Computer Commuter
For computing commuters, laptop bags are not just about fashion. Here are a few that protect as well as they serve your style and your hardware.
Nineteen-eighty-nine was a watershed year: The Berlin wall fell, television wunderkind Seinfeld premiered, and Dwell’s beloved hometown, San Francisco, shook to its core. It is not altogether surprising, then, that in this time of revolution, innovation, and general upheaval Apple released its first laptop computer—the Macintosh Portable—inciting a sea change in personal computing. A Cro Magnon–like predecessor to the modern-day iBook, the Mac Portable delighted critics but was altogether underwhelming to consumers, who were perfectly content typing away on their bulky stationary word processors.
The problem with antecedent laptops like the Mac, the Osborne 1, and the Compaq Portable series was that each weighed between 16 and 30 pounds, making the prospect of portability seem about as convenient as slaying the Nemean Lion. (Their Herculean heft was due, in part, to lumpish lead acid batteries.) Today, laptops have become svelte and savvy, and are giving standard desktops a run for their money—the operative word, of course, being run, because nowadays people are working from everywhere and anywhere and they’re taking their computers with them.
But just as you wouldn’t strap a baby into the front seat of your car, you wouldn’t consider just any old briefcase fit to carry your electronic bundle of joy. Laptops require a hardy yet stylish satchel, an attaché worthy of a 1.65 GHz processor and 512 MB of RAM.
Of course, for every make and model of laptop, there are a hundred bags in which to house it. That’s why Dwell sought out Mark Frauenfelder, telecommuter extraordinaire and editor-in-chief of Make magazine, to help separate the wheat from the chaff. “I have a big thing about zippers being weak,” Frauenfelder says. “Once I was traveling and the zipper was stuck on my bag. I was pulling really hard and it broke, and my hand, which was in a fist, shot up and I punched myself in the nose.” Sage words of warning, yet something the average consumer might fail to consider despite having been foiled at least once by the duplicitous YKK. It seems Frauenfelder has experienced every foible known to digital travel; amateurs take heed.
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The Slim Cargo
Expert Opinion: The padding has more of a reinforced feeling than a pillowy feeling. I don’t have any idea how these would hold up in weather or in cleaning up stains, but I would be nervous to sit this down on the sidewalk or the road. If you are someone who’s really obsessive or neat, or if you’re just taking it from your home to the office, it’s probably fine.
What We Think: Employing fabric designs from the likes of Alexander Girard and the Eameses, Acme Made makes a nice-looking laptop case. The structural quality of the bags is sound, and this variation on Acme Made’s original Slim case makes room for more stuff, like a cell phone and iPod, in the front pocket. The Teflon-coated fabric adds an extra layer of protection from stains and water, and the closed cell foam and high-impact plastic will ensure your com-puter stays dry even if the exterior fabric is saturated.
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Warren Street Technical Nylon Bag
Expert Opinion: One thing I like about this is that you can just unzip the whole thing, so that it folds completely open. You could actually leave your laptop in it while you’re working on it; it gives you good access to everything. What I couldn’t stand, though, is there are these two little zipper pockets on the front, but there’s a flap covering them that makes it difficult to get in there. You have to force open the flap with your thumb and then still you can’t get all the way in.
What We Think: We couldn’t help but be attracted to this bag; the design is simple, functional, and stylish. While the padding is minimal compared to the other bags, we think that our laptops would be perfectly secure in day-to-day transport. The 100 percent nylon material is coated with Teflon and can be cleaned with a damp cloth, and with understated flourishes like interior contrasting colors, these bags are a handsome and practical choice.
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Buck Briefcase
Expert Opinion: This feels like it’s going to protect your computer: It’s got good padding and reinforcement on all the panels. The clip system is very well designed and supersolid. One of the really interesting features is the shoulder strap, which has a pocket that fits around your shoulder; once your shoulder is nestled inside the pocket, the bag is not going anywhere. I hate it when I bend down to pick up something and my bag slides off my shoulder. There’s also this little compartment that you can pull out—it’s a nylon bag with elastic around it—that acts as a little rain jacket for the bag. It looks like a giant shower cap.
What We Think: The quality of this design is reflected in the price; this is a well-constructed, straightforward bag. While it provides the utmost in protection and durability, some people might find the size and aesthetic to be a bit clunky. The cup on the shoulder strap ensures a snug fit, but it could present problems for people with narrow shoulders or a small frame. But if transporting your computer at all unnerves you, this bag will undoubtedly set your mind at ease.
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Marina Computer Bag
Expert Opinion: You can put this around your shoulder and it’s not going to slip. It has a waterproof bottom made of the same material as the shoulder strap; you could set it down and if the ground’s wet, it won’t soak through. The ballistic nylon shell looks like it could really stand up to serious abuse. I also like the way that it zips open wide so you can get in there and look at what you have. I don’t like those bags that just zip open a little way so that you’re just staring into this chasm and sort of fishing around. It probably has a bit of overkill on pockets.
What We Think: Timbuk2 has translated the craftsmanship of their messenger bags into a more urban design that looks something like a chic bowling bag. We feel confident that our laptops would be well protected, and we like all that extra room for files and cords and other accoutrements. The one caveat to this, and really all Timbuk2 designs, is the prominently displayed logo—we just don’t get the swirl.
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Fleur Tote
Expert Opinion: To me this looks cheap. The strap is too short for putting on your shoulder but then too long to carry. And there’s no way to adjust the straps either. I don’t know why they did that. The pockets are way deep down inside. The bag comes with a separate pull-out laptop case, but the bag itself doesn’t zip up, so it’s exposed to the elements or pilferers. I just don’t particularly like the design of it. It’s my least favorite.
What We Think: The program for One & Co.’s collaboration with Incase was to create a fashionable laptop case geared toward women; if there’s any truth to the adage “anything for fashion” then this bag will sell well. With compelling color choices like kelly green and pinstriped charcoal, the Fleur tote will undoubtedly accessorize better than a lot of other bags. We see this more as a day bag, not something to be used for serious travel.
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Loft Bag
Expert Opinion: This one is not too bad, but I just couldn’t get excited about it—I don’t know why. They attempt to make the strap nonslippery, but it’s not that good, and it’s got a cell phone holster, which I guess is okay, but I don’t really like it that much. It looks like it could hold a pretty good-size laptop, but as far as ease of use goes, it doesn’t match the Mandarina Duck. The zippers look really flimsy; they’re definite nose punchers.
What We Think: We’ve never been able to rally around cell phone holsters, but the padding is decent, and we like the capacious interior and the two size options. The oversize flap might hinder quick access, but it also provides a desirable extra layer of security. Placing the rectangle vertically creates a clean line, and makes the bag more conducive to traveling unencumbered in tight spaces.
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