Protecting my MacBook, inside and outside of the Ristretto

[Z60mUser]

MIRABILE DICTU: The 13" Macbook, while enclosed inside of the Incase hardshell case, will fit inside a Size 6 Brain Cell! Let there be great rejoicing at the common and interrelated utility of these two fine MacBook-protecting devices! I shall post pics anon, when I have access to my camera.

[Darcy]

Differing opinions add to our forum discussion, so let's all work together to keep it a bit friendlier on all sides. I recommend everyone in this thread review their comments and use the 'edit' button to tone things down a notch where necessary. If we work together to keep the tone civil and we self-edit a bit, we can keep these forums functioning the way that they currently are -- without heavy-handed moderation.

Everyone here, I'm sure, has had the experience that the tone or intention of an email (or other text communication, like a forum post) they've sent has been misunderstood in a negative way by the recipient. We can't see each other face-to-face and pick up the signals we usually would from tone, body language, facial expressions, etc., and it can be easy for something relatively minor to snowball into something bigger.

Let's keep this minor and move on. Okay?

[AVService]

Now this is just getting silly.
None of what you say is clear to me at all.

You started this off by making rude,insulting comments .
This is some input that I am interested in seeing stopped.

No one here deserves or appreciates this type of attack and it also taints your further comments as far as I am concerned.

We are talking about bags after all.
Lets just talk about bags and leave the people out of this.

Remember don't shoot the messenger......bag.
Sorry,I had to.

[jonjake]

No, there is no history between me and the OP, or anyone else here. I just read these forums because I love my Bihn bags and am interested in what's happening with the company. I don't comment often but I've had many of my own questions answered by reading the perceptive comments in the threads, so when a thread pertains to a subject I have experience with, I try to add a substantive data point to it in hopes of helping other Bihn users.

It is clear that we disagree on what constitutes appropriate/effective protection for a laptop, and that neither you or the OP is interested in my input. So I will leave you guys to your discussion, and I wish you both luck.

[AVService]

Nice comment. That should encourage people here to help you.

Again,I suppose that comment was in response to your last dismissive reply to his question.
Not only was it rude but it was also not correct,they can be used together.

Do you two have some history or something?

Ed

[jonjake]

Nice comment. That should encourage people here to help you.

Is it possible to block users on this forum?

[Z60mUser]

Is it possible to block users on this forum?

Anyway, I now have an incase hardshell for my macbook. I like it already; it looks good, it feels good, it has a tight grib, and I know that the exterior surface of my macbook isn't going to get marred or scratched when being handled or used. Also, I can confirm that the macbook-inside-the-incase-hardshell *will* fit in the Ristretto. It is tight, but it will go in and out serviceably, though it sticks out a little at the top, but it will close fine and there wasn't much room for anything else in the bag in the first place.

The question is, will the macbook-in-the-incase-hardshell fit into a Size 6 Brain Cell. I think, yes. The hardshell only adds about 2mm in dimensions to the size of the computer, so I think it will fit, if tightly. Any suggestions from the folks in Seattle?

[AVService]

Um, you can't fit a Brain Cell inside an InCase hardshell -- both products are designed to form-fit snugly around a Macbook. It's either/or, not and.

The way I read the question was that the Incase website only lists the interior dimension of the Incase,case.
I can not imagine why they would as it is exactly the same inside as a Macbook is outside?

Anyway I can not see a tag anywhere with size info on the Brain Cell I have that would work with the Macbook nor is there a care tag on it.
It is an older one with the old logo,fasteners and snaps.

It works very well with the Incase'd Macbook and though it is a little tall this allows me to adjust the suspension for max. bump protection in case I drop it.

It seems I have no Bihn gear directly for the 15" Macs but I do have both a Waterfield size 11 sleeve and a 15" Waterfield Racer-X case.
The Incase'd Macbook fits just fine in both of these.
It is slightly less wide than the 15" Mac but this only helps slide it into and out of both cases due to the anti-slip coating of the Incase case.

One note about the Waterfield sleeve vs. the Brain Cell is the protection they both provide and the space difference it needs.
The Waterfield sleeves are great and for any given fit they are at least 1/2 as thick as the Brain Cell.I can just get two Sleeves in the same space as 1 Brain Cell.
That said,the Brain Cell gives some superior protection due to the semi-hard properties and due to the sling inside if the case is properly adjusted.

Both are excellent cases they are just different.

For now as I still am not sure about the Macbook fitting my needs I will be using either of the 3 cases I already have and the Incase shell as the best part for now is that I already own them.

Ed

[jonjake]

Um, you can't fit a Brain Cell inside an InCase hardshell -- both products are designed to form-fit snugly around a Macbook. It's either/or, not and.

Any sense on what size brain cell you would need for a MacBook in an incase hardshell? The manufacturer's website only gives interior dimensions... http://goincase.com/products/detail/...l-case-cl57119

[Z60mUser]

Any sense on what size brain cell you would need for a MacBook in an incase hardshell? The manufacturer's website only gives interior dimensions... http://goincase.com/products/detail/...l-case-cl57119

[travls]

FYI: About MacBook keyboard covers

I bought an iSkin keyboard cover for my MacBook and thought I was doing a good thing. However, the MacBook runs hot and, as I found out from an Apple employee at the Genius Bar, part of the cooling comes from air intake around the keys.

I continue to use the iSkin on my desktop machines but have discarded it for laptops.

[jonjake]

I don't think you're going to be able to improve on the Macbook protection of the Ristretto by adding anything to the mix. The Macbook fits tightly and securely in the sleeve, with little room for anything that's going to significantly improve the degree of protection.

I tried the Ristretto with my Macbook and while I liked the bag overall, I didn't feel the thin padding in the laptop sleeve was enough protection for my Macbook. I am much happier with my Zephyr/Brain Cell combo, which has kept my Macbook in minty shape despite lots of travel and abuse.

[Darcy]

AVService -- Your Brain Cells might have a small white tag with the size number on it under the care label, depending on how old they are.

This thread has more information on using a Speck case with the Brain Cell.

[AVService]

Well this morning I pulled out every Brain Cell(not literaly) and sleeve I could find in my closet and gave each of them a try with the hard cased macbook to see if any would work.

It turns out that several were not too bad and if they were loose enough the macbook would go in and out easily.

I can not tell what size the Brain Cells were that worked as I don't see a lable on them anywhere.

I also have several Waterfield sleeves for 15" Powerbooks that worked very well.

Just an F.Y.I.

[reina]

Just chiming in to say the Speck see thru case fits into the size 1 brain cells with a 17" macbook pro