Customer Reviews

Case Logic Security Friendly Laptop Backpack

5 star:		(35)
4 star:		(10)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

The only problem I have with this backpack is that it is a little dorky looking. Very plain looking, all black with matte silver zippers. Other then that, this is a great backpack!

As someone who lugs around a decent sized widescreen laptop, this is exactly the kind of laptop you would like to have. The rear portion of the backpack contains a padded area for you to store your laptop. Padded as to not damage the computer and to not cause you any discomfort also the lining of this pocket is soft as to not scratch any of the surfaces of your laptop.

The bag features a zipper that basically allows you to split the backpack in half and lay it down flat for scanning through the x-ray machine at airports. This of course is nice since you aren't pulling out your laptop and tossing it in one of those dirty gray bins and getting it scratched, etc..

The front half of the bag contains three other pockets, a smaller one on the front, a slightly larger one behind that which contains smaller pockets for pens, business cards and other small items, then you have one larger pocket which has room for things like power adapters, Cd's, etc..

A couple of other nice features:
The bag is designed to hold it's shape and stand up right when set down. The shoulder straps are padded and curved, making them very easy and comfortable to use. And a nice little touch the adjustable straps that normally dangle after you adjust them, these straps have nifty little Velcro pieces that allow you to roll them up and keep them from getting dirty when you have the bag on the ground or getting caught on stuff as you walk around.

Suffice to say, the bag may not be the coolest looking backpack out there, but you can tell that a lot of thought was put into it design, the designers remembered the little things that annoy you about backpacks that you wished you could fix. Glad I have it!

This is my second Case Logic "security friendly" piece of luggage, and like the CLCS-116 over-the-shoulder messenger type bag, the CLBS-116 backpack has a lot of nice features but seems to be missing a lot of the every day features you expect with most laptop bags.

Of the many laptop backpacks I've owned, the OGIO Metro Backpack and discontinued Samsonite Rafter are my top two favorite, so I use them as a baseline for comparison purposes. Compared to those two bags, this Case Logic is firmly planted on the "Spartan" side of the fence. It's very low on features, but what it does, it does well. Most of what I said in my Case Logic 16-Inch Full-Size Security Friendly Laptop Case (CLCS-116) can be repeated here for much of the pro's and con's carry through to this backpack model - with a few changes.

Pros:
- Non-laptop half of the bag has lots of good segmented and non-segmented compartments. Good for holding gadgets like Blackberries, phones, MP3 players, power cords, pens, books, etc...
- Small semi-hidden "wallet" hole for hiding cash.
- Zipper sliders are metal, not plastic (a big plus in my book). Zipper teeth are mostly plastic with the exception of the front zipper which is metal. All zippers on my bag pulled nice and smooth.
- Holds my 15.4" laptop like a champ - lots of padding, plenty of room.
- Put my Inspiron 1720 17" laptop in, just to see if it'd fit. "Kind of" would be a good description - the laptop fit, but only because I removed the battery (Dell laptops have gone to a configuration where the battery hangs off the back end). The 17" laptop is pushing at the seams of the compartment, so not a whole lot of padding left at the sides. Not bad for a backpack that advertises itself as a 16" laptop backpack.
- Secondary "stuff" pocket is full sized, extending wide enough to hold a hefty 3-4" phonebook-sized item.
- Relatively light for a backpack at 3lbs.
- Nice "pass-through" feature which lets you thread the pull bar of rolling luggage through allowing for piggy-backing of the pack.

Cons:
- No headphones hole - thought that was odd for Case Logic.
- Very little padding in non-laptop half of the case - careful with your gadgets!
- No side pockets, mostly because you have to open it up for the security screening.
- Not a whole lot of extension allowance - if your items don't fit, they won't fit. The stitch is stiff nylon so there's not a lot of give.
- The straps are attached by way of two Z-stitches at the top and a double-stitch to an extension at the bottom - if you overload your backpacks a lot like I do, these stitches probably won't last very long. However if you're just hauling a laptop, a book, and a few gadgets, this should last a lifetime.

Conclusion:
Since this backpack is a "Generation 1" of these security bags, I'm hoping that the future will bring more cost-effective and feature rich bags. The cost itself is probably prohibitive enough to bring this backpack out of the reach of most students, and honestly if the only benefit that you're getting is that you don't have to put the laptop in the scanning device, it's probably not enough for most people to purchase this backpack. However if you're the consultant type who takes semi-daily business trips, being able to fly through the security checkpoint with just your backpack and shoes removed is probably enough of an incentive to grab this bag. Plus the design is clean enough to look professional.

I regularly travel by airplane and I'm a student, so I decided to try the Case Logic security friendly laptop backpack. According to Case Logic, this backpack will get a person through security checkpoints quickly while fully protecting the laptop and sensitive documents. When approaching an X-ray machine, just unzip and lay flat on the conveyer belt. At the other end, just lift the handle and go.

On my most recent trip, I packed the bag with a 15.4" Dell Latitude D800, a couple school books, some papers, the usual laptop stuff, and some other junk; all together the bag weighed about 20 pounds. I also travel with a Tamrac Expedition 5 backpack containing a digital SLR, several lenses, filters and more resulting with a bag weighing about 20 pounds as well. Considering these two bags weigh the same, the camera bag with its waist strap and shoulder strap connector over the chest feels much lighter on the shoulders. The additional straps distribute the weight better, but would slow down the removal process. However Case Logic's luggage strap allows for carrying the backpack on your suitcase while strapped to the handle.

A lot of thought went into the construction and organizational properties of this laptop backpack Even though Case Logic indicates the plush laptop compartment will hold a 16" laptop, I was able to pack a 17" HP G70-246US comfortably without any zipper closure fuss; although the top corners could be identified. For screening purposes, nothing but the laptop should be stored in this section. The main storage area has a couple pockets to stash the cord and other accessories while allowing plenty of room for books and papers. The front compartment provides many pockets for organizing and includes a clip to hold a key ring. Plus a hidden passport storage compartment is placed between the two zippered halves.

The pre-screening security officer busily warned people to pull out their laptops, but I ignored him. I took the bag off my back, unzipped the two center zippers and laid the properly packed bag out flat on the conveyor belt. The bag passed inspection without any issues. On the other end, I grabbed the main handle and the bag went naturally back together for zipping even though I chose to do so later. Keep in mind, Case Logic warns "It is up to the discretion of the US Transportation Security Officer whether a laptop sleeve can pass without further screening." This by far was the easiest experience passing a laptop through security I can recall.

If you're looking for a laptop bag for traveling which can get you through security check points quickly and hassle free, strongly consider the Case Logic security friendly laptop backpack. The executive on the go would benefit the most, but even the occasional traveler could make use of this sturdy and effective laptop bag. Plus this bag is backed by a 25 year warranty.

PROS:
Sturdy and well constructed
Ample back padding
Manufactured for organization
Luggage strap

CONS:
Feels heavy on the shoulders

Caselogic's 16-Inch Security Friendly Laptop Backpack is a handsome-looking, sturdily built backpack that is designed for maximum convenience in and out of the airport, with a layout that is smart, efficient and accessible.

If I have one caveat with this backpack, it is that it cannot handle much weight before it inadvertently unzips down the middle, causing the backpack to split into two loosely-hanging sections that constantly swing apart from each other. This fast becomes extremely annoying; as a result, if you are going to be using this bag as something other than a laptop backpack or if you tend to travel heavy, I'd recommend you look elsewhere. However, if you tend to travel lightly, this is worth picking up... especially at Amazon.com's current price point.

I've been waiting for a TSA backpack that was more affordable and this is it. I have only traveled twice with it so far but am finding that it works for me. I have used it with two different laptops, no problems, and find that it has room for all the cords, gadgets, and other office stuff. It fit under the seat on a really small regional jet, too, leaving room in the overhead for some guy's coat.

I have tried four scan-through laptop backpacks:
- Case Logic 16-Inch Security-Friendly Laptop Backpack (CLBS-116)
- Skooba R101-141 Checkthrough Laptop Backpack (Black)
- Brenthaven 2095 ProStyle BP-XF for Notebooks up to 15.4 Inches (Black)
- Mobile Edge MESFBP ScanFast Backpack (Black)
and my prime choice is the Case Logic because it is very comfortable to carry and has ample space for other things.
All backpacks have a zipper that makes the backpack open like a butterfly with one "wing" containing the laptop and the other one other items such as cord, binders, papers... I was disappointed that the Mobile Edge and Brenthaven didn't really fit a lot of items in the other compartment although they are fairly large. The Skooba and Case Logic easily fit a fully stuffed 1.5" binder and a book. All backpacks seem sufficiently padded although none is padded a lot around the edge and the top, which might damage your laptop if the backpack falls on its top or sides. I usually have my 15.4" Macbook Pro in the Apple incase so I do not worry about that. I did not try it but all backpacks except the CaseLogic should easily fit a 17" Laptop although with an incase (like the ones from Apple) it might be a bit tight. I have no experience how well the larger backpacks (Skooba, Brenthaven, MobileEdge) fit under the seat in front of you on an airplane.
The CaseLogic and Skooba are particularly comfortable to carry, the Brenthaven is fine, but squeezed my neck a little (and I am not very tall or large) which might become uncomfortable if you carry it for a long time.

About the Case Logic in particular: I was positively surprised by how much other stuff this backpack holds. It looks smaller than comparable laptop backpacks, but it's a space miracle! It easily holds a stuffed 2" binder and some smaller items (power cord, calculator, ...). Yet, it remains comfortable to carry for longer periods even when I stuffed it with heavy items like paper/books/water bottle. Two additional features make this handy: You can easily attach it to the bars of a trolley if you don't feel like carrying it on your back and it is easier to fit under the seat in front of you on an airplane because it's not so big and not so rigid.
Slight downside is that the compartments are not so well-organised. I wish there was a small compartment for pens. Now I have to dig for them in the flat bag which is a little chaos of iPod, calculator, time clock card and other rubbish. Also there are no side pockets for bottles.
You can argue about appearance, but I find it somehow chic (my Japanese friend likes it ;-) ) and it is not as large as comparable laptop backpacks. So if you are a woman or smaller person and don't want to look dwarfed by a big box on your back this might be a good choice.

I travel frequently, but hate carrying my heavy laptop in a messenger bag, but don't like carrying a laptop-only bag. And then there's the "take it all out" routine at airport security which is awkward with any bag.

This bag is the first one I've found that finally addresses all of those issues. It's reinforced to carry laptops (unlike the messenger bag). It has room to carry other items, so it can be my "personal-item" airline carry-on (unlike the laptop bag). And with its split zippered TSA-approved design, my laptop stayed in the bag after going through security four times so far (3 different airports).

The pack is also unobtrusive in urban life (doesn't scream "I'm carrying a computer!!" like a laptop case does), and has some hipster-chicness; at least I didn't feel too silly-looking carrying this in various cities. Loaded up, it is a bit bulky and I've bumped people when wearing it, but that goes with the territory of a backpack.

I was able to carry my computer, various laptop accessories, papers, a DSLR, an extra SLR lens, a bottle of water, and some random bits of food without the bag feeling over-full.

This backpack addresses most of my concerns with the similar briefcase Caselogic product Case Logic 16-Inch Full-Size Security Friendly Laptop Case (CLCS-116) (that one had limited capacity, was awkward to carry full, and had less useful compartments).

Quibbles: The strap buckles could be redesigned to not move as readily -- I found with frequent use they often slipped to the longest position.

I use this bag every time I travel, and around town too. Highly recommended.

I loved the concept of this backpack and it worked really well when I went through the airports. However, I also used it every day to tote my laptop and papers to work and the strap broke after about 4 months. I'd look for something more sturdy.

Unlike other companies in this space, they don't stand behind their work. I bought mine for the features but when the zipper separated from the pack I was told I would have to pay to have it repaired because the warranty had expired. I've owned other packs that were repaired for free 5 years from the date of purchase so, buyer beware.

The Case Logic 16Inch TSA friendly laptop backpack is fantastic! It has 3 separate storage areas (laptop, center/paperwork, front/gadgets & pens) plus a zipper front panel for items such as receipts and boarding passes. The laptop compartment works great and is roomy, as there is enough space for my 15" Dell laptop plus the power supply when placed across the top of the laptop. There's two improvements that could be considered: 1) in the pens/pencils area there are 3 pre-stitched pockets about the width of credit cards but slightly deeper. It would have been better to to have at least one or more of these 3 larger-sized both width and depth (not necessarily length) because their capacity is fairly limited. 2) improve the side zippers that open the butterfly-like backpack for TSA screening frequently zip open themselves if you carry the backpack using only one shoulder strap.

In the center storage area, there is a front and back pocket that slightly expands so that many papers can be held. There is a half-height zippered pocket in-between the two pockets that is large enough for a rectangular mousepad. This wasn't described in the website marketing specs and was a pleasant surprise to find. The bag is tall enough that many times I can put my quart-size ziploc bag with the liquids that airlines require you to screen separately above the paperwork which is very convenient for space.

I've flown several airline trip legs with this bag and many TSA screeners aren't familiar that it's TSA compliant and tell me to take the laptop out. After I tell them it's TSA compliant, they usually don't persist but they do pat it down to check if there are any other pockets that would hinder x-ray viewing. But so far they've never sent it through a second x-ray screening or manual search process.

When fully loaded, the bag may barely fit under the plane seat for height, but not oversize by not very much which is good. If oversize it may be possible to turn the bag sideways under the seat so the top doesn't protrude into the foot walkway area inbetween seat rows. The width of the bag is just about the maximum possible and fit underneath an aisle seat when inserted bottom or top-first where the seat support leg frame is narrower than the middle seat's and that is good, too.

I pack quite a bit of papers, electronic cables, food, and the computer too. I am curious if the straps will ever break their stitching but for most people the bag should be very durable. I would consider buying this bag again if there ever was a need to do so and recommend it highly to others. It works better than the traditional briefcase-like single should-strap computer bags and really does have more space than I expected. I've flown for business since the 1980's and this is the best designed backpack bag I've ever seen - until now I've always decided against the style and had used the traditional shoulder strap briefcase-like bags. This backpack computer bag is a keeper.