I wanted a light weight pack mostly for clothing, small gadgets, and other misc items.

As already noted in another review, there is no padded laptop compartment in the Levi's Luggage Mission 2 Backpack.  The only thin padding is in the very back section of the pack that rests against your back.  The shoulder straps have some padding and there is a worthless amount of very thin padding at the bottom of the pack.  The padding in this backpack is clearly insufficient for protecting a laptop.

However, a well padded pack is usually heavier so the lack of padding is actually a benefit in my case for those times when I want a light pack just for clothing, snacks, smartphone, etc. Should I need to transport my laptop, I plan to use the&nbsp;<a data-hook="product-link-linked" class="a-link-normal" href="/Hard-Candy-Case-Bubble-Sleeve/dp/B004B8VIR6/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_rvw_txt?ie=UTF8">Hard Candy Case Bubble Sleeve</a>&nbsp;for my MacBook Air before slipping it into the backpack.

A better laptop backpack alternative for some folks might be the&nbsp;<a data-hook="product-link-linked" class="a-link-normal" href="/Belkin-Core-Laptop-Backpack-fits-up-to-15-6-Inch-laptops/dp/B0024IGH3A/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_rvw_txt?ie=UTF8">Belkin Core Laptop Backpack  fits up to 15.6-Inch laptops</a>.  This one, which I also own, is better padded and only slightly heavier.  I paid less than twenty five dollars for it on Amazon back in October 2011.  Amazon seems to have raised their prices on many items after the Christmas holiday.

I usually place a strip of foam padding on the bottom of any backpack when transporting a laptop for extra protection.