Customer Reviews Timbuk2 Classic Messenger - Medium

This messenger bag is of great quality and comfortable. This is my 4th Timbuk2 bag and so far I'm satisfied. The only thing I wish it were there is a quick release on the strap. I have bag of other brands (ALPAKA, Chrome, Bellroy), they all have quick release with the straps.

The size is great- but the pocket sizes suck. There is NO way for a water bottle to fit in the net holder- way too small. The divider (document/laptop space) constantly flops down/open- basically a pain in the ass- it needs a magnet or a snap. The other miscellaneous pockets are useless - unless you're some old guy who wants to carry coins. There should be a pouch/pocket large enough to hold sunglasses and another large enough for a wallet- unless your intention is solely to sell to males (then that is a major disappointment). The cushion for the strap is a nice idea- but it is very stiff and you are very limited on adjustability. The fabric is very durable and is weather proof- you could offer more colors (not just old white man colors)..

The product works great but can't handle too much weight the strap tends to loosen throughout the day.

I love this bag, I just wish there was a pocket that fits my cell phone. It feels like a modern phone in an Otter box case is just a little larger than was designed for with pocket sizes.

Overall I like it. I wish it had more protection for the laptop and some bigger pockets.

Great travel bag. Excellent quality materials and perfect size for my needs. I wish the interior mesh pockets were big enough to hold a water bottle and that silencer strips for the Velcro had been included as they seem essential.

Great bag, only missing a water bottle holder. Have had it packed full and it is very comfortable to wear. As a woman wearing it, I am surprised at how much I like the added clip to keep the bag in place. Kept my electronics dry in a downpour.

I used to use an old TB2 bag for commuting to work. Now that I'm retired, I carry my art supplies out to the field in this bag. The several pockets make organizing my brushes, pencils and art boards a breeze.

Kid loves his bag! Simple and useful.

I like the size and all the pockets. The bag is very sturdy. In fact, the shoulder strap feels (and looks a little) like a seat belt strap. That is my only 'con' issue. The straps are *so* long, I'm going to have to cut the extra off, and I'm not sure how I'm going to do that. There is just too much extra material in the shoulder strap and the buckle straps. I understand it has to be manufactured to work for both tall and short people, but all the extra straps flapping around did not quite work for this short person.

The product is of good quality Side pockets would be an advantage. And the carrying handle should be positioned at the top and not on the side.

Here's what I LOVE about this bag: - It's insanely well built! The material and sticking are top notch. - The pockets are well laid out. They seem to be custom made for the stuff I always carry in a bag (pens, pocket knife, sunglasses, note pad, chargers, etc.) - The strap is the best on any bag I've ever used. It's easily adjustable and super comfortable. - The color. I chose the Army Green bag and it is true to the images on the website. Love this color! - There is enough room to pack for an overnight trip. The things I don't love: - The laptop compartment needs more padding on both the front and back sides. It would be nice if there was a hook and loop closure to keep it from falling open. - I chose the Large bag. It is way too big for what I need. The description says it can hold up to a 17" laptop but in reality, this could probably carry the laptop and a 24" monitor in the laptop compartment alone and still have room for a one or two night's trip worth of clothes. - The bag is a little floppy. I would like a little more structure so the bag could sit up by itself. This is a minor thing, but a little more structure would be appreciated. In the end, I will keep this bag for overnight trips or when I have to carry extra equipment but will buy the smaller, Medium sized bag for my day-to-day. It's super comfortable and easily adjustable. It's far better than any commuter-style backpack I've used. The large is just too much bag :) I recommend this bag for anyone who typically "one-straps" a backpack for work or fun. It's very comfortable to wear and the pockets and zippered compartments well laid out. The only reason I am giving it 4 stars is because of the the thin padding on the laptop pocket.

I use it for work every day and I love that is water proof ..

Like everything about this bag except the handle placement. It's too far back and needs to be more towards the top.

Great product! Well made and keeps my items organized. I wish it had a bit more padding on the bottom of the computer sleeve.

This bag replaces a very similar Timbuk2 bag I bought in the late 90's. As a software engineer on the go, I value the bag's ability to carry everything I need to work, safely and comfortably. I like the pockets and divider in this newer version, but the shoulder strap, particularly the buckle, is disappointing. The buckle slips, gradually leaving me with the bag hanging uncomfortably low, something my old bag never did. The sliding pad on the strap is a great idea, but it doesn't stay put and it never seems to be where I want it. As a cyclist, I miss the optional cross strap the old bag had. Not deal breakers, but I am looking for a third-party buckle with more grip.

My partner purchased this for me after we stumbled upon their brick-and-mortar store in SF. The size I got was small (new version). First, the positives, the Cordura fabric, quality buckle, and ability to quickly access the pockets with the side entrances even when the bag is closed are great. I've read previous reviews of their old version (look up Wirecutter's best messenger bags) and found the addition to tucking away the extra material after tightening the main strap is nice and doesn't go unnoticed. If you use it for some time however you'll find the straps holding the male side of the plastic connectors line up directly with the velcro of the pocketed outward-facing portion and will eventually pull at the fabric of the straps creating this horrible bunched-up material over time. This is exacerbated if you constantly overfill the bag (think anything more than the stock photos and the velcro will scrape the straps). Also unless you use a skinnier waterbottle such as the Zojirushi thermos for example the water bottle holders inside won't be able to hold anything larger than a standard bottle (looking at you Nalgene and Hydroflask users). Additionally inside there are multiple pouches I would like to see a version that has a zipper or even button locking mechanism outside of the main zippered pocket for smaller items. Last thing for me was the stabilizer strap works great, especially as someone who uses this mostly on their bike commuting however aesthetically it pulls on the main strap where its attached making it look just plain bad and at times uncomfortable. To get a better idea of what I mean imagine pulling hard with one finger in one direction of a seatbelt found in a car and that's exactly what it looks like under load. I would recommend this to a friend or peer. Ultra-functional and I love their lifetime warranty I just hope I can one day go to the shop to fix that velcro to strap issue and they replace it.

Using in a LDS mission, perfect bag

The Small size is compact. Good quality. Fits a 13" or 14" laptop and has sufficient pockets. However no padding and so may need to use a laptop sleeve. Strap is long and when adjusted need to stow away some of the extra length. Would have been nice if there was an open pocket at back like there used to be in older versions of messenger bags from Timuk2.

Everyday use and travel, Bag is nice but wish the had an outside water. Title carrier like the old ones. And a better place to store glasses, but overall happy with it.

I use this as my every day bag to carry my laptop, lunch and other supplies back and forth to work. Though I love the organization of the inside and how roomy it feels, the over the shoulder strap seems too long for the small size and I can't figure out an efficient way to fold and conceal the excess length. This also causes the strap to get twisted and not easy to grab and go.

I use the bag to hold my laptop

I bought this bag in anticipation of a two week trip to France. I wanted something easy to carry and secure enough to protect valuables in a crowded Paris Metro. It couldn't have served the purpose better. I carried an Olympus OM - D 4/3rds camera with a 12-40 or 12/100 zoom, extra batteries, cell phone, gloves, compact umbrella and pocket sized guidebook every day. Could throw wallet and change in it passing through security screens. It's well made, fits over the shoulder or across the body with a quick adjustment. A 5 star product for my needs.

I love Timbuk2. This is my 4th messenger bag. This is a great size; it is prefect for a laptop and a few other items. However, the strap system is the worst I have seen on a Timbuk2 bag. The adjustment tri-glide buckle works great when the bag is empty, but if there is anything is the bag it is a pain to adjust while the bag is on. It also is easily bumped which causes the length to change. Having the buckle in the middle of the strap is annoying for a short person who need to adjust the strap to a shorter length for bike. I will continue buying Timbuk2 bag because they are well made, but I will wait until a new strap design comes out to get my next one.

This is a re-purchase to replace my bag I bought in 2015. I put it through years of abuse, and stuffed it full. Actually, the original still holds up, except for the interior lining. But, again, years of abuse will do that. I thought it was time to get a replacement. Changes: there are a few updates I've noticed, such as: the strap is now a vinyl seatbelt style, the strap pad can be removed, and other minor changes. I look forward to taking this on future travels. Only complaint: is the price. The costs have risen over the years. Bummer