Reader Q&A ~ MacBook Air carry bag

by Carry HQ, September 25, 2012

Wallets

Whenever you get a new computer you obviously want it to be well-protected. When you’re a professional woman who needs to carry her computer plus a few extras, a standard laptop bag isn’t going to cut it. One of our readers found herself in this situation and turned to us for a bit of carry advice…

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The Question

Hi guys,

I just bought a MacBook Air (with Windows in parallel because I’m still old school)… and need advice about bag products…

I want to be able to carry the MacBook around with me all day at an upcoming tradeshow – but I’ll also need to carry a couple of industrial products and makeup bag (doesn’t everyone!). And then there’s the accessories (USB superdrive and chargers and powercord)…

But I want it to look small and be sophisticated…

Is this an impossible ask?

Is there a bag on the market that is business-sympathetic with a shoulder strap that will fit the laptop but also have a big open space for bulky items – that isn’t bulky itself?

I looked on Carryology – but couldn’t find any advice about laptops…?

Cheers

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Our Response

Some quick thoughts:

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– If you get a felt sleeve for your MacBook (there are many options to choose from) you can slip it into any nice tote or shoulder bag without needing specialist padding or compartments.

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– For small shoulder bags we generally don’t like them being too square or structured, as they end up looking like a block banging against you.

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– Some fabric folds help tie a bag into your outfit better, with a softer silhouette helping it to visually integrate into your own outline.

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– More natural-looking fabrics will match more of your outfits, so we’d shy away from any ballistic nylon or basic polyester.

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Some options to check out:

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Tailfeather make something that is simple, but with a sleeve for your MacBook it would work. Consider the Hawkowl with the longer strap option:

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78% are relatively new out of Hong Kong, but have a great act and are nicely unisex:

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Hard Graft is pretty heavy on the leather, but can extend or fold over, which makes for a versatile bag:

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Côte&Ciel add a softer vibe to the small messenger, with folds that break up the form really well:

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Teddyfish are lovely and quirky, but a bit harder to track down. There are various size and vibe options to choose from:

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No doubt fellow readers have some bags in mind that would do the job so let us know in the comments if you have suggestions that would meet Jo’s needs…