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Advice: Choose your sleeve carefully and wisely!

S

sneak3

macrumors 6502a
Original poster
Oct 14, 2011
538
80
So I'm sharing my sad story to warn people about sleeves for their macbook pros.

Many people think that a sleeve is the best thing against accidental drops, well I'm here to show you what this sleeve did to my beloved macbook pro.

Macbook pro was inside the sleeve, which was inside my backpack. The backpack did not have any padding at the bottom and it slipped of off my hands, falling from waist height.

This is what my mac looks like now:

IMG_0734.jpg


IMG_0735.jpg


This is the offending sleeve, which I bought at NYC Apple Store, paid top dollar by the way:

ECOALF

IMG_0736.jpg


TOTE-YOUR-TECH-FT.-ECOALF.jpg



Seriously, a product that was supposed to protect my 2k gear did the opposite. It did not provide any protection and it actually made things worse. THE ZIPPER WAS ACTUALLY CARVED into the aluminum. Imagine if it wasnt inside the backpack. Haha the damage wouldve been even greater.

I bought this case on a trip to the US. If I lived in the US I would sure sue them. Unfortunately I don't expect anything besides having to spend tons of money in spare parts and tons of hours in order to reallocate the internal components (the whole computer in other words).

This post is more of an alert to people so they pay extreme attention when choosing a sleeve. If it has zippers, make sure there's a thick layer of material between them and the laptop when you close it.

I should've just bought a ACME made neoprene, maybe it wouldntve prevented the denting but sure there would be no zipper marks on my macbook...
 
I have one of these, it's taken a fall and I only see SLIGHT discoloration on the corner of the MBP (hardly noticeable) from the zipper.
 
I never really expected that the sleeve would protect my Mac from drops. It's more for padding while transporting and protecting against scratches from college lecture hall desks.

I have an Incase neoprene sleeve for my 2009 MBP. It seems to have pretty adequate padding for the zipper, and the zipper is plastic. For my rMBP, I have an envelope sleeve from Rickshaw bags.
 
After a thesis level of research I bought this.

http://www.tombihn.com/PROD/TB0390.html

http://uk.ign.com/articles/2008/08/07/tom-bihn-brain-cell-review

I have dropped my bag countless times and it doesn't have a scratch. The Tom Bihn brain cell not only provides significant padding but it also suspends the laptop vertically inside the cell. Meaning it would take one hell of a vertical fall for the laptop to push through the sling and hit the ground through the padding. It also doesn't use zips which as you can see from the marks on your laptop look like a bad idea.
 
This is why I use a backpack designed for a laptop with a well padded compartment. Never dropped it but I have seen others drop similar backpacks with no damage.
 
I have thrown my MacBook Pros several times and there was no damage using a HARD CASE. But during a sleeve, it's literally just protecting it from minor scratches here and there. It offers almost no impact protection
 
Ann P said:
Typical neoprene or fabric sleeves like the ones in the Apple store do nothing for drops. If you need more protection, I'd recommend the Viper by Booq.

http://www.booqbags.com/us/sleeves
Click to expand...

That seems awesome ans so stylish!

I wish they had a cMPB models as well. So unfortunate they don't. I asked the guy if that one would suit the cMPB and he said the fit would be very snug. I'm not sure whether that's a bad thing or not.


I think I'll get a incase hardshell + a sleeve after the repairs, see if things improve.
 
I think that the main purpose of sleeve is scratch protection. I have Incase sleeve and I always use it in combo with some random notebook bag (reinforced one).

I would be surprised if sleeve actaully protected MBP from drops. Maybe on soft puffy carpet..
 
as others have said i put my laptop in a sleeve in a padded compartment of my laptop. I'm also very careful with my backpack when i have my computer with me.
 
So wait, you thought that thing would protect against a drop? It's a sleeve. IMO youshould've expected that to happen with a drop, its made of fabric.....:confused:

Also, the sleeve didnt do that to your pro, the drop did. Not like the sleeve tightened up real tight by itself and strangled the mac that way, it was dropped.....
 
iphone1105 said:
So wait, you thought that thing would protect against a drop? It's a sleeve. IMO youshould've expected that to happen with a drop, its made of fabric.....:confused:

Also, the sleeve didnt do that to your pro, the drop did. Not like the sleeve tightened up real tight by itself and strangled the mac that way, it was dropped.....
Click to expand...

No need to be a gloating smart arse :eek: i think his point was the zip did more damage than anything !
 
Mr-Kerrse said:
No need to be a gloating smart arse :eek: i think his point was the zip did more damage than anything !
Click to expand...

oh apologies, i thought this was the internet, where you can say anything, my bad.:rolleyes:

Still, the sleeve didnt do that. The drop caused the dent and the zippers to do that. The drop!
 
iphone1105 said:
oh apologies, i thought this was the internet, where you can say anything, my bad.:rolleyes:

Still, the sleeve didnt do that. The drop caused the dent and the zippers to do that. The drop!
Click to expand...

The sleeve did technically do it as the zip is part of the sleeve and if the zip had a decent inner lining it would not have left the zip imprint & caused so much damage.

Yes it is the internet you can be a smart arse to your hearts content...
 
Sorry to see that happen to you! I dont think though that any sleeve would have prevented your damage. (Maybe no zipper imprint but thats all)
And just to be a smartarse too, your macBook will survive any fall. Its the landings that get to things......
 
I bought an as new brenthaven backpack very cheap off eBay with the very thick padded insert custom fit for my 17. Had a quite few drops and falls and not a single dent. So big I can carry a second laptop in the next pocket and all my bits but they have smaller types for those who don't need as much room.

http://www.brenthaven.com/brenthaven-backpacks

I don't leave home without it!
 
I have a hurley "woven puerto" sleeve that does add weight to the laptop when carried, but it has padding and a nice faux fur lining inside to protect the MBP. I used to have it in a thin, lightweight sleeve (practically a second skin), but with my school being the way it is with uneven ground and as klutzy as I can be at times...well I decided to switch up to avoid a disaster.
 
The only sleeve that will protect a macbook from mild drops is a waterfield sleeve from San Franscico. These have tones of padding, accidentally dropped it with no dents. it also uses a flap, so no damage from from stupid zippers.

Waterfield sleeves are expensive, but beyond worth it.
 
Hey guys!

Sorry for bumping but I need some advice here.

I'm about to replace my display assembly, finally.

The tech store says I can pay 100 USD less for it if they KEEP the old assembly.

Do you guys think I could easily sell my old matte lcd assembly for, lets say, 200 USD? As you guys can see the pics I thought maybe you could give me a price idea. Not sure how much that corner damage devalues it.
 
sneak3 said:
Hey guys!

Sorry for bumping but I need some advice here.

I'm about to replace my display assembly, finally.

The tech store says I can pay 100 USD less for it if they KEEP the old assembly.

Do you guys think I could easily sell my old matte lcd assembly for, lets say, 200 USD? As you guys can see the pics I thought maybe you could give me a price idea. Not sure how much that corner damage devalues it.
Click to expand...

SO sorry about the damage, that sucks ! :-(

I would take the 100 and let 'em keep it, can't see any worth in keeping it
with that damage - just my opinion.

With my MBP I have a Crumpler sleeve which has a padded section to keep
the zip off the MBP BUT you have to carefully tuck it in otherwise the zip can
be up against the aluminium !!
My bag is also a crumpler 17in laptop bag so lots of space and extra padding
in bottom sides / back.
I don't "throw it around" at all but so far it's perfect and for travel it has an extra
17in sleeve inside so my 15in is double sleeved in that case !!
M.
 
Marty62 said:
SO sorry about the damage, that sucks ! :-(

I would take the 100 and let 'em keep it, can't see any worth in keeping it
with that damage - just my opinion.

With my MBP I have a Crumpler sleeve which has a padded section to keep
the zip off the MBP BUT you have to carefully tuck it in otherwise the zip can
be up against the aluminium !!
My bag is also a crumpler 17in laptop bag so lots of space and extra padding
in bottom sides / back.
I don't "throw it around" at all but so far it's perfect and for travel it has an extra
17in sleeve inside so my 15in is double sleeved in that case !!
M.
Click to expand...

Hey thanks man! Yeah that incident REALLY sucked! haha

I was thinking about keeping the old assembly if I could sell it later for a nice price. But you think it's not worth the hassle then?
 
sneak3 said:
Hey thanks man! Yeah that incident REALLY sucked! haha

I was thinking about keeping the old assembly if I could sell it later for a nice price. But you think it's not worth the hassle then?
Click to expand...

Check ebay and see what they go for. Personally, I'd take the cash and not mess with trying to sell it but that doesn't mean you can't get more for it selling it yourself.

My question would they want the old assembly if it needed replacement? If it's just a glass replacement there are places that just do that.
 
jlc1978 said:
Check ebay and see what they go for. Personally, I'd take the cash and not mess with trying to sell it but that doesn't mean you can't get more for it selling it yourself.

My question would they want the old assembly if it needed replacement? If it's just a glass replacement there are places that just do that.
Click to expand...

It's the whole lcd assembly I'm replacing. So they probably use the internal parts for refurbished pcs?

In ebay they sell similar parts, but from other release years and with a little bit more wear for USD 200...
 
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