The guys at Think Tank Photo recently sent me one of their latest My 2nd Brain laptop bags to test and review. This new lineup of cases is designed specifically with Apple products in mind, and sized for the 11″ Macbook Air and 13″ + 15″ Macbook Pros. There’s also an additional Tablet version which is designed specifically for the iPad and all of the larger ones also feature a plush lined iPad pocket.
The idea behind these bags was to design something that has the perfect space for all the things you need when you travel with your laptop. Internally, as you’ll see in the photos below, are a number of mesh and zippered pockets. The mesh pockets are designed to be just the right size for the Apple power adapters necessary for the Macbook Air or Macbook Pro. There’s also one that’s just the right size for an iPad power adapter and they all feature a spot for the power cord extension. With this stuff in place there’s still plenty of room for all the extra trinkets and dongles you need such as Thunderbolt to Ehernet adapters, or USB keys.
Key Features:
- Available in Black, Harbor Blue, and Mist Green.
- Easily accessible iPhone mobile digital device pocket with plush lining and earbud pouch.
- Front pocket with plush pouch for iPad or iPad Mini mobile digital device (product specific).
- Organizer for pens, business cards, keys or other personal items.
- Padded protection for your most valuable electronics.
- Large rear pocket for documents or papers.
- Removable shoulder strap with adjustable, non-slip pad.
- Grab handle on top for quick pick-up.
- Poly Ballistic fabric ensures durability while silver-toned liner provides a technical appearance.
- Think Tank Photo’s “No Rhetoric” warranty.
I use an 11″ Macbook Air for my travel laptop, I think it’s more than powerful for the work that I need to do on the road, so my photos are of the My 2nd Brain 11. All of the larger ones have exactly the same features though, just scaled up slightly.
Get a FREE gift when you use my links!
When you click on any of the links in this article that take you to the products in the Think Tank store you’ll get to choose a FREE bonus gift when you checkout and spend more than $50. You’ll get to choose your bonus gift from a selection that includes things like memory card holders and Think Tank modular pouches!
I’ve taken this bag on a couple of photo trips this month and what I’m really liking about it is that it forces you to only take what you need and nothing more. I can fit my laptop, iPad (and even my kindle as well) into the case and still have room for all the power cords, cables plus a memory card reader and a hard drive. It’s fairly bulging by the time I’m done with it but it means I’m not tempted to keep throwing things in my bag simply because I have the space and “just in case”. I’m a big proponent of lightening your camera gear so that you’re unencumbered in the the field, but if I’m honest I rarely (read never) roll that thinking over to my mobile office equipment. In the past couple of years I’ve put all this stuff into a Gura Gear Chobe shoulder bag which is cavernous by comparison. Now such a shoulder bag can serve double duty as a camera bag as well if you need that, but if you don’t, the My 2nd Brain might be right up your street. On a plane it’s the perfect little grab bag to stuff under your seat when your bigger bag is up in the overhead locker and then you’ve got all the things you need on your flight to maintain your productivity. I found it to be similarly useful when working in my home town as well. I often spend time writing for magazines and websites and sometimes a change of scenery is good for productivity. The My 2nd Brain was the perfect little bag to take to a local coffee shop for a few hours, or for quick meetings with my graphic designer when working on my eBooks. With room for a notepad in the back pocket and pens in the front as well as business cards, you can be pretty well set for most meetings.
By now we know what to expect from Think Tank when it comes to quality. This stuff is as good as it gets when it comes to materials and finish. A bag like this stands to last you a very long time and for a sub-$100 price tag (for all sizes) I think this is a great addition to anyone’s travel gear. For big trips you’ll likely feel like you have to be very disciplined with what you pack for the first time, but once you realize how easy it is to work with and that you have everything you really need, I think you’ll make this a permanent fixture for all your photo trips. This and my Mindshift Rotation 180 is my new favorite combination.
In addition to the My 2nd Brain series, Think Tank also launched a second set of products designed for Apple products called Powerhouse. These are a set of three small zippered pouches and they can be used in conjunction with the My 2nd Brain bags, or they can be used to organize all your apple cables and accessories inside a larger bag like a backpack or one of their rollers.
Direct Purchase Links
All of these products qualify you for a FREE gift at checkout if you purchase through one of the links below. The gifts include things such as memory card wallets and Think Tank Modular Pouches!
