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Preventing Scratches During Checks by TSA at Airports

anirban

anirban

macrumors 6502a
Original poster
Jan 9, 2007
689
0
Houston, TX
Hello all!

I own a MBP, and I do take a lot of flights. While going thru the security checks at the airports, I am asked to take out my laptop and put it on a bin. I didn't notice it before, but now I am seeing that lots of scratch marks are starting to show up underside my MBP. I assume that its due to the laptop moving/bouncing around in the bin.


Anyone have any ideas on how this can be prevented?

Thanks!
 
LeahM said:
wrap it in a soft cloth. or buy a sleeve.
Click to expand...

That wouldn't help. I have a sleeve and they ask me to take it out every time. I have invisishield which prevents scratches on both the top and bottom. It's definitely worth it since I travel quite a bit as well.
 
dejo said:
I'm pretty sure TSA will make you remove it from any cloth or sleeve. OP, maybe try placing it on top of a sleeve. Or maybe consider getting an Invisible Shield for your MBP.
Click to expand...

Yea exactly :p

Damn you're fast.
 
hardshell

that happen to me recently @ airport too. i guess the best way is just buy a hardshell like speck or wait for incase hardshell to come out for mbp.
 
I brought a laptop through and took it out but then put it right back in the sleeve after I turned it on, etc. And then put it through and they were fine with that. Just a piece of cloth won't be a problem. I saw a guy with something that looked like a very large polishing cloth.
 
LeahM said:
wrap it in a soft cloth. or buy a sleeve.
Click to expand...

I have a sleeve, but as others mentioned, the TSA folks ask me to take it out of it.

I was fooling around with the idea of getting InvisibleSheild, but I think a good alternative could be to take the computer out and place it over the sleeve- as dejo mentioned.


Keep the ideas flowing in.
 
notjustjay said:
Can't you take it out of the sleeve, put the sleeve in the bin and put the laptop on top of the sleeve?
Click to expand...


Yes, that was one possible solution mentioned:

dejo said:
I'm pretty sure TSA will make you remove it from any cloth or sleeve. OP, maybe try placing it on top of a sleeve. Or maybe consider getting an Invisible Shield for your MBP.
Click to expand...

anirban said:
...I think a good alternative could be to take the computer out and place it over the sleeve- as dejo mentioned.

...
Click to expand...


EDIT: I just checked out the InvisibleSheild product, and it seems that I have to buy the "Full Body Coverage" to get the bottom skin. I am not going to cover up my entire laptop, I just want to cover the base- so I may have to think before I jump in!
 
anirban said:
EDIT: I just checked out the InvisibleSheild product, and it seems that I have to buy the "Full Body Coverage" to get the bottom skin. I am not going to cover up my entire laptop, I just want to cover the base- so I may have to think before I jump in!
Click to expand...
Their shield comes in parts. Just use the bottom piece.
 
Solution to the TSA Screening Process

Dear Anirban-

I suggest you buy a sleeve for your case. The neoprene sleeves that don't have any pockets to store anything else around the laptop. The reason the TSA wants our laptops outside of bags is because they can't see what is on the underside of our laptops. So a thin sleeve that just holds your MBP should do the trick. I travel a bunch and about 75% of the time I'm able to keep my laptop in my sleeve. We make a bunch of them....check out Targus.com or go to Applestore.com as they have some good options as well.

Good luck!

TG
 
tgormick said:
Dear Anirban-

I suggest you buy a sleeve for your case. The neoprene sleeves that don't have any pockets to store anything else around the laptop. The reason the TSA wants our laptops outside of bags is because they can't see what is on the underside of our laptops. So a thin sleeve that just holds your MBP should do the trick. I travel a bunch and about 75% of the time I'm able to keep my laptop in my sleeve. We make a bunch of them....check out Targus.com or go to Applestore.com as they have some good options as well.

Good luck!

TG
Click to expand...

QFT

Better yet, get the radtech sleeve. http://www.radtech.us/Products/SleevzNotebooks.aspx

These are form fitting sleeves made of a tough, microfiber like material. They don't provide padding for "drops" but otherwise completely protect your MBP from scratches and the like. I always use one of them - I carry my laptop in a bag, but I put it in the RadTech first, as it prevents incidental scratches from seams in the bag and so forth. And, at airports, TSA has never asked that I take my laptop out of the RadTech because is almost paper thin and is skin tight.
 
FoxyKaye said:
Replace the battery with a cartridge of C4 and leave it wrapped up inside your carry-on luggage. TSA will never know the difference - it's not like they have a great track record of actually preventing "contraband" from getting aboard.
Click to expand...

WTF. You should be slapped for saying that. Now every time we go through TSA, they'll sniff our batteries!!!

Yeah I put mine on top of my sleeve. Also I ordered the Invisible Shield skin which did not arrive yet; unfortunately, I scratched it yesterday, so I guess the skin is now useless.
 
anirban said:
Hello all!

I own a MBP, and I do take a lot of flights. While going thru the security checks at the airports, I am asked to take out my laptop and put it on a bin. I didn't notice it before, but now I am seeing that lots of scratch marks are starting to show up underside my MBP. I assume that its due to the laptop moving/bouncing around in the bin.


Anyone have any ideas on how this can be prevented?

Thanks!
Click to expand...


Well, if you can get it... you can always apply some ボディーフィルム (BodyFilm) to your MacBookPro. I haven't seen it on the US site but on the Japanese site they sell it, available for all MacBook's and MacBookPro's.



Kinda looks like this:


Alternatively use a sleeve, most airports won't ask you to remove it if your machine is off!
If they scan your system an it's found to be ON, or in sleep mode, they will certainly remove it.
 
I have an incase sleeve and rested the laptop on top of it...the TSA indicated it needs to sit in the bin on its own. What you can do is buy the 2 gal zip lock clear bag and slip the laptop in it and place it in the bin....similar to what you do with the liquid 3 1 1 rule??
 
Anyone here try the invisible shielf for the MBP? I'm gonna travel a bit this summer and I don't want to get my MBP scratched up. How well does it work? When you remove the invisible shield, does it really come off with no residue like they say?
 
jahutch said:
QFT

Better yet, get the radtech sleeve. http://www.radtech.us/Products/SleevzNotebooks.aspx

These are form fitting sleeves made of a tough, microfiber like material. They don't provide padding for "drops" but otherwise completely protect your MBP from scratches and the like. I always use one of them -
Click to expand...

I'm a frequent flier myself (over 100 segments a year)
TSA has never questioned my MBP in inside a radtech.

Of course you know that TSA is not the same at every airport. I can say the guys at ORD are pretty consistent about being ok with my MBP being inside a Radtech.
 
Well... I have a rather silly solution. It's what I've done for about a year:

You know those big white plastic bags with :apple: they give you when you buy larger stuff in the :apple:Store? Well, what I did was whenever I traveled, I just put the laptop inside that bag and put it in the container like that. They never asked me to remove it (and I've been through many airports with this, even in Europe).

However, now I have a messenger back which came with a sleeve and when I put the notebook IN the sleeve in the container, they ask me to remove it.

So, plastic bag yes, protective sleeve - not.
 
secretpact said:
Anyone here try the invisible shielf for the MBP? I'm gonna travel a bit this summer and I don't want to get my MBP scratched up. How well does it work? When you remove the invisible shield, does it really come off with no residue like they say?
Click to expand...

I have the invisible shield. The application is generally pretty easy, you just have to be patient if you want the perfect fit (i.e. in line with the trackpad, evenly placed, etc.). All you do is take the spray solution they provide, spray both sides of the film (which comes in pieces so you can decide which pieces you want to put on, like a piece for the trackpad, the mouse button, palm rests), and just put it onto the laptop. Then just use the squeegie they provide and flatten out the film, pushing the water to the outer edges so it doesn't go into your laptop. Then just wait for 5-10 minutes and it's set. If you need to fix something, just peel it off, spray again, and re-apply.

And yes, when you do remove the shield, there is no residue.

It's definitely worth it. I don't have to worry about my watch scratching the palm rests when I type, or when someone accidentally drops their pen or keys onto the computer.
 
steinlager said:
I have the invisible shield. The application is generally pretty easy, you just have to be patient if you want the perfect fit (i.e. in line with the trackpad, evenly placed, etc.). All you do is take the spray solution they provide, spray both sides of the film (which comes in pieces so you can decide which pieces you want to put on, like a piece for the trackpad, the mouse button, palm rests), and just put it onto the laptop. Then just use the squeegie they provide and flatten out the film, pushing the water to the outer edges so it doesn't go into your laptop. Then just wait for 5-10 minutes and it's set. If you need to fix something, just peel it off, spray again, and re-apply.

And yes, when you do remove the shield, there is no residue.

It's definitely worth it. I don't have to worry about my watch scratching the palm rests when I type, or when someone accidentally drops their pen or keys onto the computer.
Click to expand...

Does the invisible shield protect the corners of the laptop as well?
 
I just use the cloth sleeve that came provided with my MBP when I place it in the bin. I haven't been asked to remove it protects the bottom from getting scuffed.
 
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