Laptop Backpacks for Long-term Travel??

hey everyone!

does anyone have suggestions on what kind of (uber)durable backpack is good for longterm travel? it needs to be able to handle the dell 600m (or the 8500), and be able to store other stuff, like some clothes, books, etc.

the bag might get ruined in the process (think... 8 weeks in China kind of thing), so nothing too too too expensive, but if there's something great, please recommend it no matter the cost.

many thanks!

 

8 weeks in China?? Cool. About 8 years ago, I did 6 months through Spain / France. I had gone to Spain on a spring spreak trip during high school and had to go back once I was in college. Now it's just to the local parks and stuff. I'd love to take just 4 weeks off in row and get lost somewhere.

Are you going to be mostly backpacking outdoors or travelling between locations? I don't know of any excursion backpack makers that have bags to accomodate a laptop. The best you'll probably be able to do is store it in a sleeve or modular pack depending on what bag you go with. Check out http://www.campmor.com and take a look at some of those packs. For 8 weeks and a laptop, you'd probably want a bag in the 5000 to 6500 cubic inch range. If you just need to transport your laptop, you can store it in a sleeve and pack it amongst the softer items in your pack (shock absorbtion). If you need quick access while travelling, it's best to get a bag with compression straps and accessory buckles. You can then attach smaller packs that will give you the functionality you need.

Edit: Very important...STAY AWAY from regular nylon and polyester blends. This is what your typical 'Jansport' type bag is made from. For backpacking, you'll want a bag made of Kodra, RIPSTOP nylon/polyester, or some other strong synthetic.

 

Thanks for responding!

Yeah, I'm pretty thrilled, and then I realized all the logistics that go along with itineraries like this. If you have any time to spare, make China a destination before it becomes completely swamped by tourism and industry.

Most of the time, I'll be travelling between locations (Beijing, Tianjin, Qingdao, etc.), so no extreme-sports-style backpacking. There will be some daytrips that will require hiking and mountain climbing, but not a lot of these. It'll just be a lot of walking. However, I'll need to carry my laptop with me everywhere that I go, or at least, I have to take this possibility into consideration when buying anything.

-->The best you'll probably be able to do is store it in a sleeve or modular pack depending on what bag you go with. Check out http://www.campmor.com and take a look at some of those packs.

Haha, great recommendation - many more options than what I was looking at! Would you suggest getting on of those huge backpacks or just bringing a smaller sized backpack and a carry-on for the kind of trip that I'm taking?

--> Edit: Very important...STAY AWAY from regular nylon and polyester blends. This is what your typical 'Jansport' type bag is made from. For backpacking, you'll want a bag made of Kodra, RIPSTOP nylon/polyester, or some other strong synthetic.

Youch! This is important. I was looking at just getting the Jansport PCPort but I guess I should reconsider that idea.

 

Part of it will come down to your laptop size. If it's average dimensions, pretty much any bag will do. You'll need to consider the depth of your laptop when thinking overall bag size. The more clothing you need, the more room (and less internal compartments) you want. If you're talking packing for overnight or 2 night trips, 2000 - 2500 cu in. is comfortable. Anything less and you'll have a tight fit, increasing the pressure on your laptop and lcd panel. For each additional night you need clothing, you want to increase your bag size by roughly 500 cu in., while accounting for laptop depth and additional items in your pack.

Some of your other considerations revolve around what kind of access do you want. When outdoors, I've always found the less internal compartments the better..but compartmentalization is good. In other words, you don't want to open a section of your back and have to fish through smaller, hidden pockets to find an item. You want to get in, grab, and get out. If you're mainly transporting and using your laptop once you get to a destination, a simple bag with one main compartment is good. In addition to storing your laptop in a sleeve, you can further protect it by surronding it in clothing. If you'll be actually using it along your travels and need it quickly, a larger 2 or 3 compartment bag will be more suitable.

A few other quick hits...Since you're might be doing some mild climbing, get a bag with a lumbar strap. It goes across your abdomen and helps to distribute wieght...also a stop-gap if your straps break, the buckles loosen, or they slip off. Check the padding on the shoulder straps and back panel, you'll want to be comfortable. If you can, go to a outdoors store (EMS, Paragon...NO Sports Authority or Modells types) and test packs. A genuine outdoor store won't mind if you bring your laptop and switch it in and out of bags to get an idea of size. The staff will also help to make sure that it will fit your properly and doesn't give you a bad back. Try to stick with Kodra or Ripstop when selecting material. When a polyester / nylon bag rips or is punctured, it weakens the immediate area and damages the overall support. Kodra, ripstop materials, and other proprietary synthetics are designed to minimize those effects.

 

If you already have a laptop bag and you're going to china why don't you buy it there after you get there. I'm sure you'll be saving TONS of money by doing that....afterwards just carry around your regular notebook case in your trunk.

 

about buying your pack in china... I'd second that. In fact, I would also suggest NOT TO BRING ANY CLOTHING except for a couple days. Once you hit the local markets , you can buy fake 'branded' clothing/packs/etc for way cheaper than you'd pay for non branded stuff back here in the States. If I ever go back to China, that's what I'll be doing.