Going through the security checkpoint at the airport can be a real pain. You’ve got to take off your jacket, slip off your shoes, and empty your pockets of any loose change. They also make you remove your notebook from your bag, letting it go through the scanner on its own. With the somewhat recent changes in TSA regulations, however, specialized notebook bags can avoid this last step.
One such bag is the Zip-Thru 15.4″ Corporate Traveler Laptop Case from Targus. In effect, your notebook computer never has to leave this bag when you put it through the scanner at the airport, making the process slightly less painful.
First Impressions
Targus makes a good variety of laptop accessories, including a range of backpacks and messenger bags. Some cater to the corporate types (like this bag), whereas others appeal more to hip teens and trendy artists.
The Zip-Thru Corporate Traveler Laptop Case is constructed of what Targus calls “durable ballistic 1680 denier nylon.” The lightweight material appears to be tough enough to endure the usual wear and tear, especially since this bag will never be checked-in; it’s designed to be a carry-on. Even so, I found that it was a fair bit larger than some of the other bags on the market. This can be a pro or a con, depending on your perspective.
The Padded Laptop Section
First and foremost, the Zip-Thru Corporate Traveler is meant to carry your laptop. While some other bags try to stay as compact as possible, this laptop case takes a slightly different approach by offering as much protection as possible.
Inside the partition for the notebook is the patented SafePort Air Cushion System. This padding helps to protect your laptop from drop damage, acting as a set of bumpers between your equipment and the hard floor. Naturally, these “air cushions” add some bulk to the bag, but air bags do save lives. For those of us that keep their lives on their laptops extra protection is always welcome.
Inside this area, there’s supposed to be enough space in here for a standard 15.4-inch widescreen laptop. If you were to remove the protective bumpers, you could probably slide a 17-incher in there pretty easily. However, the larger the laptop, the harder it crashes to the ground so do be aware of that before sacrificing protection for space.
Here is a quick shot inside the laptop compartment with my 14.1-inch Dell. There’s a lot of extra space, especially near the top, so it almost seems like a waste to make the Zip-Thru Corporate Traveler so tall. If you want something a bit more compact, Targus has a few other Zip-Thru bags that may be a little more suitable while offering similar features.
Documents for Business Types
The other major compartment on the Zip-Thru Corporate Traveler is a dedicated file section, tackling file folders and other important documents. This comes from the corporate focus of this laptop case, of course, but regular travelers will find this space useful for carrying travel documents and other pertinent things. Try magazines and other reading materials.
The Zip-Down Workstation?
If you have the one part for your laptop and the other part for documents, where are you supposed to store all of those other things that you need to pack while on a business trip? Targus has that covered too.
On the front section of the Zip-Thru Corporate Traveler is what they call a zip-down workstation. This is far from the largest compartment, but you’ve got room for a cell phone, a point-and-shoot camera, some stationery, and so on. There’s also a small mesh-backed bag for additional accessories. That might be a good place for your laptop’s power supply, for example.
Zipping Through Security Checkpoints
And this is the reason why you would opt for something like the Targus Zip-Thru Corporate Traveler Laptop Case over a conventional notebook bag. The bag splits in half so that it can lay completely flat. This allows you to clear airport security without removing your laptop from your bag, as your notebook is completely isolated from everything else. This is utterly fantastic for frequent flyers.
Targus has marked the “splitting” zipper with red font to differentiate it from the zippers for opening the two main compartments. This is a small detail, to be sure, but a valuable one nonetheless. There’s nothing more embarrassing than opening up the wrong zipper and having the contents of your bag spill across the airport floor.
A Real Time Saver
When you normally go through airport security, you have to go through the hassle of removing your laptop, putting it through the scanner, and then shoehorning it back into your already overstuffed bag. That’s a waste of time and effort. With the Zip-Thru design of the Corporate Traveler, the process is just a little less painful. I would have liked if the inner lining on the “open” bag to be a little thicker, but it will only be exposed to the elements for the few seconds it takes to get through the X-ray machine. Not a huge deal.
Final Thoughts and Conclusions
At less than half the price of some other TSA-spec laptop bags, the Targus Zip-Thru 15.4-inch Corporate Traveler Laptop Case (SKU: CUCT02UA15S) is very reasonably priced. The current suggested retail price is $99.99, making this a mid-range bag. Targus has a couple of other TSA-spec bags for less money, but they are also less robust than this business-minded case. One of which is a backpack so if you’re not a shoulder bag fan, they’ve got you covered on that too.
The three main compartments keep you well-organized for conferences across the country or around the world. The lightweight nylon material is rugged enough for most situations and the padded shoulder strap aids in keeping you comfortable as you run through the airport terminal. I personally would have preferred that the document compartment be replaced with something else, but I can understand the value it holds for corporate travelers.
The business minded Targus Zip-Thru 15.4″ Corporate Traveler Laptop Case isn’t the most exciting or eye-catching thing that you’ll be bringing on your trip, but it was never meant to be. It was meant to be a valued tool that not only protects your notebook, but also one that minimizes the stress of frequent travel while saving you a lot of time at the checkpoints. And it succeeds with flying (no pun intended) colors.
Pros
- SafePort Air Cushion System for maximum protection
- Zip-thru design eases process through security checkpoints
- Very comfortable shoulder strap
- Good choice of lightweight yet hardy material
Cons
- Some people may think it’s too big
- Zippers can be a little finicky at times
- No explicit compartment for necessities like travel mouse and power supply
Overall Rating: 8.5 / 10.0
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