Customer Reviews Timbuk2 Command Messenger - Large

I was using a larger version of the Command bag for years, but decided to downsize. This smaller version is just right for my needs when flying between home and California for work. I like most of the updates; the felt lined computer compartment, velcro covers, and the bag being more rigid. One thing I miss though is the series of small zipper pouches down the front. The new one has a few scattered around the bag, but I preferred the earlier design. All around great bag though; I'm happy with it.

I have both the classic messenger and this TSA bag. I ordered this TSA bag, but have not used it yet. I find it bulky due to the padding for the computer sleeve. I bought it because it had many more zippered compartments. It also had a pouch for water bottle outside. The classic messenger has the water bottle holders inside, and lacks the outside zippered compartments. I would like to have the size of the classic messenger with all the outside zippered compartments and the outside water bottle holder. Also, I like the idea of the hook closure of the TSA bag without the hanging straps. The velcro closure is what I use without having to clip the strap. I would love to have the the size of the classic messenger with the outside zippered compartments and water bottle holder of the TSA bag

I needed a new bag for a new laptop and found exactly what was needed out of their many options and styles. The product fits my laptop, iPad, sketchbook, and an assortment of pens and markers that I need daily in my travels and commute. It's well built and very durable with an assortment of pockets and storage spaces. The strap with hooks is great feature to have along with the carry handle. The strap adjustment device is brilliant and allows for easy on-the-fly changes and removal of the bag. All in all this was an excellent purchase.

The way the straps cuts across the chest is slightly uncomfortable and if I loosen the strap then it's too low and I get a lot of bouncing of the bag.

I should have ordered the larger size

I use this mostly for work. Getting to work, getting from work and getting around while at work. I like the pockets, very well thought out, what is there. While there is a side-pocket on the flap, I wish there were a small pocket on the outside of the flap, right up front. I also wish there were a keys pocket. I'm using the mesh side-pocket for this (meant for a water bottle), but occasionally my keys poke through the sides and I worry about the durability of the pocket and how long it would last, using it for this purpose.

This is the 3rd Timbuk2 bag I've owned. The other two was the 2010 model of Command Messenger, and then I switched to the Alchemist bag. Looks like they finally added the right amount of upgrades and features to make this bag a keeper. Lots of exterior zip pockets to hold keys, ID Cards, phone, etc. without having to unzip the bag. I like that the Napoleon pockets is separate and enclosed, unlike the Alchemist bag, which used the same exterior pockets for storage and Napoleon feature, making it easy for items to fall out of the bag. Everything else about this bag is top notch: sleek design, low profile, secure pockets, and lots of storage options. The only design flaw is the lack of space in the main storage area. Items in the front pockets show up in the interior, making for a tight squeeze if you have a lot of stuff. Overall, I'm very happy with this bag and hope to get years of use out of it.

I'm a teacher. I got this bag because I LOVE my timbuk2 small classic messenger (I've been rocking that to work for nearly a decade) but I wanted something that felt a bit more professional for work. I initially ordered a medium and it was MASSIVE on me (I'm a 5'4", 120lb woman.) I switched out for the small. Though it is definitely a much better fit for my frame, it is worth noting that the size difference between the small and the medium is not huge...I was surprised because in the classic messenger I have had both of those sizes and the differences were very apparent. The strap is long, but it's super comfy and easy to adjust (again, I'm not big, so I wear it on the short end.) Things I LOVE: (1) the water bottle pocket is perfect for either a water bottle or my travel coffee mug. it's discrete but super useful (2) the organization pockets (pens, etc) are on the back of the bag, so they don't sag as much as they did when they were on the front of other bags (like the aforementioned classic messenger) (3) the "brick pocket" for power bricks is not great for power bricks, but it's an easy access pocket that i find great for my keys (4) the look. i got the TRENCH bag and I really like it. again, the small is a tad bulky on me, but I still love the look. (5) it feels comfy. i like the strap. i sometimes walk a lot and it's easier in this bag than with my old one. (6) how easy it is to adjust the strap length on the fly (see some of the things that annoy me for the other side of this) Things that I notice as slightly annoying: (1) the napoleon pocket is massive. this might be a plus for some people, but I usually store small things in here, so with its size, I find the tiny stuff shifts around more than in previous bags (2) the interior of the main compartment feels crowded. this is probably because I really thoroughly use the organization pockets, which bites into the main space...but it's worth noting. (3) because the bag is so easy to adjust, sometimes you can accidentally knock the strap the wrong way and BOOM, it's unspooling to be super long. i don't bike much, so this isn't a big deal...but I can imagine that it would be very problematic if you were riding quickly when it happened. (4) i miss having a key fob. i lose keys easily...true story. i've been using the brick pocket instead, and i'm cool with it...but i still miss the fob. on the whole, great bag.

I really love the updates in this bag, and the styling is much more professional looking that the commuter. I just wish there were one or two more mid-sized compartments, and a couple of hooks sewn inside for my keys. My keys keep getting jumbled up with other stuff b/c there is nowhere to really put them to make them easy to find.

I picked this bag up after retiring my previous Timbuk2 after 8 years. I love the styling on this bag and the slimmer profile and lighter weight was just what I was looking for. All the upgrades that Timbuk2 has added to their bags in the last 8 years since I bought my last one are all welcome additions. The one gripe that I have is that the bag will not stay upright when you set it down on a hardwood floor. Regardless of which side I would place up against the desk/table/couch, the bottom would just slide and leave this beautiful bag sprawled on the ground. My previous bag had a different material on the bottom that kept this from happening on pretty much any surface I could remember, but unfortunately, this new guy will only stay upright on carpeted surfaces that provide enough friction against the bottom of the bag. I would buy this bag again, but feel like this is a bit of a miss from the design department.

I've had this just over a month and I like it. It's super handy when flying. I love not taking my laptop out at the TSA check point. I've had Timbuk 2 bags before and they last for a long time. I'm glad this one doesn't have the soft cloth backing like my last one. That tears after time. It's got a rugged build. I'd like a slight bit more padding for the laptop compartment. I liked the zip compartments of my older version a bit more, but this has some great and easily accessible side zip compartments for phones and such. I'd like it if the inside pocket was just a little wider (front to back). Overall, I'm pleased with this bag so far. A lot of thought went into its design. I'm a stickler for a good bag and I"m not unhappy with this.

This is a great bag overall. I use a 15" Macbook Pro and did not pay close enough attention to the dimensions - it's a bit of a tight squeeze getting it in and out of the small bag. There are pull strings on all of the zippers except for those on the TSA compliant fold-out. I find these zippers to be very loud/rattly and feel like people hear me coming with a cowbell on sometimes. The front section of the bag seems to 'sink' in at the seems unless it were packed full to hold it out. Wish it held form on it's own a little better. Makes it difficult to access the side compartments.

I have a big 17" macbook pro - so this fits it and leaves plenty of room for other stuff. Wonderful bag.

Purchased this for my son to use for high school. Each student is required to carry a Chrome book and charger in addition to their other school supplies. My son has Asperger's Syndrome and he is typically very hard on just about everything. He also doesn't like having to carry a million things. We thought this bag would eliminate the need for the separate chrome book case and we were right. So far, he has been very pleased with his new messenger bag and has been able to fit everything in. I would love it if there was a zipper on the bottom that allowed it to expand and become larger though. The heavily padded bag is great for protecting everything inside, but does take away some of the room for 'cargo'. He will continue to test the durability of the bag through the school year and our icy Wisconsin Winters!

This is a good quality bag and I am very pleased with it. As a heavy business traveler who likes to pack the bag with a full array of power cords, connecting cables, etc., the only watch out is the zipper and material on the inside pouch seem cheap and I expect that material will rip at some point. All other components seems like they are very high quality and will last.

I had a timbuk2 messenger bag some time ago and when I changed to a surface, they didn't have bags that catered to the smaller computing population. I thought I check back and I found that they started to change the product line variety. I needed a bag for my surface pro 3, and it needed to be small and have the number of pockets I needed to easily and quickly access including a place for my keys, cell phone and my surface. I chose the Command and my first impression was, "send it back because it's to big". However, after looking at the quality and the easy access pockets, I couldn't send it back. There are many easy access pockets, my surface pro 3 is secure and has its own easy access compartment and there is a water resistant flap. This bag is awesome!! I am very particular when it comes to my computer bags and I must say that Timbu2 has taken a nice change in it's more traditional design (I am a very passionate developer). The strap is nice and wide. There is a quick strap adjustment clip. The material quality is top notch. Your cell phone is easily accessed and there are many other quick access zippered access points that are really good (I live in NY and i'm often on a train, so it's important to be able to access my devices securely when on public transportation). This product holds my surface pro 3, tablet, cell phone and all of it's accessories without a problem and without being big and exhausting to carry. I regularly have papers that I read in transit and this bag keeps then quickly accessable, secure and wrinkle free. Timbuk2 should make an xs version and if they do, I will be one of the first buyers, but this is an awesome bag that should serve all with a thin and light that's 13" or less. I am not fond of the small cross strap and purchased the cross strap accessory and i'm happy I did. It's wider than the one that comes with the bag and it of a better quality. I would greatly recommend this bag and I expect to keep it for a very long time (I change bags at least once per year.). I also own an MSI Stealth Pro 17" laptop and I purchased the Q just because of the quality of this bag.

Really like the bag just feel like the new version from last year lost some handy compartments

my pro's : one of the most stylish computer bag in it's categorie, the finish is perfect, lot's of great thinking of details perfect size for me (macbook pro 15 mid 2013), seems quite water resistant, easy to use very practical the con's : lack of protection at the bottom : - inside for the computer - outside, hope that the material won't wear out to quickly

I needed a laptop bag for work that wasn't too big or heavy, but could fit both a notebook (paper) and a laptop. I like the bag so far. Two things I would point out are the bag does tip over, so it will not "stand upright". If you forget, it will tip over and fall:( I think because the bottom is not flat, it is sort of sloped to the front. Also, I am shorter, so I wanted to shorten the strap; but if I do, the buckle blocks the shoulder pad so that the shoulder pad wouldn't really be on my shoulder (it is to one side of the strap). Otherwise, it is a sturdy bag; it isn't flashy but it isn't the usual black laptop bag, and I like that there are smaller pockets to put odds and ends.

Just got it. Early reaction good

I had the previous iteration of this bag in medium, and liked it a lot. I decided I wanted a small version, in a different color, so I sprung for the 2015 model. The Good: - Sturdy and more "rigid" than the older bag, so it holds it's shape better while you walk around. - The strap pad is more comfortable (although I bought a bigger, squishier TB2 bad for my old one). - I really like the zipper pocket on the front of the top flap - for my phone - They retained the Napoleon pocket, which is also awesome - I like the new buckles -a much better design without the dreaded floppiness - I like the material of the bag better than that on my pervious bag The Sub Optimal - It does tip over frontwards as other folks have noted. In fact, it tips over so aggressively one might think it has managed to find a way to violate the laws of physics. Although I now lean it back against the wall, which mitigates this tendency. As the bag wears in a bit, this might not be as big a problem. - Not quite enough pockets. - I bought the small size, and the side zipper pocket intended for cables and charges and stuff is just a bit too small. Might be big enough in the medium bag??? - The small does fit a 15" MacBook Pro, although the 13" is a bit easier to get in and out. All in all I like this bag a lot, despite it's few minor flaws. It is really tough to find a bag better than a Timbuk2 bag... I wish we could get a mix of older and newer Command Messenger features. I would highly recommend it as long as you don't have a need for too many secure pockets.

I spent a pretty decent amount of time researching different replacement bags for the old worn out leather messenger bag I was using. I did not want a classic briefcase type of bag nor did I want a college student backpack type of bag. This messenger bag works for me as a mobile software engineer because it is designed to accommodate electronic devices and is designed for travel. I especially like the power adapter compartment, the easy access small pocket in the front flap, and the rear access to the laptop and tablet. The interior is large enough to throw random things in like my lunch or a bunch of mail, papers, folders, tools, etc but it not large enough to bring a weekend worth of clothes in. It is, however, large enough to be used as an overnight bag as long as you don't plan on bringing extra shoes (though flip flops would probably fit just fine). The zip pocket and various smaller pockets in the back of the interior are very useful for my many gadgets (multi-tool, knife, pens, drives, keys, glasses, etc) but it would be welcome if there was some sort of removable additional organizer that could be used for the large area. Right now I just throw stuff in there and it gets mixed together. Lastly, the extra design given to airplane travel is great. I can easily slide it over a small rolling carry on suitcase and the fact that it unzips easily exposing the electronics to TSA inspectors is nice. I have not yet tried but apparently I won't have to remove the entire laptop next time I fly. The material feels fine and it will suit my purposes but I don't think it is quite as weather resistant as the Chrome bags are. I do prefer this bag much over the Chrome bags though for its practical usefulness. I am not regularly exposed to harsh elements so this is not a major concern for me. I would have no hesitation in walking through the rain for a few blocks with this bag but I am not so sure I would be as keen on riding through a torrential downpour for miles on end. Overall this is a fantastic bag and I am pleased in every way with it. Highly recommended.

I hate having a bag that is too big and am happy I went with the small. If you use the "will it fit" guide it will suggest you get the medium for a 15 inch Macbook Pro. I have the 2009 model and it fits in the small just fine. The ONLY couple cons I could say just having this for a couple days now is that the outer pocked dedicated for the power brick does not fit the power brick but I do have the extension for the brick in there nicely. Also I sometimes carry loose papers and I don't know how well they will hold up in this bag without being in a folder. No big deal, I'll grab a couple manila folders from a filing cabinet here in the office.

the color of Dusk Blue is not as good-looking as I expected, anyway, its loading capacity is great, and very comfortable. Overall, it not surprise me.

I commute to work in NYC and the bag is fantastic. The strap is comfortable and doesn't make me sweat, even in the 100 degree heat of the summer subway. I get many compliments on the bag. The material is study and cleans easily. Carries my 15 inch mac, 8 inch tablet, all my patient files, pens, etc. It even expands to hold a change of clothes and a pair of shoes, albeit the bag gets bulky at this point. This is why I gave 4 instead of 5 stars. Regardless, I highly recommend this bag.