Which Sleeve for the 12" Powerbook?

I ordered the Tucano second skin sleeve for my 12" powerbook due to many recommendations here on the site.

I like it, it is super thin. however it does not seem to offer any protection at all, except for surface scratches. I don't feel safe putting any books on top of the sleeve, but i wonder if that is the same for all of the other sleeves.

I think I will wait for the Viper sleeve as well. It looks really really good. I was also considering the Shinza sleeve with shock protection, but I only got the tucano because I could buy one locally at a store and I needed one asap at the time.

Yeah, I'll second that my Tucano second skin is great for throwing the PB in any other larger bag. It protects from scratches and probably liquids to some extent. Their is an inner lip/liner so the zipper doesn't come in contact with the sides, where the ports and optical drive are.

But really, I have not used any other sleeves or laptop bags for years, so I can't offer any comparative comments, I can just say I have no complaints with this one.

They make it in 2 styles (same material, different graphics) for the 12" PB, specifically-sized, so make sure you get the one you like better if you can.

I'm third on the recommendation for the Tucano Second Skin. However, they can be a little hard to find in the U.S. Outpost.com sells them along with a few other small, online businesses.

I have the glove from the radtech site. it is great. Unfortunately for me the pbook is never off long enough to warrant sticking it in it's glove.
I have the screen protector (lays on the keyboard) it is wonderful. I will put the pbook in the glove and then toss it in my book bag when i go to school.

crumpler

get the crumpler school hymn. it rocks. period.

I use the Radtech glove for my Powerbook everyday and it is wonderful. I even had it for my old iBook. Absolutely recommended. You'll love it.
Apmonia

Tucano sleeves are perfect if your going to put it in another padded bag, I put mine in a Dakine Laptop bag.

Booq 12" sleeves DO provide more padding, but can be a little bulky, and don't have a lot of space for accessories. If you wanna use a regular back pack, this shold do the job.

I really wanted the Booq Vyper series, but they're out of stock until April/May. More info here



So, I'm using the Tucanos and I bought them on eBay, here

RADTech

i have the Radtech one

but i then bought a hard-shell case for my PB

SO- if you'd like to buy the radtech one off me-
i'd sell it @ 75% of whatever their price is on their site-

PM me if ur interested-

its a great sleeve-

I have the STM Glove - it's made of wetsuit material and great (though a touch expensive). Their backpacks are even better in my opinion (I have the original Sports one, plenty of room for the 12" and all my other bits and peices, and lots of pockets!)

I also have a tucano second skin they are great. But I wouldnt take it for a trip with just that sleve. But its great for short trips.

I have the Radtech sleeve and screen protector and it is really meant to protect from scratches/dust rather than impact. The material is great and it does an excellent job. The fit on mine is almost a bit too tight which I suppose is a good thing. It really does fit like a glove but since there are no fingers to help pull it off it can be challenging sometimes. I image these things break in over time and it won't be as difficult in the future.

Radtech = good scratch/dust protector

I have owned both the tucano sleeve and the booq vyper. I loved both of them, but they are different in what they are designed to do. The tucano is designed to be placed in a padded bag and only protects against scratches. I currently use the booq vyper and love how tough it is. It is bulky but does provide great protection. I got my tucano sleeve from here and recieved it very quickly. I purchased my booq from someone on these boards. I really think it is just a matter of what you are looking for.

As I see it you have two options.

The tucano skin made in italy and is the only skin on par with the style of a powerbook or ibook.

If you want a hardshell casing, go for the school hym from crumpler.com. The style is up there and you get points for being one of the few people in the room to have one.

All other skins and cases are just too damn ugly. But then again I only bought an apple cause it looks good, who knew it was way better then Xp pc's......wheewww glad beauty is not only skin deep.

h0e0h said:

I know that everyone is offering their comments on which this and that is the best, especiall when it comes down to which gear you should have to go with your investment, so i had a question. Which sleeve is the best in the opinions of you guys?

Here is what I'm thinkin:
I want something that will protect the ports and the optical drive <-- this will be the sleve's main purpose
I don't need something ultra padded/protective because i've got a good backpack as it is
I really like the booq Vyper XS, but those aren't even going to be available until April 15th and i need something to go to and from class NOW
I just ordered a sleve and a keyboard protector from RadTech.us and i was wondering if anyone reading this has either of those.

I really liked RadTech because they've got great customer service and the product sounded sufficient enough for my purposes. I mean, like i said, i don't really need anything ultra protective. I would really like to hear from you guys on this one... especially if you have either of these 2 accessories. I hope they're worth it for me, and i will still be ordering that Vyper as soon as it is available...

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I have the radtech 15" grey pb sleeve, the black "X" screen savrz/keyboard protector and the black miniskin for my ipod mini. I think they are great. The sleeve fits a little tight, but like a glove, which is good. I would not reccomend it by itself for protection, but is good to prevent scratches and to leave your pb in if it is sitting on your desk for a few days.

I love the optex fabric, and it is washable. see http://www.radtech.us for more. info. You can also use it to clean your computer and screen and can wet the material for more effective use.

For school I am using a maccase sleeve from circuit city, and it works good for carrying my pb in a book bag with other books. (I don't put it where the books are resting on it. I position it on the top because it is still not a hard case)

Lastly, I have ordered a Booq Bags Viper for my 15" pb. It looks a little more rugged for when I just want to carry the laptop around in a sleeve (not my business computer bag (Tumi). It will be great for going to starbucks or panera for some wifi surfing and hanging out. Plus, it looks sweet!

Let me know if you have any other questions.

CRD

shane-o-mac said:

The tucano skin made in italy and is the only skin on par with the style of a powerbook or ibook.

If you want a hardshell casing, go for the school hym from crumpler.com. The style is up there and you get points for being one of the few people in the room to have one.

All other skins and cases are just too damn ugly. But then again I only bought an apple cause it looks good, who knew it was way better then Xp pc's......wheewww glad beauty is not only skin deep.

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As a Tucano owner, while I might agree with you about the style(s), my second skin is not made in Italy. The tag says "Italian Design" and "Made in Taiwan." It is $20, after all.

I am looking at getting either the Tucano or the RadTech sleeve for my 12" Powerbook, my only question is looking at the RadTech sleeve is how difficult it is to get the computer inside it?

servognome said:

I am looking at getting either the Tucano or the RadTech sleeve for my 12" Powerbook, my only question is looking at the RadTech sleeve is how difficult it is to get the computer inside it?

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I stated earlier that mine was kind of tight on my 15" pb. Yesterday, I actually put both hands in it and stretched it as much as I could (length wise), and it now fits perfect. It is not too tight and is much easier to get in and out. I think I will use it more often now.

It comes with directions on how to put your pb in and take it out. I follow the directions as stated and it works great. You might want to get the screen savrz, http://www.radtech.us/Products/NotebookScreensavrz.aspx , to protect your screen as well. As I said before, I have seen nothing I like better for cleaning, dusting, and protecting from scratches than the optex fabric from radtech.

Keep in mind, the tucano seems/looks more protective than the radtech, the radtech is only for scratch protection and polishing, I use other sleeves/cases for transport.