Skooba R101-141 Checkthrough Laptop Backpack (Black) Review

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(More customer reviews)Summary of the product:
Pros
- Keep your laptop in your backpack at all times while going through security
- Innovative design lets you pick the backpack after security and move on fast
- Pouches and other compartments let you stay organized
- Lightweight
Cons
- No strap for carrying the backpack on top of your carry-on (strap available on their briefcase version: Skooba R101-101 Checkthrough Checkpoint-Friendly Laptop Bag (Black))
- shoulder straps not quite as comfortable as other brands
I bought this backpack last December, after looking for a "checkpoint friendly" backpack for a while. I previously had a Brenthaven backpack for my MacBook Pro 15", but having to take it out every time I go through security was starting to be a pain (I travel a lot). One of the reasons that made me pick this one was their innovative design on how it opens so that you can take it through security. Most of the other checkpoint-friendly backpacks open from the top, so that you can't carry it while it's open. The Skooba backpack lets you pick it right after it has been scanned and continue with your travel. The other reason was that they seemed to have designed the compartments just for the traveler, with a special place to put your plane tickets and/or passport, a clear plastic bag that you can take out, etc.
After using it for a while I can say that the backpack works as advertised, with some caveats. You can pick the backpack right away after it has gone through the x-ray machine, but you'll probably want to close it before actually wearing it, since it can feel strange to have the backpack exterior bouncing. This might be because I actually carry a lot of things in the front, like books, power adapters, external hard drives, etc. so your mileage may vary. The briefcase version has a strap that you can use to attach it to you carry-on handle, but this one doesn't. I know some backpacks include this kind of strap, and sometimes you just want to roll your stuff around. Also, the straps don't feel as comfortable as my previous backpack. I can't really pinpoint what the problem is, but they just feel different.
Overall I like this backpack, and it has definitely saved me some time going through security. I've been using backpacks to carry my laptop for quite a while, so I didn't think about the briefcase version, but if I had to buy one again, I might give the briefcase version a chance.

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Mobile Edge MESFMB ScanFast Messenger Bag (Black) Review

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(More customer reviews)I purchased this bag about six weeks ago. I thought since I travel every week, it would be a time and hassle saver going through security. It does, indeed, live up to their promise in that aspect.
A few weeks after I purchased it, one of the seams started to rip open. I was shocked, being that it was only 2 weeks old. Fortunely I was in Anaheim, CA on business and I went to the factory, direct. They were very nice and gave me a replacement bag. Again, a nice endorsement for the product.
The only issue is this; The latch points for the shoulder strap are a faulty design. If the strap gets twisted, and it does often during travel, the latch pops open and the bag goes crashing to the floor with all of your items, including your laptop, inside. This has happened three times in the last few weeks. My laptop was cosmetically damaged, but is still functional.
I have recently written to the company to see if there is a solution. If they come up with an acceptable fix, i would no doubt give this product a glowing 5 star review.
I guess we will see.

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Mobile Edge MESFBP ScanFast Backpack (Black) Review

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(More customer reviews)This is one of the very few TSA approved Laptop bags that allow you pass airport security quickly. You just open a zipper and the bag flaps open with one part holding the Laptop only and the other part holding whatever you put in the other compartments. It's easy to handle and saves indeed some hassle at the airport.
The downside of this bag is its inefficinet space use. It's a very large backpack (16 x 2 x 11.5 inches) and reserves unnecessarily ample space (about 16 x 1.5 x 11.5 inches) for the Laptop compartment. You are not allowed, however, to put anything else there, so a lot of space is lost. That's a pity because MobileEdge could have designed the Laptop compartment much slimmer which would have left more space for books, paper etc.
I also miss a strap at each side that support the zipper when your backpack is really stuffed.

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Skooba R101-151 Checkthrough Laptop Roller Case (Black) Review

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(More customer reviews)I used to carry a regular laptop bag on my shoulder and a roller bag when I went on business trips. But most of my trips are 1-2 days so I would have a roller bag that was almost empty and a laptop bag to lug around. Good luck finding overhead bin space on overcrowded planes these days. I really wanted a bag that could carry my laptop, accessories and a change of clothes...and was small and light enough for everyday use. I was about to get the Wenger Patriot. That is a really nice quality bag...probably one of the best out there. But there were two reasons why I didn't buy it:
1) The Patriot bag is fat. It won't easily fit under an airline seat.
2) The Patriot bag is heavy. It would be great for trips since it has room for 2-3 days of clothes but not for everyday use.
I was getting really frustrated finding something that fit my requirements. Then I sat next to a guy on the plane that had one of these babies. It is slim enough to fit under your seat. It is just a bit more than half the weight of the Patriot--you can feel the difference when you pick it up. It has a sophisticated and minimalist design. Not too flashy and very professional--I'm not embarrassed to take it into executive briefings.
The TSA Checkthrough feature is awesome. It saves me time on security lines. I put my laptop and power cable in that compartment and it goes right through with no issues.
A couple of concerns. One is that the clothing compartment really only can hold one change of clothes. I don't think you can do a 2 or 3 day trip with this bag alone. Another concern is that there aren't a lot of pockets; just a laptop compartment, an accessories compartment and a clothes compartment. I carry a lot of accessories (portable hard drives, chargers, business cards, etc) so I thought that I couldn't fit them all in. But this design actually turned out to be a positive. I bought two sandwich size boxes (I think it is Rubbermaid) and filled them with all my accessories and put them in the storage compartment next to the clothes section. It fits perfectly and I'm much more organized this way.
Still, it would be nice to have an outside pocket to throw keys, receipts, gum, etc. There is a pocket in the back but it is so tight, I could barely fit my boarding passes in there. For that reason alone, I deducted one star.
In summary, this is the perfect bag if you do a lot of overnight trips and need to carry a laptop. If you do 2-3 night trips and don't mind carrying a bulkier bag, then the Wenger is probably a better choice. I figured that I would use this for overnight trips but I still have my laptop bag and my roller case for longer trips. So this is the bag for me. I would buy it again.

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