply click on the image) as once you do, a very large image appears that is extremely helpful as you can see a lot more detail. There are no other pictures on the net, better and as large as these. By taking your time, and looking at them on the Crumpler site you will have a far better idea of what they are like. After I got the first one, many of the employees in the company I founded, purchased these bags. The first one I purchased is now seven years old and it looks as good as day one. They are very easy to clean, and very scuff resistant.

If there is anything else I can answer for you, I am more than happy to do so. Also in the event that you have another bag you are interested in, there is a great likelihood that I have at least one, so please do not hesitate to ask. It's also important for you to know that while I'm a huge advocate of Crumpler, as I appreciate high quality, I'm not married to any particular brand. Thus I will provide you with neutral and honest feedback on any other brand as well. I'm very current on all available bags as I'm always looking at the latest in ways to organize what I carry.

http://www.crumplerbags.com/

Cheers

[rmendoza]

If you are worried about price, Costco has three business laptop bags that are pretty affordable. Two are Solo and one is Sumdex. I cannot attest to their quality, but they look decent for the price and are made out of genuine leather. Just an extra choice. Here they are.

Solo #1

Solo #2

Sumdex


Personally I like both the Coach and the Timbuk2, for business and casual looks respectively, but all the bags mentioned here are pretty nice. Good luck.

[archer6]

I

Personally I like both the Coach and the Timbuk2, for business and casual looks respectively, but all the bags mentioned here are pretty nice. Good luck.

Yes I certainly agree, and to provide an alternative to a backpack based on personal experience, here is a combo I use. It begins with a Coach Transatlantic Leather Flap Business Brief, here again, much like Tumi I have found their laptop accommodations to be less than stellar, therefore this is a regular briefcase. Then I have an equally high end, spectacular looking Waterfield sleeve the I put my ThinkPad in and then insert the computer and sleeve into this briefcase. The sleeve is available open ended or with a flap closure either on the horizontal plane, or the vertical top loading side. I have three of these for each of my newest Thinkpads and they fit absolutely perfectly which is why the provide such terrific protection. They are made from the highest quality materials, designed specifically for each ThinkPad model. They are the only company I know of that provides perfectly designed sleeves which come in sizes that take into consideration which battery you are using. Thus I have two for my T60, one for the reg battery and one for the extended 9 cell battery. The same goes for my X60s in which case I have three sleeves. One for the slim four cell, one for the extended life four cell, and one for the six cell battery. They fit like a glove and are certainly worth looking at. At times If I'm carrying an Oakley backpack which is not designed for a laptop, I simply pop my X60s into it's Waterfield sleeve, put that in the backpack and I'm set to go.

One of the distinct benefits of this setup is, 1) It's very rich and dignified. 2) your laptop is protected properly, and can be easily removed still protected by the sleeve. 3) Does not look like a laptop case, therefore being a target of thieves is reduced.

Coach:

http://www.coach.com/content/product.as ... ory_id=537

Waterfield / SF Bags:

http://www.sfbags.com/products/sleeveca ... ecases.htm

Here is recently redesigned Timbuck2 laptop commute messenger. It's very nice and a distinct upgrade from the model I've used for the last two years. I've been using this on weekends and as the other poster mentioned it's also suitable for business casual in all Black as pictured here. I highly endorse these bags I have just discussed.

Timbuk2

http://www.timbuk2.com/tb2/products/laptop/commute

[kkrathi]

Thank you all very much for the replies. It was certainly very helpful. Here is some info and a treat for you in case if you are looking for bags too. First, I concluded that Crumpler beer back is the best balance between protection, looks and price. The close second was Trager's Navigator laptop backpack. I called Trager up. They were honest and told me it doesn't fit nicely a 15.4" screen with a 9 cell battery. So it was out. Finally I bought Crumpler.

And here is where the treat part comes in. I got it at http://crumpler.bagyou.com/ttp/Crumpler ... id/10.html. They are a discount store. Plus They are giving free shipping over 58 bux. I am cheeeep! So just wanted to see if I could get anything else so called the number on website. A really nice woman picked up the phone and I asked would they be willing to give any coupon codes. She gave it without any hesitation. The code is SAV10 and it should save you 10% off on most items (including non crumpler bags i think) that you buy at that website.

Hope this was helpful.

regards
Krish