dgparent

I need it for my laptop obviously + paperwork, tablet assorted cables etc etc I was looking at the one below and thought I would ask on here 1st

hachkc

Hard to answer without some more details like:

1. Budget (<$100, $100-200, etc)
2. Laptop details (type, size, etc)
3. Preferred style (briefcase, messenger bag, backpack, tactical vs casual vs professional, color preferences, etc)
4. Specific needs (TSA foldout, water resistance, convertible style, lots of organization, lots of external pockets, etc)

I have a Lenovo W530 which is hard to find cases that'll fit it while cases for Mac Book Pros are all over the place.

I have several Timbuk2 messengers and backpacks which I like a lot, the quality is good and price tends to be between $100-150. I'd say most of their bags are casual which work fine in most professional settings also. Tumi on the other hand has a lot of nice bags, probably can't find many for under $200 and most are probably over $300 but tend to be very professional and won't look out of place in any boardroom. The STM bag you linked is generally considered a solid bag with a good reputation but I've never used them.

argon31pf

Why not try the eBags Downloader? The reason I'm recommending this is because eBags really went out of their way to give excellent laptop protection. The laptop sleeve is padded in five sides PLUS there is a special inch-thick foam padding at the bottom - really good if you want maximum shock protection for your laptop.

Andean

I have two laptop bags - a Crumpler (large, nylon, robust, waterproof) and a Kenneth Cole expandable (smaller, leather, black, slick). They both fit a Thinkpad T410s with ease, and take a book, a pad (A4), some papers and hard drive/mouse/presenter/ mains adaptor essentials. The Crumpler holds more, is better protected, but unless you can find a black/dark one, not very professional looking. The KC bag looks a lot like a briefcase/satchel, but is less padded than the Crumpler and padding is solely around the laptop compartment (Crumpler used to do two lines, one with a padded front compartment and one with solely laptop padding, I have the more padded version). In general the more padded/rigid, the less stuff you will fit in the same size bag. So if you are reasonably careful, I think getting a bag with just some padding around the laptop is best, the other stuff you cram in may also add to the protection/rigidity.

adambadam

Welcome to FT!

Letitride3c

STM bags are well built, well padded with good all around protection, typically "thicker" foam sized closely to the laptop sizes (XS,S,M,L & XL) - I have 2 slim ones & they are good - room for charges, cables, accessories, tablet & smartphone with space for folders & pens, etc. except that I don't use them too often these days ... stuffed it carefully & I can put my wallet, BP & LED flashlight & keys in there too, going thru checkpoints & security screening, etc. Except, there's no space left for a packing cube, not even a slim or half-size ones - a change of clothing overnight/next day and the 3-1-1 bag.

Timbuk2 has some good messenger & laptop bags too, lifetime warranty & excellent customer service - check them online as some of the newest ones are pretty business like if you choose the color/trim setup carefully - buy it when it's on sale (sometimes, you can find VG deals on eBay - brand new)

For ground or local travel, I still sometimes use my 20+ years old Coach Beekman leather briefcase, it's a classic & laptop/sleeve dropped right in, accessories pouch & another slim pouch help keep other contents together, with room for folders & tablets, etc. Otherwise, I prefer to use one in the vertical format, easily to walk down those aisles and even while riding trains & buses, etc.

One of my favorite is eBags eTech 2.0 Macroloader Backpack - it's "bigger" or deeper than the one mentioned above "Downloader" Backpack, with a lockable & separate zippered compartment for laptops up to 17" - main compartment sized for a EC medium packing cube (1 - 2 nights of clothing essentials) plus accessory pouches, etc. - currently not available (discontinued or a newer one coming soon ???) http://www.ebags.com/product/ebags/e...ackpack/245854 - paid less than $50 shipped on a sale. Shoulder straps could be a little wider and the side pocket for the water bottle isn't as deep as it should/need to be ... I use it to keep my in-ear headset, eye shades & charger/cables for quick access.

Also have High Sierra, SwissGear & NorthFace backpacks in the collection - lots of zippered pockets, hooks & straps - nice & fancy in looks but, more often than not - I rather stick with a slim & trim one and keeping most of them into a few "compartments". Two of them used to pack standby "emergency" travel gears - 1 in the house & 2nd. one always in the SUV.

Lay out all the contents you plan to carry & take on trips, and try to visualize how everything will fit and get packed into your "ideal" laptop bag - then, start shopping around, maybe go checkout your nearest luggage store in person. Happy shopping !

dgparent

Thanks for all the suggestions I will be sure to check them all out !

I prefer a shoulder bag one that will slide over the pull out on my carry on bag. It should look somewhat professional but not over the top - I do installations/software configurations in Hospitals, County offices etc all over the country.

All my trips are 4-5 days so I use a carry on and do not need to stuff anything in the laptop bag except paperwork, a 15" laptop, the assorted cables - mouse - my tablet small one - a couple of chargers and my MP3 player for my beloved audiobooks. My budget is up to about 150 I don't see a need to spend anymore than that

shuigao

I've been using cote et ciel messenger laptop bags for years. I like how they're quite stylish and not too stuffy, while yet being suitably classy to match office attire.

enzocici

How about this one? https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01MXRY6C5

EditingFX

For thinner laptops, this bag is functional and beautiful. I wanted leather, but quickly realized that if you want dividers, pockets, etc, synthetics work better. The Cargo mixes both, and is the cornerstone of SF Bags. Not cheap at $350, but what the heck.

phunc

Did you get the grizzly or chocolate leather? I'm trying to figure out which out of those two to get.

GadgetFreak

I have two SF Bags Cargo messengers of their older model. One is the large with leather trim, similar to the one shown above the other is the small size, without the leather trim. I don't think they make the small size anymore. Both are fantastic bags in my experience with super high quality.

EditingFX

If you want the leather to show natural wear/scuffs, go for the Grizz - by sugestion of SF Bags rep, and in hindsight, I agreed. Love the Grizz. If you like darker, less wear marks, the Choco.

But I did find the laptop pocket a tight fit even with my old MacBookPro 15" (2012 model). Which ain't thick. Now that I've got the new MBP 15", it's an easy fit. I even wrote back to SF Bags with this comment that the bag should be about 1/2" longer. Point being, if you use a thick laptop, be prepared to return it.

Other than that, I think it's the bomb. ZERO buyer remorse.

OP mentioned cables - I'd get one of these, they're great keeping the damn things from tangling up with everything else:

comptr

Stm Bags are quite good and they have a good warranty so, if something breaks they will fix it or replace it. I would also look at the Think Tank Photo Laptop Bag its a nice Laptop Bag.

dajdavies

Another vote for STM Bags - I've got a Velo 1 messenger bag, and a Aero backpack (messenger for daily use, backpack for travel / conferences)

I use a triple pocket pencil case to keep all the cables / dongles etc. tidy - http://amzn.to/2l38tRH