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    Backpack recommendations for XPS17 / L702X? Looking for hip straps - worth it?

    Discussion in 'Dell XPS and Studio XPS' started by Venturello, Dec 7, 2011.

  1. Venturello

    Venturello Notebook Consultant

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    Hello all,

    With my L702X due to arrive next Monday :D :D, I am a bit late in choosing a backpack.

    I travel quite a bit, and end up also walking daily with my laptop. I want a good, large backpack and don't mind paying premium. Large as in, all my gear plus maybe a few clothing items for an overnight trip. Big one, don't care. I love my current Wegner/Swiss Gear 15 inch backpack, and will consider the 17" except for one thing - given the weight of this laptop (plus accessories, plus my ipad, plus....), I've always found hip belts to really help distribute the weight of a backpack. And none of the 'common' 17" backpacks I find (Targus, Wegner, etc) have this.

    So couple of questions:
    • Is having hip straps really worth it? I am partial to them, and have put it as a must have criteria.
    • Any recommendation on backpacks?

    One of the greatest backpacks I've found is this: The Brain Bag Laptop Backpack by: TOM BIHN Sadly, this backpack has no laptop pocket nor interior padding! The pocket where laptops go has no padding, not even on the lower part. Instead, you buy a padded folder thing, the Brain Cell, very robust and made to the size of your laptop. And I have confirmed with them, the one for this laptop will not fit the backpack.

    Any equivalents you guys can suggest to this? Premium, pro-like, big, feature full.

    Thanks!

    Juan
     
  2. Panduhsaur

    Panduhsaur Notebook Consultant

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    Just puttin it out there. but Oakley kitchen sink?
    this bag is HUGE, and it can store everything you want and then some.
    I have one and its really sturdy

    I don't use this that often because I did get a northface recon which fits my laptop more suitably.

    and the downside of the Oakley Kitchen sink is that it is a bit heavy because of what they use + put on it.
     
  3. parkeda40

    parkeda40 Newbie

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  4. Venturello

    Venturello Notebook Consultant

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    Thanks Panduhsaur. Dislike the way the Oakley looks, and the Recon is for 15 inchers, not my larger XPS 17.

    Parkeda, Scanfast looks nice, has no hip straps but again might go without that. Thanks for adding another option to my list :)
     
  5. Panduhsaur

    Panduhsaur Notebook Consultant

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    :\ I know about the recon not fitting in the laptop compartment but it does fit in the regular pocket but I doubt you want to do that.

    but consider looking at other Oakley stuff too. Primarily I like the kitchen sink because of the really cool red pulls (they're the same pulls on ejection seats) and they're fun to play with

    another bag that would suit your needs is the ap backpack 3.0