backpack vs messenger bag

what's preferred way to carry 6.5 lb laptop? i'm thinking of opting for backpack since it's easier to handle, but i'm not sure. also, i like the look of the timberland packs, but should i get a backpack that's specifically padded for laptops, or can i get just any backpack with stuffing?

 

I htink a messenger bag will be uncomfortable with that notebook plus stuff. As to ype, I'd definitely buy one made for notebooks, the padding is key.

 

ok, so what brands have some of the best padding in backpacks? i was checking out the mountainsmith on ebays.com and it looked to have some great padding in their backpack for laptops. If i get proper padding, i don't need a sleeve then?

 

The messenger type bag is better for short trips, but the backpacks are better for longer trips.

 

bu ti want something cool. what's a cool looking backpack with laptop features, so as not to look geeky.

 

The fact that your running around with a laptop strapped to your body makes you a geek - don't fight it, embrace it

Seriously tho, if your willing to fork out some $$ these are pretty nice: http://www.booqbags.com/index.html

HTH

 

checked them and they are waaay too expensive. so i'm looking at the burton day hiker, the under armor formation or the jansport and mountainsmith. oh and I might be a geek, but i don't have to look like one.

 

Do you have any links handy? I'm looking for a bag as well ...

 

hehe, ok, i'll get them.

main category
http://www.ebags.com/backpacks/lapt...tegory_search/index.cfm?Ne=100&N=4001+2003980

and these are what i like being non-geeky. i wanted a versatile pack that i could empty and use as a daypack, but also functional for my laptop. not like i'm gonna carry it everywhere, just wanted to keep it safe and use as 2 purposes.

here's the mountainsmith for 90
http://www.ebags.com/mountainsmith/bc_explore/product_detail/index.cfm?modelid=6485

jansport for $40
http://www.ebags.com/jansport/air_cure/product_detail/index.cfm?modelid=57211

burton for $60
http://www.ebags.com/burton_snowboards/day_hiker/product_detail/index.cfm?modelid=57814

2 for underarmor one at $70 and $40
http://www.ebags.com/under_armour/formation_backpack/product_detail/index.cfm?modelid=52364
http://www.ebags.com/under_armour/evol_pack/product_detail/index.cfm?modelid=52478


oneill for $75
http://www.ebags.com/oneill/gooru_l_t_pack/product_detail/index.cfm?modelid=57844

going to sports chalet tonight to check out the underarmors to see their padding, etc.
hope this helps.

 

Thanks! That deserves a rep point

 

Backpacks are more suited for students and/or casual environments. Messenger bags would be better for the workplace. I ordered the 17" Folee Messenger bag from Booq. It ain't cheap, but it's a very well-designed briefcase/computer bag for a 17" notebook.

 

This is what I got... but in all black. The straps have this weird padding that is very comfortable. My laptop + Tom Bihn Soft Cell sleeve fits perfectly in the padded area. Definitely worth a look.

http://www.ebags.com/victorinox_swiss_army/oxford/product_detail/index.cfm?modelid=53041

 

Whenever I see a messenger bag, I can't help thinking it just screams "steal me".

 

have you checked out Mobile Edge

 

Messenger bags are for cool people, backpacks are for geeks.

 

try ibm backpack - made by targus.
really worth the cash. excellent quality + padding + extras

 

I am still enamored of teh Tom Bihn bags at tombihn.com - I will probably order a Brain Cell. I can use that Brain Cell as a standalone case for the laptop, or I can tuck it away in any messenger-style bag I choose (will probably get some cheap but durable Tagus or Samsonite case).

 

thanks. i checked out some of the packs at sports chalet and here's my feedback.
the jansport are pretty cool looking, i didn't get to see the exact one, but if it's protected by jansport padding, the straps are quite comfortable and it will just come down to size of laptop section, whether or not it will fit my 15.4" Dv4000.

sports chalet, online says they have under armor, but i couldn't find at store. the guy was a total moron. 2 packs that i did like at sports chalet were

the north face borealis II and recon.
reasons for liking them.
1.chest strap. I find that having a chest strap secures the pack better to the body when moving around a lot, maybe running from the cops or a store...etc
2. the lifetime guarantee of the pack
3. the packs by north face do lift the laptop section above the very base of the pack so when placing the pack down, the first thing to hit is the main compartment body and not the laptop, which would be bad thing
4. they have a buckle to secure the laptop in place
5. also ability to have hydration packs, although water and electronics probably don't mix well.
6. good source of space for external HD, mouse, battery pack, charger, etc. so much space, so few items to store.
7. Take out the laptop and use as a daypack for those adventurous and active "geeks"

 

obviously you did not read or look at the type of packs i'm viewing. I don't want a geeky backpack that has rollers, is all black with rubber stamping, etc. I want a versatile pack that I can take hiking, carry lunch on a day trip, carry clothes on an overnighter, etc. Something that will last in the outdoors and around town. Therefore a messenger bag, although geekier in my opinion, not only signifies, here's my laptop, steal it, but also a pack that doesn't appear to carry anything significant might be better "hidden" from thieves of carrying my notebook.

in any case, backpacks are my style of carrying also because they are more comfortable and don't cause "unlevel growth" of shoulders due to the weight all on one side.

 

exactly what i mean hucsman. this is why i figured, a backpack that doesn appear to be concealing some high tech expensive equipment might be safer then messenger/laptop looking bag to steal. but in zenguy's case, he likes the high profile "thieviery" bags.

 

heres an idea, put the laptop in a messenger bag. put the messenger bag in a backpack of your choice , laptop or non laptop backpack.

 

Messenger bags are often pretty large..

A better investment would be a sleeve instead of a messenger bag.

The Brain Cell from Tom Bihn is very protective, more so then regular sleeves. Plus it has a handle which doubles as a quick bag. The SuperEgo Brain Cell duo are awesome.

<---Coming from a SE/BC owner

 

is there a backpack thats good for using the laptop in the pack like you could with a messenger

 

i was considering that coriolis. get a mini sleeve, course a 15.4" is no mini and then put inside a pack that i can get what i want. oh yeah and davez82, your mailbox is full. couldn't reply to your message. clean some up, lata

 

ok i cleared it

 

great. well i stopped by sports chalet to restring my racket. i looked closer at the two north face packs they have there.

between the recon and borealis which 1 supports an actual "laptop sleeve" while the other has a xl pocket for hydration bag that can double as a laptop, i'd recommend the recon.

the Recon also has a felt interior. I assume this to prevent scratching the laptop when putting it in. Also the recon has at least a minimal amount of padding, whereas the Borealis has none at all. I am leaning towards the Recon, as North Face packs are built strong, has a sternum strap for added support, the straps are comfortable, not as nice as the jansport, but I like the design also of the North Face Recon pack.

Going to chicks tonight to check out any others. But so far, i've narrowed my selection down to those. Now i just have to find a good deal on north face packs or get a solid discount at Ebags.

 

Wow, I didn't know North Face had bags that could carry laptops, good to know~! I am also looking for a bag to replace my Asus bag, which came with the laptop. It's so ugly, and makes me look like a nerd, since it has that Asus logo on the bag. blargh~!

I will take a good look at the North Face bags. I personally would like a knapsack, but most laptop knapsacks look so dang HUGE and nerdy/ugly. I like the look of messenger bags, but they're uncomfortable to carry around if you have a lot of stuff to carry around. My Z70Va alone is perfectly fine, with a couple books in my bag, but when I have to carry like 4 textbooks with my notebooks, and my lappy, it can get pretty darn heavy. I also wouldn't want to fling my bag around because of its weight, so I would prefer a knapsack as it stays pretty steady instead of bouncing off my hips and stuff.

Anyhoo' thanks for the tip on the North Face bags~!!!

Cheers,
Mike

 

Oh yeah I forgot to add, just like Coriolis said, try to get a sleeve that will fit your knapsack and use it like that. No one will suspect you have a laptop in your bag and you can avoid theft, plus have a comfy trip to and from your destination.

Cheers,
Mike

 

lol rucksacks look cool, too bad 100 bux

http://www.ebags.com/high_sierra/co...cksack/product_detail/index.cfm?modelid=42689

 

i agree shampoo. glad my advice could be of service to ya. I'm in the same situation avoiding those 'geeky' packs. They all scream, take me i'm not yours, so i wanted to definately avoid that situation, say traveling, airport, library, etc. As for the sleeve, i gotta wait till i get my laptop then test out sleeves, then test the sleeve and laptop in my pack. If i get the north face pack, most likely i'll just use without sleeve. So the shell gets a little scratched, it's not worth another 10-$20 to hassle over, at least in my case. i'd rather get the pack i want and have proper padding enough to ease my aching mind over these bags. anyways, give more update tomorrow if i get a chance to visit Chick's Sporting Goods.

Anyone want to check out Rei nearby?

 

if you want to go the sleeve-in-bag-of-my-choice route, then purchase the Tombihn MONOLITH, and NOT the brain cell.

The Monolith is the same thing as the Brain Cell but it is MADE to be in a backpack. I.E. The monolith carries your laptop vertically (portrait layout), and has the protection rearranged that way. The Brain Cell is made for messenger/attache bags, so the protection is arranged horizontally. The big point here, is that there is very little protection on the top suface of the sleeves where you take out/put in the laptop (its like this with all laptop sleeves honestly) , so you would want to make sure that the "up" side is at the top of the bookbag. That's what the Monolith does for you.

Honestly, might not be a horrible idea. I wouldnt have to buy a special bag. I saw some guy in a suit yesterday, carrying some slightly beat pack on his shoulders, talking to some coworkers. I bet there may have been an ultra-portable in there or something similar. Then again, ahhh whatever

 

haha, and how did he look? see if your business, i understand a pack, but my style is jeans and polo at work. and my laptop isn't even going to work, so for my sense of style, it's all about style, let alone i'm a graphic designer, and well, i just can't be seen 'geeked' up haha.

 

I honestly cant see myself carrying my 2350cu in. Jansport to work, that is *IF* I end up with a job that requires standard business attire. It would definately be adequate to put a good sleeve inside, if I can dress casual. But a suit? lol.

 

haha, that's what i mean. Will they mistake you for carrying a fridge? haha, i think i'm gonna ask for christmas the Recon by North Face and the Tom Bihn Monolith. Thanks for the help goldrush.

Of course, if i visit Chick's tonight and see another backpack, i'll be back on early morning to give more advice, haha.

 

Hey John, you have the Victronix Oxford? I understand your Tom Bihn Soft Cell fits perfectly in the padded sleeve but how large is your Tom Bihn Soft Cell? Can you give me the exact dimensions?

The reason is I am interested in this bag also but I have a Shinza Zeroshock 15inch sleeve and not sure if it will fit in that compartment, thanks.

 

currently use a 6 yr old north face (network) backpack...it has very good padding...also you should look at the shoulder strap...by bro Swiss back pack...the shoulders pad are finish ( they got paper thin)...I think that North Face have the best should straps (b/c they are made out of a gell material and don't get thinner with time....) however the bottom is failling appart and not cover under lifetime waranty....b/c of use/wear....so I'm trying a new brand...Sumdex since I love their sleeves...

 

According to Tom Bihn's site: exterior dimensions of 15 × 11 × 1.75 inches (381 × 279 × 44 mm)

You should also check out the reviews on ebags.com. I bought mine at the Victornix store and can tell you that the all black is by far the best looking.

 

went to chicks and i must say, their arrangement of bags is all over the place. They didn't have any more selection than did sports chalet. Haven't been able to visit sportsmart, but my guess is probably they carry the same. Is anyone located in berkely, or nearby that can check out what their going price of a North Face Recon is? the outlet is located in berkeley, ca, which is close to my home town, but now i live in southern cali, so that doesn't help me much. Wonder if i call the shop will they ship down here.

Anyways, don't try out timberland. Went to their store at south coast, they had 1 pack to see, and 3 mini versions, ridiculous. How do you expect to try before you buy if you can't even put it on your back to feel it's comfortability. And then on top of that, how do you expect to sell your packs if you can't even see them and the 1 store within like 50 miles doesn't even carry a selection, RIDICULOUS!!!

so all in all, i'm going with the North Face Recon pack.

 

I always like it when some incident(s) or evidence makes it super easy for me to eliminate another option out of my list to narrow my selections

 

indeed. And i've been searching everywher for a deal on the pack and I finally found it. It's at campmor.com only problem though is i want to make sure that my laptop is gonna fit. dang, can i wait that long to get my pack.....

 

i recently ordered an inspiron 9300 with the dell backpack designed for it (im in grad school to be a teacher so im not worried too much about the look as much as practicality), but cant find any reviews of it specifically, so when i get it ill post a quick review on here. my fingers are crossed that it isnt gigantic or awkward to carry, but it was only $40 and made for a 17" WS notebook, so it should suit my needs and may make a great option for those looking for a cheaper solution.

 

You might have remembered to check on this, but it's easy to get caught up in looking and forget: make sure your computer will fit.

For what it's worth, I can't stand messenger bags for almost anything, because I ahve to go out of my way to keep it from falling off. I also won't even consider anything without TWO side pockets that will hold a 20 oz. water bottle (one pocket) and various other ... thingies (glasses case, etc. in other pocket). That's a personal thing, but I highly recommend at least one fast-access side pocket for anyone.

Considering the above, the Jansport should be a good choice if it fits. The material is one of the best I've yet to find for daypacks, and most people don't use it; they use something lighter, though many materials will have a higher thread count, which sounds better. That cloth, though, is tough as nails. It's got plenty of room, and it isn't too gaudy. I really like JanSport. Good products and good selection. eBags has a great return policy.

Best,
Howie

 

mine does fit. i brought my dv4000 over to sportsmart, slid the machine right into the pocket on the North Face Recon. Fit like a GLOOVE. snug and secure. So if anyone wants a cool pack without the "geek" look but the "Geek" security, get the north face recon.

 

Get a backpack. For me one of the plus was that people at school wouldn't realize for a while that theres a laptop in there. With a messenger bag 8/10 there is a laptop there.....

 

backpack is way better on your back, provided you use both shoulder straps.

if you must have a messenger bag, sling it over your neck to your other shoulder, keeps it from slipping off.

 

if you want a good looking bag get one from chrome.com there bags are very very sexy indeed.

I am getting the Shuttle, in kevlar baby! and there prices aren't completely outrages for what you get, but still pretty expensive