Customer Reviews Timbuk2 Tote Rucksack

As per usual Timbuk2's quality is top notch. This bag is very well constructed and has great pockets to make everything you usually carry super accessible. It's also a great looking bag. I love the gold zippers and accents. Now onto the reasons I returned it. Number one issue was the backpack straps. They are thin and there is zero padding so with any kind of weight in the bag it was cutting into my shoulders. Second issue was the length of the tote handles. Great for carrying it by hand, but not great for carrying as a shoulder bag. Change those two things and I would buy this bag a million times over.

I'm really liking this bag - got it just as I was leaving for an overseas trip and, so far, it's comfortable to wear, really easy to pack... I also like the looks of this bag. I got it in the army color with the silver hardware, which is a lovely combo. It's a terrific size and design in that it holds enough stuff, but not so much that the back is uncomfortable at its heaviest. I found getting through international travel using this bag as my purse/carry-on a pleasure: it slid perfectly under the seat in front of me, even when stuffed, my laptop felt secure, the outer pocket was just the right size, and aesthetically it's really pleasing. My only gripe - but it's kind of a big one - is the zipper quality. I've had much less expensive bags with zippers that glided and felt durable. The zippers on this bag are sticky and I feel worried tugging on them - and you have to kind of tug on them - because somehow they just don't feel like they're up to the task. You wanna feel able to get in and out of your bag quickly - especially that fabulous outer pocket - and these zippers seem weak and require fussing with, which is disappointing for the price.

I got this because I suddenly acquired shoulder issues and had to take a break from my beloved messenger bag. It is very lightweight the straps are really comfortable, and I get compliments on the style, but the lack of internal organization really disappointing. Half the time i dump it upside down to find items at the bottom because the shape means i stack items on top of each other rather than side by side. May I suggest you use this fabric to make a messenger bag that is a backpack? I am keeping it because it is more balanced for my shoulders but I look longingly at my messenger bags on the shelf.

I had really high hopes for this bag, given my familiarity with Timbuk2's other products (I was hoping to get an "grown-up" bag to replace my beloved messenger bag in more formal / professional settings). The bag is extremely well-made (the straps are surprisingly comfortable for how thin they are) but I think that the internal organization features are lacking - there is one laptop sleeve, and then one shallow internal pocket with room with two credit card slots. There are also two front pockets (one with the key chain), but they are not huge and don't have internal dividers within them. This is disappointing, as the bag was labeled for having great internal organization. I have decided to return this bag, and I will look for a different one. For future models, I would like to see better pockets akin to what the messenger bags have. I would also like a feature to make the top zipper more water resistant - I'm worried that if I had to walk in a heavy rain, water would leak straight through at the top.

I have a Timbuk2 tote with a shoulder strap I love. But no water bottle pocket, minimal organization... you get the idea. Like other reviewers, I thought this bag was bigger. The opening is NARROW, and I scrape my hands on it frequently. No water bottle holders. The zipper on the outside pocket has to unzip the whole pocket to open fully so items fall out of the side: It's long and only about 15" across with the zipper. The inside is black so forget any light being able to get down onto the bag to find things. If they would have turned this bag on its side, added some more inside and outside pockets and a portable charger slide through opening, this would be perfect. A light gray interior to see in, and a carry on slip through loop, detachable somehow is fine. My other one slides off my carry on. I expected TB2 would have more travel friendly elegant totes by now. Like TUMI but better because TB2 has quality material. I bought a shoulder strap and Jerry rigged it to the bag. The messenger style strap makes it easier to put on and off. I tried to return it but it was final sale. I thought it was on sale, not final sale. Over all, a disappointing experience and very disappointing product. Two stars for effort and material quality.

When I received this the zippers did not work well so I ended up returning it.

I like the nicer design and upscale look of this backpack but unfortunately the zippers are terrible and very sticky... I have only used mine for a week and the zippers are terrible. Also an additional internal mid size picket would be great.

Too thin,could use a little padding for such a large tote, and straps were a foot too long. Was that necessary?

I generally love this bag. It's super cute. However, the straps are so slippery that they don't stay put. I had to make a knot to prevent them from slipping off, meaning that I cannot adjust the length at all.

I really wanted to like this product but after using it for about 3 weeks now, I am sadly disappointed. I bought it to commute with my ipad, laptop, pens, documents, all the stuff you would need if you work in an office. Unfortunately, the straps slip and the backpack quickly becomes uncomfortable as it falls below your back. I have tried rubber bands and clips to hold the straps in place but that doesn't work. I even tried knoting the straps but they still slip. Further, if you are carrying anything heavy, the entire bag slips off your shoulders so you have to use one hand to hold the straps together. The bag does not have enough internal or external compartments to make finding items easy. There is one small pocket on the inside and a laptop sleeve. The small interior pocket is not big enough for an iPhone. Other than these two compartments, you have the very deep dark center pocket that becomes a cavernous abyss and you are left feeling around for whatever you are looking for (such as you phone). There is also one small external pocket with a wraparound zipper. When you open the zipper, you must completely open the pocket so whatever you have in there can and, frequently, will fall out. This also makes it impossible to gain quick access to anything in that pocket and leaves it vulnerable to being pickpocketed. This pocket should be larger and have two zippers that can meet wherever the user chooses. Because this is the only exterior pocket, there is no place to quickly access anything - such as commuter card, phone, office ID.... If this bag had stable shoulder straps, more pockets & an external quick access pocket, I would recommend it. On the upside, I purchased the plum color and the color is very nice. The fabric seems quite durable, stain resistant and lightweight. (This is my 3rd time trying to post this review-will Timbuk2 finally post this??)

This is a wonderful bag, BUT.... The straps (both backpack and handle) are slippery, so they don't stay adjusted to your preferred length if you have anything heavier than a silk scarf in the bag. In my case, the means when I carry even just my lightweight Macbook, phone and wallet, after only about 5 minutes the straps extend and the bag bumps against my butt as I walk. This is enough of a pain when walking, when I can just hike the bag up again by shortening the straps without even taking the bag off, but forget biking... I can't readjust the straps after every bump. After trying to get used to it for a few weeks I gave up and tried returning it, but was told by Timbuk2 that this flaw is not a manufacturing defect--and I'd had the bag more than 30 days, so a refund or exchange was impossible. I do not recommend this bag at all, and ended up selling it online (at a big loss, of course) just yesterday. I'm very disappointed in Timbuk2. I like their bags in general, but this one's a dud for anyone who wants to move around with their stuff hands-free... And I lost a pretty penny on it.