Messenger Bag Recommendations
I need your help.
I need a new bag to bring on business travel. I’ve given a backpack a chance and it isn’t doing it for me. I’ve got to get a messenger bag and quickly.
What I’m looking for is:
- Holds my 15″ MacBook Pro
- Has a pocket on the outside front flap
That is about it. I don’t ask for much. *grin* The outside pocket is a must. It is the only reason I don’t like the Timbuk2 bags. They rock other then that, but I need that outside pocket to open and drop things in.
So give me your links and suggestions because I can’t find anything that does it for me. Help me out!
November 19th, 2007 at 8:54 am |
Unfortunately I will only recommend the Timbuk2 bags now.
Outside pockets are a theft risk. I try to avoid at all cost these days.
The Timbuk2 Commute has a pocket on the back on the outside, would that be a compromise? I have one of these and have only stopped using it due to a shoulder injury that seems to be aggravated less by a backpack.
Scott Beale was recently singing the praises of the new Timbuk2 Hacker, but that has zero outside pockets.
- Neil.
November 19th, 2007 at 8:57 am |
I’m a big fan of the STM bags, http://www.stmbags.com.au/medium-loft-specifications.html I do know the apple store carry’s it. There isn’t a lot of storage but there is a pocket outside the front flap.
-Jeff
November 19th, 2007 at 9:06 am |
There’s a great Squidoo lens by @mynameiskate reviewing funky, chic and cool laptop bags. Although many on the site are feminine, there are quite a few unisex/masculine messenger bags reviewed as well. It’s here:
http://www.squidoo.com/laptopbag/
Good luck!
Adele
November 19th, 2007 at 9:09 am |
I’ve tried the Timbuk2 bags. Got one as a speaker at the Podcast Academy Boston back in the day. It is an awesome bag and I love everything except for the outside pocket.
November 19th, 2007 at 9:19 am |
I use a messenger bag from Gap, though I got it two or three years back. It holds my Dell D620 just fine, and looks less like a laptop bag than what I used before, which was stolen from my car
This one has a pocket on the front flap, and also a mesh pocket on the back for papers, magazines etc.
Less helpfully, I can’t find that style on their website now.
November 19th, 2007 at 9:33 am |
I have had good luck with Tumi’s line of bags. Have used mine for 8 years and it still looks like new. This is their messenger bag http://tinyurl.com/qnvl7
November 19th, 2007 at 9:48 am |
I blogged about the Man Bag a few years ago, several readers have left comments and suggestions about what works best. I really like Timbuk2 -incredibly durable and water resistant - but looks like you’ve ruled it out.
http://www.thebigredblog.com/2005/01/case-for-man-bag-i-must-make-stand.html
November 19th, 2007 at 10:03 am |
The bags at Acme Made are super-stylish, and the Slim Carge has the outside pocket: http://acmemade.com/thecargo.html
More like a briefcase than a messenger bag. Pricey but nice.
And Tom Bihn makes excellent messenger bags. A friend of mine who seems to collect good bags swears by them: http://www.tombihn.com/
November 19th, 2007 at 11:32 am |
I have a bag I got a few years ago, which I got locally for not much money, it’s actually like a canvass briefcase, with a long shoulder strap, so therefore, like a courier bag… it had a big zip across the flap for storage… have a look in your local /big shop that sells everything/ sorry, I don’t know what shop that would be , I’m in the UK!
November 19th, 2007 at 12:56 pm |
Totally love crumpler bags… if you can put up with their difficult to navigate site
http://www.crumplerbags.com/
November 19th, 2007 at 2:03 pm |
I know this is lame but I have used very “fancy” bags, high tech bags—you name it. Best bag is the backpack I am using of my daughter’s, it’s plain Land’s End backpack but I have a padded sleeve for my laptop. Works for me. Hope you find something as it’s hard to travel with bad gear!
November 19th, 2007 at 3:39 pm |
I’ve had an L.L.Bean Deluxe Book Pack for years. $39.
http://www.llbean.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/CategoryDisplay?storeId=1&catalogId=1&langId=-1&feat=&categoryId=47576&from=GM&noDept=&guideId=5953&moduleId=5955
November 19th, 2007 at 6:42 pm |
I have used a Tenba messenger/brief legal size bag on and off for over 6 years. This came with a laptop insert. I always end up going back to it. Quality is excellent. 3 3 years of constant travel via plane and still pretty much looks new. www.tenba.com Unfortunately, at first glance I don’t see my exact bag anymore….but I can recommend the quality is top knotch on this stuff. The best part of this bag is that I got it as a gift.
November 19th, 2007 at 9:21 pm |
My new dayjob has provided me with an Ogio bag, and I absolutely love it. It has a small pocket on the flap (large enough for a couple of 5×8 note books and all my pocket stuff at airport security). The nice thing about it is that the laptop pocket is not under the flap - it’s a separate zipper so you can keep all of your paper files secure when you pull out your laptop at security.
The bag itself isn’t heavy, but it is well constructed it seems.
November 20th, 2007 at 11:44 am |
Over at THREDZ Unlimited we rep this brand…killer durability. I have a golf bag from them that I could live in!
http://www.ogio.com/product.php?product=189
November 21st, 2007 at 7:18 pm |
C.C. - I love you like a Brother. Now, we can be twins.
Look no further. This bag is my trusted sidekick… it rocks.
http://www.samsonitecompanystores.com/webapp/scs/servlet/SItemDisplay?productId=249068&storeId=10151&langId=-1
They have a medium version too.
Godspeed.
November 22nd, 2007 at 2:23 am |
I should give +1 on the Crumplers in general. While not a messenger bag (I looked at those too, and they are similar in construction) I got the Customary Barge backpack, which can hold a 17″ MBP, and an SLR camera + a few lenses, and a ton of other junk. It’s actually not that ‘big’ it doesn’t look like I’m carrying over 5,000 of electronics and cameras on me as it’s just plain black… but I am. Great for international travel. Plus it’s a bright (green) color inside, which helps you see what’s actually in the bag asides from a black abyss.
November 25th, 2007 at 10:13 am |
Love, love, love my Timbuk!
November 26th, 2007 at 11:11 pm |
Thank you everyone for the recommendations and links. It took me a while to go through all of them, but I ended up going with this one. I’ll let you know what I think of it after I get some time to try it out.
http://www.spireusa.com/products/EN8.htm
December 8th, 2007 at 10:47 am |
CC … you will LOVE the Endo from Spire. I don’t know if you read the review on my Squidoo lens that Adele referred to above or not (thanks, Adele!) but it is a great bag!
I didn’t see your post til today (away on honeymoon), but when I read your requirements I immediately thought of the Endo.
Cheers .. Kate
June 19th, 2008 at 4:05 am |
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