Review'd by Tommy Pesavento, President, Spy Creative:
"I use my Small Messenger as a daily bag and it is perfect. Some things I carry are a large and small moleskine, 12 oz. stainless steel water bottle, various city maps, lots of pens, usually a magazine or book, a small first aid kit, business cards, iPod touch with two sets of headphones, and most of the year i have a winter facemask, gloves and a beanie. All of this fits nicely with room to spare, yet the bag is not so huge that it's bulky or cumbersome when I'm browsing in a store or riding the subway.
Over the past several years, I have tried and tested every kind of messenger bag EXCEPT a Timbbuk2 bag. Maybe I was resisting it because it was so popular. Now, however, I know why it is so popular. They simply do it right. Not too many bells and whistles, but it's not just one big open space either. Like I said, it's just right.
I also have a Medium Messenger that I take when traveling, usually by plane, because the Small is just a bit too small to be useful when out of town and you never know what you might need to carry. The Medium is also great for when you know you are going to a bookstore or might need to put your jacket inside, or if you are a student. But the Small bag is perfect if you just have to carry a few things around all the time and won't necessarily be doing much shopping.
Having two different sized bags eliminates the impossible quest for having "just the right bag" for all your needs. Overall, I do use the Small bag the most, though. I love it. I've probably gone through at least 2 dozen other brands of bags over the years and not only did they not quite fit my needs, they all invariably had some kind of annoying feature that was so annoying I had to re-sell it or give it to someone else. This one is perfect.
Remember, this is an URBAN bag. If you're looking for something specifically for hiking or moutaineering, this is not for you. (Try Mountainsmith for that.) But if you live and work in a city or town, and this is what you will use the bag for, please save yourself a HUGE amount of time and money and just get one of these. You will not be disappointed. :)
Favorite feature: it stands up on it's own when you set it down! Yay!
Cool bonus: the add-ons that Timbuk2 makes allow you to customize your bag if there is a specific feature that you must have.
What it's missing: It could use a briefcase-style handle to make it easier to grab when you're on the fly, or if you need to pull off a more "professional look" going into a meeting.
Not mandatory, but it would be nice if: there was a elastic strap inside to hold a water bottle upright against the side of the bag. I say not mandatory because i use a leakproof bottle anyway, but it would be nice to know where it was. Also, I don't carry water EVERY time I go out anyway, because in today's society you can usually find or procure some H2O if you need it."
"I use my Small Messenger as a daily bag and it is perfect. Some things I carry are a large and small moleskine, 12 oz. stainless steel water bottle, various city maps, lots of pens, usually a magazine or book, a small first aid kit, business cards, iPod touch with two sets of headphones, and most of the year i have a winter facemask, gloves and a beanie. All of this fits nicely with room to spare, yet the bag is not so huge that it's bulky or cumbersome when I'm browsing in a store or riding the subway.
Over the past several years, I have tried and tested every kind of messenger bag EXCEPT a Timbbuk2 bag. Maybe I was resisting it because it was so popular. Now, however, I know why it is so popular. They simply do it right. Not too many bells and whistles, but it's not just one big open space either. Like I said, it's just right.
I also have a Medium Messenger that I take when traveling, usually by plane, because the Small is just a bit too small to be useful when out of town and you never know what you might need to carry. The Medium is also great for when you know you are going to a bookstore or might need to put your jacket inside, or if you are a student. But the Small bag is perfect if you just have to carry a few things around all the time and won't necessarily be doing much shopping.
Having two different sized bags eliminates the impossible quest for having "just the right bag" for all your needs. Overall, I do use the Small bag the most, though. I love it. I've probably gone through at least 2 dozen other brands of bags over the years and not only did they not quite fit my needs, they all invariably had some kind of annoying feature that was so annoying I had to re-sell it or give it to someone else. This one is perfect.
Remember, this is an URBAN bag. If you're looking for something specifically for hiking or moutaineering, this is not for you. (Try Mountainsmith for that.) But if you live and work in a city or town, and this is what you will use the bag for, please save yourself a HUGE amount of time and money and just get one of these. You will not be disappointed. :)
Favorite feature: it stands up on it's own when you set it down! Yay!
Cool bonus: the add-ons that Timbuk2 makes allow you to customize your bag if there is a specific feature that you must have.
What it's missing: It could use a briefcase-style handle to make it easier to grab when you're on the fly, or if you need to pull off a more "professional look" going into a meeting.
Not mandatory, but it would be nice if: there was a elastic strap inside to hold a water bottle upright against the side of the bag. I say not mandatory because i use a leakproof bottle anyway, but it would be nice to know where it was. Also, I don't carry water EVERY time I go out anyway, because in today's society you can usually find or procure some H2O if you need it."
Visit Timbuk2's website: http://www.timbuk2.com