Best way to carry MBP

another nod for Brenthaven here - they make very nice bags that have top-notch protection for your laptop. A little on the spendy side, but worth it IMHO.

I picked up One of these at the apple store, they are being clearanced. Very nice.

Hi BScotty - welcome to the Apple discussions.
I would not carry a Mac Book Pro in a backpack. Definitely do not let any pressure press upon the topside at all. I suggest a messenger type bag that hangs at your side, make sure it has ample padding in the computer compartment, and never put anything in that compartment with the computer.

Only time will tell if the internal parts have been compromised by the dent. You should now be especially careful not to let anything heavy sit on top of or press into the lid as the integrity has now been slightly compromised and the guts are closer to the surface than they were before. Don't freak out - chances are if it hasn't acted up yet and you are careful with it - it'll be fine.

I get a little paranoid with mine...so I treat it like a baby. I won't even lift it up with one hand. As a student on the go you are likely to bang yours around a bit. Look into the possibility of a third party extended warranty or insurance on your computer. The AppleCare first year and the extended warranties are very unforgiving regarding repairs on computers with visible external damage. Research the other options out there, or maybe someone else reading this can suggest one. My business insurance covers mine, so I haven't looked for one myself, but I have a few friends that have been really glad they had theirs covered when dog-cat-girlfriend-drunken friend-knocked one over.
just my thoughts.
sj

I agree with Sarah, I wouldn't put the MBP in a typical backpack. Mine gets carried on planes, trains, and on my bike so I have several types of bags depending on where I'm going and what I will be doing.

I use an Axio hard backpack for around the city and when I'm commuting on my bike. The MBP inside the Axio is kind of suspended, protected by the firm back and hard outer shell in case I fall, which happens occasionally. Other times I use a messenger bag but none I have tried actually provide much protection from pressure on the top and bottom of the computer, and I have tried all the well-known brands---but they are ok if you are careful. I just don't use them when riding my bike.

For air travel, I use the Booq Python backpack and the Vyper M2 or I use the Vyper M2 hard sleeve and a standard briefcase, depending on whether I need to bring two computers or not.

Any money spent on a sturdy bag is money well spent.

:))

The best bag that you can get for your MacBook Pro that will offer the greatest amount of protection is from Brenthaven.

http://www.brenthaven.com/

One of our ASC's here told us that a friend's MacBook survived a 50mph crash in a Brenthaven bag... guy forgot it on the top of his car and drove off... the laptop flew off on the highway and rolled. But surprisingly, with a severely damaged bag, the MacBook survived, fully intact.

I recommend the Crumpler School Hymn 15"
http://www.crumplerbags.com/Cart/index.php?catId=5

It has a soft padded interior with a hard plastic shell covered in leather look. It's a really stable and protective sleeve.

I also use the Crumpler Horseman
http://www.crumplerbags.com/Cart/index.php?catId=5
It's a really strong messenger bag with heaps of pockets and will last for years.

Akamas,

Thanks for the awesome suggestions. I was going with the Incase sleeves and one of their bags, the Apple Store, or Mobile Edge. Then when going through the sites I started thinking that my MBP will still have some damages even when it's in the sleeve and it won't help it from bending when I put it in a backpack or something. I really want Axio hardsleeves but they don't have it for the 17" MBP but the Booq sleeve offer a similar protection. But the products from Axio might change around the time I will buy my MBP. What sleeve do you use and where did you order your bags?

I use two sleeves that offer the protection I need, especially protection against bending. The heavy duty one is from Tom Bihn here:
http://www.tombihn.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&StoreCode=001&ProductCode=TB0390

The other sleeve I use is the Vyper M2 (for the 15.4 MBP) for all around use and which seems to offer pretty good protection from bending. You can find it here (for you it would be the Vyper XL2):
http://booqbags.com/s.nl;jsessionid=ac112b2a1f43df13c23863d0444b847aafd181d28683 .e3eSbNyQc3mLe34Pa38Ta38Lchj0?it=A&id=99

I have the Axio hardsleeve, and it is the same as the Vyper XL2 except for the foam interior---which actually makes very little difference in terms of protection. I don't use it because it is inconvenient to get the computer out of the sleeve---the Vyper lets you just lift it out.

For me, the bag itself is not as important as the sleeve---a good bag and a thin sleeve seem to be an invitation for damage. Whereas a good sleeve will protect the MBP in almost any bag---a good bag and a good sleeve are, of course, best.

That's what I use and am happy with. I'm sure everyone has their favorites. As I said before, in the last couple of years, I've had the chance to use almost all of the well-known brands, and these are what I ended up with as most appropriate for my needs.

:))

I e-mailed Axio if they are working on a 17" Hardsleeve and they said that it will be available around summer's end. I'll probably end up buying the a couple of sleeves to try out to see which one feels better. I'll check out that other site you posted. By the way how hard is the Viper sleeve exterior?

I have often wondered about this same question. I have a Powerbook G4 and I have been carrying it in a backpack every day for 2 years and never had a single problem. Am I really just lucky or is it kind of over dramatic to say that you should not carry around your laptop in a backpack?

The Vyper sleeve is a woven composite rigid material. It's the same material as the Axio hardsleeve, as far as I can tell.

To Daniel:
I guess you should do whatever works for you. If you like using a backpack and no sleeve, then do that--- I have no objection. 😉

I enjoy fly fishing, woodworking, biking and a variety of other hobbies that require special tools---my computer is simply a tool---and I take care of my tools.

I have often wondered about this same question. I
have a Powerbook G4 and I have been carrying it in a
backpack every day for 2 years and never had a single
problem. Am I really just lucky or is it kind of over
dramatic to say that you should not carry around your
laptop in a backpack?

I also do not understand the advice against backpacks. I have been carrying my PowerBook in a backpack daily for four years and it's running so well I've put off the MacBook Pro upgrade.

I sometimes walk for relatively long distances (compared to most people) with my laptop. I picked a backpack because when the laptop was in a shoulder bag, the middle of the bag (and the center of the laptop) would repetitively impact my hip as I walked, a force focused on the middle of the laptop. It was also an unbalanced load on the body. That seemed like a recipe for damage to both laptop and body.

In a backpack, the laptop's contact area is evenly distributed and dissipated across the entire back. There is potentially more oscillation in the vertical direction, aligned with the length of the laptop, but I see that as less stressful on the laptop.

There is still some repetitive impact between the laptop and the back, but if you use a backpack you should only use one with thick padding on the back. Mine has two vertical pads, so not only is there sufficient shock absorption, but there is a gap in the middle to vent body heat. It has to be a good backpack - the difference in comfort and protection between a good backpack and a minimal one is dramatic.

My PowerBook is now 7 months past the expiration of its 3-year AppleCare coverage and it still runs like new.

It is possible that what people are really concerned about is compression. In that sense, a laptop bag has no advantage over a backpack. If you overpack either, the laptop is compressed. If either bag is not full, the laptop is not under pressure. In fact, I would probably pick a backpack, because the laptop is furthest in and closest to the body, which means the other items in the backpack (heavy books, etc) are farther out in the pack, pulling it down and away from the body, actually drawing the force away from the laptop and not pressing on it.

The one danger with a heavy backpack is putting the pack on a table or chair on its back, with the laptop underneath everything. Don't do that - instead, stand the backpack on its bottom, which stands the laptop on its end so that it takes no pressure. Sometimes a filled backpack will topple forward, but that's perfect, because the laptop ends up on top of the pile, again avoiding the pressure.

I can see favoring a laptop bag if 90% of your laptop transportation is the 200 feet between the parking lot and the office building with the bag held in the hand, so there is not much opportunity for lateral impacts concentrated on the center of the laptop as there is when the bag is on the shoulder strap.

> I was wondering what the best way is to carry this delicate notebook so that nothing else happes to it.

My #1 criteria for a case was protection, so I bought a MacTruck

BScotty,

I have this and love it! No scratches on my MBP. Keeps the heat off of your lap too!

http://www.speckproducts.com/15mac-seethru.html

N8

Hi Akamas.
Thanks for the Booq tip. It seems to have great user reviews online and I bought one yesterday to help double protect while on vacation! Wish I could give you a "helpful" star!
Sarah