New MBP in old bag?

[Shuntros]

Howdy folks.

My sturdy Brenthaven backpack is now taking good care of my 4th 15" MBP. The bag looks as good as it did the day I bought it and I have no plans to replace it.

However my new MBP is a retina and hence rattles around a fair bit in the bag as the pouch was designed originally for a 2008 model. Is anyone aware of a "sleeve down" insert I could buy which would live inside the existing pouch so the retina fits like a glove?

Muchos grassy arse.

 

[5to1]

I just buy a sleeve with appropriate thickness to leave in the bag. If you look around you can get sleeves of various thicknesses and colours to both fill the Gap and match the internal colour of the bag. Depending on the orientation the laptop compartment in the backpack (IE portrait/landscape), just pick a sleeve that has an opening in the correct place so you don't need to remove the sleeve from the backpack to remove the laptop.

If its always going to stay in the bag, you don't need to spend much. Alternatively you can spend a bit more, get a nice sleeve and then use it standalone when you just need to carry the laptop. The good thing about the cheap ones is you can use them to place the laptop on when using it on a dirty surface. After a while either wash it or bin it and get a new one

 

[maflynn]

If its moving around, I'd recommend getting a new sleeve. Why risk the damage.

 

[Shuntros]

The point is that I'm perfectly happy with my very expensive Brenthaven backpack. Perhaps I should just get a couple of pieces of 5mm foam and stitch them into the existing laptop pouch in the backpack - might be a quick and easy solution.

Just figured that I can't be the only one with a nice bag who's subsequently moved to a retina and wanted to pad it out in an OCD-compliant fashion and that somebody might have brought something to market.

 

[Hammie]

The point is that I'm perfectly happy with my very expensive Brenthaven backpack. Perhaps I should just get a couple of pieces of 5mm foam and stitch them into the existing laptop pouch in the backpack - might be a quick and easy solution.

Just figured that I can't be the only one with a nice bag who's subsequently moved to a retina and wanted to pad it out in an OCD-compliant fashion and that somebody might have brought something to market.

I have a similar scenario with my work bag (Messenger bag/briefcase style). However, I went from a 15" Dell Inspiron to a 13" rMBP. It probably is not as obvious in your bag based on the minimal size difference, but I can really notice and feel it sliding around in mine.

I would recommend the sleeve to at least minimize the rubbing up against other things in your bag. Another option could be to get some foam like you said. I'm not sure which bag you have of theirs, but if it is a dedicated section, maybe some hard foam and you can cut out a section for your laptop.

However, I would probably go the sleeve route. Depending on the protection level you want, you can get very thin (only protects from scratches), to a thick one that will protect from things bumping into it and causing dents.

Another thing to consider is accessibility. Do you want a full protection with a zipper? One that you can just slide in and out (Portfolio style)? or one where the side ports are protected (Landscape style)?

I am tossing around the idea of a sleeve, but I carry two different style bags one where a portfolio sleeve will work better (Waterfield Designs Muzzetto bag) and another where the landscape style would work (Coach messenger bag/briefcase). I'm not really sure I want to find one of each.

Anyway, good luck!