Waterfield Designs' Racer-X

Product:		Racer-X
Manufacturer:		Waterfield Designs
Price:		$129 (direct from manufacturer)
Review by:		Marc Zeedar

Still searching for the perfect case for your newly acquired PowerBook G4 Titanium? After their home run with the G4 Sleevecase, San Francisco's Waterfield Designs may have just created the ideal case.

My first impression upon seeing the Racer-X in person was that it seemed remarkably small, more like a camera case than a laptop bag. That's because it's designed to exactly match the TiBook's widescreen shape: the case is wider than it is tall, and the reduction of the few inches in height you expect to see makes the case seem considerably smaller than non-Titanium cases. I suspect that design choice means the Racer-X won't work for any laptop other than the Titanium, but PowerBook G4 owners will rejoice to find a case that's as compact as their laptop. (The actual size of the case is 14" wide by 11" high by 4" deep.)

The surface of the Racer-X is soft nylon cloth. It's mostly black, though on one side there's a colored stripe and pattern (you may choose between several color choices). It's stylish in a minimalist fashion: not ostentatious and yet not void of character.

The carrying handle is terrific mountain bike grip: it's a thick textured rubber that feels wonderful when you grab it. While I did not try carrying it for hours to test it, it feels so comfortable I suspect that even after many hours of airport lugging your hand won't dread holding the case. The handle also feels incredibly strong and secure, which is comforting.

I was also pleased with the Racer-X's excellent shoulder strap. The pad on the strap is a removable wrap sealed with Velcro, and the bottom of the pad is made of an unusual spongy, rubbery substance that grips tightly and won't slip. It's very cool.

The case has two compartments: the G4 slips into the neoprene padded side and fits perfectly -- snug as a bug in a rug, as my Grandma used to say. If you're like me and a touch overly-concerned about your expensive TiBook's safety, you'll appreciate the way the Racer-X hugs your laptop. It certainly isn't going to rattle around. And there's no need for a Velcro strap to hold the laptop is place like in most bags. From a technical perspective, I'm not sure how much drop support the Racer-X has, but your laptop feels extremely secure inside it. There's about a half-inch of padding on each side, and because the neoprene's a U-shape, your Ti is padded underneath as well. There are even padded lips that fold over the top of the Ti when you zip the case shut. (Those lips make the Ti a little difficult to extract from the case, but that's a minor complaint.)

The other compartment holds your laptop's accessories. While the Racer-X is a compact case and not designed to hold an excessive amount of material, there is room here for your power supply, a few CDs or DVDs, a cellular phone or Palm, a few books or magazines, and several other small accessories. One side of the compartment contains six elastic pockets which holds small items so they don't bounce around.

One aspect of the accessory side that pleased me is that because it's divided from the space used by the Ti, you don't have to worry about a bulky accessory pressing against your PowerBook's fragile screen. For instance, I have a Zero Haliburton Z5 aluminium shell hardcase, which is excellent except that I cannot carry more than a couple accessories: even the Ti's "UFO" power adapter creates a dangerous bulge that threatens to dent my Ti when I shut the case.

The Racer-X also has an outer slit pocket that's perfect for a slender magazine or a few important papers you need quick access to (such as your airplane ticket).

Overall, I was extremely impressed with the Racer-X. Construction is outstanding, with high quality stitching and finishing and top-notch materials. Clasps and zippers are durable metal, not plastic. The case may be a bit on the expensive side compared to a generic softcase, but believe me, this bag is worth the extra money.

If you're looking for a compact case for your Ti, this may be just this ticket. I've been looking for a good case for months, and this is exactly what I've been wanting. I don't like big cases: I tend to throw in everything but the kitchen sink and then wonder why my "portable" laptop weighs an arm-breaking 92 pounds. The Racer-X is large enough to hold the items you need, plus a few extras, but not so much that it will tempt you to throw in that Firewire CD burner because you "might" want to burn a CD on the road.

Laptop cases tend to be extremely personal decisions, so I can't guarantee that it's the perfect case for you, but I urge you to check out the Racer-X. It's a remarkably small, well made, secure place for your Ti.

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