17" Powerbook: Smart Alec or Brain Bag? Help!

[vectorbase]

The Smart Alec looks great, but seems a little small. The Brain Bag looks great as well but seems a little too big.

The Smart Alec has no external pockets. The Brain Bag has many external pockets.

In terms of overall padding...Is one more protective than the other?

Does either bag come with a cell phone or water bottle holder?

Is there a place to attach dangling straps that are not in use?

I'm inclined to buy the Smart Alec on looks alone...but feel I need the extra space for short travels (weekend trips).

I wish the Smart Alec was just a little bigger. Are there any plans for a larger Smart Alec?

Your comments are greatly appreciated.

~Vectorbased

[Darcy]

Hi!

We did just speak on the phone, but just so no one thinks we've decided to ignore you on the forum...

The Smart Alec actually does have two hidden, exterior pockets the length of the bag on either side of the bag, though the Brain Bag definitely does have more exterior organizer pockets. The Smart Alecs organizer pockets are inside of the bag.

I wouldn't say one is more protective than the other - what provides the laptop protection is the Monolith insert. The Monolith has a hard shell, soft foam padding, and a suspension system on the bottom.

The straps on the Smart Alec are mostly removable - so if you don't use a waist strap, you can simply remove it. The straps on the Brain Bag are not removable, but can be easily cut off. There is no system to tuck away the straps, but they can sort of be tied up.

There are no plans for a larger Smart Alec. The Brain Bag definitely offers much more space. I'd say you could fit the following inside a Smart Alec:

Your Laptop inside the Monolith
A change of clothes
Laptop accessories
The usuals - wallet, keys, cell phone, PDA, etc.
A book or two
A bottle of water
Magazines/files

Inside the Brain Bag, you could fit all of those items plus another laptop and two text books.

Hope that helps a bit!