Link me to the laptop bags you have been drooling over...

Zero Halliburton "Z-series" is what I travel with.

http://www.zerohalliburton.com/compu...er_zseries.jsp

http://www.targus.com/us/product_details.asp?sku=TVR300 FOR THE WIN!

Yes, it's lightweight for what it is, and it takes a hell of a beating. Mine is getting a tad beat up at this point, courtsey of the gentle folks that handle the luggage at the airport, but it's still in great shape.

i use to use just a regular backpack, but i hate backpacks so i have been on a quest for a nice messenger style bag and i found one:

Hard Mountain Hardware: Memo

http://www.moosejaw.com/moosejaw/pro...78656077384949

It is the best thing ever! I just put my laptop in my provided Asus sleeve and away i go!

**EDIT**
Its perfect for the typical college student, by girlfriend even had to get one. It has a place in the front for water bottles, then a zip up pocket for pens/my Nokia 770/cell phone, etc. Then the middle pocket for a note book (the paper kind) then the zip up padded laptop compartment.

Its very nice, if you want i can take some pictures.

(1) http://www.ebags.com/roadwired/skoob...?modelid=42891
(2) http://www.ogio.com/product.php?product=96
(3) http://www.ebags.com/ogio/boss/produ...?modelid=85295
(4) http://www.ebags.com/victorinox_swis...?modelid=62298
(5) http://www.ebags.com/tenba/pro_digit...?modelid=86951

I've never had a 17" desktop replacement and haven't had to go through the hassle of finding a bag to fit one (it's hassle enough to find a bag for my W3J that I like) I however had a client with a peculiar a bag for her 17" laptop.

http://www.stmbags.com.au/largeconvertible

Can be bought here:
http://www.pcmall.com/pcmall/shop/de..._id=pwbfroogle

Pros: Convertible, good quality, good protection, I find it stylish, the price is also very reasonable.

Cons: The dense closed-cell foam has a tendency to deform and "thin" around sharp corners over time especially if the bag is too snug around it.
Lack of accessory pockets.

Comments: As a convertible vertical messenger bag, it fits well into crowded city commutes. Backpack straps are there for those who want their arms free to carry other things or want to distribute the weight more equally. The styling is a bit minimalist (no water-bottle holder), but the quality and construction is very good. It's level of protection is pretty good for such a light bag. The dense closed-cell foam padding does a good job of protection the contents as long as it doesn't have sharp corners. It's surprisingly small and light for a 17" laptop bag. Consequently, it can't hold as much as some bags I've seen. 17" macbook fits perfectly in it (probably was made specifically for it)

I was so impressed with their design, I actually went and bought several of their smaller "Alley" series of bags for my own use.

i have one that i use to carry around school with me from class to class, and then i have one i use when travelling. the one i carry at school is smaller and doesnt fit so much in it. its just an over the shoulder messenger bag, its neoprene almost like a slip case, but its good protection and doesnt get in the way. its a lot more portable.

the second one i use is a samsung travel bag, its heavy duty, great protection for the puter but small enough to be carry on luggage. who wants to stow their laptop and let some guy bash it around, or get lost? to heck with that. plus its got lots of room to hold tons of stuff. itll hold my documents, my wall adaptor, my car charger, my gps receiver for the laptop and all the other odds and ends i carry, like an s video cable for presentations and a Cat 5e cable just in case i may need one. not all hotels are wireless.

the targus is the 17 inch version, as i think you said you needed a bag for a desktop replacement size laptop.

so heres a couple links:

http://www.pricegrabber.com/search_g...terid=2734620/

http://us.samsonite.com/webapp/us/se...ngId=-1&pc=C30

I couldn't find a bag I like so I had one made specifically for my XPS Gen2. Still not exactly what I was looking for but it's nice. I'd like to find one that would allow for more than one lappy at a time. I've acctually got plans for several different convertable bags but it's a matter of finding someone to make as my ballistic nylon sewing skills never existed.

I'm eyeballing the Tom Bihn Brain Bag (in olive ) with 2xl Vertical Soft Cell for 17" DTRs.

http://www.tombihn.com/page/001/PROD/100/TB0104

If I had money to throw at a backpack right now, it would probably get thrown that way.

Hey dont forget about the Mountain Hardware bag i linked too, i love mine.

Does it fit 17" notebooks, and is it convertible? I can't see bicycling with the weight I'm planning to put in this thing without backpack straps

actually the cool thing about the one i listed is while it is a messenger bag, it has straps at the bottom of the bag that goes around your waist to hold it in place. the rare times that i do ride a bike around campus this would come in handy, AND its not completely geeky.

On the 17ich notebook size, im not really sure. All i know is that my 12inch and my g/f's 12inch wide screen fit fine in them with plenty of room to spare.

Does your lappie travel as checked baggage?

I'm actually at the opposite end of the spectrum--I travel a lot and prefer a really small laptop (currently an XPS M1210). However, it's hard to find bags specifically made for smaller laptops--most are made for 15"+, which just about defeats the purpose of having an ultraportable. After literally weeks spent shopping online, I ordered a Mobile Edge Monaco tote--I'm hoping I'll like it when it gets here! There are so many totes that look like they walk a fine line between fashionable handbag and diaper bag, and you can't ever find pictures of people actually holding the bags so you can get an idea of the comparable size.

Some nice Alienware bags...

Changed my mind, I want a Booq bag for my xVx branded Clevo m570u.

Either the BOA.XL (http://booqbags.com/s.nl/it.A/id.133/.f) or the Python XL (http://booqbags.com/s.nl/it.A/id.107/.f)