LITTLE ROCK — A lot of people like to travel in the summer, but I prefer to travel in the fall. The weather is cooler, and the changing of the leaves makes for gorgeous drives and hikes.
Being a shutterbug, such travel usually means I’m hauling camera gear and either a tablet or laptop computer. The trick is finding the right carrying case for all that gear.
I happen to find a couple of backpacks this week designed to make travel with electronics easier and more secure.
The Pelican ProGear Urban Elite U100 laptop backpack is made to carry laptops up to 15 inches (up to 17 inches for Apple laptops) as well as tablet computers.
This is no ordinary backpack - this thing is built like a tank. The Elite is made to be crush proof and watertight.
The first thing you notice is the hard panel on the front. This front pocket can hold a tablet computer, such as an iPad or a Galaxy Tab, and the hard exterior panel and soft pad inside help protect the tablet from hits or bumps. The compartment also includes an organizer for pens, cell phones and other small objects.
The second compartment is half-size and includes a couple of pockets. The third compartment is one huge area from the top to the bottom of the backpack. It can hold all kinds of things, from electronics to clothes. The very back of the backpack also has a tall, albeit thin, compartment with a half-size pocket on the back wall.
It’s the next-to-last compartment that’s the biggie. It’s a hard-shell compartment surrounded by a waterproof O-ring and closed by a thick latch. The compartment holds pieces of foam that you stick to the inside to hold the laptop securely. The compartment is made to be waterproof to 3.3 feet, assuming the O-ring isn’t damaged in any way and the immersion doesn’t exceed 30 minutes. The shell is finished off with a thick, rubber-coated handle, in case you want to carry the backpack instead of wearing it.
The Pelican case is protective, but it is also heavy, weighing in at 9 pounds. That may not seem like much, but add a 7-pound laptop, a 1-pound tablet computer and various other gadgets, and suddenly you’re carrying 20 pounds on your back through long airport lines or longer hikes.
That leads to my biggest issue with the Pelican case - it’s uncomfortable. The straps fell in a weird place under my arms, no matter how I adjusted them, which made me sore. The weight pressed hard against the lower back, which meant it wasn’t long before my back was aching. It has padding on the back and is contoured to fit your back, but neither feature helped much.
Pelican has good intentions with the Elite, and I can see where it would be good for extreme conditions or lots of heavy airport travel. But its high price and heavy weight really make it a niche product. It’s definitely not for the average traveler.
The next product may fit that bill a little bit better and for a much smaller price.
The AirBac AirTech backpack also is made to hold a laptop, in this case up to 15 inches. Like the Pelican case, the AirTech has lots of compartments with smaller pockets and organizers. The exterior flap lifts to reveal a small compartment with a zip pocket. The next compartment has an organizer with mesh pockets and a spot for a cell phone. The third compartment is more spacious and includes a pocket for a tablet computer, which is cushioned against the last compartment. This compartment is tall enough to hold a laptop, and it’s protected not only by the several front compartments but also by what’s on the back.
The back of this backpack includes thick pads near the top of the shoulder straps and a compartment with an air bladder along the bottom. These are designed to put the weight of the backpack on the shoulders and upper rear, instead of on the back.
They work, and they work well. The AirTech is comfortable to use, and it really does a good job of taking the strain off the back. It weighs much less than the Pelican case, though it doesn’t include the waterproofing. The exterior is water-resistant, however, and thick padding within and around the backpack means you still get a good amount of protection. It isn’t as roomy as the Pelican case, but you can still get quite a bit in this backpack. It’s great for hiking and would be good for quick trips as well.
Whether you go for more protection or more comfort, either of these products can help you hit the road this fall and still keep your electronics safe and sound.
Melissa L. Jones can be reached via e-mail at [email protected].
Where it’s @
The Pelican ProGear Urban Elite U100 Laptop Backpack can hold laptops up to 15 inches, or 17 inches for the Apple Mac-Book Pro. The product retails for $299. The AirBac AirTech Backpack can hold a laptop up to 15 inches. The product retails for $89.99. More information on the Pelican is available at www.pelicanprogear.com. More information on the AirBac is available at airbac.com.
Business, Pages 21 on 11/05/2012