Great quality backpack/briefcases at great price...

[AJMD429]

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I regularly went through a fabric 'briefcase' that I'd carry my laptop and paperwork in, at a rate of a little over one per year - straps would break, zippers fail, and they would generally fall apart.

The office supply stores sell such things anywhere from $75 to $200, and if you spend less than $120 or so, it seems the results are never good.

However my wife gave me one she'd liked but no longer used, and it was VERY well made and sturdy. I used it for four years and it is still in good shape except the shoulder strap attachments were fraying. And I really OVER-used it - carrying tons of charts and weight, and often attaching another bag to it by a caribener clip.

So I decided to get another one like it, and figured I'd be in for a three figure cost, maybe not even with a '1' as the first digit...

To my amazement, the bag cost less than $40. https://www.swissgear.com/wenger/wenger ... case-black



The company is 'Victorinox' - that makes the Swiss Army Knife, I guess... https://www.swissgear.com/wenger

So I ordered one, half-expecting to receive a counterfeit or generic one, explaining the good 'deal' I was getting.

However - it arrived, and it is sturdy and every bit as tough as the original, only with a better-designed shoulder strap.

I noticed they also make other light 'luggage' and briefcase/computer-case type stuff, as well as backpacks.

So I just thought I'd pass it along.

[jeepnik]

That's a very good price.

A bit more pricey but of very high quality are the bags from Maxexpedition. I have been using them for a long time and there gearslinger is an excellent laptop bag. Sadly they did discontinue one style I like.

The Fatboy. Sling bags easily carried and assortment of small tools, sample containers, gloves, etc. climbing caged ladders it was tucked nicely on my side and didn't get hung up.

[Jeff H]

I watch what my students carry - two or three textbooks, a tablet, snacks, notebooks, drinks, tools...

If it lasts through the three semesters I have them, it's a winner. I commented on a fella's "book-bag" a couple years ago, about how well it was holding up and that it was practical and sensible. Said student was a crusty maintenance mechanic working toward an apprenticeship and I'd not seen him in a couple years.

When I finished lab finals last semester and went to my office to turn off the computer one last time until "spring" (next week), I found that bag hanging on my office door handle with a note that he'd finished his classes for his apprenticeship and didn't need the bag any more. He reminded me in the note that he was "the guy who caught his beard on fire in the lab," which is another story.

Still looked in tip-top shape, no split seams, not tears, no real wear on it. Ironically, it was a Docker's brand messenger bag, but you just don't know until you've put them through the rigors or real life.

[Streetstar]

Had one of their laptop backpacks for a while now - looks like its this one

https://www.swissgear.com/wenger/wenger ... black-gray


Got it for maybe $40 at Sams Club - so probably a bit less than retail at that place

The darn thing is solid and i've been tempted to swap everything over from my Oakley "get home bag" as the SwissGEar is a lot more "gray man" and seems every bit as durable as the tacti-cool Oakley setup with more sensible pocket arrangements to boot

But regarding durability -- unless my dog gets ahold of it - ive been using a lot of OGIO products for years now for hard use large gear bags- havent killed one yet