Sleeves in Brief: Rigid cases

This week's Mobile Mac Weblog theme is sleeves--loosely defined as a compact case designed to hold just a laptop, either for protection when carrying the laptop around by itself, or for throwing the notebook inside a larger bag or a suitcase. (Although some sleeves cheat a bit, giving you room to store a few documents, or even a few small accessories.) On Monday, I wrote about a number of soft sleeves and hard shells that we hadn't previously had a chance to cover. Today I give you the details on a few rigid cases. I'll be looking at leather cases on Friday.

RIGID CASES

Soft sleeves are great for avoiding scratches, but if you need something sturdier--to carry your MacBook Pro on its own, or if you're worried about your MacBook getting bumped or dropped while inside another bag--a sleeve that provides impact protection may be a better option. One caveat: unlike soft sleeves and hard shells, which provide some degree of protection without adding much bulk, the extra protection offered by a rigid case comes at a cost to your laptop's svelte figure.



AXIO HARDSLEEVE ($80): Axio's hardshell laptop backpacks are popular among bikers and cyclists for their excellent protection; the Hardsleeve offers similar security in a sleeve design. Available in gloss white or embossed black, the Hardsleeve features double-sided ABS plastic on the outside and EVA foam with a "soft-lycra" lining on the inside. Although not as rugged as RadTech's MacTruck--which is made entirely of aluminum alloy and weighs 5 pounds--the Hardsleeve nevertheless offers impressive protection against shocks and drops. I was able to put a 30-pound weight on the middle of the top of the case--the weakest point--without undue pressure on the screen of a MacBook Pro inside.

The foam interior of the Hardsleeve provides a 3/4-inch barrier around the edges of your laptop and a thinner cushion on the top and bottom. When inside, your MacBook or 15-inch MacBook Pro (depending on the Hardsleeve model) fits like a glove, moving only a fraction of an inch from side to side. The case's zippers generally slide easily, although I occasionally had to give them a firm tug. Axio also includes a set of adhesive, rubber feet for the bottom of the case--you can apply these feet to keep the case from sliding around on flat surfaces, or to protect those surfaces from the case itself.

The downside to the Hardsleeve's excellent protection is, as noted above, added bulk; for example, the version for the 15-inch MacBook Pro is nearly 16 inches wide, 11.5 inches deep, and 2 inches thick, and adds nearly two pounds to your load (the MacBook Pro itself is 14.1 by 9.6 by 1.0 inches). But if you need the protection, the bulk may be worth it--the Hardsleeve is the most protective sleeve-style case I've seen.