Customer Reviews: Read 23 more reviews...
 Excellent laptop backpack for those needing more space than your usual business traveler October 10, 2008
Eduardo Porras (Gainesville, FL)
This backpack is fantastic for a traveling engineer. It is probably a little big for the average business person but is perfect for anyone technical who also needs an array of cables, connectors, chargers, plus a digital camera, PSP, noise-canceling headphones.. you name it. I love all the various pockets this pack has and how much padding surrounds your laptop. Makes it easy to, essentially, just throw your laptop back in while in a rush (airport, client site, etc.).
 Nice backpack August 8, 2008
He who spends too much (Chicago)
PROS:
-It's large, relatively comfortable, with more pockets than a single person would likely ever need.
CONS:
-A rather "vanilla" appearance for a $100+ bag, though, I'm glad it was cheaper at Amazon because I wouldn't have paid what other online retailers were asking. I even had trouble justifying Amazon's price, but I needed a good, proven bag for my laptop and there aren't many in this price range.
ETC:
-I should have looked at the measurements before purchasing... it's gigantic. Somewhat awkward looking.
Great for Commuting on the Train August 5, 2008
myoho guy (Northern California USA)
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
I often travel on Amtrak and I used to have a messenger-style bag that I carried my PB G4 around in. I kept the laptop in a REI sleeve that fits the PB nicely. However, I have about a 1/2 hr walk to the train station and I soon found out how un-ergonomic my bag was for me. After trip to the chiropractor, I went in search of a good laptop backpack. I looked at some bags at a couple of stores and was disappointed at their lack of meaningful protection for the laptop. It seemed as though "style" had won out over practicality.
I found the Brenthaven on Amazon and hesitated because of the price and I wasn't sure if it would meet my needs. Anyway, I decided to take a chance. If it did fit the bill, it would be cheaper than a couple of visits to the chiropractor!
I've now been using the bag for 4 months and it's really proving itself to have been a wise purchase. I still use the REI laptop sleeve instead of the rigid sleeve that comes with the bag, mainly because I like it better and it fits in the bag perfectly.
Pros:
The bag is comfortable and the straps are easily tightened or loosened.
Lots of pockets and nooks and crannies to stow whatever you need for your commute (even enough room for a few clothes).
Finish quality is very good and the zippers work easily.
It's not a popular brand (like Targus), so it doesn't say to people on the street "expensive laptop inside"
Cons:
Only one so far (and this is minor) is that the pad that rests up against your back is some kind of material that really holds body heat and it gets pretty warm during a brisk forced march to the train station (in warm weather, of course). It's actually an item for the Pro column in cold weather!
I have not had the experience that a couple of other reviewers have had with their bags taking a header off an airport cart, but I can see where that would be an issue with this bag. The sleeve that I'm using would probably give a bit more protection in a fall like that, but I hope to not test that out anytime soon!
Overall, a very nice quality bag that fits my needs.
Best computer bag I've ever owned! July 22, 2008
Steven G. Black (Ft. Meade, MD USA)
This bag is a perfect fit for the MacBook Pros, both 15 and 17". There's a 2 inch cushion block that goes in the bottom for the 15", or comes out for the 17". It's comfortable to wear on your shoulder, and holds more than I have to put in it. I have the Macbook Pro 17', a mouse, a few cables, a few spare blank DVD-R's and CD-R's, my digital camera, spare memory cards, USB thumb drives, pens, power adapter for the computer, portable power strip, a couple magazines, etc. and I still have plenty of room for more stuff!
Very protective, but bulky backpack for your macbook pro July 18, 2008
Anson G. Gutierrez (Honolulu, HI)
I own a Macbook Pro 15" and wanted a bag to carry around my laptop. I will use the bag mostly for use from home to coffee shops, to the office, and occasionally traveling.
Some of my requirements for my bag were:
1. HIGH protection. I've seen ugly dents on other peoples macbooks, and didn't want that to happen to mine. (I guess that's one of the drawbacks of having an all metal exposed casing/chassis.)
2. Can carry my stuff when I work - iPod/harddrive, a couple of reference books, power cable, usb drive, papers, CDs, etc.
3. Looks professional (more of a want that a requirement.)
Because of these requirements, I almost immediately went to the Brenthaven line. I did a lot of research, and found that Brenthaven's CORE protection system is pretty good - even though there may be a design flaw for this particular backpack.
I wanted a messenger bag because I think they can carry more stuff, and they definitely look more professional than a backpack, however, I decided that carrying around a heavy laptop with some books and other junk would get really tiring, even with a well designed messenger bag.
I decided upon getting the pro 15-17 backpack. In retrospect, it might have also been a good idea to get an EDGE II carrying case and stick that in a TREK expandable backpack, but the pro 15-17 ended up being a blend of those two, so I went with it.
PROS:
The case is well designed, and doesn't look like anything will fall apart. The straps are well padded and look like they may even stand up to the added stress of using only one strap slung over the shoulder. (I've had other backpacks' straps tear at the top over time with repeated use, and this Brenthaven looks like it will be just fine.)
There are lots of usable pockets. There is the main padded and armored compartment for your laptop. There is a lot of padding and looks like it will keep your laptop safe in most falls. I feel totally comfortable dropping the backpack onto it's padded bottom from 18" high. There is a possible problem with the top of the laptop compartment, please see the "cons" section. There is a place to store some papers/folders/magazines in the same compartment.
Then there is the other main compartment which could probably swallow up another 17" laptop, although this compartment isn't padded.
The front compartment has a bunch of little built in pockets to organize smaller items like pens, iPods/iPhones, portable drives, cables, knick knacks, etc. There's also a built in key lanyard. There is also a dedicated power cable compartment on the front of this compartment.
There's are also little connection points on the straps and the side of the laptop to connect little phone clips, or other bags. Very cool if you want to add on to the carrying capacity or functionality of this bag.
The build quality and materials are top notch. The backing is well padded along with the straps, and carrying it for extended periods (1 hour standing around) hasn't brought any stress to me or the pack.
CONS:
The top of the laptop compartment is padded, but with a small piece of padding that looks like it's about half the size it needs to be in order to protect the laptop if the bag should tumble over onto the top of the backpack. I carefully try to fold that padding over and then zip up the compartment to hold the padding in place, but it still looks like you're gonna gamble if the bag should tumble over on to the top. Still, it's better protection than most bags I found.
The straps are adjustable, which is good. The straps are strapped to themselves which prevents the straps from falling off, which is good. Unfortunately, if you adjust the straps to a smaller size, the straps kinda hang loose a little. A little unpleasant aesthetically, but otherwise, doesn't bother me. :p (small nit pick.)
Overall a good all around carrying bag with high protection. Worth the money, but in retrospect, might get a sleeker protective sleeve (edge) and a larger carrying bag.
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