9400-bag. Help me decide

Hi,
I've been lurking around the forums for quite a while but this is my first post.

This wednesday I finally took the plunge and ordered my 9400/E1705! I really didn't care much for the Dell-bag they offered so the last couple of days I've been neglecting both work and sleep in preference of finding the perfect laptop-bag for this monster-sized computer. Obiously there is no such thing but at least I've narrowed it down to these contestants:

RadTech's Tekstyle XL: http://www.radtech.us/Products/Tekmod.aspx
$79.95 + $7.34 shipping+ in those pesky Swedish custom's fees.

Booq's Powesleeve XXL: http://www.booq.de/Detail.bok?no=426
81.85 EURO + 10-15 EURO shipping + no custom's fees since I'm in the EU.

Does anyone have experiences in either of the bags? Negative or positive, 9400/E1705-specific or general. Everything is welcome!

Thanks!
/Filip

 

I love Booq bags and those PowerSleeves are nice, but I'd recommend something sturdier for a 17" notebook. I got the FoleeMessenger for my 5720. It's more expensive, but provides a lot better protection for a 17"-er.

 

Targus also makes some great bags. My bag has an inch of padding on each side of the laptop. It is a snug fit, but better to hold it.

 

JackBauer: Perhaps I should have specified my needs a bit better. I mostly need the bag for client visits, trips to the coffee-shop, visiting my younger brother for all night game sessions (well quarter of a night-sessions really now since I have kids ) so super-protection is not necessary. I'd rather go with slimmer and not ultra-protected than lots of size, bigger and better protected.
Also the laptop will have a neoprene-sleeve inside the Booq-bag (if it fits)

USAFdude02: I did check out Targus' bags but I'm just not that fond of their designs.

 

The RadTech one is going to keep your computer really warm when in use - not a good thing. The Booq products may be good, but they're obscenely overpriced, which they can only get away with because they spell their name with a "Q." Even if I could justify blowing that much on a sleeve, I wouldn't do business with them on pure principle.

 

Gotcha! The PowerSleeve should be fine if you use that neoprene sleeve with it. I really like how Booq re-designed their PowerSleeves as horizontal cases.

Here's another case from eBags that looks quite good: http://www.ebags.com/mcklein/s_seri...huttle/product_detail/index.cfm?modelid=58020

 

Booq should hire that incredibly hot babe who does those Overstock.com TV spots. She'd just have to change the pitch line to: "It's all about the big Q!!!"

 

Ha, ha! That's like all products that ended with a "Z" in the nineties, which supposedly made them über-cool. I agree that they are a bit overpriced but it's like everything in life, you don't just pay for the functionality. And I still haven't found anything that looks nearly as nice that's cheaper. Most of their bags are a bit too much "I want to look like I'm in a cool sci-fi movie" for my taste but the PowerSleeve is quite ok. I really like the small stuff like the orange seams and thing like that.
Do you mean you wouldn't do business on pure principle because of the price-range or something else?
I guess the Radtech is off then because of the heat-problem.

JackBauer: It too really like the vertical thing. It seems easier to carry a bag that's a bit longer than something that's a bit wider (at least if you're fairly tall, like myself)

 

I wouldn't go with the Radtech. It is a great bag, but it is a VERY tight fit. I had it for awhile, and love the design of it -- does have alot of ventaliation, but the bag is just too small for 17in laptops.

I've also had the booq sleeve and loved it. Its not as protective as what I would have liked but it was a great sleeve and had room for powerbrick and accessories.

You might also want to check out sfbags.com sleeve. It is very protect and overall a great sleeve. My only complaint about it is that there isn't much room for accessories, but I like the style of it.

SG

 

Consider the Maccase Jacket. It's like the Booq cases, but cooler-looking, more functional, and cheaper. It's www.mac-case.com

 

I guess from reading about the Radtech that one's out of the competition then. SouthernGirl, do you think that the laptop would fit in the Booq sleeve even with an extra neoprene sleeve around it + powerbrick & mouse? Also, could you fit the powerbrick in the bag without too much bulging?

The sfbags.com sleeves are nice but like you said there isn't much room for anything but the actual laptop.

That's a pretty nice bag, but I just know that I'd be annoyed by the fact that I says "MacCase" every time you open the bag

 

I highly doubt you could fit another sleeve inside the booq sleeve. The booq sleeve does have padding on the inside so you do have some protection. I put my powerbrick inside the top flat, so there was small bulge, but nothing huge or anything. Qwester did a mini review on this that has some great pictures and shows with the powerbrick http://forum.notebookreview.com/showthread.php?t=17586

On the sfbags, I got the piggyback with it which can fit several things in it. I haven't tried to fit my powerbrick in it yet though.

Whatever you do, I wouldn't get a messenger type bag or backpack. I found both of those two bulky and big.

 

Yeah, I think I probably wouldn't like neither a messanger type bag nor a backpack just because of the bulkyness (is that an actual word?)

My only concert with the booq sleeve is that it seems to be too open on the sides allowing rain and dirt to get into the bag. The bag Qwester reviewed seems to be the older model which in that sense provided better protection against rain. It's just not as stylish

I would personally preffer a bag in the Acme Made-style http://www.acmemade.com/thedesignerslim.html but those are really overpriced + the carrying strap isn't padded or anything + I probably wouldn't fit the powerbrick. Actually, I haven't even checked if the actual laptop would fit since they're out of my pricerange.
I think I'm leaning towards the Booq. Thanks for all the replies!

 

I didn't realize that they had the newer models out. I agree with you on the newer models. They don't look as good as the other model.

The one that i have is this one : http://www.booqbags.com/Detail.bok?no=21

 

Does a 9400 fit in that model? It says that the interior dimensions are 15.4 x 10.2 x 1.1 which wouldn't fit a 9300 or a 9400 right?

Don't you mean the older PowerSleeve XXL-model: http://www.booqbags.com/Detail.bok?no=57
Interior dimensions: 16.75 x 12.9 x 2.25

The new PowerSleeve XXL-model actually has a smaller laptop compartment (which isn't too good for us mega-sized laptop owners): 16.75"x12.0"x2.0" (425x305x51mm)

I'm not sure what you meant though. Did you like the older or the newer model better, style-wise. I personally preffer the newer but since that seems a bit small I might have to go with the older.

 

Sorry, i linked the one for the Powerbooks....

this is the one that fits the 9300/9400 series: http://www.booqbags.com/Detail.bok?no=57

It is the Powersleeve XXL

 

That's what I figured. One last question SG: I checked out the mini-review of the older style PowerSleeve and when he tried to fit the powerbrick in the top flap it seemed liked it bulged out quite a bit. Did it look similar with your Dell Powerbrick?

 

New contestant!
http://www.pinderbags.com/laptopbags.html

Super-simple no frills. Does anyone have any experciences with these?
Large model should work without trouble. The only negative I can think of is that it's horizontal and not vertical.

 

It does bulge out, but not as much as Qwester's. I'm pretty sure that the fujitsu has a bigger powerbrick. Even with the powerbrick in there, I was able to fit a ton of accessories like mouse disks and other things in it, so my bulged out more than normal.

SG

 

Wow, I guess I have to hurry up and order a bag because my 9400 arrived TODAY (friday)! I placed the order this Tuesday afternoon and it arrived at about 2.30 pm today! That's what I call fast. Guess I won't be getting too much sleep this weekend...

 

LOL, did you decide on a bag yet?

 

No, not really I'm one of those person's that visit 20 shops before I buy anything. Perhaps you can tell Well my wife seems to like it since she always gets good gifts
I'm thinking of going simple and getting the Pinder-bag. I like the canvas-look. Not so "computery".

I did order a basic blackneopren-sleeve though in the meantime to keep my computer at least a little bit protected.