Customer Reviews Timbuk2 Classic Messenger - Extra Small

I guess I misunderstood the term ‘strap drop’ Which is only 18”. It makes this perfectly sized messenger bag nearly impossible to wear as a cross body bag. Worn as I wanted to wear it, the bag hangs directly at my waist when I would prefer it to hang at my lower hip. Sorry to have to return it, but may search other bags in this brand for a suitable replacement.

I have a 20 year old extra large bag that I used when I was a bike messenger in Washington DC. That bag I was made to last. When I compare my new one to it the new one seems a little flimsy. That being said the new bag is fine got the light use I will give it.

When you try and save money, something is bound to suffer. Bought another size small classic messenger bag. One step forward and three steps back. Actually smaller than my old one of the same stated and tagged size. Only plus I see is the grab handle. Material is thin, each strap is thinner, all buckles smaller. My ten year old one was getting worn internally, but it is more substantial, you could fit an iPad mini in the outer zip slide in pocket. No more. Internal pockets used to have a space behind them for stowing stuff. Nope. Buckle cam with added strap is a hair trigger now. I'll keep it, but probably in a drawer until the good old one disintegrates.

Internal organization is very poor. Internal water bottle pockets stay on the way, the two general pockets are saggy; all this makes placing and removing things in/from the bag quite uncomfortable. The water-protecting extensions on the sides restrict access to the bag, especially to the tablet pocket. Velcro is extremely extremely loud!!!! The strap is very short. Wanted to return but displaced all the tags.

While a well-made bag, there's a few flaws with the overall design, at least for the way I use it, which is mostly on my bike. First, there's a lack of external pockets that do not have a closure...just a quick in and out. For doing a lot of errands I would like to see a slip in and out pocket for phone, wallet, and water bottle. Having to open up the whole flap seems excessive, and even then access to the water bottle pocket can be blocked by the contents of the bag. Second, I dislike the strap-and buckle arrangement that closes and secures the bag. Practically impossible to do with one hand (as opposed to a zipper), so you end up leaving it unbuckled anyway, and then the straps are flapping around catching on things. I also feel like having to rip open the velcro-secured flap is going to put a lot of wear on the velcro - when about half or more of the openings could be negated by having an outside pocket for phone, lock keys, etc. I think it would be better to have a zipper closure. Third, it seems like the shoulder strap is quite slippery, so when riding or walking around it seems to want to slip out of the best position. On the positive side there's good pocket organization inside, and the bag bellows out cleverly when a bigger load needs to be stuffed in. I got the medium and seems like a great all purpose size.

The bag design is great and wish it were comfortable.

My old bag had several features inside Zipper pocket Pen holder etc New one has none

This is a great size commuter bag for me. Keys, wallet, phone and a small notebook and good to go.

Used to be better quality. After only a year the liner in my classic messenger started breaking down, and fraying very badly along the flap and down both sides internally. This is far from normal wear and tear for a bag this age, and is a stark contrast to the near perfect condition of my 10 year old classic messenger. I'd love to get it repaired, but suspect I will be told it's not covered under the warranty as others posting on forums have indicated with a similar issue.

I bought two bags. Both ordered small. I am returning the one regular messenger. The other was a special prder and they said I cant return. I had no idea small was not a small bag. If I could return these bags for extra small, i would love them. They are really nice bags, but huge for me.

I bought this product for commuting to work, to carry my lunch, laptop and book I am studying for a cert. I like the look of it and that it did not have a lot of smaller pockets taking away form the one large pocket. While it does carry the items well and feels good when I wear it, there are some issues with it. The cover is not long enough. what I mean is for my everyday I keep the buckle straps pretty tight to narrow the depth of the bag, due to this I can not buckle the cover down very well. I would have to loosen them which would mean the item in the bag would move around a lot more. I recently used it for a weekend trip and had it pretty full and the straps fully extended, when closed the pocket in the front of the bag where completely exposed and the Velcro was useless. second the small pockets inside the bag just don't work for me. I keep a pen and some deodorant in them since I can sweat quite often. when I lay the back down to pull my items out those items just fall out. I have stopped using those pockets. While the bag is nice and seems to be built well( I have had it for two week now) these issue bug me enough that I would return the item if I was able to, but due to the return policy and that I have used the bag I am unable to return it. For now I will have to deal with those issue until I can replace this bag.

Bought this bag for travel and I love it. It fits all my needs and the pockets let me have everything organized. It only NEEDS to have a longer shoulder strap. Is that doable? And I am not the longest person on earth! ;)

I ordered a (presumably) discontinued color of a large Classic Messenger bag. I really enjoy the look of the product and, in general, and pleased with its functionality, though some of the compartments seem a little small, and the padded laptop sleeve, a nice feature, just kind of buckles and flops around when there's no laptop inside. It would be great if that were detachable and set aside until needed (though I recognize most who carry laptops carry them every day). The item, marked as a "final sale," did not come with the padded strap handle it allegedly includes. That's on me because I failed to notice that my bag's color (Black Forest) doesn't include it. It's not a deal breaker, as I received the bag at the heavily discounted price of just under $60, as it replaces a 30-year-old messenger bag from a competitor, a bag that, similarly lacked a strap pad..Still, I can't help but feel a little ripped off. I don't know why they skimped on it, and this might make me wary of purchasing future products from Timbuk2. I enjoy the zip pocket accessible when the bag is closed, the double-looped CAM buckle for easier strap adjustment, and so far the clasps seem durable.

I've been a devoted lover of the Classic Messenger Bag for three decades. Once upon a time I was even a bicycle messenger in San Francisco, and I've continued to use Timuktus in my various non-biking jobs ever since. Having just bought my sixth or seventh bag I have some gripes. The materials are, year by year, becoming thinner and less rugged. This disappoints me, and the strap is the worst in this regard. It is flimsy and cheap. Every time I take the bag off the strap spirals around on itself. Awkward and uncool! I have to untwirl it every time I put it back on. Please beef the strap back up to its use-to-be, Timbuk2!

I have a small timbuk2 from about 2006 (?) and I love it. When I shopped for a newer style of this bag I was looking for more of a pop of color - I chose the track style with blue and silver. Upon receiving the bag I was surprised by how different the materials and quality are compared to my old bag. I really love my old bag but not so much this newer - more square style, and I did not realize how much I would dislike the double buckles versus the one of my old version- I may end up giving it to a family member. I kept the bag though because I DO like the inside pockets to keep my latest reading separate from the rest of my stuff and I like the sportier color way.

I'm surprised to see the continued use of the Velcro as a quick closure mechanism. I've had mine for a few years now and the Velcro has pretty much failed - as all Velcro eventually does. The loop material (soft material) integrity that is required for it to function fails and turns into frayed material. This same material eventually begins to rip out of the stitching that fixes it to the flap closure. Also, the hook material "hooks" onto the strap (that holds the buckle) and that material also gets frayed. Not sure why they don't use sewn in magnets as quick closure, more expensive but they wouldn't fail over time like Velcro is known to do. I would recommend their products, but I wouldn't recommend any of their bags that have this Velcro mechanism.

My messenger bag did not have the cross strap clip to allow me to secure it while riding. In addition, the seamwork along the front and was of poor quality. There is also no place to tuck up the straps when the bag is compressed. This creates a messy, shoddy appearance.

I got my first TB2 messenger 18 years ago from a cycling shop in Los Angeles. At the time I felt that it was really expensive, but was super well made and purposed for bike messengers. Over time the bag proved to be bulletproof and endured very heavy use. It was finally starting to look really ratty about 6 months ago, so I decided it was time to replace it. I had heard that TB2 had moved production abroad and was a little concerned about how the build quality would be. I am older and more settled in life now, so I don't expect to abuse the bag the way I had the first one. So I gave it a shot. The new bag arrived and my first thought was that it felt a little light weight and flimsy by comparison to my original bag. The interior waterproof lining felt thinner and the strap felt like very thin seat belt material as opposed to the thick ballistic nylon feel of my first bag. The construction seems ok, though there are a few stray threads after the first week that I did not see on my old bag until a year or so. I can clip these off with scissors and finish them with a match flame. Time will tell how the construction holds up. The new organization pockets, the bucket divider, and compression straps on the bottom are a big improvement over my original bag. There are other little touches I appreciate too even if I don't use them. One thing that kind of rub me the wrong way was that the logo on the bag's flap has been replaced by a tag that says "Timbuk2 San Francisco", but the tag inside says "Made in Vietnam". I feel like the outer flap is trying to suggest it's a USA bag still. Feels a little insincere to me. I would not recommend this bag to a friend. I looked around when I decided to replace my old bag. There are many options on the web, but some of the small companies who make their bags in the US were either out of business, had long wait times, or were more than I was willing to pay. The TB2 bag was quick and easy to buy, but doesn't feel special.

Very Nice bag, well built but way too expensive

Each and EVERY Timbuk2 Messenger Bag would be vastly improved if one simple step were taken. These bags should all be adorned with ZIPPERED openings at the top and the buckle system COMPLETELY ABANDONED. These bags as constructed are cumbersome to open with the awful buckle system. PLEASE RECONSTRUCT THESE BAGS! They are very well constructed but the buckles are deal killers for me. I purchased the Classic as well as the Commute Series simultaneously. I won't purchase another until improvements are made.

The bag is beautiful, and at first seemed well constructed. However, the stitching had already come apart on one of the pouches and considering that I had just received it proves a disappointment in the process of claiming the warranty. Was there no quality check before the bag was sent out? Very inconvenient. Secondly, I couldn't say that I'd recommend the bag as an everyday carry. If it had a zipper on the flap to gain quick access to the compartments, it would help. It's pretty inconvenient having to unbuckle every time.

I got my first large messenger about 12 years ago, and it was great wore like iron, great for train & bus commutes. Strap large & comfy. After 12 years of faithful service (funny how people describe their bags as if they're service animals), I decided to replace the bag with a new model of the same size. I have to say I'm disappointed. 1. The laptop / tablet pouch assembly is arrached to the sides but not the top. This leaves a gap between the bag and the pouch. When the bag flexes, a surprising number of items get stuck back there. I have to dig around the back of the bag. I would have preferred stitching across the top and sides. 2. A month in, the velcro close just wore out. 3. The strap is awful. Its the single worst thing. The material is thin and cheap. The strap edges are rough and I've gotten scratches on my neck. The material twists and folds, the strap twirls up on itself. I have to unwind it before it goes on my shoulder, and heaven help me if the edge catches on my shoulder or coat it just rolls up again. I never had this problem with my old bag. 4. I contacted Timbuk2 via support asking if the strap could be replaced with a thicker material. Nothing. Crickets.

I got my first large messenger about 12 years ago, and it was great- wore like iron, great for train & bus commutes. Strap large & comfy. After 12 years of faithful service (funny how people describe their bags as if they're service animals), I decided to replace the bag with a new model of the same size. I have to say I'm disappointed. 1. The laptop / tablet pouch assembly is arrached to the sides but not the top. This leaves a gap between the bag and the pouch. When the bag flexes, a surprising number of items get stuck back there. I have to dig around the back of the bag. I would have preferred stitching across the top and sides. 2. A month in, the velcro close just wore out. 3. The strap is awful. Its the single worst thing. The material is thin and cheap. The strap edges are rough and I've gotten scratches on my neck. The material twists and folds, the strap twirls up on itself. I have to unwind it before it goes on my shoulder, and heaven help me if the edge catches on my shoulder or coat- it just rolls up again. I never had this problem with my old bag. 4. I contacted Timbuk2 via support asking if the strap could be replaced with a thicker material. Nothing. Crickets.

Product has numerous pockets (though I do wish it included an external water bottle pocket). Feels very secure, and doesn't let anyone rain/wetness in, even in the heaviest of conditions. My one complaint is that this bag seems to be made for right-handed people. I wear my bag on my right shoulder, and when I go to tighten the strap, the mechanism that keeps the strap locked in place at a certain length digs right into my shoulder. I'm trying to adjust to wearing my bag on my left shoulder now, but it would be great if one could detach the straps and switch them depending on how one wears the bad.

I purchased the XS to be an everyday bag. I had talked to a customer service rep about finding a bag most similar to the one I purchased a few years ago and they suggested this one. Sadly, this bag didn't quite deliver. The strap is MUCH too short. I'm only 5'2" size M/L and at full extension the strap is difficult to get on and off. In addition to that, I had asked if the color flame was a true red or an orange/red. They reassured me that it was true red, but upon arrival it's definitely an orange/red. I'm bummed that my experience with this purchase was disappointing.