Customer Reviews

Targus CityGear Los Angeles Top Load Case for 17 Inch Notebooks TCG417 (Black with Grey)

5 star:		(276)
4 star:		(80)
3 star:		(12)
2 star:		(4)
1 star:		(8)

 

 

Pros:
Good looking in all surroundings.
Protects my computer very well.
Well made and durable ..great zippers.
Very roomy but not bulky. ...Room for several good sized books, in addition to folders, DVD/CDs and all the laptop "paraphenalia" (adaptor, cords, mouse, etc.)
Even has a little netting/pocket that folds out large enough to carry a one liter bottle of (Dasani) water!
Easily works as a carry-on for travel.

Cons:
Not the lightest case I've picked up.
No "feet". Sits on ground and can get wet/stain when set on any surface that is even slightly wet or muddy.
Handle, while it is surprisingly comfortable, it is a velcro thingie holding two handles together. Velcro tends to show "age" by picking up hair, hay and stuff, and it tends to hold less.
Phone pocket looks a little "cheesy" with the yellow phone symbol on it. (But.. Hey! it's removable!)

My job requires me to go from semi-formal (college classrooms) to casual surroundings (a barn at a zoo), and my "office" is where-ever I can set up my laptop. I needed something that would look good, wear well and carry a lot of stuff.

I didn't need to carry a backpack full of stuff, nor did I want to look that informal. I think carrying a backpack looks silly if you're wearing a suit. I didn't want the hassle or expense of leather. I'm not an executive, I sure don't want to look like one.

I do have stuff to carry though, more than just the laptop. Most cases were either too small, or too big and bulky.

This is the ideal case for me. Carries my papers, a couple of books, my water, my phone (occasionally) ...and best of all, it takes very good care of my laptop.

For the occasional air traveler it works very well. It is easy to get the computer out for security checks and it has a strap that lets it attach to the handle of my rolling luggage. I don't have the bulk of a backpack to sling around, but it does have a pretty comfortable shoulder strap for when you have to go from one end of DFW to the other.

I highly recommend it.

After much research...I got this bag.

Pros:
Reasonably light (3 pounds empty I think).
Reasonably sized (not as slim as my old bag...which had no padding)
Has a removable Accessory bag for my mouse and power supply (pretty spacious!). This was THE feature I wanted.
Lots of pockets/places to store things, lots of room for documents, pens, accessories.
Suprisingly easy to carry, either by handle or strap...Oddly more so than my unpadded older case. I guess it might be the padded handle and padded sides. It's comfortable to carry around.

Cons:
No dedicated "slots" to hold my 802.11g card, I stick it in one of the secured pockets. No big deal especially since My new laptop will have built in wireless.
No space to hold a large (I mean large) book, normal books should fit easily (a bunch of them actually).
I don't use or carry CD Disks with me, so that feature is pretty useless..but I guess nice to have.

I needed a durable backpack for my notebook on my deployment in Iraq. I've been using it for over five months now. It has handle sandstorm and the harsh climate. I even modified to carry many of my military items including my rifle (hanging on the front d-rings). Thats an estimated weight of 50 lbs. and sometimes more. Not only I suggest this backpack but the whole entire line of Targus notebook bags since many of my co-workers actually have the same brand.

This bag is just great. I got it for my Inspiron 9300. I was very limited on bag choices because of the 17" widescreen. When I found this bag I just loved it. Sporty design, especially since most of the bags look too business oriented.

Everything fits perfectly in the bag. Its made very well and features a lot of different places to store your accessories. I can put just about anything I need in there. Including wireless mouse, power adapter, cds, cell phone, water, some games, and whatever else i can think of.

I would highly suggest this product. It comfortable and easy to put all your computer supplies in with a great look. Must buy for 17" screens!

I have been using this bag for a month now. I really like the padding inside the bag that protects the notebook. It also has enough space for me to carry a couple of text books (can take in more if required) and sall of my required handouts, so I dont have to carry another bag for my books. All in all agreat product

I bought this backpack 18 months ago and it has been perfect for my needs.

Here is the average load I pack:

1 bottle of water
1 cell phone
1 Axim X50v PDA, extra battery with extended battery and case.
GPS receiever with bluetooth transmitter
1 large (900+ page)full-sized text book
2 notebooks, 1 student guide
4 pencils, 3 pens
first aid kit (basic stuff only)
1 Texas Instrument Ti-89 calculator
1 small and 1 medium flashlight
$3.00 in coins
1 pocket sized am/fm/weather emergency radio
1 set of tool ID tags
1 set of gloves, scarf, ear muff
1 tightly-wound squall jacket
1 Leatherman multi-tool
1 pocket TV
1 set of AA batteries (4 pack)
1 headphone (the small kind)
1 pack of travel tissue
1 pack each of peanuts, crackers and chips

The pack with this load is a bit more than 1/2 full and is comfortably manageable. The load-bearing straps are designed well enough that the weight is balanced and it doesn't feel awkward as with cheaper backpacks. In fact, I generally just carry it on one shoulder and it doesn't slip like the other packs would.

The water bottle has never fallen out, and I carry this pack in some fairly physically active conditions.

It has seen weather...100 degrees to 17 degrees Fahrenheit. Lot's of rain, some snow, and it hasn't even began to show wear after 18 months. There are no torn corners, no unravelling threads, or worn spots. Amazing!
About 8 months ago I had a bottle of 7-Up in my pack and the lid wasn't on proper. A lot of the soft drink leaked out soaking the pocket of my pack that the bottle was in. The next-door pockets that had my notebooks, textbook, and calculator remained dry. I am not saying it is water-proof, but the pack certainly contained the damage. After drying out, that pocket where the accident happened was fine.

The one thing it could not handle was Sergeant peeing on it. It didn't come apart and doesn't show physical damage...but it smells. Sergeant is my dog, and I mistakenly left the pack on the floor after not paying enough attention to him (bless his heart) and he paid me back in spades. I am buying a new pack today, and some tennis balls to play catch with him.

The negatives about this backpack are few. One, it is a bit large for a locker. When the pack is 1/2 full (with the load described above) it will fit in a standard locker, but needs to be guided, as you can't just toss it in like with smaller packs. If you are packing a full-sized text-book and a laptop, you will have to take the text book out and put it in the bottom of the locker and set the pack on top.

It is very easy to put TOO much stuff in this pack. It has the room, and it is natural to want to use all of that room. It might seem trivial reading this, but really...you have to be conscience of the fact that you can pack too much.

I carried an ALICE pack in the USMC for 4 years and that was a tough, roomie pack. This pack compares extremely well for both endurance and roominess and is far more comfortable and smaller in size. That is why I give it 5 stars.

Since the minute that I decided I wanted to be a screenwriter, I've carried my laptop with me almost everywhere: to the office, on trips, you name it. I've gone through three laptops in the last five years, and it seems like I've burnt through at least ten bags.

I've had my Targus CityGear for almost a year now, and it's weathered so well, it almost looks brand new. The strap - usually the first thing to go on my bags - is comfortably padded and still as sturdy as the day I clipped it on. The bag itself is comfy to carry, roomy, and light (about 3 or 4 lbs. empty), until you start adding equipment, books and the usual filler. There's plenty of space for all that as well - there's probably enough room in the three major compartments that you could even pack a change of clothes and toiletries, and still have room for all of your other gear.

The removeable cell phone case is a nice touch, but has a tendency to get tangled with the shoulder strap because of the position it's mounted. The bag itself doesn't open up to use as a desktop, and the pockets are not exactly cord-friendly. But those are small gripes. Most importantly to me, my computer fits snugly and safely in the middle of the pack, with thick enough padding to keep my precious safe from all the bashing around I tend to give it.

All in all, a pretty nice computer case for a pretty decent price. It won't dazzle the neighbors or co-workers like an expensive leather case, but who cares? For practical purposes, this version of the Targus CityGear fits my needs to a T.

this is an excellent product. i havefound myself using it everday since ordering it. it has ample storage room, the computer area is well padded and the water bottle holder is a life saver. It seems very well made a durable. i would thouroughly recomend and would deffientrly buy it again if it was lost or stolen.

Contrary to what a few other reviewers complained about, the overall large size of the bag, I find this to be a definite plus. Not only the little laptop and all it's peripherals get lost in this bag but also the Garmin (my Quest fits neatly in the detachable cell phone case) with all it's attachments, several books and a change of clothes. The perfect overnight or carry on bag. And best of all, free with the purchase of the Lance Armstrong Edition laptop. The quality of the bag is topnotch. Lynn Stubblefield, Nashville, TN

If you have a widescreen laptop, or even a smaller one, this bag is for you. It has lots of pockets and places for everything! There is enough room for everything you might need to carry and the construction seems very good. I am very happy with my purchase and heartily recommend this bag!