MacBook Air Protection

[47CDC]

I have a 11 inch MacBook Air which is great for packing (small size). Was wondering if anyone new a sturdy case built specifically for it to keep it safe while it's packed in the top box. Thanks in advance for your suggestions!

[niello8]

We kept ours in the side case in a soft sleeve. It was packed with clothes but the laptop itself was on the outside of the (side loading) pannier. Bike was on its side many times, boxes came off...the MacBook is still unscathed!

[*Touring Ted*]

The best way of looking after it is leaving it at home.....

I bought a 2 year old 10" HP net book for £90 off ebay which runs EVERYTHING...


However, if you do take it I have a great system. If a touch bulky..

Get one of those durable plastic storage boxes with the four clips on each side. They sell them in Asda/Tesco etc but you might need to go on line to find the right side.

Then just use some foam on each side. Old carpet underlay or new foam. Again, easy to get on ebay... It makes a VERY durable case. You could throw the macbook off a cliff....

Ted

[DougieB]

Macbook Air's are much tougher than conventional laptops/netbooks. I've been touring with mine (13" version) on/off-road with the bicycle and motorbike for over a year. I just use a Thule Gauntlet sleeve, and the laptop's not got a scratch.

you really don't need to go nuts on padding, for the metal-cased/no-moving-parts Air. In the middle/top of the topbox is a good idea, without any heavy items on top of it. And you need to keep it waterproof on the motorbike, maybe just put it inside a zip-lock A4 wallet (which adds almost zero bulk).

Far more fragile are the cables. I use a plastic food container which has a snap-lock lid, which protects all the cables I need (and stops the plugs damaging anything else).

cheers

[mollydog]

Good advice above!
I think Apple make a few carry cases for the Air. All I hear from owners is how tough they are and that they travel well. Bit of extra bubble wrap would help protect. Wash board road constant jolting are probably the worst.

Good luck!

[Oo-SEB-oO]

Just put it in a sleeve and you'll be fine.

I had mine with me on a 4 months offroad trip, just in a neoprene sleeve and then loose inside a Pelicase. Laptop runs perfectly fine.

There's no harddisk in the Air so no worries about that, and a "scratch" on the alu, who cares if you would happen to have them? There is no better way to travel than with an Air...

[niello8]

Oh yeah I should mention our panniers are pelican cases, they are bombproof and don't dent like metal. We also stored a spare hard drive in the sleeve which was fine too after 1.5 yrs on the road.

Agree the cables are crap. We've had a few go wonky.

[eddywoodgo]

Mine just goes in a neoprene sleeve, then in a land snd sea waterproof map case. My air is the 10".

[casperghst42]

I am using a Book Book sleeve, which fit into a Sea To Summit 2 liter bag....



Casper