Customer Reviews Timbuk2 Classic Messenger Bag - Large

First: I love Timbuk2 bags; this is the fourth that I ordered from them, and the second one that I 'designed'. I am completely happy with the design I chose, and the bag looks really terrific. But: when ordering, I did not realise that certain things had changed. I ordered with a grab handle, but it does not seem to be in the centre. I have pull it so far down to get the handle in the middle, that I can hardly close it anymore. Which brings me to the second negative point: the closing thingies (sorry, English is not my mother tongue) are now UNDER the bag's cover, which makes it much more complicated to close. Also, there are less compartments inside the bag. And I also have the impression that the shoulder strap is shorter than it used to be. I also ordered the bottle holders, and they are very good for my SIGG bottles; so, that's a positive thing. All in all, I am still happy with the bag, just not over happy. And I would still recommend it!

The new strap slider is awesome. I was a little concerned at first that the redesign was so thinner and felt flimsier than the old style. However, the new enclosure lets it adjust in length super fast while still locking in place at just the right place. The thinner strap does twist easier than the old design, which is a minor annoyance. The interior pocket is now a little smaller but that's not a big deal. Overall, I like the redesign.

This is a follow up to my earlier review, in which I indicated that despite measuring my old Timbuk2 several times and matching it to the dimensions on the web site, the bag ended up being too small to use. My old one and the new one are both size Medium, but the new one is WAY smaller in reality. The return policy (no returns) means I'll have to sell this one on my own and move to a new brand.

Bag is fine. Wife loves it and it's exactly as she wanted. The shipping was a huge problem. Whoever shipped it decided my address was confusing so they shipped it to their store in California, we live in Colorado. No one called to clarify the address or let me know they they shipped it to California. I only found out when it showed delivered on the app. When I called to get that fixed the first person I spoke to was rude and less than helpful. When I finally got a supervisor she was more helpful but they refused to overnight the bag so it arrived after my wife's birthday. Not impressed with the service. Won't ever buy from them again.

Overall the bag is what I was looking for. Improvements- Exterior water bottle /umbrella pocket is a must for city commuters, add swivel brackets for the straps and the bag would be perfect.

Like previous Timbuk2 bags I've purchased the build quality of the bag is good. The strap adjustment took a moment to get used to since the buckle has changed from my last bag but overall I'm happy with the bag build quality. I'm less happy with the fabric color - the colors shown on the website preview don't reflect the colors received. Specifically the Golden Sun color. The web preview depicts a bright yellow whereas the actual color is more of a beige-ish color. I reached out to support about the issue and was told that "a bit of variance is always possible." Receiving a completely different color is apparently just a bit of variance. Had I known that the color previews were inaccurate I would have not purchased the custom color bag. And with custom bags not being eligible for return I'm stuck with a bag that doesn't match the preview shown while ordering. Summary: good bag construction, colors don't arrive as depicted

I actually have a 1999 made in USA waxed canvas messenger bag in use and it's still nice. The reason I bought this new model was that I again wanted a custom bag and loved the its organization. Yes, again, it's a great bag without any flaws!!! So why does the custom bag only receives three stars? Because it's made in Mexico and not in the USA. And there is no sigb, no hint whatsoever on the Timbuk2 site that informs the customer. I live in Germany and didn't hesitate to spend around 100$ extra for shipping, tax and duties because I really wanted this "made in USA" bag - which is not. To conclude: great bag, extremely huge disappointment that it's not US made anymore (and I didn't know that fact).

I got the bag for my husband as his bday gift and was super excited for it to get here. The quality of the product is on point however the functionality of it is in question: There is a handle in the back of the bag that is neither on top nor back- which makes it pretty useless to have. I added a water bottle holder to the bag & still unclear as to why the water bottle holder pocket was inside especially since the bag is meant to be used for electronics. the bag in itself is very spacious BUT doesn't have a clear structure. Would have helped if it had a separate pocket/divider for a laptop and another for the rest of the material. My husband tried to use the bag but finally gave up and now I am using it as a diaper bag for my kids! this turned out to be a very expensive diaper bag

For a bag to use for travel it should have a trolley sleeve option so it can be slipped over the handle of rolling luggage. I bought a Timbuk2 bag recently and had to sew on a trolley sleeve panel in the back - it was a royal pain in the neck - this is tough fabric! Plus, it's best use probably is as a messenger bag. The handle added to the back is down a little low and if the bag is not closed and secured it hangs wide open a things fall out. We got different bags for travel. But it is a great bag to be worn as a messenger bag and used for cycling, for instance!

I use this product daily as a computer bag, as I travel with two laptops for work and have to carry numerous other items. The bag itself can hold a great deal of materials and it's comfortable to carry. My biggest issue is that the "rain-resistant" material rips really easily and I've only used the bag like 6 times. Furthermore, for some reason, the bag's shoulder strap loosens VERY easily when I'm walking to the point where I have to re-tighten it every 15 or so minutes of walking. Overall, the inner quality is great and it looks great, but be wary of what you choose in customization and if the shoulder strap is an issue, choose a different product.

It's still a fantastic bag, but there is a definitely drop in quality, materials and versatility compared to the same bag from 2011, that was my daily companion every work day and many vacations, flights, and other shenanigans ever since. I kind of doubt this one will last quite as long. That said, still not sure I could find anything else that would work as good for me as this bag does.

I love the two custom bags i ordered, Small and Large sizes. The colours and fabrics are really nice, i like the new strap adjustment system and hidden buckles. But internal organizers and front pockets are so small now they are almost useless. My wallet barely fits into the front outside pocket, the inside ones you can maybe fit an altoid tin into. The stuff i usually take to a photo event now just has to get crammed into the one big zip pocket or just sit in the bottom of the bag or the bottom of my camera cube thing.

Major decline in quality, very significant decrease in the inside pockets size and overall usability. Generally feels like a cheaper product than it had been for years.

Quality has gone way down since they've moved their factory. The inside pockets, both the full zipper one and the ancillary ones attached to it are way smaller cutting that storage more than in half. The straps feel cheap and are no longer fully affixed, just get stuffed in sleeves which they easily pull out of. The locking strap adjuster that was a signature of the bags is gone and the replacement is significantly less useful. Even the trademark stitched Timbuk2 logos are gone making the whole thing feel like an instant assembly project rather than something hand crafted of real quality that I had grown used to over the decades of using these bags.

I purchased a custom made after seeing my friend's TimBuk 2 messenger bag. She says she wrestles with her size Large so I chose a Medium. It's way too big to be useful to me. I checked measurements and reviews. I wish the website would have had clear labeled photos of models holding the small, the medium and the large. Measurements on the site said 17.9" across the top and 13.4 across the bottom but it is actually bigger than that. Totally bummed as I was hoping for the perfect travel bag. Should have seen the Medium in person before making the purchase.

The bag looks great. However, the stitching on the trim started unraveling (with very light use) after a month. I paid for a water bottle pocket, but it is too narrow for any but the skinniest bottle -- regular sized bottles by major brands don't fit. The new shoulder pad (up charge) is great as is the laptop sleeve (up charge), but the bag doesn't compare in quality to the four messenger bags I've bought before. I think I'll be going to another brand after this, which is a shame.

Love timbuk2 bags so much I eventuallu had one made in all pink. I got a size small, splurged on water bottle holders and the computer pocket. Things I wish I knew The computer pocket is neither attacked to the back of the bag nor the bottom. It essentially created an obstacle for me finding things in the bottom of my bag and a place for things to get lost. It prevented me from being able to use the bag to its full potential and from being able to use the water bottle pockets. It took me two years to convince my self it was ok to remove it and now I have an empty bucket bag I use all the time. The water bottle pockets do not hold large bottles. Think a standard sized Nalgene bottle, and it's too big. But a dealbreaker, but defiantly a heart breaker. I wish their information was more accurate and their pictures more clear to depict these things, cause I paid more for features I can't use or had to be removed. Lame timbuk2. No way are these features you personally would use in a custom bag. Would I recommend? Yes.. but with caveats.

Great bag - this is my third messenger bag and love the design and improvements. Their new body strap has taken a step back with a clasp that always loosens.

This is used for school, has more than enough room for everything I need including water bottle, laptop books and other necessities. Only reason this has 3 stars is because I purchased it right before the new revision came out with an upgraded quick adjustment buckle. Mine unfortunately has the older quick adjustment that barely works, for that it is a pain when moving about and it disengages frequently. Looking into options to improve this. Otherwise it is a quality bag, and I expect it to last.

I bought my first bag in 2004 and I just now replaced it. I carried my first bag everyday and it was really beginning to show wear and tear. I was reluctant to purchase a new one because I chose from a custom color combination and could not return it. The bag is solid and looks great and the added handle is a welcomed feature, but the main strap is an absolute nightmare. The fabric of the strap and the design is completely different than my original. I have to adjust the strap every single time I put it on my body. The original design was perfect and I'm not sure why they would change something that worked. I'm super disappointed in my new bag. I haven't found many companies that make a great looking, durable messenger bag so investigate the details of this bag tirelessly if you're considering a purchase. Hopefully I will learn to live with the faulty strap.

About 5 years ago I stumbled upon a high sierra commuter style backpack on the local Burlington. I think it was 29.99. Although it wasn't a valid brand as Timbuk, gotta admit the quality felt superior, not to mention the sturdiness of the pockets/compartments. That being said, I expected a lot more from this bag. More so considering I went for the custom version and even added the laptop sleeve. The pockets were all thin, not padded at all. Quality is great overall but i feel i didn't get what i paid for. From the outside is great, but when i put my keys or wallet inside these pockets, i expect them to stay and not to fall apart. The shoulder strap tends to loose by itself so i have to periodically adjust it. Kinda annoying. If i'm being honest, this bag should be worth no more than $69.69 (nice). There are better options out there, maybe not with a good brand like Timbuk, but way better options that actually are worth the price.

Not too crazy that for a custom made item, some aspects were terribly designed. The Female buckle for the Cross Strap was terribly made/designed. It scrunches the Main shoulder strap because the section with the soft velcro is too short to wrap effectively around the shoulder strap. When I sent pictures into CS with a ruler along side of the different sections I was told it's fine. But it is obviously not. It's such a simple fix but no one seems to care enough to try to achieve perfection and provide good customer service.

Very roomy. Holds and oversized laptop plus lunch plus the light jacket I don't need later in the day. The strap adjuster is a crappy piece of plastic that doesn't hold so plan on having the strap fully extended all the time. Shame because it's a nice bag otherwise.

The bag is constructed well, except for the straps. The interior is small and tight compared to the bag I bought more than 18 years ago which has lasted a long time.

I HAD GOTTEN A TIMBUK2 MESSENGER BAG ABOUT 25 YEARS AGO AS A GIFT FROM A FREIND WHO ALREADY HAD ONE. I LOVED IT, USED IT EVERY DAY FOR ALL THOSE YEARS AND STILL LOVE IT BUT IT IS NOW TOO TORN AND FRAYED TO KEEP USING. SO, I RECENTLY BOUGHT A NEW ONE AND AM A BIT DISAPPOINTED WITH SOME OF THE FEATURES. I'LL NEVER UNDERSTAND WHY WHEN SOMETHING WORKS GREAT, PEOPLE AND COMPANIES HAVE TO CHANGE IT. THE SHOULDER STRAP IS FLIMSY AND TOO LONG AND COMPLICATED. THE OLD ONE IS THICKER AND STONGER AND THE FORMER PULL TAB QUICK RELEASE BUCKLE WAS GENIUS! TIMBUK2 TOOK THAT AWAY. THE FRONT CLIPS HAVE ALSO CHANGED POSITION AND THE UNDER STRAPS ARE UNECESSARY. LEAVING THE REFLECTOR ENDS DANGLING TO INFINITY WHEN THE BAG IS EMPTY OR NOT FULL. ALSO, THIS NEW BAG DOES NOT COME WITH THE SHOULDER STRAP PAD. THE OLD ONE DID. DID WE BECOME CHEAP AND COST CUTTING? ARE WE OUTSOURCING OUR PRODUCTIVITY? THIS NEW BAG SHOULD LAST ME A LONG TIME, SO I WON'T EVER HAVE TO BUY A NEW ONE AGAIN. IN THE FUTURE THE TIMBUK2 MESSENGER BAG MAY BE COMPLETELY UNRECOGNIZEABLE. STOP CHANGING GOOD THINGS!