http://www.the-gadgeteer.com/stm-laptop-backpack-review.html

http://www.tragerusa.com/catalog_main3.html

Something along similar lines is the Brain Bag from Tom Bihn.

I never used it myself, but I did buy a G4 LapDog from them (for a friend, I can't afford the computer that goes along with it). It is an notebook insert/hammock and the construction is superb, if the price isn't ($50 for an insert).The hammock structure is similar to that made famous by Tumi Safecase bags and has the same "snaps" as some of the Trager bags mentioned by a previous poster. There is another company, [url=http://www.brenthaven.com/]Brenthaven[/url/ that uses a snap in hammock model for their bags. Brenthaven sells their insert separately. Because Tumi's are integrated into the case, it is not separate.

BTW, Tom Bihn will replace the inserts in Trager bags with their own, which is especially useful if you have one of those beautiful Apple Powerbook Titanium G4s.

All three manufactures (Tumi, Brenthaven, and Trager) all get top reviews rather consistently on ability of the bags to withstand a drop as well as overall construction, etc. The only defects tend to be in weight and cost.

BTW, because hammock nature of the inserts, they don't fit in backpack style bags (exception is the Brain Bag mentioned above). They do fit quite nicely in a campus carryall.

The backpack I use is the ubiquitous Kensington notebook carryall/backpack. It's a bit flimsy by today's standards (skimping on protection given the cost of even the cheapest notebooks seems rather silly to me), but it does the job since I don't carry around a notebook since I bought a Palm. I suppose if someone nabbs it, they're going to be very disappointed to find no computer in it.

Thanks Julie for a great review and the lead to an excellent product!

Have a good one

Allen

All I can tell you is that the Inspiron 8000 fit fine. If your newer laptop is the same size, I don't think you'll have any problems.

Good Luck!

quote:

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I found that I didn't like the feel of the waist strap, so I tended to just let it hang loose. I wish there was a way to remove it besides cutting it off...

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I don't know if this was added since you wrote your review, or you just didn't notice it, but according to the website for the STM bag, there's a small pocket (maybe better to describe it as a channel?) along the bottom that allows you to hide the waist straps tucked inside.

One other question--the STM site notes that the padding is 25mm, which is nearly an inch thick. Is it really that thick all around, or just in certain areas, or does the foam start that thick and they compress it a bit? Not that super-thick padding is a bad thing, it's definitely a very good thing, but it had me curious.

I've been debating between getting this and a Pelican Protector 1470 (aka a big super beefy hard case) for my new Sony VAIO, since I work as a sound engineer and will be touring with a musical across the US from December through May, and was not happy with my old case (ye olde Kensington Saddlebag [which used to not look like a computer bag, but is way too common now]).

I'm leaning towards the STM now, but it's been a hard call. On the one hand, the backpack is more convenient since I'll be in an airport on average of once a week for five months; on the other hand, the Pelican case is more forgiving when I'm running around and forget to pay attention to how gently I put it down, at the cost of: A)being notably heavier, and B)not being able to be carried on my back.

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