Customer Reviews Timbuk2 Classic Messenger Bag - Large

I bought the largest size which has more space than I need, but can be tightened up with compression type straps to work for even smaller loads. Pockets are great there's a good spot for everything (cell phone, sunglasses, office keys....) There is one change I would suggest. The clip that allows you to lengthen/shorten the strap has a "tail" (for lack of a better word). It rubs my skin and is uncomfortable. Not a major issue but it would be nice if the tail could be tucked away somehow.

I bought the largest size which has more space than I need, but can be tightened up with compression type straps to work for even smaller loads. Pockets are great- there's a good spot for everything (cell phone, sunglasses, office keys....) There is one change I would suggest. The clip that allows you to lengthen/shorten the strap has a "tail" (for lack of a better word). It rubs my skin and is uncomfortable. Not a major issue but it would be nice if the tail could be tucked away somehow.

Originally I had the classic black messenger bag in a large but it was just so big for me that I ended up giving it to my brother for his own conventions since he's a larger dude. Now that I'm going back to school I figured I'd need something relatively sturdy and weather proof for campus traveling. Not to mention something with adequate interior organization. This bag in a medium fits that to a T and then some. While the bag is top notch(especially for the current price!) I would definitely recommend reading the entire description carefully. I made the mistake of not noticing that the color I ordered does not come with a shoulder pad and while the bag is designed to take the weight off certain pressure zones, I still needed the additional padding. Not a big deal, but I also didn't see any info on whether it also included the classic Timbuk2 cross body strap for easier travel on foot. So I asked Customer Service, but didn't hear back for some time, and ended up ordering both together. Turns out that it does but I didn't get that info until after ordering the Shoulder pad and cross body strap. Not a big deal, now I have an extra one. My only other issue is with the free shipping offered by UPS. What should have taken maybe 4 days at most took a week due to internal issues with their system in which I wasn't seeing any updates, but I came home to a nice surprise on my porch so no harm, no foul. In the future I'll probably pay for shipping on any other items I purchase through the website. Otherwise, it's a great bag and a great deal right now for less than $60!

I got a custom bag because I'm going to be biking a lot in the near future and wanted a bag that would fit the bill and have safety features (reflective coating). Everything arrived on time and everything was solidly built and perfect except I choose the bag to be worn on the left shoulder under right-handed instead of what I'm used to (wearing it over my right shoulder, so I can signal with my left hand). In retrospect, it clearly states it while building the bag but I read right-handed and just clicked through it. Due to the fact that the strap in sewn on (i.e. good quality), I can't change it and because it's a custom bag, I can't return or exchange. Guess I'm just going to have to get used to. Overall, awesome bag and the only reason why I don't think it's perfect is because I didn't read the instructions carefully enough while building the bag.

I have two Timbuk2 messenger bags, a small one and a medium one, that I have had for 15 years, or more. The medium one has been my daily bag for my stuff,as it was under constant use, it has worn out. I replaced it with the current medium messenger bag. The new bag is rugged and waterproof (which the old bag wasn't any longer) It is the same size as the previous bag, however the pockets are different. In general it had less pocked space than the original bag. It took some thinking to find space to stow all the things I regularly kept in the first bag. On the plus side it has a divider in the middle of the main compartment, which makes it easier to carry papers and magazines, and keep them separated from the other stuff I carry in the main compartment. I have been using this bag for a couple of months, at the time of my writing this. I have gotten used to my new bag, but I would have been happier with an exact replacement of the bag I had been using all these years. A final note, I was able to order my new bag made up with the same colors as my old one.

I am gifting this to my son and he hasn't started to use it, yet. But it looks really well made and seems like it will hold up under rigorous use. I only wish the bag had come with a padded strap. That's why I didn't give the bag 5 stars. Doesn't seem like it would be a big deal to add that to every bag. Otherwise, I'm impressed.

This seems like a nice bag, well made. I bought it on a final sale deal and did not realize it did not come with a shoulder pad. I had to buy that separate.

I've had a medium classic messenger for years and is still a great bag. Needed a bigger bag for riding to work with a full change of clothes. Tungsten looks great, additions of the laptop sleeve and others make this an even better bag than my last. Thank not issues are this color did not come with the strap pad, had to buy separate. Also wish the securing add on strap was a little longer. As a bigger guy with the bag full it is s little snug but still manageable. I'm sure I will love this bag for years to come.

This bag was exactly what I was looking for. Only 2 things I think would be a good add on or adjustment is the water bottle holders inside is that one of them be a little bit bigger, it literally only fits a plastic water bottle and to add a sliding shoulder pad to the strap. Other then those 2 small things the bag is great. No complaints.

I ordered the extra small Custom Classic Messenger Bag. I wanted a small commuter bag that would hold everything! This compact, well made bag is just about perfect. It holds a large calendar book, a travel cup, wallet, small bag of chargers, phone, gloves and iPod. There are several small zippered pockets for pens, etc. My only problem with the bag is I wish the top "flap" was a bit longer. When the bag is super packed, the only thing holding it closed are the clips/straps because the velcro does not reach.

Too big. Can't return because it's custom.

My new bag is sweet! Very well made. I come to count on that from Timbuk2. Two issues: I wish you had retained the 3 zipper pockets in front. I miss this feature. I'm curious... why'd you do that? And I did love the waxed canvas!

The bag is beautifully made and delivered on time.

Reallly good materials,the feeling un general Is good, forma everyday and for everyday carry its good, useful pockets inside still could be better maybe a mesh pocket with zipper improve the bag.

Overall, this is an excellent bag. There are enough pockets for organization. I've had more than one and they last forever. I live in a rainy climate and they keep everything dry, too. But the strap. That's the only reason it's not 5 stars. I'm 5'1". It's JUST long enough for me to wear cross-body. But on my 6'2" husband it's STILL TOO SHORT. It's longer than the older one I traded in (recycle program) but still not enough.

Great Product. Cambuckle issue. Love the bag but the cambuckle only works if you sling the bag over your left shoulder. Being left handed, it is more natural for me to sling the bag over my right shoulder, but that puts the cambuckle behind me where I cannot adjust it. As I don't use the bag to ride it's not terribly inconvenient, but if the bag had a way to reverse the strap,it would give us lefties all the options the bag was designed for.

Overall, I'm happy with the bag. I do have a few relatively minor complaints: 1) The water bottle pockets (which cost extra) are laughably small. They need to be about 20-30% bigger. My coffee thermos barely fits and is a pain to get it in at all. My water bottle doesn't fit at all. 2) One of the colors I ordered isn't really even close to how it looks online. 3) The bag smells. I'm guessing this will go away over time, but out of the box it made my whole kitchen smell. Sort of like new car smell, but in the worst way possible.

I use this daily and this is my third custom Timbuk2 messenger bag. My last bag was the best; had more pockets than I could use and lasted 7 years. I'm disappointed with the lower number of pockets on this new bag. But the bag is handsome and I believe it'll work well.

Everything works as expected except the bottle holders in the bag. I was happy to see two bottle pockets but here's the rub: the mesh pocket with the elastic just fits my "standard" hydro flask. But the elastic makes it impossible to slide it in, I have to use two hands (which is very annoying). The other pocket has the same elastic so my coffee mug fits but is a pain to put in as well. Why have the elastic? I feel like my bottles are pretty much the thinnest ones you can find (they fit in my truck cup holder). Aside from being "collapsible" for more room in the bag, the elastic on the bottle pockets could be designed much more efficiently for how awesome the bag is. I dunno, i guess I just see how great everything else is so the bottle pockets just seem like an after though.

I've owned 3 Timbuk2 messenger bags, a phone holsters and two bicycle seat bags over the past 18 years. My bags have held up unbelievably well after tens of thousands of miles on the bike, travel and daily routines. I believe they are stylish, durable and easy to adjust on the fly. After 18 years the Velcro on my primary bag was getting somewhat weak and it was a bit snug to fit a 13 inch laptop so I decided to buy a new one. I customized a small sized classic messenger bag and while I think it's great I am a little disappointed that it's missing a feature or two I had relied on for many years. The first is that under the flap there is an off center vertical zippered pocket. With this design, I feel, that when reaching in you are more likely to drag out stuff unintentionally and small change can easily roll out. Not a huge deal. The bigger issue I have is that my older bag has an inside smaller zipped pocket that was located behind a business card or ID window. Not the large full sized pocket but one that was perfect for a wallet, change and smaller items that I wanted to believe were a bit more secure inside while zipped up. I wear scrubs all day and don't carry my wallet on me so this pocket was perfect for that. My bag sits in an office and while its generally safe with that pocket I felt like even if someone opened the top of my bag my wallet was zipped away. I know it's kind of a lot to write over two small features of a messenger bag but like I said, I've had these bags for a long time and it became second nature to me as to where to put stuff in the bag. Still a really good bag though.

I've owned 3 Timbuk2 messenger bags, a phone holsters and two bicycle seat bags over the past 18 years. My bags have held up unbelievably well after tens of thousands of miles on the bike, travel and daily routines. I believe they are stylish, durable and easy to adjust on the fly. After 18 years the Velcro on my primary bag was getting somewhat weak and it was a bit snug to fit a 13 inch laptop so i decided to buy a new one. I customized a small sized classic messenger bag and while I think it's great I am a little disappointed that it's missing a feature or two I had relied on for many years. The first is that under the flap there is no longer a smaller outer pocket with a horizontal zip but rather this has been replaced with a more off center vertical zippered pocket. With this design, I feel, that when reaching in you are more likely to drag out stuff unintentionally and small change can easily roll out. Not a huge deal. The bigger issue I have is that my older bag has an inside smaller zipped pocket that was located behind a business card or ID window. Not the large full sized pocket but one that was perfect for a wallet, change and smaller items that I wanted to believe were a bit more secure inside while zipped up. I wear scrubs all day and don't carry my wallet on me so this pocket was perfect for that. My bag sits in an office and while its generally safe with that pocket I felt like even if someone opened the top of my bag my wallet was zipped away. I know it's kind of a lot to write over two small features of a messenger bag but like I said, I've had these bags for a long time and it became second nature to me as to where to put stuff in the bag. Still a really good bag though.

This custom bag is my daily carry, replacing a 12 year old Timbuk2. What I like... lightweight, grab handle, my own color design, almost perfectly suits my needs. What I did not like... there are less pockets than my old one, especially for small items, pens, etc. Also its color is much darker than it appeared on line so a surprise rather than a "not like". Im looking forward to a "long term relationship" with this one.

I got this bag (medium) about 8 months ago and it has been great! I've used it everyday for school and it has held up really well. On a typical day, I carry a 1.5'' binder, my 13" MacBook Air, a water bottle, a lunch bag, a notebook, my Kindle, my graphing calculator, a book, a bunch of pencils/pens/highlighters, and a bunch of various other small objects. If anything, Timbuk2 underestimates how much this bag can hold. This bag is very stylish and looks good with just about any outfit. The waterproof feature has been a lifesaver for my electronic devices and the ability to tuck in the edges of the bag ensures that no water can get in. However, I do have some complaints about this bag. First of all, the easy to adjust strap on the bag can easily be accidentally adjusted when you are putting the bag over your shoulder. Second, the two pockets that you can get for an extra $10 are really small. They are so small that I cannot get my water bottle (which happens to be rather small) into either of the pockets. This really isn't a big deal since I can just slide it into the main compartment of my bag, but it is a minor inconvenience. Third, (this really isn't a complaint, just something that people might want to take into consideration) since the velcro is on the front of the bag, if you lean against your bag while you are putting stuff in it, the velcro will rip your shirt. Overall, I have been very pleased with this bag. I would definitely get another and it is definitely something that I would recommend to other people.

I love this bag! It is well-made of a durable material that will far outlast any previously owned bags. I like the three different colors, and the many features, such as the many inside pockets and the weatherproof flats. The strap is a good length and is adjustable, It holds weight well and fits comfortable under airplane seats. I would definitely buy another!

I update from my 2010 messenger to this guy, and it provides the same reliability as before. I wish there were a few more pocket options, but I do like the updated security of the tapered sides. My main con is the fact that the padded strap is not removable. I like to switch between shoulders when carrying it due to an old injury, and the inability to remove the padded strap and replace it makes it difficult to get comfortable and secure.