Average Reviews:
(More customer reviews)This bag is really worth a look, especially if you don't want to pay a fortune. I've compared lots of bags so I can say what's unusual, or at least not universal, about this one. Its virtues: it is strong, much moreso than many other bags. It has swivel clips holding on the shoulder strap, so the strap doesn't twist painfully against you, and these also make the shoulder strap easily removable. There's a soft, wide pad on the shoulder strap which slides, so you can adjust where it is. The length of the strap is adjustable, and there's a buckle, like the one on an airplane seatbelt, that is supposedly quick-release, but it seems stuck shut on mine and I haven't tried hard to open it. The top carry handle is nicely padded. There's a cross-body strap across the back, removable, that allows you to attach it around your waist in case you're on a bike or just don't want it swinging. A large, zip-top pocket extends all across the back and has open-top slip-in pockets inside it. That zipper has an elongated pull, easy to open with gloves on. The back wall is padded, with grooves to keep you from getting too sweaty. Inside the bag, there's a laptop compartment with a velcro strap that crosses over. The inside compartment does not zip shut--a plus for me, because the bag opens all the way. Inside along the front wall, there are two large zip-shut pockets (good for your toothbrush, comb, etc.) and several hanging, open-top pen slots and somewhat wider pockets, wide enough for a slim cell phone or ipod, though they are not lined with anything soft. There's also a clear card holder so you can put your name in the bag. On the front exterior, under the flap, there are three open-top pockets and one zip pocket, all pretty big. On each side, there's a water bottle pocket with a stretchy top, not quite big enough for a liter or Nalgene bottle, but suitable for a 20-oz bottle and, with effort, a bottle of Snapple. The flap closes with two plastic squeeze clips that are on the outside of the flap--no awkward reaching under. There are reflector patches on the bottom straps of these buckles. The flap also closes with two long velcro strips. There's also a loop on the bottom front of the bag. The bottom is rubber, so you can set the bag down, say, in a snowy parking lot.
I've used this bag for about six months and it is holding up beautifully. I'm a college professor, so I abuse it with heavy books and lots of slinging around, yet it looks brand new. The luminous black color in the picture is for real and hasn't faded. The bag is as waterproof as I need it to be in northern New Hampshire; can't vouch for Seattle.
What I don't like: I don't carry a laptop, so I removed the laptop wall/floor inside. After that, the back of the bag started curling around toward the front, so I can only carry the bag with the front toward me, not both ways. Also, the top handle is sewn to the back wall, so if you carry the bag that way while loaded, it will tilt forward. That's true of most bags, however. I removed the velcro on the main bag because I didn't like the noisy ripping sound, but I unwisely also removed the prickly velcro patch on the underside of the flap. It turned out the buckle strap was sewn in with that patch, so the top buckle fell off and I had to sew it back on. Also, I don't like having my penholders inside. It makes the pens harder to grab when I'm teaching, and the whole set of inside pockets hangs over the inside contents, reducing the interior space and making some things hard to access. For these reasons I'm now shopping for a new bag, but anyone without these concerns would probably find this bag very useful, good-looking, sturdy, and well-priced.
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District Threads Montezuma Messenger Bag
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