I just played with the new Skooba Skin laptop sleeve/totes and I'm impressed. At first, this is just a well-designed, padded canvas laptop sleeve with a simple velcro closureBut the closure folds up and coverts to a handle, turning the sleeve into a tote — a handy trick for those days when you're just carrying your laptop-sleeve, rather than a larger bag.
The sleeve comes in a bunch of different colors, including an undyed, unbleached white canvas that is meant to be decorated with markers, fabric pens, and anything else you've got hanging around (alas, the surface wouldn't take the stickers I tried on it).
Skooba is the new brand-name for the accessory company Roadwired, whose products I've long admired and used (especially their ingenious RAPS electronics sleeves). Along with the Skooba Skin, Skooba have also launched a shoulder strap called the Superbungee that includes a shock-absorbing ring of bungee cord in the shoulder-pad. I've long used elasticated shoulder straps (mostly the ones from Victorinox, which only last about six months before the metal on the attachment clips gives way catastrophically). They make an enormous difference, converting your computer and books from dead weight into something that moves with you, supporting itself in time with your stride. The Superbungee is going on my bag today, and I'll be taking it on the road with me next week.
Link to Skooba Skin, Link to Superbungee Strap
See also:
Joys of RoadWired and Zip-Linq
RoadWired's Skooba Satchel
RoadWired bags kick azz
