As a user of a 17” MacBook Pro, I have searched far and wide for the perfect attaché case. I am quite demanding on what my cases look like and how they function. From the pockets and pouches to the straps and the carry handle, the overall fit, finish and function are all extremely important. I have used a wide variety of styles, and have been seeking the perfect mix of style, function and price. I’ve searched the wilds of eBay, the “one size fits all” PC sites, and have even trudged to some place called a “store” with my wife. The world seems stuck on the idea that everyone has a 15” laptop, which meant my results were limited. Sure, I found my “perfect” bag, but it was $400.00…so I continued my quest.
Messenger bags like the Jack Spade Tech Field Bag are nice—stylish and rugged. They have a timeless style about them that can go from college campus to the boardroom. The Matias Laptop Armor case takes me into battle; I feel like 007 as I travel with this case. This classic briefcase can take a beating and your Apple laptop will always come out of sleep shining. With a variety of pockets for files and a few accessories, it’s a great choice.
However, I have come to find I like handles as opposed to shoulder straps for carrying ease and lots of pockets for all my tech tools and accessories. While I dig the timeless style of messenger bags, the flip design gets in my way of accessing pockets. I love leather, and you can’t beat the look of a well-worn leather attaché, but the durability of ballistic nylon is hard to pass up.
After all that criteria and searching though, it turns out the perfect bag is at OWC! So my journey comes to an end with the Kensington Contour Pro 17” Notebook Carrying Case.
The fit is perfect—more pockets than I know what to do with and plenty of room for my iPhone and/or iPod, extra cables, power adapters, and even a spot for a portable hard drive. The handle is well designed and feels great. There is plenty of storage for files and the case suspends your laptop from harm’s way. A pocket for your passport or travel tickets is well placed and a side pocket will hold a water bottle, an umbrella or even a caffé latte under general carrying conditions.
Best of all? At under $100, the price is a steal for something with this much craftsmanship and functionality.
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My friends at work are asking me how much did I spend on my messenger bag and where did I buy it. I’m planning on getting a different one this week :)
I just received the Jack Spade Tech Field Bag. It is really well constructed and has well thought out interior and exterior compartments. I would have preferred velcro for the exterior compartments as I wouldn’t want to drag my iPhone over the open zipper.
The color of the bag is deeper/darker blue than shown in the photo and that suits me fine.
The sale price makes this bag a bargain if your looking for a stylish, high quality bag for your laptop. It is also going to cart my iPad along with the laptop on days I need both.
Don’t have a 17″, and I can understand those would be harder to ergonomically design, sort of like my wife’s 4 and a half foot art folio case….for me, I use a nice modest Crumpler Winston Fleece carry case for my MacBook Air.
People looking for laptop bags might also like those made by Tom Bihn — the Super Ego is pretty nice for 17″ laptops. It’s more than $100, but it’s also made in Port Angeles, WA, which is cool.
I use an ID with my 13″ laptop, and after five years it’s still quite solid.
I know you are trying to promote products you carry, but cases for 17″ laptops are hard to find.
A friend gave a Brenthaven backpack which not only handles my 17″ quite well, I can even carry along a 2nd 15″ laptop in it’s middle section when I need to.