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All About Notebook Bags
There is one very important aspect about being a notebook computer user that is almost as important as your notebook and that is what kind of case or bag you carry your notebook in. The thing about notebooks is that by their very definition they are portable and you sort of need to take them places. Like a nice car you just plain need to take them some place in order to really use them the way that God intended. When I first got my 15inch wide-screen eMachine notebook I first got a no name cheapo notebook bag that I got at Fred Meyers for twenty bucks. It was a pain in the ass to use. The shoulder straps were not long enough and did not stay in place. It ended up choking me when I tried to ride my bike with it. That I don't think it provided enough protection against shock and the rain.
My next bag was a Jansport messenger bag with a padded notebook compartment. This is almost totally waterproof and actually delivers good shock protection. I can ride my bike with it and know that if I should happen to wipe out my notebook has a much better chance of surviving the fall. My only real complaint about it is that it's red and gray design clashes a bit with my wardrobe.
On my desk I have a dish stand that i have been using to hold my notebook so it is level with my eye line when I use my USB keyboard and mouse. I might get a dedicated laptop stand but I wish I could actually try one first.
If you use a notebook it is absolutely essential that you get a good notebook bag that suits your hardware and style. If you go shopping for one make sure that you bring along your notebook so you can try out how easy it is to get in an out and to test how the weight is distributed on your body. My notebook is about 7.5 pounds and but it wider than typical notebooks. My friend Peter has his monstrously powerful Alienware notebook but it weighs in at 12 pounds. So he carry it around in sort of an airline case with wheels so he can be seen hauling it around like he is about to catch a flight. My girlfriend Kymberly's notebook is going to be a minuscule 4 pound 12 inch compact notebook. We are going to be shopping for a bag that will offer protection but not be to bulky. Also knowing her she would probably go for a pink or light lavender colored bag.
When it is time for me to get a new PC I am either going to get super light notebook like Kymberly's or opt for the top of the line Athlon 64M-powered eMachine M6809 notebook.
It makes sense that if you are going to spend a wad of cash on a notebook PC that you invest an notebook bag that protects and extends your enjoyment of it. The bags that I have my eye on are:
Chrome Sputnik
Chrome Metropolis
Timbuk2 Commute XL
Jansport T313
Jake at April 17, 2004 
Nerd
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Comments
As a user of the Timbuk2 Commuter bags for 3 years now, I have to say that I have been very satisfied with their product.
First of all, they are built like a rock. Mine has been abused, being carried with me almost every day, in just about every capacity (airplane/bus cargo, biking, trunks, you name it), and has shown no signs of wear whatsoever. The waterproofing is good enough for a hard bike in the rain, and their laptop sleeves are magnificent at almost 3/4 of an inch of high density foam padding.
But best of all, is the level of customization you have on your bag if you choose the "build it yourself" option. You'll be getting a bag that meets your personal tastes, and screams "you". Plus, you'll suddenly have an instant connection with anyone on the street you see that has a Timbuk2 bag; its a stange, but powerful connection...
Posted by: Ian Horner at April 17, 2004 9:16 PM
I love my Incase Laptop Sleeve.
http://www.incasedesigns.com/ (laptop site seems down :\)
Not the biggest of cases for extra peripherals and stuff, but definitely one of the slickest.
Posted by: nowak at April 17, 2004 9:58 PM
You should give the gravis bags a go. (http://www.burton.com)
Very stylish, packed with many little compartiments and a good deal of laptop protection.
Also, http://www.bagreview.com is a pretty helpfull site.
Posted by: Anner at April 18, 2004 12:05 AM
I'm all about the old school backpacks. I really enjoy my targus number. ( http://www.targus.com/us/product_details.asp?sku=TR601 )
Posted by: wuji at April 18, 2004 8:55 AM
I use Timbuk2 as well for my Dell Inspiron 8100.
As for my g/f's 2.3 lb sony vaio 10" laptop? We ended up buying a nice day-planner and ripping out the spine for a perfect fit of a case that offers a bunch of padding. She then keeps *that* in her Timbuk2 bag when she takes it places.
Posted by: Sean at April 19, 2004 1:53 PM
Being that you live in the Northwest and with our weather up here, you might want to take a look at these guys.
http://www.ortlieb.de/index_en.htm
They make all kinds of courier and messanger bags that are waterproof, as in they can float in a body of water and the contents stay dry.
Posted by: timm at April 20, 2004 8:13 AM
Man, I like Izzy's bag from Digimon. Shame about the Pineapple laptop, though. :p
Posted by: Matt at April 20, 2004 6:18 PM
Glad you've all got trendy bags... but having just graduated to a notebook, where the heck can I find a nice mini joystick to drop in my bag- my dirty great Saitek is all very well but too heavy to lug about, and flight sim is my main spare time thing... Please somebody, help!
Posted by: Martyn at January 4, 2006 1:37 PM
I would go with an logitech USB gamepad with a Playstation style analog stick rather than a traditional full size joystick if you wanted to be mobile with your gaming notebook.
http://www.logitech.com/index.cfm/products/details/US/EN,CRID=2225,CONTENTID=6951
Posted by: 8Bit Jake ![[TypeKey Profile Page]](http://www.8bitjoystick.com/nav-commenters.gif)
at January 4, 2006 10:59 PM
