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I think I've mentioned this before, but my favorite laptop cases are big lumbar packs like the Dana Designs Jefferson and Bangtail. These are belt packs with a backpack-like suspension and padded hip belt, so you can carry them hands-free with -no- weight on your shoulders. Since the weight is all supported by your hips, you can easily carry a 7 lb laptop and lots of additional stuff all day and barely notice that it's there. Also, they don't look at all like laptop cases; the appearance is more like an ordinary book-style backpack. I generally don't carry my laptop around, but use my Jefferson every day just to carry general stuff in as I like it a lot better than a briefcase or backpack. The Jefferson has a drawstring top and is more like a backpack; the Bangtail has a zipper top and is more like a portfolio briefcase, and it holds slightly less stuff than the Jefferson. The one drawback with these packs is they're expensive at around $100 each but I think they're worth it. The manufacturer, Dana Designs, is in Bozeman MT and can presumably send you a catalog and tell you where nearby dealers are (get phone# from directory assistance). Their product line is intended as high end camping equipment (fancy backpacks etc.) and I have one of their hiking packs, but I also find that their belt packs are ideal for daily use in the city.