Light weight computers and laptops are great to carry on the go because they can keep anyone who is traveling entertained and work can be completed in transit. This is a great advantage but the iPad also has to be carefully protected and guarded when it is being transported. The iPad does not close like other laptops so the screen has to be protected with an iPad case or cover. Every iPad has to be covered with a case or cover but iPad cases do not provide enough overall protection while the iPad is being used. The iPad that is covered with a case needs to also be transported inside some sort of a bag or tote. There are many different types of laptop and iPad carrying cases and bags but there is one type of bag that is very multifaceted and can be used by almost anyone because it meets so many specific needs.

Some people choose to carry the computer in a back pack or inside of a briefcase. People who are really on the go and use many modes of transit like walking, biking, trains, planes, and cars will get the most benefit out of a messenger bag. A messenger bag has one strap that is worn across the body and the bag either hangs at the side or the strap can be tightened up so the bag is secured at the back or front of the body. This bag keeps the iPad safe, protected and close to the body while in transit so the hands can be freed up to do other things. It is easy to ride a bike while carrying the iPad with an messenger bag because there are no bag handles to hold onto. When choosing a messenger bag for the iPad choose one with a bag size that is similar to the size of the iPad. If the bag size is too large the computer will float around inside of the bag and will have a better probability of being knocked around or banged up. The iPad should fit snugly inside the carrying portion of the bag.

I’m generally a huge fan of messenger bags for laptops and this is no exception. As small and light as an iPad is, you still do want to keep it safe in a well made iPad bag.

A pelican laptop overnight case - plenty of space and waterproof too

If there is anyone who knows a thing or two about getting wet and keeping sensitive equipment dry it is white-water kayakers and rafters. These guys get dumped under water all the time and even if they manage to stay upright are constantly drenched by spray from the surging waters on a raging river. Yet in many cases they have to keep stuff such as camera equipment bone dry. When I went down the rapids on the Zambezi river a few years back, two of the guides leading us down brought along camera equipment to shoot video footage and some still photographs of our party’s raft. They went ahead in small kayaks and shot the rapids before us, then quickly set up to get shots of us going through them.

And what did they use to keep their equipment safe? Pretty much the same thing that every serious outdoors sportsman and professional camera crew knows is the best when it comes to keeping expensive equipment safe; Pelican cases.

If you have ever looked at a Pelican case you will see just how tough they are. These things are made from really thick and heavy-duty plastic (technically they call it a resin) and they provide a level of protection that no laptop bag will ever give you. I have heard stories of people driving trucks over these cases without doing them any damage. It is not just that they are super strong that makes them so loved. More important is that they are really well engineered with great attention to detail. To stay really waterproof Pelican cases usually have an o-ring seal that runs all the way round the opening. They have special hinges that fold down flush for protection and latches that do not pop open when you drop them. You might also be able to use some sort of river rafting bag or similar if you wanted a soft waterproof laptop bag but it wouldn’t offer the same level of protection.

The most amazing bit comes down to how they are able to seal and be waterproof without being airtight. Just think about it. If you had a completely airtight case it would want to pop open from internal pressure if you took it up in an airplane. Worse yet, if you flew from a high altitude to a lower one the air pressure on the outside would be much higher than on the inside. A pound or so a square inch doesn’t sound like much, but multiply that over the surface area of a big case and you soon get to a force that you can not easily work against to open the case. Airplanes are similar. Even if some crazy tried to open the door in flight they would never be able to budge it against the higher pressure inside because the door has to open inwards before it opens outwards.

So what Pelican did was they gave their cases little air equalizing valves with a Gore-Tex seal. The little value lets air in or out but no water can pass through so your precious cargo stays dry as a bone.

The strange thing is that these cases have not really caught on among laptop users apart from those in specialized fields like the military or those who regularly work in hostile environments such as geologists and surveyors. But there is no reason why you should not use one of these as a waterproof laptop case on a daily basis. The Storm Laptop Case, for instance, will keep your laptop really secure. It is waterproof, dustproof, guaranteed for life and can be carried on to an airplane. These cases have foam fillings so you can drop them and they should protect your laptop from the shock. They are also lockable so unless someone walks off with the whole case, it is unlikely they will lift your laptop, especially since these cases are really difficult to break open when locked.  They are also big enough that if you had an iPad you could put it, along with all of your iPad accessories, in as well as your laptop.

Another option is their hardback case. These come in sizes that will fit anything from a compact notebook all the way up to a 17 inch computer. And they are just about completely crush-proof.

If that does not give you enough space, you might look a the Pelican laptop overnight case, which is about the maximum size you are allowed to carry on a plane in a strong crushproof and waterproof box. It has wheels so you don’t have to carry it all the time, stainless steel padlock protectors so you are almost walking around with a safe and padding to keep your computer protected from bumps and shocks. If I were James Bond, this is the case I would choose.

For the past couple of years, at least one small part of this little dance has been made easier. In 2008 the Transport Security Administration (TSA) set out some guidelines on a new group of laptop bags that were exempt from the normal rules. For those lucky enough to have a checkpoint friendly laptop bag, the bag need only be opened and put through the x-ray machine without having the laptop itself removed.

What makes a laptop bag checkpoint friendly?

The basic idea is that the bag has to be designed in such as way that the operators of the x-ray machines have a totally clear and unobstructed view of the laptop. They don’t want things like power cords and accessories obscuring the view. Nor do they want parts of the bag causing confusion, such as metal zippers or buckles or the like. A couple of examples are simple laptop sleeves, butterfly style bags that open up in two halves and so-called trifold bags that also unfold into a flat configuration.

To meet the requirements there should be nothing on the laptop section such as pockets or bits of metal that would interfere with the operators getting a clear look at the inside of your laptop.

Who makes checkpoint friendly laptop bags?

There is a long list of manufacturers that makes these bags. The TSA itself doesn’t actually approve any. It has just set out the guidelines that manufacturers follow. Quite a large number claim that their laptop bags are checkpoint friendly, but there is no independent verification of this. This is why it is essential that if you buy one, that you check that it really meets the requirements.

Some checkpoint friendly laptop bag reviews

Here are the names of a couple of bags that claim to meet the requirements.

• Skooba R101-101 Checkthrough Checkpoint-Friendly Laptop Bag: The Skooba is a really well priced bag that is designed to hold 15 inch laptops. It has a dedicated laptop compartment that folds flat and is see-through so that the security officers can clearly see there is nothing else in the compartment. It also has 20 other pockets and compartments scattered about including one that is accessible and designed to hold your tickets and passport. A lot of the internal pockets are made of mesh, so you can see at a glance what you’ve stowed in them (USB cable, flash drive, whatever). The downside is that it doesn’t have a huge amount of padding to protect your laptop and it is too big for everyday use.
• Targus Zip Through Corporate Traveller Case: This is a bag made by a really reputable laptop bag manufacturer. Who hasn’t had a Targus at least once in their lives? It also has a dedicated laptop area and the whole bag butterflies out for security. Its list price is lower than that of the Skooba, but depending on when you look it actually comes out more expensive sometimes because of the great deals that Amazon has on the Skooba. It also has a bunch of compartments but they aren’t mesh, so if you are looking for something small then you’ll have to open each one.

Checkpoint friendly backpacks

There are also a couple of checkpoint friendly backpacks out there such as the Case Logic Security Friendly Backpack. It also has a zipper that allows you to butterfly the backpack for security. The rest is pretty much a normal backpack, but it has given up some functionality to incorporate the security-friendly features so it probably has fewer usable internal compartments and dividers than you are used to.

What it looks like to the security operator

Here are some of my tips.

Travel only with hand baggage

This may seem a no-brainer, but you’d be surprised at how many times I see people arriving for a two-day business trip with a bag that they have to check. That is really unnecessary. If a small shoulder-slung bag is not big enough for your laptop and a change of clothes and toiletries then surely a little cabin-sized wheel-along is.

Rather carry one bigger piece of luggage than two small ones.

If you are using the network of low-cost airlines that fly in Europe such as Easyjet or Ryanair you have to be sure to have only one piece of baggage. Even if you have a small overnight bag and then a separate, equally compact laptop bag, then they will force you to check one of your bags. This is irritating in the extreme, and costly too since they will hit you with a charge for the checked-in luggage. So be sure to make a rule of only having one piece of luggage.

Use online check-in

This is another no-brainer. If you can check in and print a boarding pass at home, or send it to your phone, then there is absolutely no reason to ever stand in a check-in queue again. Just be sure you remember the two rules above about baggage and you’ll be fine.

Know the least-popular control points in the airports

Just knowing which control point to use at your airport can easily save you 10-15 minutes of time that would have been spent in queues. At Gatwick Airport, for instance, there are two levels. The control points at the ground floor always have huge long lines. The ones upstairs are almost deserted. The same is true for Schoenefeld Airport in Berlin. If the airport is one you’ve not used before just try to ask one of the staff or security staff. They are usually only too happy to tell you because they want the system to work efficiently too.

Prepare for the Security Checkpoint

Preparation for clearing security actually starts at home. Keep in mind one principle, that the easier you make it for them to decide you are safe to fly, the more pleasant your experience will be. Some of the things I have learned are to avoid travelling in Levi jeans or other similar ones with a lot of metal in the buttons. They always trip the metal detector and get you pulled over for a pat-down. The same is true with some pairs of shoes, watches and belt buckles. If you can eliminate those you reduce the chances of having to be checked by hand. Dump all of your change, keys, phones etc into your laptop bag before you get to the checkpoint. That way you are not held up, or holding others up at the metal detector. You also do not have to worry about forgetting your keys or phone in the plastic tray.

Be nice

The people who are screening you are only doing their jobs. And their job is to keep you safe. Now no matter how stupid it might seem for them to take away your contact lens solution or your bottle of water, they are doing it with the best of intentions so be nice and help make their jobs easier. The easier you make it for them the easier it is for you to breeze through and catch your flight.

Okay, so before we even get into an overview of the many, many kinds of computer cases that are out there, it behoves me to hold forth on the purpose of a these cases. Now that may also seem a pretty dumb thing to say, but just think about it for a second. Do you want something that will provide protection? If so, is it meant to just give light padding to stop your precious laptop from getting scuffed and marked in another bag? Is it meant to provide serious shock resistance so that your bag can be dropped from a reasonable height, say a desk, while still protecting its precious cargo? Is it meant to keep your laptop dry, or dust free, and under what circumstances?  Are you just worried about a little rains shower on your way to work, a drenching while river rafting down the Zambezi or protection from theft?
And do you want to wear it, carry it, sling it over a shoulder, hide it in another back? Am I boring you yet? Suffice to say, the reason there are no perfect laptop bags is that you will never find one to fit all of the ever changing circumstances of your busy and exciting life.
So if we give up on perfection, do we just have to resign ourselves to a search for the good enough laptop bag, the jack of all trades that will fit most circumstances? Or, as I have, do you end up owning a whole attic full of the damnable things?

To illustrate the point, why don’t you take a look at the category “laptop bags and cases” in Amazon.com. The top-sellers on the day I looked were (in order)

1. Case Logic Compact Portable Hard Drive Case (Black) by Case Logic
2. SwissGear SA1908 ScanSmart Backpack in Black by Swiss Gear
3. Case Logic LNEO-10 Ultraportable Neoprene Notebook Sleeve (Black) by Case Logic
4. Case Logic VHS-101 Portable Hard Drive Case (Black) by Case Logic
5. Case Logic VNC-17 17-inch Value Slimline Laptop Case (Black) by Case Logic

Just take a look at that list again. So we have a hard-drive case. Okay, I get that. Sometimes I want to carry my hard drive around without my computer. Then comes a backpack designed to go through airport security, an ultraportable, very thin little sleeve, another hard drive case and a run of the mill laptop case designed to carry a baby with a 17 inch screen. The point I’m trying to make is that there is no pattern here. People aren’t all going for the same kind of bag, because everyone has their own special preferences. This website is about trying to help you sift through all the thousands of laptop bags out there to find the one that work best for you. Welcome and read on.