I have a backpack full of heavy stuff, and a laptop that I don't want to break. I have noticed an outline of the keyboard on the screen, so it's clear I have too much weight in the wrong places. There are several scenarios that might break the laptop and/or it's screen:
- Bending over while wearing the backpack.
- Setting the backpack down, and then it falling over.
- The weight pushing in the bottom side (as it sits in the backpack) of the laptop when I am carrying it.
The specifics of the laptop and bag are not substantially important, as solutions should be generic to apply to many different kinds of laptops and backpacks, and also to withstand the test of time.
The reasoning for lots of heavy stuff in the backpack can vary substantially, and is therefore also not important. For example, textbooks, auxiliary cables and equipment, bottles of water, tools, etc.
The most obvious answer might be "stop carrying so much stuff". However, that doesn't help if you've already removed as much stuff as possible from your bag.
I've thought of a few things that would help the situation, with wildly varying costs:
- Buy or build a semi-hard shell sleeve to put around the laptop before putting into the bag. These shells usually use the zipper as part of their structural support, and are therefore pretty soft.
- Buy a backpack with - or build a rigid compartment into - the backpack.
- Transplant the laptop into a similarly sized Toughbook case.
- Replace the bag with a harder laptop protection compartment
Requirements
- Solutions apply(ies) to many different laptops, bags, etc.
- Holds up to 40 - 50 lbs of weight
- Weighs less than 3 lbs
- Affordable: $50 or less
Nice to haves
- Low cost: $20 or less
- Color options, or other customizability
- Not made in China
- Extremely lightweight
