For those of you who own a PowerBook and don’t want to be saddled with a complex bag, such as the Booq Folee XM reviewed previously, there are a number of sleeves available. Booq’s Vyper M is a sleek black zippered sleeve that seems to protect well. It is made of 1682D cross-weave molded ballistic nylon, and features three ridges on each side. It does not scratch easily and shows no wear after two months of use.

A Sleeve for All Mac Portables

The Vyper M measures 13.75 x 9.5 x 1.2" and covers the 15” PowerBook like a glove. Three other models accommodate the 17” and 12” PowerBooks, and the MacBook Pro, and cost up to $54.95. The sleeve contains 1/4” foam inside to help protect its valuable passenger. The zipper is fully enclosed, so that it never comes into contact with the PowerBook. The case conveniently opens completely with two zippers, so you can use the PowerBook without removing it from the case if you need a lap desk.

The Vyper includes a pull-tab to help remove the sleeve from another case. At 12 oz., it doesn’t add much weight. I found the tab to be a bit short and hard to grab though. I think the bag would benefit from a small handle in place of the tab. I’d feel more comfortable using just the sleeve if it had a handle of some kind.

Lining Good but Attracts Dust

The inside is lined with soft material to prevent scratching your nice silver finish. I recommend you keep the sleeve closed at all times, because I didn’t. The material quickly attracted dog fur and dust. Only a tacky lint remover roller relieved the lining of its debris.

by ilene hoffman, reviews editor