Timbuk2 Classic Messenger Bag
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Apparel Details
Manufacturer: Timbuk2Brand: Timbuk2
Product features:
- Classic messenger bag originally designed for hard-working bicycle messengers
- Ballistic nylon exterior and waterproof liner help the bag last a lifetime
- Large main compartment, front pocket with extra zippered pocket, and internal pockets
- Quick-adjust, side-cam shoulder strap; cross strap for stabilization (except XS)
- Comes in XS, S, M, L, and XL sizes in dozens of color patterns; lifetime warranty
Apparel reviews of Timbuk2 Classic Messenger Bag
Customer Review: Great for grad student
Rating: 5 Stars
As a grad student in computer science, I take my computer with me *everywhere*. I need bags that can take a light beating every day for a long time. When my old computer bag developed a large tear at the computer pocket, I wanted something that would be large enough for me to carry my computer, its accessories, a textbook, a notebook, and my digital camera, which is an oversized point-and-shoot that's just a little too large to fit comfortably into any bag. Needless to say I also wanted something that wouldn't rip open or have the clip for the shoulder strap snap and drop my computer onto the sidewalk, both unpleasant experiences I've had with other bags.
I was a little wary of carrying the laptop in a sleeve that could rattle around inside a larger bag, but many of my friends do it that way and seem to have no problems. One of them introduced me to Timbuk2's products, and after a lot of research and agonizing I ordered the Classic Messenger Bag and Timbuk2's Timbuk2 Wiki Laptop Sleeve.
The CMB is great, though it is basically "just a bag" with a few auxiliary pockets. The medium size -- which looks big and is actually a little bigger -- holds everything I need, with just a little room to spare, and if I ever want to carry other stuff (groceries, camping supplies) I can just take the computer out and have a pretty humongous bag. It's comfortable, the lining is waterproof, the strap has a nifty quick-release length adjustment, and it feels very, very secure. My girlfriend admired mine so much that she asked her family for one, and I got my brother one as a Christmas gift, as he frequently bikes to work.
Some caveats, all of which I consider minor points a buyer might want to be aware of, rather than real issues I have with the product:
- It took me a couple days of fiddling with the length of the main strap and how the bag sat on my back before it was really comfortable. I could tell when I first put it on that it was well-built and would be comfortable; I just had to spend some time and find the sweet spot.
- The top doesn't really close; it's just the main flap of the bag flipped across the opening. Things seem to sit so that the bag pinches shut at the top naturally, and there's a safe margin of overhang, but I've noticed that the main strap can pull the overhanging edge of the flap up, rather than down over the side of the bag. I've never had an actual problem with this, and neither has the friend who showed me the bags in the first place, but it seems worth mentioning.
- The cross strap -- yes, it can be a little confusing at first. However, it's not outrageously difficult either. I got it backwards the first time I tried it, reversed it, and had no further issues. Once you've got it it's pretty obvious, and you don't really need it unless you're riding a bike or something similarly athletic.
- The quick-release on the main strap seems prone to a little slippage unless you really clamp it down. I assume that's why it has a kind of double-loop system that allows you to adjust the amount of slack strap available for extending at any given time but that's a little tedious to work with.
- There are a lot of auxiliary pockets inside and a couple outside. They're all useful sizes and pretty much perfectly hold all my stuff, but the interior pockets are built of some much lighter material than the rest of the bag, and it seems to stretch and sag with use. I'd had a lot of pens in the pen pockets for a couple weeks until I noticed they were getting loose and slightly misshapen. I wouldn't rely on them to hold a lot of stuff, despite the apparent size.
- You can't really carry anything on the outside of this bag without buying some accessories from Timbuk2. This doesn't bother me, as I keep phones in holsters and keys in my pocket, but if you put everything in your bag it might be a hindrance.
- Word of caution: Despite being a righty, I wear my bag "left-handed," i.e. over my right shoulder. This puts the strap adjustment behind me, so I have to take the bag off to adjust it. However, if there's any weight in it, it seems that the bag might be difficult to adjust while wearing, regardless of which way you wear it. Timbuk2 offers an option on this if you custom order a bag.
Apart from these points, which are very minor, I really do love this bag. It's simple, it does exactly what I need (viz., carry stuff), everything seems very well-made (with the possible exception of those interior pockets), it's attractive, the size and shape are useful, it's comfortable to carry and wear. I look forward to long use from this bag.
Oh, and Timbuk2's Twitter feed gave me the answer to the issue of velcro noise: just take the velcro out of commission. Buy some matching velcro strips at a fabrics store, cut to fit, cover the bag's velcro with the loose velcro, and use the clips to secure the bag. This hasn't been a problem for me as I don't attend a lot of meetings and open my bag before classes start, but if it ever comes up, at least there's an easy way around it.
Description of Timbuk2 Classic Messenger Bag
Originally built for hard-working messengers, the Classic Messenger Bag has been in production for 20 years. Known for its long-lasting, rugged durability and distinctive three-panel, multi-color design, the Classic Messenger has been adopted in cities around the world as the everyday, all-purpose carryall. It features a ballistic nylon exterior and waterproof liner, and remains the bag-of-choice for bicycle messengers, cycling enthusiasts and urban dwellers everywhere. [Imported]Originally built for hard-working bicycle messengers, the Timbuk2 Classic messenger bag has been in production for nearly two decades now. Known for its long-lasting, rugged durability and distinctive three-panel, multicolor design, the Classic has been adopted in cities around the world as an everyday, all-purpose carryall. The messenger bag is built for the long haul, with a ballistic nylon exterior and a waterproof liner that keeps the elements at bay. The bag also offers plenty of interior storage regardless of the size you choose, with a large main compartment, a front pocket with an extra zippered pocket, and multiple internal pockets, including pen slots and a business card slot. Finally, the Classic is a breeze to carry, with a quick-adjust, side-cam shoulder strap and a strap pad. Other features include a cross strap for stabilization (not available on the extra-small size), a Vista light attachment loop, and either tabs (XS) or tails (all other sizes). The Classic messenger bag remains the bag of choice for bicycle messengers, cycling enthusiasts, and urban dwellers everywhere.
 The Classic messenger bag stores a ton of gear in its multiple pockets. |
- Extra-small (XS): 12.75 by 8.5 by 5.25 inches (W x H x D), 1 pound
- Small (S): 14.5 by 9.75 by 5.15 inches, 1.8 pounds
- Medium (M): 18.75 by 10.5 by 7.75 inches, 2.1 pounds
- Large (L): 22.5 by 12.5 by 8.5 inches, 2.3 pounds
- Extra-large (XL): 26.25 by 14 by 9 inches, 3.15 pounds
About Timbuk2
Born in a San Francisco garage and bred on the backs of messengers in the city streets, Timbuk2 still manufactures its custom bags in the heart of San Francisco's Mission District. For 20 years, the company has been building bags and accessories for urban adventurers with a simple philosophy: to create good-looking, tough-as-hell bags you can truly make your own. Timbuk2 celebrates your individuality, which is why the company invites its customers to design and create custom bags in its Bag Builder. By letting you hack its bags, the company believes it can make bags that work harder for you.
Like rice and beans, Timbuk2 keeps it simple when it comes to being pro-planet. The company makes durable bags that are built to last, so while the competition is piling up in landfills, Timbuk2 bags stay on your back and hugs you for a lifetime. Tales of Timbuk2 bags outlasting jobs, lovers, pets, and train wrecks are not uncommon. In fact, the company is so confident in its bags that it guarantees that they'll last a lifetime. In those rare cases when something bad goes down, Timbuk2 will take your bag off your hands and find it a new (loving) home through its bag recycling program.
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