Best Checkpoint-Friendly Laptop Bag?

May 14, 2009 3:21 PM

Best Checkpoint-Friendly Laptop Bag?

Hello. I'm trying to answer the "what do you want for your Birthday question" and was hoping for some help finding a good Checkpoint-Friendly Laptop Bag.

My last laptop bag was this Belkin one strap bag (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000S5CY92) which I purchased because I was looking for a comfortable strap.
(The zipper broke recently, I don't know what I do to zippers. That makes 3 bags and one ski coat with broken zippers I need to get fixed)

My criteria are:
1- TSA Checkpoint friendly. I don't want to take my laptop out of the bag.
2- Comfortable strap and otherwise comfortable to carry. I strongly prefer a strap that is well padded and in one piece. As opposed to those crappy badly padded sleeves that move and twist all around the strap.
3- Must hold my Dell D620 (14 inch scree) but no be so big that it's unreasonable to occasionally travel with my Acer netbook.
4-Well organized pockets and components. A key clip is a great extra.
5- If it's a backpack it shouldn't look *too* kid like b/c I will take it into business meetings. But I'll sacrifice looks for comfort like I did with the Belkin backpack.
6- Price- I was thinking between $60-150.

I'll start with this bag: Skooba R101-101 (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001ET6P28) as a starting point. But I'm not sure on the strap. Any better ones out there?

posted by hokie409 to computers & internet (5 comments total)

Not your main question, but you mentioned that you don't know what to do with zippers. If you can find a good shoe-repair type place they can often fix or replace zippers - and shoe repair is an easy-ish thing to google or find in the phone book in your area.
posted by handful of rain at 3:26 PM on May 14

Thanks handful of rain. I actually called a dry cleaner that does alterations and they said they could fix them. But there is a shoe repair place within walking distance so I'll check them out as I've just been lazy about driving to get them fixed.
posted by hokie409 at 3:31 PM on May 14

How about Tom Bihn's Checkpoint Flyer?
posted by stefnet at 5:50 PM on May 14

I am obsessed with Waterfield's products. I have the medium Cozmo and a sleevecase, both of which I'm very happy with. I have carried my Cozmo every day for more than two years and it's still in great shape. They are very picky about details, including the comfy strap and sturdy zippers. I tend to kill zippers too and mine is still in perfect shape.

They have a number of bags for laptops. I lie the Cozmo because it sits flat on the floor when you put it down, rather than slumping over and collapsing.

Their sleevecases come in a whole bunch of different sizes and they will tell you which one fits your laptop. However, you can always put a smaller one in. I bought mine for my 14" Thinkpad, but it works fine with my 13" MacBook.
posted by radioamy at 6:19 PM on May 14

I have a Timbuk2 Commute bag that's not TSA-friendly, but I love this bag. I've gone all over the country (and the world, I guess) with it, and it's served me extremely well.

Timbuk2 has a decent collection of travel bags that I'm sure would serve you well.
posted by gchucky at 8:05 PM on May 14