# Next purchase dilemma: Weight vs. Protection



## VictoriaP (Mar 1, 2009)

Well, the planned second Oberon won't be happening this week after all.

The last few days have been bad symptoms-wise, and I discovered a new issue with my current carrying setup for the K2.  I'd been using my Oberon, with a BorsaBella bag (either the travel or large Kindle bag), tucked inside a purse.  Well, I'd only tried that combo with two purses previously--the weather today was seriously crappy, and I swapped purses so the K2 would have extra protection against a pretty nasty downpour. Unfortunately, I had no idea just how heavy that leather purse itself was compared with the light cotton one I was using previously.  With my fatigue levels as high as they are currently, I couldn't handle the additional weight of the K2 + cover well.  Literally, the fatigue was so bad that when I took the Kindle out to show someone, I had to remove it from the Oberon to handle it without shaking, and I've been unable to read it in the cover all afternoon due to the weight.  

Obviously, like any good accessorizer, I'm not getting rid of my purse collection yet!  Not every day is this bad physically.  But for the ones that are, now I'm thinking about possible lighter weight ways of protecting the K2 in a purse or backpack without adding the significant weight (nearly 10 oz.) of the Oberon.  The problem I'm having is that the lightest weight options leave me pretty queasy about the level of protection for the Kindle screen.  Other contents of the purse are already pared way down, I've never carried a large purse in my life, so I've never been able to carry really massive amounts of stuff.

By weight, the lightest options I've found are:

Amazon cover (about 6.5 oz--over a quarter pound)
Waterfield slip case (this is the smallest case they make, a little over 3 oz.)
BorsaBella naked Kindle sleeve (probably the same or less than the Waterfield, since the Waterfield has plastic protectors as well as padding)

Each of these options has some serious drawbacks to my eyes--namely, I doubt the two sleeves are truly more than cosmetic when it comes to protecting the screen against any kind of bump, especially the BorsaBella; the Waterfield has nothing to close the opening, and the Amazon cover has both a reputation for poor quality and no ability to protect against anything slipping between the cover & screen--so I'd probably only be happy carrying it in a case, thus adding more weight.  

Are there options I'm missing?  Opinions on any of the three--especially from anyone who's used the Waterfield slip case over time, as I'm the least familiar with it (the sleeve and travel cases are out due to both physical size & weight--at those numbers, I might as well stay with what I have & just give up carrying the Kindle!).  Any other options I've missed?  Or am I just overthinking the whole thing and the screen will be fine?


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## akpak (Mar 5, 2009)

What about using the naked BorsaBella bag with a slim foam insert over the screen? For reading, a skin will probably be more than enough protection.

Here's what I'm thinking about the foam:
http://www.michaels.com/art/online/displayProductPage?productNum=gc1328

Just cut it to the right size. I can tell you they're very light and thin.

For the most part, having anything covering the screen will probably be fine in a bag.


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## KindleLa (Feb 9, 2009)

I hear you on the weight issue, I have a bad back, and can not carry a large or heavy handbag. I have been using a Strangedog cover on my K2, it fits in my small bag, and is one of the lighter covers. It protects the screen well enough also.

There is a post from last week, where we all weighted our covers and posted them here.


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## Seamonkey (Dec 2, 2008)

It might not LOOK elegant, but what about a sleeve of some sort, whatever looks nice to you, and then slip that into a bubble wrap lined envelope in your purse.  Maybe a screen protector if you are concerned about that.

Or maybe there is a lightweight hard plastic or even metal case that you could find that would fit the kindle and give it great protection in a purse or backpack but then you could just use be holding the kindle weight while reading?


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## chynared21 (Oct 28, 2008)

*Isn't there a Wakefield option that actually has a plastic insert to protect the screen? I remember reading about one when I was looking for a case prior to Oberon releasing one. I would think that one would suffice in any purse you choose.

If you don't mind my asking, and it may be elsewhere but I've been away from the forum for a month...what do you suffer from Victoria? I have CFS and at times I'm so drained and in pain, that I too cannot tote anything heavy or remotely weighty. Lets not even talk about my back...that's a topic for different thread 

Oh...maybe you could just take out the plastic inserts in the Oberon cover and put that into the Wakefield or any other slipcase for the screen protection. I'm the beta tester that put both plastic pieces into the front pocket for extra protection in my purse.*


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## Shizu (Oct 27, 2008)

I have this Belkin laptop bag. It was $19.95 at Target. I think this has nice padding since it is for mini laptop. So it might be good for the Kindle without the cover too. I used with the Oberon cover and it fit nicely. It might be good idea to go take a look at Target.









* Quilted texture protects laptop from light wear and tear while on the go
* Lightweight
* Made with durable polyester
* Fits 7" laptops


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## Cuechick (Oct 28, 2008)

The Borsa Bella naked kindle sleeve, does have extra padding. I really like this for carrying my kindle without a cover. I feel very confident it is well protected in my purse. I like the top zip style, it makes access to your kindle so easy!


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## Shizu (Oct 27, 2008)

I don't have this but just saw it in Amazon and one of the review had a video so I thought it might be good to take a look. 

It is out of stock right now though...


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## pomlover2586 (Feb 14, 2009)

I don't think the Oberons weigh all that much for the protection your getting.......however look into belkin Noroprene slip covers......really nice!


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## chynared21 (Oct 28, 2008)

pomlover2586 said:


> I don't think the Oberons weigh all that much for the protection your getting.......however look into belkin Noroprene slip covers......really nice!


*It is fantastic protection, especially when it's in my purse but for holding it while reading, it can be painful if you have issues with your hands or strength/fatigue issues. I found away to work around that with my issues...in bed, I lay on my side and prop it up with a couple of pillows so that I only have to hold it so it won't fall forward and for page changes. Reading while sitting on the couch, I usually cross my legs so I just let it sit on my leg...no need for me to hold the extra weight when my hands hurt *


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## VictoriaP (Mar 1, 2009)

Thanks for all the input. 

As I said at the beginning of this thread, I'm in agreement that the Oberon is still the best way to protect a K2.  If I were in my early twenties & healthy, the weight would not be an issue for me either.  Unfortunately some of us aren't that lucky, and no matter how protective the Oberon is, it's completely useless if you can't carry it.  Thankfully, manufacturers have realized that there is no one-size-fits-all solution that's going to work for everyone, and have offered us lots of choices.  Some are even pretty!  LOL

Some notes on the various options:

The Belkin bag is adorable, and great for certain uses, but most who have it are using it with a cover, not with a bare kindle.  As such, it's also larger and heavier than a sleeve or slip case.  Which isn't to say I'm not picking one up, because, let's face it, I probably am!   But not for this specific usage.

chynared21--yes, the Wakefield slip & small sleeve cases both have a plastic insert plus padding, and that's what makes them appealing.  The Slip case is only lightly padded, but at just over 3 ounces, it's the absolute lightest option out there that I can find.  Given that Wakefield makes all sorts of laptop bags, etc. and are highly rated, I'm still leaning in this direction.

Akjak--thanks for the reminder on the foam, I'm such a ditz!  My Oberon doesn't have the wool, and I have plenty of that foam in the house left over from crafting, so I had used some of it to pad the front cover.  And then promptly forgot it as a padding option for a sleeve.    For now, I've found an old tiny travel purse that's just barely bigger than the K2, grabbed up a bunch of foam & padded it appropriately, and it's a good temporary solution that weighs a quarter pound less than the Oberon.

I'm checking out the Octovo sleeve on Amazon as well.  As it's a rigid plastic (with a soft liner), I suspect it would be the safest option, but I'm not sure just how bad the weight would be.

I may just have to buy the two slip cases (Wakefield & BB) and the Octovo sleeve to compare, and then return or sell whatever isn't going to work.  Not my favorite option, but in this situation there may be too many factors to consider to be trying to make this decision essentially sight unseen.


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## Toby (Nov 25, 2008)

Please let us know which sleeve you liked the best for weight & protection.


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## sirsell (Mar 1, 2009)

weight - nice to have something convenient.
protection - a must have!


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## VictoriaP (Mar 1, 2009)

sirsell said:


> weight - nice to have something convenient.
> protection - a must have!


_Again, if you are blessed with good health, this is absolutely true. If not, you learn that compromise is no longer optional, it's something you live with every minute of every day for the rest of your life.

For those of you who don't understand how a few ounces could make such a difference, I invite you to read this essay. It's a definite eye opener, and increased my own understanding of how different things are for those dealing with chronic illness._ http://www.butyoudontlooksick.com/navigation/BYDLS-TheSpoonTheory.pdf
------------------------------

Meanwhile:

While I absolutely HATE returns, I had to make a decision or the K2 wouldn't be going anywhere with me this week. I went with the Octovo sleeve, which will be here Monday. The rigid form and lower cost of that one was what swayed me, but if the weight is higher than about 5 ounces, it will be going back (ship weight is all that's listed, and it includes the manufacturer packaging, which is reviewed as "impressive" LOL. Whether I keep it or not, I will be writing up a full review as we don't yet seem to have much data on this one and the reviews on Amazon aren't very detailed.

If it proves to be too heavy, I will be picking up the Waterfield Slip Case as the posted weight on that one is the lowest of anything that we've officially seen (under 4 ounces), and the extra plastic insert on one side seems like it would be better for impact resistance than the Borsa Bella. I looked hard at the BB travel bag I already own for reference (4.8 ounces, BTW), judged the padding in there, and thought about adding foam to her Naked Kindle Bag, but in the end, I really want something that I know was designed (and hopefully tested) to withstand a certain amount of trouble. I'll stick with the BB bags for times when the K2 is already in a more protective cover.

Again, it's all about compromise. On good days, the K2 will be in the Oberon & BB bag combo for maximum protection & style.  Not-so-good days, hopefully I'll have something reasonably protective that won't impinge on my ability to lead as normal a day as possible.

Thanks for everyone's help with this one; I'll get the review of the Octovo up as soon as possible.


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## BurBunny (Feb 14, 2009)

VictoriaP said:


> _Again, if you are blessed with good health, this is absolutely true. If not, you learn that compromise is no longer optional, it's something you live with every minute of every day for the rest of your life.
> 
> For those of you who don't understand how a few ounces could make such a difference, I invite you to read this essay. It's a definite eye opener, and increased my own understanding of how different things are for those dealing with chronic illness._ http://www.butyoudontlooksick.com/navigation/BYDLS-TheSpoonTheory.pdf


Thank you for posting that! It is now bookmarked for when I need it in the future. It's a wonderful way to explain to someone who is blessed with strong health.


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## Kind (Jan 28, 2009)

The little weight added by Oberon is worth the protection and STYLE it offers.


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## koolmnbv (Mar 25, 2009)

I hope you find a case that works perfect for you! I would love to suggest something but I have an oberon and of course i love it but i see how u say that it cant work for you on alot of days so I hope thru the board or thru trial and error u find the perfect case! God Bless


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## chevauchee (Mar 29, 2009)

Victoria, here's one that should be pretty lightweight:


Kroo Reversible Sleeve for Amazon Kindle (Black/Red)

Can't vouch for it personally, but I saw it on the Thank You rewards site (4300 points, also available in pink/grey and blue/green) and thought of you. It's neoprene, so it should be really light.


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## Kevin2088 (Apr 7, 2009)

VictoriaP said:


> ....
> Are there options I'm missing? Opinions on any of the three--especially from anyone who's used the Waterfield slip case over time, as I'm the least familiar with it (the sleeve and travel cases are out due to both physical size & weight--at those numbers, I might as well stay with what I have & just give up carrying the Kindle!). Any other options I've missed? Or am I just overthinking the whole thing and the screen will be fine?


the trendydigital's MaxGuard eReader Jacket for Amazon Kindle 2 is another choice to consider.
The weight is 5.8 ounces. It has the closure for protection.
http://trendydigital.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=4_8&products_id=2


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