You paid a lot of money for your laptop, and you expect that the laptop bag you also shelled out some decent green for is going to protect that bag. You (and your bag) may be in for a shock. According to a test conducted by Mobile Computing magazine (and reported in their August issue), only two bags, the Brenthaven and Tumi's Safecase, provided adequate protection from typical drop heights (29" and 40"). The Brenthaven tested best in the lot.

The Brenthaven isn't necessarily *more* stylish than other high-end bags. It's rather large and bulky when the center "expansion gusset" is unzipped to add 30% more space to the two main compartments of the bag. But it's still a very handsome piece of luggage. When I was a teen, I was obsessed with hiking and camping and could really appreciate well-designed and well-made gear. This bag has that kind of intelligence behind it.

So what do you get after forking over two hundred and twenty bucks?:

• A removable internal computer sleeve that houses the laptop. This lightly-padded case-within-a-case attaches to the inside of the computer compartment with a velcro strip. It has an internal piece of fabric suspended from the rigid sidewalls of the sleeve to create an air space in the bottom of the sleeve (with padding below that). Below the sleeve is another air space and another piece of padding on the case's floor. This double suspension/double padding/double air space system accounts for the winning performance in the Mobile Computing test. The removable sleeve is its own little laptop briefcase which can be used as such, or to stow your laptop in a larger piece of luggage.
• The organizer compartment is loaded with specialty pockets to handle Zip disks/CDs, floppies, cellphone, pens, business cards, etc. Most laptop bags have such an organizer, but this is the nicest one I've seen.
• A built-in two-divider file folder compartment.
• The shoulder strap attaches across the bag (from one side to the other, instead of between the two ends of the bag). This approach better distributes the weight and makes the bag more comfortable to carry, especially when fully loaded. The contoured foam shoulder pad sits on your shoulder better than other bags and has a non-slip underside that actually works.
• Everywhere you look on the Brenthaven, you see superior construction: oversized #10 self-repairing zippers, urethane-coated ballistic nylon fabric, five rows of stitching, and nylon binding tape that covers the stitching to protect it from abrasion.
• A roomy 17" x 11-1/2" x 6-1/2" bag that expands by two inches in thickness via the zipper expansion gullet.
• Lifetime guarantee.

I have only a few minor quibbles with the Brenthaven. The zipper on the computer compartment could zip down a little lower to allow easier access to the compartment for loading the laptop once it's in its sleeve. The heavy-duty zippers are sturdy and all, but they're also kind of tough to open and close. I assume this will get easier with use (or could be helped along with a little WD-40?). I always love it when bags have a ticket pocket on the outside. This little addition would make the Brenthaven close to perfection.

Yes, $220 is a lot to spend on a laptop bag, but what will you spend to repair a computer that's been damaged in a short fall from your shoulder or an airplane's overhead compartment? And if you're someone who needs to travel with a complete office (peripherals, cellphone, pager, etc.), you just can't beat the way the Brenthaven handles the gawd awful weight of such a digital Albatross. It's almost a pleasure to lug all this stuff around in such a cool bag. OK, *now* I've gone too far...

[BTW: The Kensington Sky Runner, which we've reviewed and recommended here on Street Tech, did not fare so well in Mobile Computing's report. Out of seven bags tested, it came in sixth in the drop tests. The worst bag was L.L.Bean's Sportsman's Computer Briefcase.]

- Gareth Branwyn [7/24/98]

Other computer bags reviewed on Street Tech:

• Sky Runner Computer Case
• Case Logic Digital Camera Bags
• Sky Runner Leather Computer Case
• Saddlebag Computer Case