The Timbuk2 bag that I reviewed is still my everyday bag as well. Love the colors you chose for yours!

SQLDba wrote:

Julie,
[SNIP]
Another good messenger bag out there is some of the stuff from Crumpler. I bought their Crisp Suit bag – which is their largest. A ton of pockets and areas to put things. Good, well padded laptop area. My biggest complaint on this bag is there is NO handle other than the strap. Otherwise great bag.
[SNIP]

I second SQLDba’s support of Crumpler. I’m in NYC and have access to both the Timbuk2 and Crumpler retail stores (as well as seeing people carrying each brand’s bags). I originally picked an XL Timbuk2 Messenger Bag in order to carry a variety of stuff (specifically, legal-size files between 1.5 and 15 inches thick). I wound up buying a Crumpler “Wonder Weenie” which was good as a basic backpack replacement, but then I found that I was carrying more, thicker files and the width of the bag couldn’t keep up. So I got a “Fux Deluxe” and I’m really pleased. The FD is a big bag — it can accomodate a LOT of stuff — and I’ve never been in a situation where I have to switch bags on the fly to be able to carry a half-dozen files totalling 18 or more inches deep.

The bags are very durable, look professional (ie not inappropriate with a suit) and have lots of storage space. The cons are the missing top handle, no zippers on the deep but narrow internal pockets, and the large excess “strap-loop” that hangs off the side of the bag.

All their messenger bags have third-leg stabilizers that go across your waist, but I think they just get in the way and have never bothered using any. If I spent each workday on a bicycle in Manhattan, however, I might think differently.

I think the Timbuk2 bags are nice and very well-designed; I would have ended up buying a customized T2 but they were out of gray strap-pads and ipod cases when I was doing mine up, so I always put off buying one until they had the colors I wanted in stock. After a few visits they were still out, and I wound up finding Crumpler so I’m pleased. Crumpler offers a variety of add-on accessories which hold everything from iPods to phones/radios, cd players, cameras, etc. So I figure that the bag will grow with me if/when necessary. I’ve used Crumplers as carry-ons for coast-to-coast flights and haven’t regretted buying either bag. It handles a bunch of thick files, my LifeDrive, an iPod (and the requisite crap that goes along with the iPod), a Nikon Coolpix S1 digicam, a 20-CD holder, reference manuals, and my gym clothes — simultaneously. I’d bet that the bag will fit more than you can — or want — to carry at once.

One final note, for an extra $50 or $75 or so, they let you custom-design the front panel/flap of the bag yourself — not just color-blocks but any design you can imagine. Pricey, but really nice if you need to have a logo or design of your own making. The FD was about $120 with tax and I’d do it again in a heartbeat.

You have a good idea about the Review Category of the Month. I’ve been wanting to add more user contributed content. My original thought was more things like the Featured Gadgeteer stories, but this is a good idea too. I’ll give it some thought over the weekend and see what can come of it

A quick visit to timbuk2’s site reminded me that the laptop bags they sell and a completely different bag then the messenger bag you have. There is a padded pocket area sewn into the laptop version – and the customization is much less. I stand corrected.

Another good messenger bag out there is some of the stuff from Crumpler. I bought their Crisp Suit bag – which is their largest. A ton of pockets and areas to put things. Good, well padded laptop area. My biggest complaint on this bag is there is NO handle other than the strap. Otherwise great bag.

Just a thought – how about a Review Category of the Month section? Seems like we are getting a lot of input of different bags – maybe pick a general topic like messenger bags and open it up for gadgeteers to post mini reviews with pictures, experiences etc. In just a couple minutes I could think of a bunch of gadget topics of the month – messenger bags, backpacks, mp3 players, flash drives, cell phones, digital recorders etc. You could set up a basic rating – 5 stars type thing – and have it work like an Amazon type rating only focused on a specific product type each month.

I know I look here first before I buy almost any gadget – and having an extensive user review section on different gadgets would be a pretty cool feature…

I find the bag to be almost perfect for my needs. I use public transportation to get to/from work and found that leather briefcases would get torn up over time. This bag is much more durable and can always be washed if necessary. I’m not crazy about the sound from the Velcro, but it adheres tightly enough that I never need to use the latches to keep the flap closed.

The medium size is very functional. It would be perfect for college and big enough to carry a change of clothes. Since there is not a lot of form to the bag, carrying it with not a lot of stuff is comfortable as Julie mentioned in the review. Also, compared to the Timbuk2 website, these bags look a lot better in person as far as the colors.

You’re the 2nd person to ask this question in this forum. The Pros and Cons are in the top right corner of the page. They’ve been there since the redesign. We just recently stopped duplicating them at the bottom of the reviews because they had been put in manually before. If we have the pros / cons pasted automatically at the bottom, older reviews will have 2 sets of pros / cons listed at the end of the review. Clear as mud?

Could it be that giving “cons” soured some vendors?

Thanks

Craig:
You can see in one of the pictures that there are 4 long strips of Velcro sewn into the area of the bag where the flap rests. This is too much for me, but like I said, I’ve grown used to it. There is also a short section of Velcro used to hold the two layers of the interior divider together.

Velcro would be fine if it didn’t make such an obnoxious sound everytime you used it

This is a purely subjective judgment, mind you.

Enough, too much, or any velcro is too much velcro?

– Craig

SQLDba wrote:

This is absolutely the bag to get if you are on a budget or just don’t see the value of spending $200+ on a laptop bag.

If you are on a budget, even $100 is too high. I picked up a great messenger bag at Eddie Bauer outlet for $35 out the door. Yes I had to add some other gear, but on a budget, it is not needed.

Pictures of the bag are in this thread.

I can afford higher priced bags, but with my bag addiction, I soon wouldn’t be able to . Also, my ministry is with College age guys through Sigma Theta Epsilon, and most of them are on a budget in a BIG way .

This is a company that I had not heard of before. I’m definitely going to check them out!

If I had one complaint it would have to be the “briefcase” handle at the top of the bag. I think you dodged this issue Julie by not carrying a heavy laptop in the bag, but when you have it loaded with a 15″ Powerbook or big Dell, the handle is a little lopsided and kind of odd. Since there isn’t the strong side construction of a typical briefcase, the bag kind of forms around the rigid laptop – and when you stand holding the handle it doesn’t hang quite right. Just a little odd is all.

Still a great bag – and probably one of the best for $100 or less you can get.

I still own my old Timbuk2 (small cordura), but it’s been relegated to an equipment bag while I carry my Bailey Works everywhere.

Here are the main reasons why I like my Bailey Works bag better than my Timbuk2.
1. Bailey Works uses a more durable cordura. My Timbuk2 bag has very obvious signs of wear and tear in both the cordura shell and in the ballistic nylon strap pad — the liner is intact though.
2. Bailey Works has a MUCH better strap pad. It’s far more comfortable and it doesn’t slide around.
3. The Bailey Works main flap does a better job at keeping rain out. If you look at your Timbuk2 when the flap is closed, there are small areas next to the shoulder strap where the main flap does not cover. It’s like Timbuk2 forgot to add a 1/4 inch of fabric on both sides of the main flap. The flap on the Bailey Works bag covers everything, easily — that extra fabric is a life saver in a downpour.

I still don’t think the Bailey Works bag is perfect, far from it, but it’s the best one I’ve found so far, and I definitely find it a better bag than the Timbuk2.

btw, I just wanted to let the both of you know that I REALLy like the new layout on this site.

TripleTapper wrote:

Great review Julie. Quick question, it appears that your newer reviews do not include a good/bad overview at the end of the review. I really miss those. Its really nice to have the “quick summary” at the end. Just wanted to let you know.

The Pros and Cons are still there – they are just in the upper right hand corner of the review page now. :0)

Not that I’d recommend stuffling a laptop into a bag that isn’t padded, but you get the drift.

Julie wrote:

questionfear:

So what color and size Timbuk2 do you have?

I have the smallest one in all black with a yellow logo, and a grey inside. I bought it at an REI, so the colors were a bit more limited. It’s pretty plain, but sturdy as hell. And even as it aged, you can barely tell where it’s getting worn.

Thanks!

So what color and size Timbuk2 do you have?

http://www.the-gadgeteer.com/review/timbuk2_bag_in_a_box

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