Three Travel Tips: Traveling With Your Laptop

Travel Blog  •  Eva Holland  •  10.08.07 | 4:33 PM ET

imageTravel tips are easy to find on the Internet, but some are better than others. Each week, we’ll bring you World Hum-approved travel tips from around the Web.

1) Always back up your files. “Do a regular backup so if something bad does happen, you don’t lose too much data. The easiest way to do this is to buy a laptop with a built in DVD burner. One DVD disc should be more than enough to store your work data. You could also use a CD burner, but you would probably need to carry multiple discs. If you only have a small amount of files you need to backup, a USB flash drive would also do the job.”—Laptop Lifestyle

2) Beware the beverage cart. “Close the top of your laptop when the Flight Attendant is serving your row, or the beverage cart is nearby. Do not hold your glass out for a refill over your keyboard. (People actually do this!) Flight Attendants try very hard to avoid spills, but it happens. Closing your laptop will help eliminate or minimize the change of damage.”—Fly Away Café

3) For a serious trip, bring a dry bag. “Protect your laptop from a sudden deluge during monsoon season, an accidental dip during a river crossing, or even fine dust and sand, which can slip through standard cases and packs. They roll up nice and small, so carry it with you and you’ll always have peace of mind.”—Brave New Traveler

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Eva Holland is co-editor of World Hum. She is a former associate editor at Up Here and Up Here Business magazines, and a contributor to Vela. She's based in Canada's Yukon territory.


15 Comments for Three Travel Tips: Traveling With Your Laptop

Frank 10.09.07 | 2:01 PM ET

While on the road, what would be your advice for storing your laptop during the times you don’t feel like bringing it with you?

Eva Holland 10.09.07 | 5:44 PM ET

Hi Frank,

It depends where you’re staying, I guess. In decent hotels I usually just leave mine sitting on my desk, but some laptops might also fit inside those personal hotel room safes. In hostels I keep my laptop as low-profile as possible (and not stored in a laptop case) so that few people even know I have it with me, and then generally just stash it under my clothes in the bottom of my backpack. (But I have insurance and I burn the entire contents of the hard drive to disc before any big trip, so I have the liberty to take fewer theft precautions than some people.) The easiest thing is to leave it with friends in the city, but obviously that’s not always possible.

Katie 10.13.07 | 8:19 AM ET

This may be pushing it, but I’ve lived in eastern Europe and, when I do carry a laptop, I don’t even carry it in a typical laptop bag.  I know of someone who was robbed because he was carrying a bag that looked like a laptop bag (but had no laptop inside).

I have actually had a number of close calls with my laptop - stumbling and the laptop hitting the ground with me…we both lived - and I don’t know if it’s better to “conceal” the laptop by carrying it in a normal-looking bag, or to protect its “physical safety” with a good laptop bag.

Thoughts on this?

Eva Holland 10.14.07 | 4:58 PM ET

I agree, a laptop case can be like wearing a sign that says “please rob me” - a good compromise could be one of those “laptop backpacks” where there are special built-in padded pockets keeping it safe from bumps, but you don’t look like you’re carrying one. Or one of those fitted zip-up padded sleeves that protect against falls to some extent, but you can still stick the whole thing in your bag. I usually just opt for a couple of hoodies padding the bottom of my backpack but it depends what you’re doing, I guess, and how likely you are to be falling down.

Katie 10.16.07 | 3:07 PM ET

Those are good ideas. 

My laptop is also unreasonably large, so that probably makes me somewhat of an exception to many who travel regularly with laptops.

I have to point out that I don’t usually fall down or anything ... somehow longer term travel wreaks havoc on my coordination.  From now on thought I’ll be better prepared!

Craig of Travelvice.com 11.18.07 | 11:40 AM ET

http://travelvice.com/archive/2007/05/backpacking-with-laptop.php

Matt on holiday 01.09.08 | 3:43 PM ET

Thanks for the tips.once i faced this problem,when i’m working in my laptop while ,the flight attendant serving she poured juice on my laptop and i was disappointed. i hope i will make us of these tips. If you have more tips please publish it.

Best Laptopz Staff 02.07.08 | 12:57 PM ET

These three tips are crucial but I have one more tip, BUY A THIN AND LIGHT LAPTOP. It is much much easier to carry a light laptop than a heavy one

peter's credit report 02.13.08 | 5:29 PM ET

Actually nice tips, these days most of the laptop’s are water resistant but we should take care on the backup’s in laptop’s because anything could happen when we travel…

laptop guider 02.18.08 | 12:25 AM ET

I have some more tips: save your file in both USB and external harddisk. With two backups, it is almost impossible for you to lose your data. The last one is to lock your windows/other OS login ID. Use a password, it would help you if someone steal your laptop. The thief won’t be able to steal your data unless if he is a good hacker

ana gomez 05.12.08 | 6:09 AM ET

Tip 4. Do not forget adapter.

Craig of Travelvice.com 07.09.08 | 10:16 AM ET

Also a good suggestion: Laptop, External Storage Encrypted

notebook 09.08.08 | 9:43 AM ET

I love taking my notebook with me. I could have bought a bigger laptop but carrying it around would have killed my back. I always have a large backpack with my clothes and all and a smaller one that I keep in front with my technical jewelry.

GebComputer 09.28.08 | 1:01 AM ET

Thanks for this three tips! I always take my Laptop with me during the journey wherever I go. Most of the time you spend on the road is boring, at this time you will find laptop is a great invention. I have special soft bag to put my laptop, to prevent it from strike or nick, but it will not help when crossing river. Next time I will remember to take a dry bag with me.

Svet @ travel tips 10.23.08 | 10:36 AM ET

Thanks for the tips. I really appreciate the one about the beverage cart. Last year we were returning from Los Angeles and the flight attendant spilled milk all over my husband. Thank god it was not hot coffee or tea. Anyway, they apologized and wanted to give him a voucher for $20… Imagine if it was his laptop, would they be so generous?

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