LEVEL8 Got Me on CLOUD9

Back in the days of the unibody MacBook Pros, you know, the thick ones with optical drives, I was at an Apple Store. To protect my then-modern MacBook Pro, I got a LEVEL8 13" laptop bag, and it was the best fucking bag in the world. The padding inside the bag was just the right amount of protective to keep the laptop in one piece, without being so in-the-way that it made the bag annoying to use. There was also a nice secondary spot for chargers, adapters, and anything else you needed to carry with you. The zippers were enjoyable, sealing shut without a gap.

I used that thing at home in elementary school, and when I graduated to middle school, where we were no longer given a school-issued laptop, I brought that bag with me. It lasted all the way until my 12th-grade high school Calculus class, when the zipper finally gave out. I was sad, but hey, what can you expect after all these years? Looking at the Apple Store website showed no results. Amazon? Unavailable.

screenshot of Amazon, "LEVEL8 13"-15" Laptop Sleeves Case Tablet Cover Bag for Notebook, MacBook Air/Pro (Black), Currently unavailable."
Apparently I bought one of these on Amazon back in 2018, so I guess it broke or got lost at one point. Maybe not quite as durable as I remember.

The LEVEL8 website showed that they had rebranded as premium luggage company. Ugh.

screenshot of level8bags.com, "Happy WOMEN'S DAY Empower her travels and set her beauty free with Level 8 luggage, knowing on this special day, it's all about her."
"happy women's day" alongside "get this bag for her and her beauty" is some serious bullshit

So, where do I get another one of these bags? You never realize just how much you appreciate something until it's gone, and that applies to laptop bags just as much as it does to people. Off to eBay! Well nobody was selling that specific bag, but someone was selling a messenger bag by LEVEL8 that looked like an even better version of my handheld bag. One available.

screenshot of eBay order details, "1 Level8 Atlas Slim Case Shock Absorption Laptop iPad Black Bag $15.35 Zippered Pockets"
It was very well-packed, so I don't mind the expensive shipping!

One $33.86 purchase later, I had the bag in my hands. The previous owner kept very good care of it, and it was in excellent condition. Why would anyone even want to sell it in the first place?

Well whatever, I love it even more than I loved the handheld bag, and I use it as my only bag in college. I fear the day that it breaks. If you own one of these bags in good condition, I will buy it off you, just to have as backup for when this bag eventually breaks. Email me at blogcontact@9021007.xyz. I am serious. I cannot even find images of this shoulder bag online, and I am incredibly lucky to have randomly found it on eBay. I can only spot it on the Wayback Machine.

screenshot of the wayback machine, level8cases.com on 2013/5/30. Arrows point to the shoulder bag I have, the handbag I used to have, and the backpack still sold.
That, by the way, is a Flash Player box.

I was looking at the LEVEL8 website, and it looks like they still sell one product in the style of the bag I use. It's a backpack. I was considering buying it just in case they discontinue that too, but $130 for a backpack is more than I am willing to spend on a "just in case my current bag breaks", especially when I enjoy a shoulder bag much more than I do a backpack. I guess it could be nice to have, but it's really not something I'm willing shell out for unless I know for a fact that it's going out of stock.

screenshot of LEVEL8 Atlas Laptop Backpack product page, showing padding of laptop pocket

If it is discontinued, make sure to let me know so that I can pick up any remaining stock! I know that "they don't make 'em like they used to" is something only grandfathers utter, but it's true! No other bag I have tried or felt has even come close. If anyone reading this (somehow) works at LEVEL8, please let me know if you happen to have one of those shoulder bags back there, they're the most incredible bag I have used, ever.


UPDATE 2024/09/30:

Spotted the carry-bag brand new online for not-that-much, decided to grab it as a backup.

screenshot of eBay reciept, showing order details of Level8 13" laptop bag, for

Hopefully they pack it well.


Update 2024/10/11:

They packed it... well enough

photo of walmart flat mailer

And it certainly was new...

LEVEL8 Atlas bag in plastic wrap with suffocation warning displayed

I missed these tags:

It even had the foam packaging inside

photo of top of bag, slightly open, showing black temporary foam pad.

And it fits my 14" laptop very well!

laptop inside bag
I voted, by the way 🙂

Nice lifetime warranty against defects, though not wear-and-tear :/. I would probably buy such a warranty if it existed.

photo of warranty card, it says "LEVEL8 cases and bags are guaranteed to be free of manufacturing defects for the life of the product. If a LEVEL8 product is found to be defective, it will be repaired or replaced by LEVEL8 free of charge. A product defect is defined as a problem or malfunction resulting from a flaw in workmanship. This warranty does not cover abuse, improper use or normal wear and tear of the product. This warranty does not cover any other products used in conjunction with a Level8 product, even if they are sold together or intended for joint use. LEVEL8 is only able to provide hassle free service and committed care for products that were manufactured by LEVEL8 and purchased through authorized resellers. This warranty becomes void if a product is purchased through second hand shops, online auctions, or other unauthorized resellers,"

That card came in a fancy little embossed envelope, which is a nice touch.

embossed envelope

I am going to use the bag not for my 14" 2021 MacBook Pro, but instead my 13" 2016 MacBook Pro, which I am dual-booting with Mojave and Monterey. I'll use it as a "grab bag" for when I need to go fix something. The Intel processor, 32-bit app support from Mojave, and modern supported (fuck you) OS through Monterey means that I can use apps from almost any era of macOS, save for PPC apps. I can also run Windows or Linux in a VM, which I have realized is probably more efficient than a dedicated partition. I had tried to get all 4 to share natively, but Bootcamp doesn't like it and Linux doesn't like it. I can barely get 2 macOS versions and 1 third party, let alone 2. Plus, both of those permanently eat disk space that I just don't want to give up. Windows and Linux will overwrite each other's GRUB settings, and the whole thing is as fragile as glass. VMs make everything easier.

In the pocket, I'm putting a USB-A Ventoy stick, 2 misc USB-A sticks, 2 USB-C to USC-A adapters, an Ethernet cable, an Ethernet to USB-A adapter, an HDMI cable, a USB-A HDMI capture dongle (which ignores HDCP 🙂), a USB-A voltage and current sensor, and my favorite USB-A to microUSB cable.

I have a charger on the way. Hopefully I haven't forgotten anything. I feel like I may want to include a USB-A to Lightning cable. (not USB-C)