Customer Reviews Timbuk2 Command Messenger - Large

This bag seems like a perfect option for what I needed- I travel a lot for business, but as a smaller woman this was way too big, makes it look a lot less professional when so oversized.

I really want to like this bag. However, minor scratches really leave a mark. I did this with my fingernail!!! also, its a tad small for storing things. Wish they offered bag

I purchased this bag for the TSA checkpoint convenience, and I have yet to try that out. I use this as my daily work bag, and carry a 15" Retina Macbook Pro. Its a sturdy case that hold the laptop and a few extras comfortably. I upgraded to it from an Acme Made Union Brief. Unfortunately, it falls over. All the time. I can't stress how annoying this is, but its a near constant frustration.

I had an older COMMAND bag and can't help making comparisons. I really like the new bag's combined laptop and tablet space. Also, the new clasps on the flap are a great improvement - on the older bag, the straps hung loose from the bag and often got snagged on stuff, so the new design is much better. On the downside, I grew very attached to three zippered pockets right under the lap that are gone on the new bag. Also, the old bag had a key 'leash' and I miss that very much on the new edition. Finally, the old design had a pocket on the bottom for power bricks and such that is missed on the new model. All-in-all, a good bag but I wish you hadn't ditched key features that I found very useful on my older COMMAND.

I like this bag but there are some minor flaws that keep me from really liking it. First off, the "power-brick pocket". I put that in quotes because it doesn't deserve that name. That pocket is tiny, I cannot fit a power brick in there without taking the power brick apart from its cord. Terrible. And you all know how annoying a powerbrick is taking up space inside your main compartments. Second, i don't know if I love the hooks. It works but cant say its my favorite way of closing a bag. Other than that, it has a lot of pockets, it fits everything I need it to fit, and it's a good companion for my air travel.

As this is a Travel Bag, I would assume you would try and tailor some color options, and material options, for the business traveler. These options are not clean enough for business...good for a college kid, but not us career people. Like the Distilled and Agent Collections. These options seem real cookie cutter/not unique. Also, please do not limit the options in the "L" size.

Don't plan on sneaking up on anyone with this bag slung around your shoulder! The zippers on the bag are atrociously loud and jingle-jangle against themselves and against each other non-stop. There are 5 zippers on the exterior of the bag, but the main offenders are the two zippers that attach and detach the TSA-friendly "lay-flat" flap. If zipped completely closed, the two zippers will sit right next to each other and will incessantly collide with one another. Since the zipper pulls are made of metal, they produce a distinct and annoying sound, not unlike that of a set of dog tags on a dog's collar as they walk along. Timbuk2 really should have considered this when designing the bag and elected to use zipper pulls made out of rubber or silicon. I've already ordered a set of black rubber replacement zipper pulls, but at this point, I may just send the bag back. I'd also like to note that the bag is fairly uncomfortable to wear, since the laptop is stored along the very back of the bag (the side that rests on your body). There is very little between you and the laptop in terms of material, so don't expect it to rest comfortably as you walk. My last criticism is that the "Carbon full-cycle twill" version of the bag appears close to a gray color in the images, but in most lights it has much more of a green tint, which threw me off. The overall construction of the bag is solid and I like the easily accessible "Napolean" pocket and small zipper compartment built into the flap. The red interior is a nice, distinctive touch and there is plenty of internal storage.

I've been using a free Dreamforce conference backpack for 5 years. It is looking pretty ragged, but still very functional. After enough comments, I decided to buy this bag, seeing it a discount. I wish I wouldn't have. Even at nearly half price, it is still too expensive for what you get. My Dreamforce bag is more functional with the storage organization. I used it the first time to go into the office. No convenient place to put my glasses without getting scratched. No place to put a few paperclips, eyedrops, etc. These things go into larger pockets with everything else. Not well thought out at all. This is my first Timbuk2 purchase. I can't see me buying another product from this company.

I purchased my first command messenger bag in 2013 and loved it. I have used this bag every day and it has served me well carrying my laptop and work to my office and on dozens of trips each year across the country. Finally after seven years of faithful service, my bag started breaking down. Seams came apart and buckles broke so I decided it was time to purchase a new one. The new commander bag I purchased is considerably less impressive than my first one. My biggest concern is the decrease in the number of pockets. As something I use as a mobile office, I learned to depend on the organizational capacity of my messenger bag. As I started transferring the contents from the old bag to the new, I quickly discovered all the front pockets were gone as well as the bottom pocket I used to store my phone and computer cords. Now I have had to jam all of my cords, adapters, sticky notes, note pads, etc into two big pockets on the inside of the bag. Not only does this make me less organized, it makes it more of a hassle to access them. I especially liked the outside pocket of my old bag with the velcro bottom that could be opened to slide over a carry-on. Furthermore, the laptop compartment was more breathable and lined with a soft felt and a grippy material that I felt protected my laptop better. If I had known there were so many changes to cut costs I never would have spent the money on this bag.

I've used Timbuk2 messenger bags for years, from college through my first several jobs. My original messenger bag is still in use for my non-work activities. Unfortunately, this bag is not up to the level of durability or quality fell I expected. The outer material is definitely not as durable. The silent hooks actually end up causing much more of a scene than a simple clip as you have to struggle to get them unhooked. The strap is not as durable. The bottle pocket is too small for anything bigger than a small water bottle. Zippers feel cheaper. Overall, I doubt that this bag will outlast my original bag from over ten years ago. Honestly, I should have gone with a custom messenger bag and added the additional options I wanted and enjoy, like the briefcase handle and padded laptop sleeve. The hidden pockets for cellphones/wallets/etc aren't really worth it.

I liked the look of the bag but was disappointed when I received it - video fails to point out that there is a wraparound pocket in the back looks like it should fit a laptop however it zips around the BOTTOM so if it unzipped somehow your laptop would fall right out, makes zero sense. No wonder the person in the video didn't point it out and it's not any of the pictures. Also there's no key attachment which I am very accustomed to with other timbuk2 bags. So strange. Returned

At first, I was really excited to use this bag. I thought it had everything that I needed including a water bottle holder, laptop compartment, and many pockets. Unfortunately, what I discovered is that the material of the bag is a little bit rough and over time, it will destroy your clothes by rubbing against it. The right side of my best is worn, my right pockets and belt loop are frayed, etc. On top of that, the strap is relatively slippery so that I have to constantly readjust the bag on my shoulder to keep it from slipping right off. This is a nice looking bag, and it's somewhat functional, but it's cost me a lot in ruined clothing, and isn't particularly comfortable. Skip this one.

The photo of the carbon molasses bag is completely misleading. Unless I'm losing my eyesight be picture looks to be a light purple with cream piping. In person it's like an olive with green piping. Definitely looks like a men's bag in person. Don't make my mistake!

Nice bag, except for the laptop compartment. I have a laptop that (according to the Timbuk2 website) should have fit in a small bag. Not close. Returned for a medium. It barely barely squeezes in. The issue is that the compartment isn't gusseted. It is a flat pocket. I'd hesitate to try it with a laptop that has any significant thickness. I like the bag otherwise, but since it is my work bag I'll have to live with this shortcoming daily.

This bag looks great but it's actually quite large on the outside and quite rigid so it doesn't sit very comfortably on your back. Also it has so many zips that it is quite heavy, but you cannot stuff much into it, so you wind up with a large bag that is small on the inside and it's a bit disappointing. All in all, seems over designed to the point of losing some utility.

I really love all of the features on the bag. Initially, I thought the only drawback was that my cross body strap didn't like to stay locked at the heigh I placed it. Over time, however, I have discovered that my bag has totally abraded some of my clothing, to the point that I can't repair it. This isn't from long walks, as I wear a uniform once I'm at work. Instead, it was caused in the distance it take from me to walk to and from the parking lot at the start and close of each day (less than a 1/4 mile total). Honestly, even if I were walking with the bag at my hip all day, I wouldn't expect it to damage my clothing. Unfortunately, it will now be money wasted because I won't use the bag and risk having more clothes show up with giant patches of wear. Too bad, because I otherwise loved the features of the bag. (In case different fabrics wear differently, the one I purchased was made of Rip Lyte Polyester)

I wish I could write a more complete review, but I sent my bag back as the color wasn't even close. I bought "Trench," which looks tan in the product photos, but brown in person. The bag did seem of a good build quality, and I wish I'd gotten more of a chance to put it through its paces.

We haven't yet used the messenger bag, but it looks like it will suit the purpose of getting my husband through airport security in a much speedier period than before. (I could just about read a book while I waited for him to get through behind me). However, there was one HUGE negative issue. I had to pay over FORTY ONE DOLLARS in shipping costs at the door! I was mightily annoyed at that surprise cost -well beyond what had been budgeted for the gift. Customers should be informed of such costs beforehand - always.

I bought this bag as a bag I can bring into the hospital and look professional. The bag itself looks nice and has many compartments. The problem is the back luggage strap digs into your back when you put it cross body and tighten the strap. I commute by bicycle. I cannot wear this bag comfortably on my back, the luggage strap digs right across the middle of my back. The bag is also quite heavy, just by itself. With a laptop and books and nick nacks it is really heavy for one shoulder. I am a 5' 3' small asian woman and this bag in medium looked huge on me. Keep that in mind. I returned it after I received it by mail from MEC store. Would not recommend for cyclist commuters.

I wasn't sure about which size of bag I wanted, but as they all seemed to fit my 15" notebook and I wasn't sure what dimensions were changed with the different sizes, I chose the smallest. I can see now that once I have my laptop inside* there's little room for anything else. Perhaps showing photographs of the available sizes next to each other for an easy comparison would have helped. * I keep my laptop inside a hardened protective sleeve which means it can't fit in the padded sleeve on the 'body side' of the bag. The outside pockets are all on the wrong side. I'm right-handed and carry the bag over my left shoulder which means that all of the pockets are behind me when the bag's on my shoulder so I can't easily retrieve my phone or my e-reader. And when I sit down on the train I have to use my left hand to pull things out of the pockets. Would it hurt to divide the pockets over both sides. Or even better, have one large pocket with an entrance from both sides. On crowded public transport the bag is really impractical to use. The buckles/fasteners are difficult to use. I have a minor struggle each time I open the bag, which I'm sure was the intention. Over the foreseeable lifetime of this bag I can see myself either becoming increasingly frustrated or simply deciding not to fasten the bag closed. They might not look as stylish but there are easier and more practical ways to fasten a messenger bag. One other minor complaint: the two zip-pulls for the padded laptop sleeve jingle/rattle around when I'm walking down the street. I think I need to wrap them in something rubbery so it doesn't sound like I'm rattling loose change in my pocket. I would have returned the bag by now but the postage is prohibitvely expensive from my country. I also had to pay a considerable amount in import tax when the bag arrived, which I don't get refunded if the article is returned. Any replacement bag would also incur a similar charge. Thus, I'm stuck with it. To be fair, there are a few points which I'm happy with: the number of pockets, the strap and adjusters, and the material.

Compared with classic messenger, has much improved laptop access and better pouch organization. But has one big design flaw: the flap closure clips (metal catches) are easy to slide ON and nearly IMPOSSIBLE to slide OFF --- takes two hands and lots of tugging, so awkward that I often leave them unclipped.

Have not used it since it is too big for my size. I'd like to know if I can return it at local store.

I was impressed as always with the construction and high-quality materials used in the bag. Unfortunately its design is such that the base of the bag isn't flat. When you set it down it flops over onto the side with the buckles. If you take a look at the photos you'll see it isn't even resting on the ground - I bet they had to prop it up to photograph it. I returned it.

I use the bag for a daily commute to and from work. I carry a good deal of stuff: laptop, journal, a pouch of connectors and chargers, eyeglasses, sunglasses, headphones, wallet, keys, phone, and typically a small lunch/breakfast. With all of the above in the bag, it is packed to capacity and difficult to use, as I have to pull out several items to get the one thing I want. The internal main compartment is almost comically small and impractical for anything beyond a slim book or a few files. I had to find creative ways to tuck things and arrange things just to get in what I consider daily basics. The outside water bottle pocket isn't very deep, and the side pocket for "chargers" is pretty much a joke. All I could fit in that was my keys. Whatever you put in the side pockets seriously infringes on the space in the already limited main compartment. In short, this is little more than a glorified laptop sleeve with room for MAYBE one or two other things. Probably my last bag from Timbuk2, as they can't seem to get all of the good features into one bag.

There are many features I like about this bag (laptop access, TSA friendly), but it has one MAJOR design flaw - the bottom is not flat so it topples over (forward) every time you put it down - not good when you've got an expensive DSLR in the main compartment or a laptop and/or iPad in the back. I love Timbuktu and their products, but I'm growing to hate the Command messenger bag. Wish had ordered the Commute (that I got for my husband for Christmas) - much roomier and doesn't flop over whenever he sets it down.