Brenthaven ProLite II review

Brenthaven's ProLite range of laptop bags makes few concessions to stylistic trends.

While the company has recently started to produce bags and accessories that appeal to laptop owners who are as concerned about how their bag looks as much, and often more than, the security it offers, the ProLite range has just one focus: protection.

The ballistic nylon used for the outer shell is self-repairing, which means that if its surface is penetrated, the hole will close up and repair. It's also stain resistant. The heart of the ProLite range is the five-sided (the front, back, bottom, left, and right sides) foam protection system. It's this that allows Brenthaven staff to drop their bag and laptop at demonstrations and then produce a fully working machine.

Other notable features are the dual-rod handle, which is designed to spread the weight across your hand and which doesn't bend permanently out of shape, and the non-slip shoulder strap, which has been positioned to optimise the way weight is distributed across your back and shoulders.

There are plenty of pockets and the zips are the most rugged we've seen on a laptop bag. The wheelie strap on the back of the case makes it easy to attach to a wheeled luggage trolley or the extended handle of a suitcase on wheels.

There are a number of pockets on the outside of the bag, designed to hold everything from your iPod and mobile phone, to airline tickets and sunglasses. The 'quick access' pocket, located just below the handle, is felt lined, so you can drop your sunglasses in without worrying that they'll scratch.

The ProLite II isn't for everyone. If you're more concerned with style than protection, there are certainly more attractive options that are better suited. Furthermore, all that protection doesn't come cheap. However, if you travel regularly with your MacBook or MacBook Pro - or PowerBook or iBook for that matter - it's a relatively small investment to protect not just the machine itself, but the data it contains.