
If a sleeve has a zipper, it shouldn’t easily get stuck or caught-we gave extra points to sleeves that used the industry-standard YKK zipper. Closure system: Most laptop sleeves have either a zippered or magnetic clasp to keep them closed as you travel.Because fit is so important, we looked for sleeves that came in several different sizes specifically tailored to many different computers. But it shouldn’t be so tight that the sleeve is difficult to insert and remove. The best sleeve for your computer leaves very little space around the sides and top, so that while you’re carrying the sleeve your laptop doesn’t bounce around too much.

An important aspect of this is how well the laptop fits inside of the sleeve.


We filled the Gauntlet 3.0 with paper towels and then sprayed it with a kitchen-sink sprayer for 30 seconds to test its water resistance, and we found that only a little water soaked through the hinge. The Gauntlet 3.0’s stiff sides offer about as much protection as you can get in a sleeve, and its water-resistant zipper helps keep liquids out. Why it’s great: The Thule Gauntlet 3.0 has a rigid clamshell design that zips along three of its four edges and can withstand more abuse than a padding-only design.
