Marware Sportfolio Deluxe FrontFor the past few years my notebook carrying case has been the leather Thinkpad Premier which, in typical IBM fashion, is a bit too heavy, a bit too expensive, but will probably last for 10 years. The tight clearance of the top-loading zipper, however, proved to be a problem for the ever-so-delicate MBP.

Given the ginger touch required to keep the MBP from being scratched, it seemed obvious that I was going to need a carrying case specifically designed for the machine. I settled on the Marware Sportfolio Deluxe for the 15″ MacBook Pro (available from CDW Canada, $79.99).

The case itself is mostly fabric save for the ‘orca skin’ pocket (inside and out). The material is more supple and elastic than the skin of some of the girls I’ve dated. I’m not sure if it is culled from a living creature or not, but I’ll feel bad about it retroactively because it works very well.

Among the nifty features is a thick fabric zipper lining that is more effective than you might imagine. Upon first inspection it seemed that the lining might actually impede closure of the zipper, but this hasn’t been the case. As advertised, it protects the edges of the computer quite nicely.

Overall storage capacity is a bit low — especially for books and papers — but the main storage compartment comfortably handles cords, gadgets, and (of course) an iPod. I use the iPod slot (more orca!) to hold pens and USB keys. One of the pockets perfectly swallows the standard Apple 85W power adapter and the other can be used for a camera, external drive, etc.

External features include a ‘novelty’ headphone pass-through. I’ve never actually used it but I suppose it would work.

The shoulder strap is the best I’ve ever used on any sort of case or luggage. There’s an adjustable pad and the strap is tightly wound, smooth, and slightly elastic. The clasps are durable and easy to connect/disconnect.

If the bag has a fault, it is that area around the shoulder strap clasps squeaks. A lot. It might be related to the rubber protection strips or perhaps something funky occurred during assembly of this particular bag, but any sort of movement causes it to squeak wildly. My coworkers and the dog fail to recognize the humour of it all.

The Sportfolio Deluxe gets a thumbs-up from me; 9 out of 10 — if you’ve got a MacBook Pro, this is the case for you.