The stripes were my idea (to match my J-Fold wallet) and the Underground logo was my girlfriend’s. I wanted to include a “Who Dares Wins” SAS dagger logo on the bag’s flap as well, but I didn’t want to over-busy the design. In all, I’m really happy with it, despite the long delay from payment to receipt of the actual bag.

Thanks for the recommendation — if not for your review, I (nor many other of us, apparently) would have known about Bagaboo. Let’s hope Bagaboo’s customer service improves to match the level of the product itself

-B-

As I mentioned to Julie, I purchased a medium messenger bag from Bagaboo a couple months ago. I saw her review in late October and began designing my own bag, and finally opted to go forward and arranged with Tamas, Bagaboo’s proprietor, to produce my design. Once we agreed on the design and price, which included some options (a grab handle like Julie’s, extra “lamp” holders under the front flap and some other minor adjustments), I PayPal’d him and he told me he would get back in touch once the design was finished and ready to be sent. Six weeks later, I hadn’t heard much from him so I followed up, and eventually was able to figure out that the bag had not been finished but — finally, after a bunch of requests — and me advising him I would cancel the order if I didn’t hear from him within a couple days — Tamas finally sent me pics of the near-finished bag, and soon after, pics of the finished bag itself.

I told him I needed the bag before January 20th, as I was going out of town, and the bag arrived by January 18th. I sent him an e-mail once I got to my destination telling him the bag was perfect; it took him nine days to respond to thank me for letting him know.

The bag itself is great — aside from the personalized design option, the bag is incredibly solidly put together. It feels bulletproof: the cordura/truck tarp combo is extremely well made, assembled and appears professional. I sprayed my bag with a waterproofing material, not because I was concerned the bag wasn’t waterproof but to insure the white stripes I’d included in my bag’s design would not darken. Otherwise, the bag is solid. It is able to stand on its own (many free-style messenger bags sink or flop to one side), it is very comfortable to wear (empty or filled), the strap/pad is very comfortable, and the myriad little features, storage pockets and places to stash stuff is incredible. The only complaint on this end is that it’s hard to remember where I put different items; aside from the main compartment, I have six (6) different pockets — zippered, velcro-sealed, open — on the bag that accommodate stuff: pens, cd’s, pads, my iPod, cell, folders, keys, calculators, softcover books, magazines, newspapers — you name it, this bag can handle it.

I had Tamas add on a couple of additional “lamp” holders — simply, these are small straps that enable me to hang Crumpler holders (one for an iPod or similarly-sized item, another for my digicam). Otherwise, I’ve got a variety of stuff stashed in this bag and it never feels heavy or untenable. I have gotten a number of “nice bag” comments from people on the streets of NYC, and rather than advise them from whom I got it, I just thanked them and was on my way. As much as this bag is really incredible, and I would do it over again, there are several cons to go along with the variety of pros associated with buying a bag from Bagaboo.

Pros:
Very Well-Made Product
Easy To Design (Bagaboo very willing to assist or reproduce your design)
Well-Designed Product
Comfortable to Wear
Stands Up Like A Briefcase

Cons:
Lack of Responsiveness from Bagaboo
Cost, Time Associated with Purchasing (Hungary)

Again, I would buy another bag from Bagaboo; but I would be very cautious and wouldn’t recommend Bagaboo to friends unless they acknowledged the lack of responsiveness and the excessive cost and wait time to receive the product.

Julie wrote:

silica:

Those are various pouches from Waterfield: http://www.sfbags.com

Thank you very much. Those are exactly what I’ve been looking for.

Those are various pouches from Waterfield: http://www.sfbags.com

Where did you get the small pencil pouches (at least they look like a pencil pouch) that you carry in your messenger bag?

Julie wrote:

questionfear:
My Treo knows that I won’t stray very far from its backlit keys I’m hopelessly addicted to it. No matter what other phones I might try, I come back to the Treo in less than 48hrs.

I….er….I’m glad you two have worked something out. I would say more, but everything else that comes to mind pushes this metaphor well into a bad place and my inner puritan is preventing me from typing it out.

Julie wrote:

questionfear:
Your eyes are just fine The Treo is my main phone, but I’ve been goofing around with a Nokia 6131 and a Motorola SLVR L7 here and there.

Whew. That’s a relief…;-)

So this cheating on your treo…does that mean convergency has not swept you away, body and soul? Or do you and the treo have an “understanding” about these things?

questionfear:
Your eyes are just fine The Treo is my main phone, but I’ve been goofing around with a Nokia 6131 and a Motorola SLVR L7 here and there.

Um, on topic. Yes. Bags are nice. I like.

Julie wrote:

Post your comments on the Bagaboo Messenger Bags review.

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

Just click the POST REPLY button on this page.

Interesting and CAVERNOUS bag. I have tried to like messengers, from Crumpler to Timbuk2, but there is something about having a flap over an open compartment that really freaks me out. In a bag that big, I like having a lot more pockets, though your Roadwired packets seem to keep it all pretty well organized. I am an aficianado of the field bag…it is a much nicer size to lug around, though you can’t fit quite as much stuff in it. Thanks for the review!

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

Just click the POST REPLY button on this page.