Review of Timbuk2 Classic Messenger Bag

Timbuk2 Classic Messenger Bag
By: Timbuk2 Average Rating: 5.0 Total Reviews: 8
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Perfect bag for the biker turned commuter

On: 2007-11-21

I used to bike to work and this bag was great for that. It held my change of clothes (I biked hard), my work laptop, and other various things. It also held up perfectly in the rain.

Now I commute to work and the bag is great for that too. I keep my gym clothes and shoes in there and all my other normal work stuff. Its kinda like a man purse...

Great birder's bag!

On: 2007-07-05

A great bag for birders:
1. Its very comfortable and rugged and holds just what I need without becoming a brush-navigation hindrance.
2. The strap is very wide, which I was put off by at first glance, but the result is a very comfortable carry when the bag is full. Unlike other bags I tried on, the strap on this bag is plenty long (although, Im 52", so what does that mean?).
3. I can carry a midsize camera, field guides, small notebook, snacks, and water in the main compartment. The internal pockets hold a LOT of little stuff (ipod, pens, jots, bug juice, memory sticks, first-aid junk) without cluttering the bottom of the bag. All this gear is right at my fingertips...no more flushing birds while shucking a backpack in the brush.
4. It doesnt have TIMBUKTU plastered across the front. The attractive logo is visible, but it doesnt turn me into a human billboard.
5. I bought it for birding, but it quickly replaced the pack I (as a good Pacific Northwesterner) have long used as an everyday bag.

It loses a star because I hate velcro and this bag comes with two enormous strips of that noisy %#@!. My usual trick of covering the scritchy side with felt fixed that problem. The bag is well balanced when loaded (doesnt tip and spill), so eliminating the velcro hasnt reduced its performance.

This model would NOT be an adequate size for use as a book bag. Try the next size up or stick with a pack to save your back.

bike bag

On: 2007-05-13

Bag is quality...you can tell its made well and with quality material. I only regret that I didnt go with a smaller size for my needs

bike bag

On: 2007-05-12

Bag is quality...you can tell its made well and with quality material. I only regret that I didnt go with a smaller size for my needs

Great commuter bag

On: 2007-03-10

Very sturdy bag. Not too big or too small. Perfect for the daily commute on the subway.

Great commuter bag

On: 2007-03-09

Very sturdy bag. Not too big or too small. Perfect for the daily commute on the subway.

Great little bag

On: 2007-02-20

awesome bag. I love Timbuk2. This is my 2nd bag, and I basically bought this one to have a smaller bag to use at different times when I dont want to lug my laptop around. Its made well and looks cool...what more could you want.

Bag Review

On: 2007-01-10

The Timbuk2 class messenger bag is great. Holds quite a bit for its size. Very useful and good quality.

Bag Review

On: 2007-01-09

The Timbuk2 class messenger bag is great. Holds quite a bit for its size. Very useful and good quality.

Very happy

On: 2006-12-31

I recently got a 15" MacBook Pro and needed a larger bag to accommodate it (replacing my Manhattan Portage 1640 Waxed Canvas Messenger Bag, which I loved). I ordered and returned several things before settling on this. I am very happy. It is a durable, smartly designed bag, and pretty much a perfect fit for the MacBook Pro, stored inside of a sleeve case.

At first I thought I would replace my Manhattan Portage bag, which was just barely too small for the MacBook Pro, with the bigger version of the same bag, the 1635. But that bag was WAY too big- the MacBook was swimming in there. This bag is a comfortable fit, with a little room on either side of the MacBook when the bag isnt too full. And there is plenty of room to carry a number of regular books (or whatever else) in addition to the MacBook.

It also has an ideal number of smaller pockets - not too many, not too few - for storing accessories. For my needs, the pockets are intelligently placed and sized so I feel like there is a place for everything, and I dont feel like there are any useless pockets. Most of the smaller pockets are inside the main compartment, on the side opposite the one thats against your body when youre wearing the bag. This makes them convenient to access while the bag is on. And one problem I had with the Manhattan Portage bag was that the smaller pockets were on the side thats against your body, so whatever was in the main compartment of the bag would get in the way of accessing the smaller pockets. Since these are on the opposite side, the pockets are easy to get to even when the bag is relatively full.

One of the pockets has a key ring, but unlike some bags, this one is attached to a long "leash", so the keys can actually sit at the bottom of the pocket until you need them. They dont get in the way when you are trying to get other things out, but when you do want them, you just fish them out by grabbing the top of the "leash".

A waterproof liner was an essential feature when I was searching for a bag (Im paranoid about being caught in a downpour with my laptop), and although this one hasnt been put to the test yet, it seems even better than my previous bag, which always kept the contents dry. One problem with the Manhattan Portage bag was that when the flap was closed there were gaps at the top on both sides, near where the shoulder strap attaches. Although this bag has a similar design, it doesnt seem to have the same problem.

I do wish this bag came with a shoulder pad for the strap, but that is my only complaint and Im sure I can purchase one separately. And the price on Amazon is significantly cheaper than I could find anywhere else, so I can put my savings toward the shoulder strap.

Extremely simple and durable bag

On: 2006-12-25

This bag is excellent if youre looking for a simple bag to carry anything from books to laptop. I did not want one of those bags that had 50 different pockets because the more pockets you have the easier it is to misplace stuff and end up confusing yourself. The bag is extremely durable as I have traveled the world with it and it has stood up to quite a beating. Actually the bag still looks relatively new for how much abuse I have put it through. I have never used it while biking but if you ever visit San Francisco, California you will see almost every bike messenger using this bag.