I really like almost everything about this bag. It seems like it has more storage since the laptop is stored in a separate compartment on the back of the bag instead of inside the main compartment like many bags tend to do. So the main compartment is freed up for whatever junk you want to throw in there. I usually carry my laptop power cable, a few books, cell phone and charger, wallet, Kindle, and a few other miscellaneous things and I have more than enough room for everything. I also feel very confident that nothing will fall out of the bag. The bag is designed with extra material near the top folds to prevent anything from slipping out.
I''ve taken the bag through TSA security and had no problems with the TSA-compliant laptop compartment. In fact, it made going through security noticeably easier since I didn''t have to take the laptop out of the bag. The material seems very durable and I consider the overall looks of the bag to serve in both a professional and personal capacity. I have a 14.7" x 9.9" x 1.3" laptop and it fits snug inside of the laptop compartment (I have the medium sized bag). It came very close to not zipping up because of the 1.3" thickness, but it works. If your laptop is bigger than this, get the large size bag.
The shoulder strap that comes with the bag will do the job, but I ordered the deluxe strap pad because I prefer more comfort. It would be nice if it just came with the deluxe version, but I suppose that''s how companies generate extra sales.
Overall, I love the look and functionality of the bag and would highly recommend investing in a quality product like this.
I''m not ashamed to admit it. I''m a man, and I wish I had a purse. I''m sure my wife and family would never stop making fun of me... so I had to compromise with this amazing messenger bag. It fits everything I need to take back and forth to work with me and any essential medication and chargers I like to keep with me. It''s basically a large purse a man can carry.
I also bought a small snoop insert and the bag turns in to a camera bag. The laptop compartment on this is a bit smaller than I would have liked it barely fits my boat anchor 14" laptop from work but some tradeoffs must be made for the size of it. I also wish the bottom of the main compartment had more padding (my iPad regularly lands in there), but this is still far and away more than I thought I could find.
It''s quality is amazing. I haven''t found any blemishes or loose thread anywhere on the thing. After several months of heavy use, there are no wear points, only a couple of dirt smudges I haven''t wiped off. It''s well worth the money compared to the competition and looks far more professional than a grown man walking around with a backpack from high school.
I highly recommend this man-purse.
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I couldn''t commute to school without this bag! Love the laptop portion being on the outside of the bag, for travel purposes and especially so you can access your laptop without disturbing everything else in the bag. The front organizational section is a bit over the top with so many pockets, but still convenient. Very high quality materials, I have no fear of taking this bag out in the rain/snow! The medium size is quite roomy too!
My only complaint is the waterbottle holder is not very secure and kind of small, if I bump into something sometimes my water bottle falls out...but I can always get a smaller bottle!
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Since these bags are fairly well known at this point, I will follow Amazon''s advice and focus on what I would have wanted to know before purchasing this product.
The biggest thing I wish I had known about this bag was the thinness of the laptop compartment padding. The size of the compartment is fine--I have a 13" MacBook Pro but it could definitely hold a 15" laptop instead--but the padding just doesn''t make me feel confident enough, which is unfortunate since carrying my laptop is the main function for this bag.
I previously owned a Targus backpack/laptop bag, a bag whose padding was 2-3 times thicker than the Timbuk2 Commute Messenger bag, but the Targus bag just wasn''t stylish. Worse yet, the outer material had started to fray in various places, so while the laptop security was there it just didn''t have many points in the style department.
I''m happy to say the ballistic nylon of the Commute Messenger bag is of excellent quality, as are the zippers, shoulder strap, etc. I appreciate the wide shoulder strap, although I will say the cushion that comes with the bag isn''t the greatest so I went ahead and purchased the Deluxe Strap Pad in the matching blue color.
The Commute Messenger has fewer mesh pockets for odds and ends than my Targus bag did, but on the other hand the main pocket of the Commute--the one for holding books and such--is quite a bit larger. This main pocket is about 5-6" inches wide so there is plenty of room for large books.
A word to the wise: don''t buy this bag because of the TSA compliance feature. I haven''t experienced this myself but I''ve read a number of reviews stating that there is a decent probability that TSA agents will still ask you to remove the laptop from your bag. This isn''t a positive or negative, but it is something I thought worth noting since Timbuk2 promotes this feature so heavily.
Here''s something else I wish I''d known before buying the bag: the straps for the clips on the front have Timbuk2''s logo embossed in reflective material at the ends of them. They look fine, but what this means is that the weight of the logos at the end of the straps causing them to make a "flapping" sound as you walk around. This may seem neurotic but it''s aggravating to be somewhere with a low noise level and make some much noise just walking around. My solution: either pin the flaps up with safety pins to make them shorter or put more books in your bag, something that will also make the flaps shorter. I''m opting for the former.
Why in the world did they put mesh drink holders inside the bag? If the can or bottle is cold, the condensation will drip on any books you have in the compartment. I knew about this feature before I bought the bag but it seems strange to me.
I have a difficult time recommending this bag at MSRP. Sure it''s stylish, but for that amount of money I want a little more protection for my valuable electronics.
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I was looking for a nice bag that I can use to take my 15-inch laptop and several books with me. Timbuk2 Commute attracts me. The structure of the bag is pretty reasonable. The quality and design worth the price.
It does it''s job, but it''s pretty thick and heavy and bulky. Seems like they could have still insulated it but made it thinner and lighter (like the insulated camel back bottles).
