OWC blogger Benjamin says
that as a 17" MacBook Pro user, he's searched far and wide for the
perfect attaché case. He allows that he's quite demanding on
what his computer cases look like and function, with overall fit,
finish, and function are all extremely important. He's used a wide
variety of styles and has been seeking the perfect mix of style,
function, and price in the wilds of eBay, the "one size fits all" PC
sites, and even trudged to some place called a "store" with has
wife.
Benjamin observes that the world seems stuck on the idea that
everyone has a 15" laptop, which meant his results for the 17-incher
were limited. He says he found his "perfect" bag, but it cost $400, so
the quest continued.
Benjamin says that after all that criteria and
searching he found the perfect bag at employer OWC - the $77.99
Kensington
Contour Pro 17" Notebook Carrying Case, noting that "At under $100,
the price is a steal for something with this much craftsmanship and
functionality."
I haven't used the Kensington Contour Pro, but I'm a fan of
Kensington products (their SlimType
keyboard is at the top of my hit parade), which usually offer
excellent value for the money.
However, there are other excellent 17" MacBook/PowerBook cases, such
as the concededly more expensive but very stylish Waterfield
Racer-X that I toted my 17" PowerBook around in
for several years.
However, I'm somewhat partial to computer backpacks, especially for
longer jaunts than from-house-to-car-to-destination and vice-versa.
SLAPPA V2 Velocity Spyder Pro Laptop Backpack
The SLAPPA V2 Velocity Spyder Pro Laptop Backpack is the most
commodious laptop backpack that I've yet encountered, as well as having
excellent construction and materials quality, and yet it is still
surprisingly light.
The first thing that impresses you about it is its unique styling.
The second will likely be the sheer volume of capacity this bag
contains.
The V2 Spyder rivals even the large size
Waterfield Cargo computer bag (valise-type) for sheer interior volume
and can accommodate a 17-inch MacBook Pro or PowerBook with plenty of
room to spare, so we can safely say it will happily accommodate any
Apple notebook in its "Super Padded" soft jersey lined computer sleeve.
I have long arms and can make mine disappear up to the elbow in the
Spyder's internal computer sleeve, which features a padded security
flap with Velcro closure. (A smaller version for 15.4" laptops is also
available.)
This bag
features SLAPPA's patented CORE3 protection, which utilizes a thick
rubber exoskeleton plus hydro-repellant and puncture proof BuckBlast
suede plus Xtreme internal padding. CORE3 is SLAPPA's patented
protective triple-layer that provides unparalleled protection.
The
outermost layer is a molded rubber exoskeleton that provides protection
from bumps while also keeping the structural integrity of the bag,
layer #2 is the puncture-proof BuckBlast z-suede, and the inner layer
is Xtra thick shock padding.
BuckBlast suede is an extremely rugged PVC material that is
rain-proof and puncture-proof, providing secure protection for all your
gear when you're on the road. It is very easy to care for and can be
easily cleaned with water and a soft cloth.
But I'm getting ahead of myself. Starting at the outside front
and working our way in, the SLAPPA V2 Spyder's front panel with that
rubbery molded exoskeleton appliqué has a central pocket with a
vertical, double-zipper opening. As with all (save one) of the rest of
this bag's internal compartments, the pocket is lined with a
wonderfully soft jersey tricot fabric lining that will be very kind to
your computer and other stuff.
There are also two elastic-closure pockets flanking the front
panel.
Immediately behind the front panel pocket is the first of - count
'em - four full-depth gear compartments. This frontmost of the four
unzips on three sides with an internal zipper-closure pocket on the
backside of the front panel, another on the compartment's rear
bulkhead, plus Velcro-closure expander pockets and a handy swivel key
fob sewn to the case with nylon webbing. Oh yes, there are a couple of
pen/pencil sleeves as well.
The middle compartment has no zip or Velcro
closure pockets, and indeed just one small, open-net pocket toward the
bottom of the yawning cavern. This is the compartment for your largest,
bulkiest stuff, and there is plenty of space (and then some) to carry a
second laptop in there if necessary.
The third compartment has the previously described computer sleeve,
plus by another full-depth cave that looks bottomless. It really is a
long reach to the bottom. "Roomy" is not adequate to describe it.
And for good measure, there is yet one more full-depth compartment,
accessed in this case through a zipper closure at the top of the Spyder
Backpack's back panel. Unlike the others, this compartment is lined
with a stay cool inner lining for storing cold goods, rather than the
jersey fabric.
On the back outside panel is a foam
pad that contacts the small of your back - molded in the shape of
SLAPPA's stylized open-hand logo. Different and striking.
And we're not quite finished with pockets yet. There is one more
small external compartment that fastens to the front of the right-hand
shoulder strap and is sized to hold an iPod or cell phone. It has a
Velcro-closure flap that allows an iPod earphone cord to be connected
with the 'Pod in situ and the flap fastened. The pocket is lined with
soft jersey.
The shoulder straps are robust (rated for fifty pounds
pack weight), comfortably padded with foam, and faced with nylon mesh
on their contact surfaces. Oddly, there is no belly strap, but the
shoulder straps can be adjusted snugly, and the sheer length of the
backpack stabilizes it.
Another thoughtful touch is a carry handle with a rubber comfort
handgrip sewn to the top of the bag for easy one-handed carriage
without resorting to the shoulder straps.
The bag's zippers all have a
reassuring feel, and the metal zipper pull-tabs are generously-sized
and have both the look and feel of quality.
While my description probably makes the SLAPPA V2 Spyder Laptop
Backpack sound enormous and ungainly, it is actually surprisingly light
in weight at a modest 3.9 pounds, and it doesn't give the impression of
great bulk outside.
Overall, this backpack is an impressive piece of work, with the
flamboyance of its unusual styling balanced by its subdued charcoal
color. It is attractive and classy-looking without being garish or
overstated, and the quality of materials and workmanship appear to be
first rate.
At a list price of $109.99 (currently on sale for $99.99), the
SLAPPA V2 Spyder Laptop Backpack isn't cheap, but I've not encountered
anything quite like it. If you need a computer backpack that can
comfortably swallow a 15" notebook along with a lot of other gear, this
is one you should really have on your short list.
The Velocity Spyder Pro Laptop Backpack is available in Black Spyder
- Graphite Matrix and sells for $89.99 (15.4" version) and $99.99 (17"
version).
Rating: 3.5 out of 4.
Link: SLAPPA V2
Velocity Spyder Pro Laptop Backpack
Appendix: V2 Velocity Spyder Features
Patented CORE3 Protection
- (Molded rubber exoskeleton + puncture proof and hydro-repellant
BuckBlast material + Xtra-Dense internal padding)- Xtreme padded, comfort - collar backpack straps tested to 80
lb.
- Large padded inner laptop sleeve able to accommodate laptops with
screens up to 17"
- SLAPPA padded back support
- 4 large storage areas lined with scratch-proof soft jersey material
+ 1 large storage area with "stay cool" lining for drinks
-
- Super padded main pocket for laptop and papers
- 2 hard plastic runners on the outer bottom of laptop sleeve
section
- mid pocket with inner compartments for electronics and
accessories
- easy reach front pocket
- Rear pocket features stay cool inner lining to store cold
goods
- Removable phone/MP3 case with stainless steel belt clip
- Etched alloy zipper pullers with locking zipper heads and zipper
caps for tear protection
- Backpack dimensions (lying flat): 16" (w), 21"(h), 3.25"(d)
- Inner laptop sleeve dimensions: 14" (w), 16" (h), 2.5 " (d)
- Weight: 3.9 lb.
- Ideal for standard-sized laptops up to 17"
17" Outer Bag Dimensions: 15"(w) x 22"(h)
- Laptop Compartment Dimensions: 14"(w) x 16"(h) x 2.5"(d)
- Main Compartment Dimensions: 14"(w) x 20"(h) x 5"(d)
- Weight (empty): 4.5 lb.
15.4" Outer Bag Dimensions: 13"(w) x 21"(h)
- Laptop Compartment Dimensions: 12"(w) x 15"(h) x 2.5"(d)
- Main Compartment Dimensions: 12"(w) x 19"(h) x 5"(d)
- Weight (empty): 3.45 lb.
