Customer Reviews Timbuk2 Classic Messenger Bag - Large

I got this bag to use as a commuter bag to carry on my back or in a basket on my bicycle. I also used this for a 2-week vacation as a carry-on and daily carrying bag. The size felt cumbersome at first, but was very appreciated when I started using it to stash my jacket, water bottle, paperwork, etc. It also fit nicely on the floor on the airplanes. The material is excellent and I loved the ability to customize the colors/fabrics. The construction feels very solid and I imagine it will last a long time. The shoulder strap is comfortable and easy to manipulate. I really like the quickness with which I can tighten up for carrying on my bike, or loosen to access the bag. I would happily buy another bag in a smaller size for daily use!

I'm not so keen about the latest webbing material used for the strap. I'm sure it's sufficiently durable, but it is thin and doesn't feel hefty enough when I hold it in my hand. The bag is very good, though.

Nice bag as usual. Love it. The colors are great. After 5 bags with you guys I don't understand why the custom one doesn't come with the soft strap protection. Feels less comfortable. Feels weird to carry.

Mostly great and as expected. Reflective fabric is wonderful. Compression straps are a bit of a disappointment in that they no longer stay compressed when the bag is open. And compared to my previous bag the shoulder strap feels much less robust and way more fiddly

This is my second bag from Timbuk2. It's all black, but knowing that I could have customized the colors is great (It was almost all red)! It looks just like the picture shown on the website. I miss the outside pocket in the back that the previous one had, as well as the small interior pocket against the slash pocket in the back (it was good for BandAids and a small mirror and an emergency twenty). This one is rain resistant, which I love! I used to carry a plastic bag to waterproof my things, now I don't need to! There's also two water bottle holders, which is really nice, one for water and one for a coffee thermos. I always love how there's a clip for keys, so that I don't lose them!

Love the colors and craftsmanship. I measured for my lap top but this size didn't fit it. The padded part is slightly smaller than the lap top. Still fits in the bag but not in the protective slot. Little bummed about that.

I was sad that I had to replace my previous Timbuk2 bag, but after near daily use for a decade it was finally(!!!) starting to give out. I love the custom color options, and I ended up with a beautiful sunburst/desert color scheme that I am excited to carry for the next decade. In the past 10 years they've changed a number of features on these bags, All in all I love this bag, but sadly not all of the changes are positive. I do not understand putting the water bottle pocket inside the bag. The bag seals up so well with the velcro and buckles that pulling a bottle out for a quick sip is a hassle. An exterior water bottle pocket would be better. I also miss the outside pocket on the back of the bag. It was a great place to throw my keys when I walked from my car to my house or a pack of candy or whatever. The ease of access was great, and anything that really mattered or that I was going to carry for longer than a few feet I could still lock away securely inside the bag. That said the materials are great, with the exception of the water bottle pocket the layout is smart, and Timbuk2 durability cannot be beat. I'm very happy with this bag, and in about 10 years I'll pick another fun color scheme!

I've used 2 prior versions of this bag. I like the internal pocket options on this bag better than the ~2002 and 2008 versions, and thank you for bringing back the cinch straps on the bottom! I also like the higher side coverage. I find the adjustment of the shoulder strap to be annoying (prior versions were easy, on-the-go adjustable; this is not).

This replaces my previous messenger bag that lasted about 20yrs. I splurged and designed my own which was easy to do, and lots of fun - almost too many choices. I do wish they had better explanations of the different material choices, and some detail pics to show the sheen/texture - I ordered the waterproof material, and while I like that it will protect my belongings during a rain shower, I was a bit disappointed in how shiny the material was. The bag build quality is excellent, and I especially love the many organizers and bottle holders inside the bag. It feels rugged and well made, with nice details like the strap buckles and zippers. I am trying to get used to the velcro closure as I hate the loud sound whenever I open it - it's a bit embarrassing when I interrupt a meeting - My only other question is the location of the hand strap, which is placed not on the top of the flap, but slightly down the side of the bag, so when you hold it like a briefcase, the entire bag rotates forward - odd! That said - All in all I am thrilled with the bag, and hoping it lasts me another 20yrs.

I got the extra small as a bag to carry 1-2 water bottles, a packed rain coat, pen, keys, medicine case. Overall, I think it is a good bag for spending a few hours out of the house. A minor critique, I think some of the the sewn-in pockets are a bit too narrow compared to how deep they are, i.e. they feel appropriate for pens, but little else. It can be kind of difficult to get your fingers down in there to retrieve smaller/shorter items.

I have had 3 Timbuk2 bags over the last 25 years. I carry it every day as a man bag. There are some things I like more with the new version and a few things I like about the old. New improvements include the material of the shoulder strap and the mechanism for adjusting it. More outside pockets on the face of the bag. Velco position is improved. Things I would change or liked on the old bag. I like the deeper front inside pockets on the older bag because the short pockets on the new bag that don't go to the full length of the bag depth causes the bag to tip over if the bag is empty and you only have daily carry items in the inside pocket or any of the outside pockets (see photo). I like the way the cross body strap had a quick clip to a d-ring on the older bag. It was easier to take on and off if you needed to use that strap. It would also be nice to have an option of no velcro on the closure on a custom bag.

I bought my original custom messenger bag in 2011. After daily use for 13 years (!!!) the lining was finally shredded beyond repair so it was time for a new one. Things change, of course, and the new one is...different. I would have liked the ability to change the side of carry and I find the buckle strap to be very slick and too easy to accidentally loosen. The strap is also a lot longer than my older bag. There is less interior organization too. Overall I'm happy with the bag but I wish some of the older features were still available.

Have highly recommended this bag many times & still do - especially the customizable option. Arrives fairly quickly for being custom. Wishes: wish there was an outside (external) zipper pocket for quick access (phone); the key clip on the inside pocket (for keys, etc) is awkward and seems to work the opposite way you think it would... Now for the strap - wicked comfortable, found the online resources helpful for sizing (and tucking in excess strap so it's out of sight); however, the strap consistently slides (increases in length) so every time I throw my bag on, I have to adjust the length of the strap - kind of annoying. This wasn't an issue with previous timbuk2 crossbody bags I've owned (the straps were a different material, not slippery). I got the extra small messenger bag - LOVE the size, fits all that I routinely need and more, I even love the handle on the top of the flap to quickly grab (while I'm getting out of the car, etc) until I stand and am able to sling the strap over my body. Despite it being awkward to use, I always do love the sewn in key lanyard/clip (I always, always use those)!

The medium is the perfect size for filling it up with what I need for my entire day. I'm saving up to get a small one, too. I'm not to keen on the handle though. I think I'll skip adding that next time.

Bigger than expected. The interior seems a bit "unstable" but the bag is overall a good quality and fullfils my expectations

Got this bag for everyday work use, plus travel, love the size of it and the carry strap is super comfortable regardless of how much I fill it. The handle on the back is padded which is nice, but it's unfortunately not wide enough to fit over the handle of my rolling carry on bag. I use a workaround of using the main strap looped around and cinched tight but I was disappointed. The construction overall of the bag is solid, sheds water well (having gone straight from Arizona with sunshine to Washington state with rain I made sure to test it prior to leaving). A little disappointed with the type of velcro used, I have another messenger bag that has whisper velcro where you pull down to release it and it doesn't make any noise. The velcro on the bag also has a tendency to catch on clothing so that's frustrating. Inside construction is great, the laptop sleeve holds my Macbook Pro 16 very well PLUS my 12.9 iPad Pro (the big one) and I still have room for other necessities. The two inside "pockets" designed to hold an umbrella I think, aren't super useful other than holding my tourniquet on one side and an extra folded tote bag on the other. Nothing else really fits. The pockets on the front are pretty good, but when you put stuff in they interfere with each other and tend to bulk up the front of the bag. Would be more useful spread out over the front instead of stacked one atop the other. The zippers are nice. Overall I like the bag and am definitely keeping it, the custom colors turned out perfectly for my brand. If I hadn't bought it I may have kept searching if I knew what I know now. But I do like it.

Extremely nice bag. Nice color, nice manufacturing. I ordered it online and got it shipped to Saudi Arabia. The global shipment is pretty well, nothing got broken. With this, I can ride a bike without getting heavy sweat on my back. The only thing is a limited area of sewing of the inner small pocket isn't tight. It gets loose very soon.

I purchased this bag because internationally work travel has picked up and my 17 year old Eddie Bauer bag was retired. I went back to EB and they don't sell what I had as a replacement and my next stop was Timbuk2. I purchased a self-designed bag. That online process was fun and allowed me to design the bag and then sit with it for a few days before refining it more and making the purchase. After clicking through the purchase, the experience related to shipping and arrival was not as communicative as I would have liked. Reactions when it arrived: - very happy with the colors I picked - buckles and straps are solid which was a concern given the places and travel demands - the size of the bag was bigger than expected which is nice. - one challenge with the bag is that it's floppy. This isn't bad if I'm a bike messenger (I realize that's the design), but I'm a business person who travels to Africa has to put the bag in the overhead bin. A little more structure in the backside of the bag would be appreciated. - a major disappointment is the inside bottle holders. I'm not sure if this is a defect or not, but I couldn't fit a 8 oz can of Coke in there (not exaggerating). In my old bag I would put my computer cables in there. I can't put anything other than a phone charging cable and one charging brick in either one (and this was an upcharge). - I love all the pockets, zippered and not, but given the price of the bag more functionality inside of the pockets is anticipated. The front zippered pocket can hold my wallet and passport which makes it priceless. - grateful for the key clip - didn't know it was in there. Amen! When my high school daughter saw it, she asked for one for her birthday next month. Im currently in Mozambique and got 2 complements on the bag with one colleague rifling through it upon arrival to check out all the features.

I bought a bag in the '80's and was impressed. About 5 years ago a flap clip broke that I could not replace. This winter the shoulder strap adjuster broke and I jury rigged it. But with 25 years of use I was convinced and ordered a new one. The new options are impressive and I love the padded inside computer pocket. The flap straps are configured differently, so they have to be used (unlike my old one) or they get caught in the spokes. No big deal. Better to use them. The shoulder strap seems a little flimsier (probably should have purchased the optional pad), but the adjuster is great. Getting used to it and love it so far. Plus, I got my own colors.

This is my idc bag and love how it sits on my shoulders - bigger guy here - love the organization - secures well - only improvement would be real water bottle sized pockets inside - i use a standard liter sized bottle and similar for work coffee which i just end up throwing in the bag as they don't fit

Awesome bag, per my first review. Awesomer customization features. Sucky waterbottle holders. Too small for a Nalgene bottle. Seriously?

I can only in good faith rate this purchase with 4 stars. I purchased the medium with laptop sleeve. The material is good. I find the TPU lining soft and doesn't appear that it will ever crack and flake as some of the reviews have stated. If it does I'll be surprised. I'm wondering of the issues others have had is from improper cleaning. Also, I find no issues with any of the stitching. The quality of the construction is as good as I expected from this price point. The adjuster for the strap works well, moves freely, and holds strong. There is plenty of storage inside. The big problems I find is that the front pockets are small, they don't hold much. These things are tight to fit items into. Also the water bottle pockets are almost useless. They would fit a 16 ounce water bottle, but not much more. I have a 20 ounce Kleen Kanteen coffee cup that I love, and I can barely fit it into one of the water bottle pockets, and I have to work at it to get it in there. My 20 ounce Hydroflask water bottle won't fit in either due to having a boot on the bottom. This really needs updated to be just slightly larger. Also, the laptop compartment, which I paid extra to get doesn't provide much protection. I still have to be careful setting the bag down. Overall I would say I do have buyer's remorse and wish I would not have purchased this bag. I'll carry it until I feel I have gotten my money out of it, but overall I'm disappointed.

This is the fourth messenger bag I have purchased from Timbuk2. I like some of the changes in the design, but one change is causing problems. I am not a fan of the clutch adjustment on the strap. It is not as easy to use or adjust as the older versions. I like the additional pockets and other improvements.

General workmanship excellent as always, compared to my 16 year old bag l, the strap is noticably less substantial and doesn't have a pad so it's less comfortable in the shoulder. Otherwise very happy

The bag is great but it didn't really suit my needs. I would have liked an external compartment for my laptop or notepad. It was a little too small as well. I returned it and purchased the Closer Laptop Briefcase.