When I was in the UK last month I picked up a Pro 15/17 Backpack Laptop Backpack from Brenthaven ($179). At the time I have avery specific and somewhat urgent need and that was to safely transfer the 17″ MacBook Pro down through Spain on the back of the Road King Classic. Without doubt the overrideing requirement was for something that was extremely robust and secure. In addition to the MacBook Pro the backpack was going to have a camera, camcorder, couple of phones, chargers, portable hard drive etc etc. It was going to be strapped onto the Road King Classic, yet at the same time I wanted to have access to some of the stuff without having to unstrap it every time. Oh yes, I really don’t like backpacks either!
So how did I find it?
A “hands-free” protective solution, with room for more than just your portable. This case is designed around the Brenthaven CORE, a unique protection compartment that cradles your computer and offers maximum defense from unexpected drops, bangs and bumps. The Pro 15/17 Backpack fits the MacBook Pro 15.4″ and MacBook Pro 17″. Designed specifically for Apple portables. $179
In a word …… brilliant!
Unpacked the backpack is light but feels reassuringly sturdy, especially the protected compartment which has a very neat section of padding that sits across the top of the MacBook Pro when you have slotted it snuggly into its protective case, and then zip it up. That said I have nearly lost this a couple of times so if I was going to suggest anything it would be to attach it to the backpack in some way with a length of retractable nylon (like you get on keyrings) so that it didn’t get forgotten as you pack everything.
The fact that the padded sleeve unclips and can be removed is neat, but to be honest I haven’t had any reason to use that feature, and nor do I expect to.
What I realy liked compared to other backpacks I have used was that it has a number of compartments at ‘different levels’, so not everything falls down to the bottom of the bag. The layout of the main compartment is very similar to any other that I have used, so if you have used a backpack before to carry your Laptop and like the layout then you will like the Brenthaven. The handy top compartment is …. handy and I am not saying that flipantly, it really is useful, and the bottom one at the front does a good and useful job. The ‘flap’ compartment at the front has a good layout and a nice padded mobile phone pocket.
At the en dof the day it is a backpack, so not my favourite type of bag, but it is growing on me! Partly because my right shoulder is messed up (possibly from years of carrying a heavy bag on the one shoulder no doubt), and partly because I am using the Fat Boy a lot more these days so it is turning out to be the bag that I use most days ……. who would have thought eh!
$179 is a lot of money, but so is replacing an iPhone, or MacBook Pro of Canon G9 Camera etc etc. If your budget allows and your technology means a lot to you then you should take a look at this bag.
Bag Features
Patent-pending CORE Protection System protects all 4 corners and 2 side panels.
Includes a foam insert that can be adjusted to fit Apple portable computers with screen sizes ranging from 15-17″.
Front organizer panel has multiple pockets for mouse, battery, USB flash, disks, etc.
Quick-access pocket for tickets and other important documents.
Combination compartment has a file organizer and multi-media storage section.
Rugged Ballistic Nylon that will keep your laptop bag looking good for years to come.
Ergonomic padded shoulder straps and handle that distributes weight comfortably.
Durable hardware , stress point reinforcements and coated oversized zippers.
The legendary Brenthaven Lifetime Guarantee!
Technical Specifications
Name: Apple Pro 15/17 Backpack
Model #: 2340
Weight & Volume: 3.75 lbs, 1965 cu in
External Dimensions: 14.75″ W x 20.5″ H x 6.5 ” D
Internal Dimensions: 10.75″ W x 15.5″ H x 1.75″ D (non adjustable CORE without cushion)