Customer Reviews Timbuk2 Classic Messenger Bag - Large

I've been a loyal Timbuk2 fan for years, but this is the first time that I decided to get a custom bag. I knew that I wanted something small and chic, so I went with black waxed canvas all around and I love it! One of my relatives even ended up ordering a custom bag after he saw mine. I only have a few critiques - I really miss the interior organizers that could hold pens. I always carry several pens with me, and this feature is so awesome. I'm also not really sure why the key leash is in the smallest pocket of the bag. I usually keep my keys in that pocket anyway, but there's no need to leash them too. A leash would make more sense in one of the larger sections of the bag. The height of the bag is slightly shorter than my old ones, making it a tight fit for my Swell water bottle. If it had one extra inch of height it'd be perfect. I just secure it a little looser to make it work. Please add a customization option for no velcro. I HATE velcro and I had a local luggage shop remove it from my bag, adding extra cost on my end. It'd be some much easier to just not have velcro from the beginning, and I'm sure I'm not alone in my dislike of velcro. Overall, it's a fantastic, quality Timbuk2 bag and I love it :)

Would like a laptop specific, padded pocket inside for laptop Would like one large zipped internal pocket at back Velcro is LOUD and long -would like smaller and/or quiet Velcro Considering removing or buying more Velcro to cancel out the Velcro closure It is disruptive to open in a meeting room, library, or office

I wanted a Timbuk2 bad for about 5 years, but i could never find one to look over and examine. Lets face it, almost $200 is a lot to spend and not be able to return. So for 5 years i went with a 5.11. I really liked it and it has some very strong points. But one day i decided to by a custom classic bag. Now that I have it i can only give it a wear 4 stars. The construction is top notch, it is as described. the inside, well that is one of two places that hurt it. The online description does not show that the computer sleeve and big pocket is not attached to the back and creates another sleeve area. To be honest people, if you use a protector for your lap top or tablet, you do not need the computer sleeve. Also what is not mentioned and should be included at $200 is the silencers for the velcro, had to make another order for that. The biggest complaint is the length of the strap. it is adjustable, and the adjustment works great but I am 6 foot and pretty good size, even stretched all the way out the bag rides just below the small of my back! I can wear it over my shoulder but its not as comfortable as my 5.11. The final complaint i have is that water bottle holder are just stretchy mesh, and will NOT fit a 32 oz Nalgene bottle, or insulated cup or anything that size. I and to buy another bottle so i can carry something to drink with me and thankfully there are 2 so i am OK most days. I bought it to have something that looked less tactical then the 5.11 and this does. the construction is top notch and it holds bunches of stuff, but for everyday utility, i still use the 5.11 about 1/2 the time. I truly wish i could return it and have about 8-12 inches added to the strap and that would help a lot. the review asks if i would recommend this to someone. it depends, i would show them both this bag, a 5.11 bag and let them decided.

This is my second Timbuk2 classic messenger bag and I was surprised how the shoulder strap has become more narrow and is made out of much flimsier material than the smaller messenger bag I just bought about two years ago. That is not a step in the right direction. The strap's to secure the front flap are almost ridiculously thin.

The bag is my pretty much "everywhere bag". It goes on my commutes and my overnight trips. The bag goes everywhere with me. I like the construction ,the durability and the quality. Overall I'm very happy with the bag. That said I have several timbuk2 bags and the one thing I'm unhappy about is the strap. It's thinner and lighter than those on my old bags and it's constantly getting tangled and twisted.

I use it for everyday carrying of my laptop and essential items needed. It's fantastic other than the strap length (which I found I could get lengthened), and the handle I had put on which feels like it was put on way far behind where it should have been.

This bag is so great I had to have it again. After years of use and abuse my bag had seen its better days. Thanks to Timbuk2's lifetime guarantee I was able to turn in my old bag and "upgrade" it to a custom bag. It took a little while for Timbuk2 to determine if my old bag was salvageable, but after they determined it was too far gone they moved quickly to get my new bag.

I love this it is my favorite bag But the straps which attach the clips are staying to fray as it often touches the Velcro the payment of these could be better Other than that it is the best bash I have ever owned

Lots of small pockets have zippers

Used everyday as my carry bag. Call it my Man Purse!

Bag designed exactly the way I wanted! ONLY downside is the Velcro straps. Where the buckles are located, the rough, plastic Velcro part is wearing away the buckle straps. I'm concerned about the lifespan of this bag because of that. Other than that, great bag! Perfect size for office and school

Love my customized lap top bag. Using a tote bag with my work laptop was awkward and unwieldy. The timbuk2 bag fits my laptop, lunch, and water bottle just fine and, while all of the contents make it heavy, it's comfortable to carry. Two downsides, the strap seems a lot shorter than my old small timbuk2 bag. I'd prefer a longer strap for more customiibility. Also, I chose canvas for the bag and don't love it. It looks dusty/dirty quickly. The shiny material looks better and provides water resistance. I'd choose that if I did it again. Overall, stylish and functional bag that should last forever.

Love this bag, the color combo came out perfect and all the pockets and zippers are perfectly placed. My only issue is the size of the bag. I looked at the pictures online when deciding size and after placing a custom order found that the medium bag is too small for me. The strap does not let out enough to let the bag rest comfortably near my waist (it sits more toward the middle of my back to lower back).

I needed a slightly bigger bag to replace my Timbuk2 medium classic messenger, which I purchased back in the early 00's. I bike commute to work and I needed a bag big enough for my 17" laptop, my clothes and lunch. The old medium messenger, still in great shape, was just not hacking it. So I ordered a large custom messenger. As many have mentioned the strap just isn't as good. My old messenger had a heavy strap which never binded or twisted. THe new strap is just too flexible. The sternum strap is too light and the fact that it connects on both ends with velcro makes it a pain to remove when I get to work (Which is necessary since I carry me bag all day.) Also I expect that connecting and disconnecting it from the bag loop will quickly make the velcro lose it grip. Also don't like that the divider doesn't have an inner pocket. THe bag appears generally well made and it holds all my stuff comfortably. I expect to take it on mission with me this summer I think it will perform well. Like the way the pockets organize my stuff. I don't think the strap alone is enough to ruin the bag, but it definitely drops it to four stars.

My only wish ifor this product is that it had a carrying handle so that I could carry it like a briefcase in those instances when I wanted relief from the shoulder strap.

I had a small timbuk2 bag that I bought in 2005 that I used heavily almost every day for 11 years. It was finally getting too grungy to bring to work, with a few seams ripping, fuzz in the velcro, dirt from a decade of use etc, so I decided to make an investment in my next decade and get a new timbuk2. Overall, I like the new bag better. I opted to get the pocket divider in my small bag and it's helped keep my book and work items separate from my lunch and spare clothes. It's also handy when I'm just out running errands because I can slip my bikelock back there and it doesn't get buried. I like all the new pockets--it has more than my original bag. All the small pockets on the front do stack on top of one another (bulkyness in one pocket affects the available space in pockets next to it), so I can't put MORE stuff in them than my old timbuk2, but small things like cards, bike lights, and chapstick are slightly more organized. I also decided to have the water bottle holders sewed in. I have a tiny nalgene bottle that just barely fits and a very small coffee mug (soda can size) that fits with a struggle. I like the holders, but anyone with bigger bottles/mugs should be prepared for these to be REALLY snug or not fit your bottle in a small bag. My only real complaint is the strap. The new one is thinner, more flexible, less comfortable with a heavy load, and it keeps getting tangled in my bag while I'm packing up or with my helmet and bike lock, which I often hook around it when getting on the train or while I'm in the office. I do feel like some bag components are slightly less rugged than my old bag too (zippers and pulls, clips etc), but I still get the impression that the bag will last several years with hard use.

I got this bag as a smaller camera bag. I got the small. It just barely fits my Canon T3I with the snoop camera insert. It is perfect for having just my camera and battery backup but there isn't anything else I can fit in the bag. It is great for day trips when I don't need anything other than my camera.

I use this bag daily on my bike commute to work in the rainy Pacific NW. I have the large and use it to carry my work clothes and lunch, along with rain gear when needed. It was easy to pick a bag that fit my style while using water resistant options. The designing and ordering process what very straight-forward and fun!This is my second bag after using my previous Timbuk2 bag for commuting for 5 years. I prefer the older, stiffer style of bag strap. The new, current strap option is flimsy and loosens often. I love these bags and plan to have them with me as long as I commute!

I use the bag daily to carry personal belongings. Very attractive, durable and roomy. I use it when I fly and use mass transit. Every aspect of bag is good, except for the velcro closure. The velcro was worn in about a month of use. I have to always use plastic buckles to keep bag shut wich becomes troublesome when in a hurry or rushing.

Only complaint is there is no divider at for the main compartment. Would be helpful to have it divided into two.

I have had 4 Timbuk2's. In some ways this new design is better and I still think these are the best shoulder bags I've ever seen. One complaint, the new strap buckle is about 1/2 the length of the older buckle and so it pops open frequently no matter how hard I try to push it closed. The old type did not. I'm willing to pay more for "made in USA".

I use my bag for traveling to school, work, and just around town on my bike and this bag is great for books, bottles of wine, whatever I need to carry around.

I was very excited when the bag came but it did not came with a strap pad. I email the customer service and turns out that it does not comes with a default strap pad (I didn't tick on the custom strap pad). So after they clear up MY confusion, they offered to pay for the shipping fees on the custom strap pad (which is ^_^). Gotta say, the customer service is 5/5. They reply within a day and are willing to solve any issue you have. But there's a downside to the bag (IMO). I find that the compartments are too small especially the water-bottle pockets (Or my hands are big lol). All and all, I'm satisfied with my bag. I just wish that the compartments are bigger especially the water-bottle pockets.

I loved that I could customize this bag and it came out exactly as it looked online. My main criticism is the size. The small was definitely bigger than I wanted/needed but this xsmall is just a tiny bit too small. It is just a half an inch or so too small to fit 8.5 x 11 sheets of paper without bending them over. And that is a shame as it would otherwise be perfect for work. Also, no water bottle can really fit in the water bottle pockets--even small bottles are too tall. Since these are commuter-style bags, the odd size surprised me. I do wish Timbuk2 had considered the main uses and added just a small amount to the height of this bag. Another criticism is that it has way too much loud and overly strong velcro for such a small bag. It really doesn't need velcro plus buckles. Lastly the wool pills.

I love the bag, but I really miss the old heavier strap. The new material tends to roll over and fold and it's not as handy to scoop off the floor. My previous two Timbuk 2s (both classic: one is 18 years old and my camera bag is about 6 years old) seem a little burlier. I appreciate the organization inside and upgrades there, but I'll have to see about durability going forward. I really do miss that old strap material and wish it was something you could spec on the custom bag.