How do you select a business laptop bag?

Dowload as PDF Why is having the right bag important?
A laptop mostly weighs between 2 and 4 kilos. The weight of a bag containing a laptop, accessories such as a mouse and external keyboard, papers and a wallet can quickly add up to 4 to 6 kilos. A backpack weighing this much has significant advantages over ‘ordinary’ laptop bags with a shoulder strap. Carrying it takes less energy, results in better posture and distributes muscle tension more symmetrically between the left and right sides of the body. But whether you use a backpack or a shoulder bag, health experts recommend carrying a bag weighing 4 to 6 kilos no farther than 90 meters (Mital et al., 1993). For longer distances, they recommend using a trolley in order to take the strain off of the body, particularly the back.




How will you use the bag?
Before selecting the right laptop bag, it is important to consider how you will use it. Will you often walk longer distances with the bag because you frequently make use of public transport for instance? Or are your walking distances short (from your car to your workplace)? Maybe you use your bicycle to get to work and work-related appointments. This is important information in determining what kind of bag is right for you. A laptop backpack is handy, for example, when you travel on public transport but would be less appropriate for carrying on long distances because of possible back strain. A trolley is not the best choice when you often have to take the stairs, but very good for walking longer distances. Finally, if you often work on the go where a table is usually unavailable (in a hotel lobby, for instance) the ErgoTraveller is very useful because the ErgoTraveller is an ergonomic laptop bag that lets you work on your laptop simply by opening a flap.




What will you be carrying with you?
Another important factor in choosing the right laptop bag is what it will carry. Will this be just a laptop and accessories, or do you often have to take things like documents with you? A standard laptop bag is nice and compact, but it also has little storage space for anything but a laptop and accessories. A trolley, on the other hand, provides more storage space than a laptop bag or backpack. If you often fly short hops on business, a trolley is also perfect to take along as hand luggage.