Buying Laptop Bags Online

Laptop bags may not seem something to get too excited about, but when you are lugging a laptop around all day or are a frequent business traveller then your choice of laptop bag can become really, really important. Get the wrong one and you may hurt your bag, spend the day being uncomfortable, not have enough space for all of your documents and a clean shirt for a short business trip or any other of a myriad of inconveniences. The right laptop bag, on the other hand, really can make a huge difference to your ability to get around quickly and effortlessly while still protecting your important data.

Okay, that sounds a bit weird. But I do have an approach that I have developed after lots of trial and error that seems to work for most circumstances. But before I get into it I'll run through some of the essential requirements that I expect of a laptop bag. For me an ideal bag:

• looks smart and stylish enough for me to go to meetings with very corporate people without looking out of place
• is not so overly smart that I look like a right idiot if I manage to ditch the work attire and head down to a bar for a drink with friends in the evening
• is comfortable enough when worn over the shoulder for day-long carrying
• has enough space in it for documents and reports
• is expandable enough so that I can slip in a clean shirt, my toiletries and clean underwear so that when I go on short overnight business trips I can still get away with just a single bag
• has enough space in organised compartments so that I can stash my phone, a couple of USB flash drives, my voice recorder, iPod, keys and coins - so that I can pass through an airport checkpoint with all my stuff in my bag instead of my pockets
• opens up easily and quickly so I can display my laptop to the x-ray people at airports
• has enough padding to really protect my computer from daily bumps and drops up to and including the possibility that it will be dropped from about desk height
• finally it has to wear snugly enough on my back so that I can cycle to work.

That is a pretty long and demanding list of requirements that I set. I've been through all kinds of laptop bags and rucksacks over the years and have finally settled on a generously sized laptop messenger bag as my ideal sort of laptop bag. Since messenger bags have become quite stylish in recent years, there is no problem with me taking it to meetings or the bar. Most important for me is that it gives me a combination of space for my stuff in a package that is convenient and comfortable to wear across the shoulder. This allows me to cycle to work and carry quite heavy loads all day. Mine is made of some sort of Cordura type manmade fabric but one could either go way upmarket and spend a lot on a leather messenger bag or go for a cheaper canvas bag. I think the middle of the road is most sensible for my needs as I have a reasonably priced product that should still give a good few years of service.

More recently I have to find a iPad messenger bag. There is a nice range of small bags out there. As useful are TSA approved laptop bags, which can speed my transit through the airport security checkpoint by obviating the need for me to remove my laptop from its bag. Now I'm just waiting for someone to come up with checkpoing friendly iPad bag and I will be happy as Larry.

This is a real bestseller and is popular mainly because of its really reasonable price and the fact that it is so compact. It is just a step above a sleeve in terms of size but offers the convenience of a proper carry handle.

The Swiss Gear Laptop Backpack is another really popular bag. It is made by the same guys who make the Swiss Army knife, so you know it is a quality product. It will hold 15inch laptops in a padded sleeve and is comfortable for all-day carry.

This is a compact and really well priced little bag to carry small netbooks. it also has loads of room to store extra stuff like external drives and the like.

A small bag is great if you just have a little 10inch netbook. The truth is you can almost carry those things in a pocket anyhow. But when you have a monster-sized 17inch laptop you need a bag to go along with it. This is a reasonably priced big bag to fit really big-screen laptops. It gets rave reviews for its big storage space and excellent padding as well as the number of pockets it provides for extra storage.