SwissGear Sierra Notebook Case Review

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You've just plunked down your hard earned money on a new notebook and quite frankly, it hurt. What comes next? With a notebook comes mobility which puts your most valuable asset at risk for dings, scratches and other hair-raising circumstances. For most people a case or bag is a worthwhile investment to help protect your notebook. In the past when I have toted my laptops around, I have always used a backpack. It works well for me since I carry a lot of stuff with me. You just never know when you're going to need that external floppy drive.

(view large image)

I have always had a favorable impression of Swiss Army products. I carry a Swiss Army knife on my key ring, which always comes in handy. I have had a SwissGear watch for quite some time. It's on the original battery and is still ticking. SwissGear has decided to expand their horizons and come out with a new line of notebook cases and bags. The Sierra Notebook Case is one of those new products and will be reviewed below.

Specs

• Material: Nylon and Poly
• Dimensions:
  • Width - 17&quot;
  • Depth - 7.5&quot;
  • Height - 12.5&quot;
• Fits Most 15&quot;/15.4&quot; Notebooks
• Padded Computer Compartment. More on this later.
• Velcro Strap to Hold Notebook In Place
• Removable Accessory Pouch
• Padded Should Strap
• Ergonomic Handle
• M.S.R.P: $60

Design and Build

The look of the case is like that of a simple nylon briefcase. The Sierra's color scheme is fairly simple. It is mostly black, including the strap and handle, with a gray accent stripe going down the front center of the bag. There is a red Swiss Army accent piece attached on the front center of the bag. The inside of the bag is silver with the Swiss Army logo patterned on it. The look of the bag to me is simple and professional. I would have no problem carrying this bag into a professional situation, not that I care to go into any professional situations.

The Sierra is made of nylon and poly. It offers a medium grade protection from usual hazards that a notebook in an office type situation or student would subject it to. It is probably not meant for rugged usage. The literature that came with the bag stated that the case could accommodate up to a 17&quot; notebook while Wenger's website says up to 15&quot;/15.4&quot;. As you can see form the picture below, my 14&quot; R60 fit quite snuggly in the case along with the accessory pouch.

The R60 secured inside the Sierra Notebook Case (view large image)

I think you'd have a hard time fitting a 15.4&quot; notebook in there with the accessory pouch, let alone a 17&quot; notebook. I didn't have a 17&quot; notebook to test out my theory.

The Sierra's handle (view large image)

The Sierra has a padded shoulder strap and plastic/rubber handle both of which were comfortable and made the Sierra easy to carry. The Sierra comes with a Velcro strap to help hold the notebook in place while traveling. For those of you who need a little security, the zippers have loops on them which could be used with a small lock. I suppose one could cut the bag, but maybe you'll get lucky and get a dumb criminal.

The case lock on the Sierra (view large image)

Storage

There are two main storage areas on the bag. The main compartment which stores the laptop and accessory pouch which I would assume most would for the power cord. There is also a large pouch affixed to the top of the case.

The Sierra's Main Compartment (view large image)

The Sierra has a lot of pockets. I prefer the ones that stick out a bit as I carry a lots of items like my iPod, modular drives, cell phone, Nintendo DS, etc. that I would prefer not move around a lot or get crammed in as to prevent damage. Unfortunately, the Sierra has less of these than there are in my backpack. The Sierra doesn't offer a ton of space.

The Sierra's top compartment (view large image)

It's probably not for those who carry a lot of stuff, but would work for those carrying just the notebook, power adapter, a few items and maybe some paperwork. Being that the Sierra case didn't have as much storage space as my backpack, switching over to it offered me the opportunity to slim down on the amount of junk that I carry. Do I really need a telephone cable? In this era of broadband, I think not. I live in the middle of nowhere and I have four or five broadband options.

Around Town

I carried the Sierra around for about a month before I started working on my review. For the most part I liked it quite a bit. It's comfortable to carry and easy to throw on the shoulder. Jettisoning all my unwanted junk helped as well. One thing I like a lot is the easy access to the compartment on the bag. If you want to get something out of the bag, you can do it without having to take the case off since I put all the extra stuff on top. That's hard to do with a backpack.

The only feature about it I didn't like was the lack of padding between the compartments. When I was taking my ThinkPad around, I would often take it out of the case and could see a smudge on the LCD where the trackpoint was touching the screen. I don't think that is good long term. I do not to have this issue with my backpack, but the notebook usually sits vertically in my backpack whereas with this case the notebook rests on the bottom. I'm not sure whether more padding would solve this problem, I just know I didn't like it.

Conclusion

For those needing a handsome well constructed bag who do not need a ton a storage, the Sierra case has lots to offer, all at a reasonable price. All that plus it is comfortable to use and offers quick access to all your stuff while on the go. The MSRP of the Sierra is $60, though I did spy it for a little over $40.

Pros

• Attractive Look
• Quality Construction
• Easy Access
• Comfortable to Use
• Modest Price

Cons

• Not Enough Padding Between Compartments
• Limited Storage
  
  

 

Awesome review Zaz! Though the padding looks as if its all just padding and nothing rigid inbetween the sections.

Oh, and I didn't know you were so cute

 

People are always surprised to find out he's a 9-year old.

I can't see how a 15.4" notebook would fit in there looking at the relative snugness of the 14" R60.

 

Yes, I'm devilishly handsome. Actually I'm eight and half. When you're my age, that half is big.

 

What?!?!? I thought you guys were kidding when I first saw a post to that effect some time ago...

BTW, nice review!

 

Lol, that's not actually you, is it? Is it your son?

 

Seriously, if that's you, you ought to get off NBR and go invent a time travelling machine.

 

A good and informative review.

How much padding to put into a bag is always an issue and different people have different preferences. Last year I bought a Belkin bag which not only had padding but also provided a stiff foam sleeve. The sleeve was rapidly ditched when I discovered that what appeared to be a fairly large bag had no room for anything except the computer.

John

 

You can bet I'm working on the way-back machine.

I'm not so sure it isn't a design issue. When you set the case down, the notebook sits on the bottom. If you carry a lot of junk like I do, it all weighs down on the notebook underneath. Perhaps the trackpoint which sticks above the keyboard slightly is a problem as well. Unless of course you have a T60 with a mag-alloy lid or something similar.

 

It's still a pretty spacious sack, especially that front pouch. When you grow up, you can get a PSP to replace your DS

LOLZ...actually, guys, ZaZ hasn't been born yet.

 

lol, that last pic was funny, how old are you zaz? i seriously hope that isn't you.....