Reasonable compromise, bargain price - Kensington Skyrunner Contour Slim
Written: Mar 20 '04 (Updated Mar 21 '04)
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Superb protection, good capacity, great design, reasonable price.
Cons: Minimalists will think it's too big. Packrats will wish for more.
The Bottom Line: Great midsized bag. Might not be big enough for Wintel machines with their huge power supplies. Super protection. Comfortable.
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| pilotpat's Full Review: Kensington SkyRunner Contour Laptop Carrying Case ... |
Background
One of the reasons I bought a 12" iBook was that I wanted a truly portable computer, unlike the monstrous Gateway Wintel machine I've been lugging around the world from my office. It just didn't make sense to buy such a tiny machine and continue using a full-size notebook case. On the other hand, I didn't want to go so minimalist that I couldn't bring the accessories I need when I travel. I also wanted a bag that provided significant protection of a pretty costly investment. After looking at a good selection of notebook cases, I settled on the Kensington Skyrunner Contour Slim as a good medium between the competing priorities of portability, capacity, protection, and cost.
Though the Contour Slim retails for about $70, I found it for $38 at buy.com, with free shipping.
The Basics - Features, Construction, etc
The Contour comes in the standard Henry Ford color palette - black. It's made of a medium-heavyweight ballistic nylon, with sturdy zipper pulltabs and hardware. It comes with Kensington's limited lifetime warranty.
The bag comes in the two versions - standard and Slim. The difference is that the standard version has an additional zip-open storage compartment in the padded back panel.
The term "Contour" stems from the curved and padded back panel, which Kensington claims brings the center of gravity closer to your body. This may be true for the standard version, where you will have items stored in that curved section, but for the Slim, the contoured section has negligible weight - just foam padding - and "merely" makes it more comfortable to carry.
The shoulder strap is sturdy nylon webbing. The center of the strap is made of thick neoprene with no-slip rubber on one side. The stretch of this pad significantly reduces the apparent/felt weight of the case when it's full. I haven't toted it around a whole lot yet, but I have a similar design on my rifle sling and know that such a feature makes a huge difference when lugging it around all day.
Another great feature is the handle - a soft-covered rigid two piece affair. The handles nest together, providing a very comfortable grip while securing the main compartment should you forget to zip it closed.
A flap on the contour pad, secured by velcro, is designed to allow you to put your telescoping handle from your rollaboard through it, keeping it securely attached.
Storage
The main compartment can be zipped open completely to open like a clamshell, but I normally zip it just enough to reach in for the notebook. A padded pocket inside the main compartment holds the notebook, and it is held closed by a heavy elastic strap with velcro. The pocket itself is elasticized, allowing a snug fit for my 12" iBook, while opening large enough for most 15" laptops (not including my Gateway luggable). In addition to the padding around the notebook, the pocket suspends the computer a good inch from the bottom and side edges of the case, adding extra protection. Because of this, the Contour was rated one of the better cases in the same price range in one published drop test I read.
With the notebook stored, there is room for a couple hardback books (not Tom Clancy novels), or a good selection of file folders. A great design feature of this compartment is that the carry strap attachment points are on on either side of the pocket, meaning that if you forget to zip it closed before you pick up the bag, it won't fall open.
The front pocket is divided into two sections, about a 60-30 split. The larger section has two zippers - one which opens the side and top, and the other opening the other side so that the flap can fall completely open. The flap has a full-length zippered pocket that holds my Kensington Auto/Air adaptor with a few other accessories. The other side of the compartment has several pockets - mesh and nylon, open and zippered, which carry my power supply, cables, USB flash memory stick, a few disks, and a couple other knick-knacks.
The smaller front pocket has pockets that will hold a cell phone and PDA, with enough room left over for my Aiwa Active Noise Reduction headphones.
Between the front pockets and main compartment is a half-depth zippered compartment sized and intended to hold your airline ticket folder and keep it in easy reach.
Overall
Minimalists will think it's too big. Packrats will wish for more. Style-guys will say it looks too much like the ubiquitous black bag. But, if you're looking for a reasonably-priced notebook case that will carry the essentials, this is a good case to check out.
Recommended:
Yes
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Epinions.com ID:
pilotpat
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Member: Pat
Location: World Traveler
Reviews written: 96
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"Never tell your neighbors to wait until tomorrow if you can help them now."
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