Customer Reviews

Brenthaven Switch Satchel for iPad and Netbooks - HWY 99+Amsterdam (3661101)

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(7)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I have a Samsung NC10 and it came with just a cloth cover to protect it and I jumped at the chance to get this.

Like all the other reviewers I was very impressed with the overall build quality of the case. It has nice padding and should protect my netbook from bumps and bruises. I put the NC10 into its cloth cover and then insert it into this case and it fits well. The reversible flap is a nice idea but I could have done without it. It uses velcro and plastic hooks to secure the flap and eliminating them would have made things neater. I also wish the shoulder strap was removable but it is not.

My number one problem with this case is the lack of room for the power adapter. I could cram it in one of the pockets but it would be so tight against the netbook that I would be afraid that it would damage the netbook if there was any kind of impact to the adapter. The NC10 does not have a large power adapter either. So if you don't need to take your power adapter with you this is probably a near ideal case. If you need your power adapter and want to carry it in the same case as the netbook I would say look elsewhere.

I have had my Brenthaven Switch Satchel for about a month now, and I love everything about it but it's esthetics. I didn't want it for it's looks, but wouldn't have minded it being all black or even a dark blue. The one thing outside of esthetic considerations that I would change is to either put in more powerful magnets on the flaps, or change to velcro fastners. The magnets aren't powerful enough to hold the flap in a significant windstorm. All that aside, this is a great way to transport and protect my netbook at the same time. I wouldn't sweat dropping my netbook from 3 feet (which is probably a greater fall than it would experience when it is slung over my shoulder) to the ground. As other reviews point out, this bag has plenty of stowage for cables and other things nice to carry around with a netbook. I keep a Western Digital Passport external hard drive, and a USB cable for my cell phone as well a miscellaneous things I might need at work, and all with leftover space. I thought well enough of this satchel to recommend it to the father of a co-worker who is receiving a Netbook for Christmas this year. He was concerned about her having something in which to carry her Netbook. I told him that while this isn't the cheapest possibility, it is the one I would recommend for it's ability to transport and protect the Netbook against an accidental collision with the ground. I highly recommend this satchel to anyone in need of a safe means of transporting their Netbook.

This is my everyday iPad pack- love it and it doesn't look to Mursy -- totally dig it had it for months and it goes everywhere with me... actually get compliments on it--

Just perfect for my iPad. I checked several other cases designed specifically for the iPad and they were all too frail (no real protection). Padding on both sides gives good shock protection. I can also stow my iPod and other accessories conveniently.

I will rate this little messenger bag as a top choice product for anyone with a netbook (or a Kindle DX) that needs to travel. In addition to providing protection to the netbook itself, it comes with additional pockets, an adjustable shoulder strap and a 2-styles reversible flap. Of course, not everything is perfect. While the extra pockets do allow for bringing along the extra wires, thumb drives and so on, the Brenthaven has no provisions for carrying the netbook's DC adapter or 8.5"x11" papers unless folded. In addition, and this may not mean much to anyone else, I was a little unimpressed by some of Brenthaven's more strident 'zero impact' claims.


DESIGN AND QUALITY

Near 100% of this bag is high-quality, high resistance synthetic materials. So far, I was unable to identify any potential weak spots, prone to breaking or tearing. It can probably easily accommodate a multiple of the maximum weight anyone is ever likely to carry.

I liked the easily-adjustable but non-removable shoulder strap - it's really the only way you can carry your load. I was also a little surprised to see ONE handle on the back of the bag because I can't think of any situation where I would use it.

The bag looks quite stylish in a unisex way and the 2-style flap allows some flexibility in looks. Additional flaps are available at the Web side, if you are willing to pay almost as much for the 'extra' as you did for the whole bag. Most extra flaps are just different color and texture combinations but I did notice the G.I.Joe option that comes with a few extra pockets on the flap.


FUNCTIONALITY AND ERGONOMICS

The bag is 10.5" wide, 12.5" tall and about 2" thick. The above dimensions make it a perfect fit for most netbooks. The computer compartment comes with some VERY effective padding that should offer pretty good protection. The bottom pads are especially thick but the walls and corners come with some serious reinforcements too. These combined with the tight fit should make the Brenthaven product one of the better if not the best netbook case when it comes to protecting it from falls or other shocks.

The bag comes with a number of additional pocket. On the side covered by the flap, there is a zippered pocket that goes 2/3 the height of the body and an 'open' pocket with holders for 2 pens and what could be credit cards. On the opposite side, there is a Velcroed pocket that is not so easily accessible. Between these 3, one can carry along little wires, thumb drives, some papers but there is no room for a DC adapter or anything that's fragile other than the netbook itself. 8.5"x11"
papers must be 'squeezed' to fit in the open pocket but they won't fit in easily - European design?.

The bag is light enough to be a comfortable or tolerable load on the shoulder, even when loaded. However, the shoulder strap is NOT padded.


MARKETING CLAIMS

A card that comes with the bag claims that the bag has 'zero impact on the environment'. This is quite surprising for a bag that's nearly-100%, probably highly resistant to natural degradation plastic - and we all know where plastic comes from. It turns out that, if you register your purchase at their Web site and you provide some personal information, Brenthaven may buy some 'carbon credits'. Not clear why they won't buy them regardless and not clear how those credits would clean the air. Perhaps not having the bag 'Made in China' would have protected the environment better than buying some electronic credits and kept some of our fellow shoppers employed - surely, at this price, the bag could have been handmade in the US at a union shop and still be sold at a nice profit.

Another claim made is that there bag will have 'zero impact on your health' because the shoulder strap is padded - it is NOT - and because the handles distribute the weight across the entire hand - there are no handles, there's only one and it can't be used for anything practical.

Finally, there's a claim of 'zero impact' on the computer. As I stated already, this bag is VERY protective but I'm not sure what 'zero impact' means within this context. I surely hope that it won't harm my little netbook.


MY RATING

There are lots of things I like about this bag. It's very protective of my netbook, has a reasonable amount of extra pockets, it's light and it's made of high quality, strong materials. Not to mention the flippable flap.

On the 'not so cool' side, I would count the lack of storage for the AC adapter and the inability to accommodate 8.5"x11" paper. Had the bag been 1/4" wider this would not have been an issue.

In the end, I do like this bag because it delivers well on its main purpose - protect the netbook while being carried - and does it in style. I do not 'love' it because of the few shortcomings I noted and because I was a little surprised by the exaggerated marketing claims. The fair score for 'I like it' is 4 stars. My advice to Brenhaven: make it a little wider for the US version, fix the marketing, make it in the USA.

This really is a pretty bag and just the right size for my ASUS 10". The bag is well made and nicely padded. I feel it protects my netbook as well as larger bags with the convenience of the small size. There are several pockets inside for extras, like cables, cards and even a flat mini media player, though it is snug. I don't carry my power adapter because it's just too bulky and I'm afraid it puts too much pressure on the netbook, but it will fit.
Where the removable flap is nice; I use it for a lap pad when I have the netbook on my lap, and really rugged, padded and pretty. I find it a little difficult getting it on and off, but not so that I hesitate to take it off. My only complaint is that: if I choose to leave the flap off, to make the bag even smaller and lighter (since the flap has no pockets) I can't. The bag is unfinished under the flap. By that I mean, you can see only inside whitish lining and the inside pockets. It would have been nice if the exposed finishes were nice looking so that I could remove the flap and still have a nice looking bag.
All in all, it is way better than a foam, zipper pocket for the netbook and for the few extra dollars, offers a lot more options.

This case looks fantastic and fits my 10.1" Samsung netbook PERFECTLY -- I have no worries that it's being jostled or could get damaged. It's really perfect for my (or your) netbook.

My only quibble is that I like to use a mouse with my netbook and there really isn't any room for it. There are very convenient compartments for cell ohones and iPods and the like, but a mouse makes the whole package seem unbalanced. I think maybe my solution would be to get one of those extra-tiny notebook mouses (mice?), so take the loss of one star with a grain of salt. This is a wonderful case -- reversible, rain-repellent, and one that gives great peace of mind if you worry about your precious netbook the way I do mine!

The Brenthaven Switch Satchel is an impressive bag to carry your netbook in secure comfort. My 10" Samsung N120 fits perfectly inside the impressively padded main compartment. When I say impressive - I mean it. I would recommend this bag for those who commute and travel as it provides ideal protection for your computer. What it doesn't provide is good protection - or space - for your peripherals or cords. Your bluetooth mouse isn't likely to fit and while you can slip a slimline external CDROM or DVD Burner in the front pouch there really isn't any padding offered outside the main compartment. I often carry my Kindle around with my netbook and it won't fit in this case unless I remove the netbook entirely. While there are a couple of other stash pockets built into the bag they aren't designed to hold anything of much width and they don't offer any padded protection. Also, there is a key fob stitched into the front pocket.

The "switch" feature of the flap of this bag is easy to change though it has its own challenges. The clips can be hard to unfasten if the flap is set so the "brown" side is showing and the interior Velcro essentially makes the back "stash" pocket useless except for securing small items or a few sheets of paper that you don't need to access regularly. While the entire bag is water resistant, the black side of the flap would provide even greater protection than the brown side. If you're caught out in the rain, this bag will protect your gear. If you go swimming with it, your gear is toast. That's a reasonable expectation.

Personally, I'd use this bag as a "day" bag. If traveling I'd have to pack my peripherals in another bag (especially my power cords) but this bag would be convenient to take through airport security. It would also be great for those who ride a bike or ride the train as the bag is small and weatherproof but keeps your netbook within easy reach while providing impressive protection against being dropped, bumped or crushed.

With all of that said, I would like to point out that this bag may be ideal for Kindle owners. Even the Kindle DX should fit in this bag and I can't imagine a more rugged and durable environment for a fragile Kindle! I have decided not to deduct any stars for this bag because it is really quite versatile even given its small size. It should provide years of service with style and strength.

I have a netbook that doesn't leave my room (it's an ASUS ten inch). When I saw the photo of this product I thought it was completely made from the flexible material, but in fact that's just the reversible flap. There's a padded semi-rigid case that should look after your netbook very well.

The reversible cover is made with the kind of plug-in plastic locks that are on many portable cases. What Brenthaven has done is realized that this connection can be easily reversed, so you get a choice of two outside looks to your case. The rest of the case is made to a high standard, with a good strap and handle.

Since netbooks are built to a price, you're unlikely to get a good case with one. The Brenthaven is an excellent choice for protecting your investment, and what's even better is that it doesn't scream "I'm a netbook - steal me!"

I've been looking for a case for my ASUS 1000H for a few months now. Nothing I've seen locally has impressed me much- there aren't many cases sized for netbooks, and those that I found were cheaply made and overpriced. I didn't have particularly high hopes that the Brenthaven case would be any better, but I thought it was worth a try.

My first thought, on unpacking it, was that the construction was much better than I'd expected. It's constructed from heavy, solid fabrics, with stiff padding- the kind that will actually protect a netbook from the kinds of impacts it might receive being dragged around town. The reversible cover flap is made of a coated fabric and should easily protect the contents from rain and snow. Not bad. At first, I was annoyed that there wasn't a snap or clasp of some sort to secure the flap, but after carrying thge bag around I realized that the case used a hidden magnet to secure the loose end of the flap and keep it from flopping around. This isn't as fail-safe as an actual buckle (in case you forget to zip up the inside compartment) but it works well at what it's designed to do. And if you would be happier with an actual buckle, Brenthaven offers the same bag with the buckle option as well.

The bag has two large pockets, one inside the case, and a zippered one outside. The inside pocket has sleeves for pens and pencils and (it appears from the size) business cards, or perhaps an MP2 3 player. The outside pocket has a zipper closure, and no internal divisions. Both are fairly shallow, which brings up my only serious problem with this case: There really isn't enough room to carry all the accessories you'd want to carry with a netbook, like power supplies and cables. I can squeeze in the AC power supply, but it's a tight fit. I'm a bit concerned that I'd be sacrificing some of the protection offered by the padding if I packed the case that tight. As the 1000H will run as long as 9 hours, fully charged, this isn't a problem for many users, but the traveler will need a second bag.

Overall, this is an attractive, well-made bag that should suit the majority of netbook users.