why are good cases so heavy? ..and hide that fact from you..

It's funny to me how we become obsessed with laptop weights -- one pound makes a huge difference in our selection.

But then when we shop for a case, it looks like a lot of people end up with a 4, 5, or 6 pound case... or even more.. thus carrying 11+ pounds just the laptop..

Most of the web sites for these "high end boutique" cases won't tell you the actual weight. It took me quite a bit of digging around to find them.

In the end, I ended up buying a Victorinox Menash. For others looking for something really light, this one weighs in at 2.2 lbs, has great reviews, is supposed to be well built, very well designed, very protective of the laptop, very comfortable, inexpensive, and tons of space for books & stuff without looking big.

 

most cases, even lighter backpacks, are a couple pounds - and you're right, the guy who moans about the difference from 5.4 to 6.4lbs is the same that buys the heavy-duty backpack or even hard case to protect it (and then loads in 6 more pounds of books).

2lbs even sounds like a lot, you can get into a padded backpack for even less, although with less space and padding than the Menash.

Ebags.com is a great place to look for bags and get size/weight measurements.

 

By "case", I assume you mean backpack or bag?

Yeah I keep having to remind myself that the bag weighs something too... and to add them.

 

Your observations are valid. When I bought the thin and light all the bags where 'big and heavy'. I had the choice of a backpack, 15" case, and 12" case. The bag manufacturers lag way behind on customized sizes for other sizes like the Sony SZ series and 14" Widescreens. Booq and other subspecialized companies have created a niche but they charge premium prices. Targus, Samsonite, and other mainstream computer accessory suppliers need to help us out a bit.

What is paramount in deciding what case to buy is how comfortable it is to carry (ie handles, strap feel, and how the bag 'sits on the body'). I spent 45 minutes in Circuit City and found nothing. I like the Samsonite Laptop Pillow LP450:

http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=1959022

It is comfortable and has excellent padding similar to the 'space shuttle pillows' that you can buy for about $115.

 

Well, after purchasing my thin and light, I went and purchased the Skooba from Roadwired.

44oz., with lots of storage.

Another thing people forget about, when considering the weight you will be carrying around with you is the brick charger! Can't really travel without it.

Lucky for me, HP includes a very lightweight charger as well for their computers.

 

i got myself a big 17" targus messanger bag. it is quite heavy with my 6.4lb laptop but i like how it gives me a mini workout