For reference, I purchased the medium-sized grey/white/grey bag Timbuk2 Commute 2.0. I am using this bag primarily for my daily commute to work (~4 miles roundtrip by bicycle) and air travel.This was my first Timbuk2 purchase and at the two month mark I am very pleased. I purchased this bag after my last messenger (Swiss Gear) disappointingly fell apart after about 2 months of moderate use. Just looking at the construction and feeling the quality of materials I can tell the Timbuk2 is going to with me for a long, long time.
I considered a few of the trendier labels (Chrome, Manhattan Portage, Crumpler), but in the end the price, functionality, and aesthetic of the Timbuk2 just fit my personal needs perfectly. In terms of aesthetics, I like that my bag is kinda sporty and fun if I'm using it for leisure, but also businessy enough that I can use it with a shirt and tie. For what it's worth, I managed to snag my bag on the cheap from an Amazon Marketplace seller for $59. :)
Following are a few thoughts I had on the bag:
Construction & Durability (Grade = A)
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I've only had the bag for two months, but it has held up perfectly thus far and I envision it still going strong for many years to come. After two months of daily use, it basically still looks and feels like new.
The seamwork, fabric, zippers, and design are all of very high quality, and you can tell just by holding it that the bag was built to last. It might begin to fall apart if you are extremely rough with it or if you are a professional bike courier, but for the average person it'll probably last at least a decade.
Size (M) (Grade = A)
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I've been pleasantly surprised at how much my bag (medium) can fit -I typically carry a Canon EOS 20D DSLR + lens, small laptop & accessories, business papers, a couple books, a spare t-shirt, a whole bevy of electronic gadgets and there is still room for more. My main laptop is pretty small at 13.1" and quite thin, and fits into the laptop pocket with ample space. Do be sure to check your laptop dimensions though... my other laptop is a 15.4" and does not fit in the medium laptop pocket.
Fit & Comfort (Grade = B with stock strap pad, A with Grip Pad)
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Initially, I was a bit skeptical that the bag didn't have any way of attaching a cross-strap for stability while riding. For this and for comfort reasons, I decided to purchase the Grip Strap Pad with my bag and I couldn't be happier. In my opinion, the grip pad should be the standard pad that comes with the bag, and is an essential buy to make the bag more comfortable and functional. With the grip pad, the bag hardly ever slips off my back when I'm riding.
The laptop chamber with it's corduroy back padding helps keep the bag from losing its shape. It is firm yet supple, so that the bag feels sturdy and comfortable on your back. With a rigid back, I was afraid the bag would slide around on my back but if the strap is properly adjusted I find the bag to be nicely form fitting and very little unintentional sliding occurs.
Design Features (Grade = B+ as stock, A with Slider Case)
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(+) Swivel joints on the strap make it so that the strap hardly ever twists/tangles.
(+) Strap has quick-release adjustment buckle which makes adjusting the strap a cinch.
(+) Good organizational pockets underneath main flap.
(+) Rubber bottom and waterproof fabric lining the main flap.
(+) Corduroy laptop lining keeps laptop safe and allows bag to keep its shape.
(+) Strong and well-positioned handle so it can be carried briefcase-style.
(+) Velcro on main flap keeps flap secure if you're too lazy to buckle/unbuckle.
(+) TSA-approved laptop sleeve makes going through security a little easier.
(-) The Grip Pad probably should have been included as stock.
(-) No quick access pockets on the exterior of the main flap.
This issue was solved for me by purchasing the Slider Case which gives me access to my mp3 player right on my strap.
I love the Commute 2.0 for my MBP(5,1) 15in as it fits the laptop like a glove (tight, but secure tight) and separates it from the rest of the objects that I need to carry around which could potentially break the screen if carried right next to each other. The primary decision revolved around this laptop and so far the bag has not let me down at all in that respect.
For books, this messenger bag can carry quite a few (two binders, sketch book, two notebooks, 1in thick book, and a 2 1/4") books with no problem. The weight is distributed nicely around the entire strap and I don't find myself constantly switching shoulders or switching to the handle. The handle, btw, is a nice addition if you are just happening to carry the bag a short distance and don't find the need to pull the bag over a shoulder.
The only con so far is that the braces (what the shoulder strap clips on to) for the shoulder strap are made our of metal and the clips for the strap itself are made out of plastic. This leads to a squeak, not that it is a deal breaker, but is rather annoying while walking.
I am glad to have gotten the product from Amazon (amazingly fast shipping considering I ordered the supersaver -3 days total for the bag to be processed, shipped, and delivered) and entirely satisfied with the bag itself.
Buy Timbuk2 Commute 2.0 Laptop Messenger Bag Now
I've been using this bag for a few months now and travel pretty regularly. It was advertised as "TSA compliant" and, I have to say, this is one of the best things about this bag. It's so much easier to go through security. I can spend more time fussing with my boot zippers than dealing with taking my laptop out of my bag!The bag also has a ton of great organization pockets and overall, it's just a really comfortable fit. It looks causal but professional at the same time. I'm really happy with this bag and definitely recommend it!
Read Best Reviews of Timbuk2 Commute 2.0 Laptop Messenger Bag Here
After being a frequent flier for the past year with this bag, I like it, but I don't love it.I want to love this bag. Timbuk2 has cultivated a reputation for very well-made and well-designed travel gear. Timbuk2 is the Apple of bags -you pay a premium, but you are paying for excellent design. I get it. I even embrace it. I want to pay extra for a bag that's perfectly designed. But unfortunately this bag isn't it.
This bag is supposed to be the briefcase of their line best suited for frequent airline travel.
I do like several things about the bag. The material is sturdy and waterproof. I like that the bag closes with both velcro (for quick use) and clips (for maximum security). I do like the TSA-friendly laptop compartment in back, and the pocket in the laptop compartment designed to hold papers for easy access.
But there are, to my eye, some design shortcomings in this bag:
The big interior pocket is not padded at all. I travel with my laptop, which goes in the laptop compartment, and also with an iPad, which goes in the main compartment. The bottom of this compartment has no padding at all, so when I set the bag on the floor the contents of that compartment are not protected at all from shock. I had to buy a bulky case for my iPad, just to put it in the bag.
The "hinges" for the straps aren't very well designed. Their odd shape means that if you carry the bag over one shoulder, they have a tendency to turn sideways and bunch up the webbing that holds them on. Also, when the cover of the bag is closed (i.e., most of the time, the bend in the material pokes out and means that the straps are contorting around the corner of the bag, unless you manually adjust where the strap goes.
There is a slit in the back of the bag, designed so that you can slip the bag over a roller-bag's handle and keep the Timbuk2 bag secure while you are rolling. When you have a laptop in the back compartment, however, there is not enough slack in this slit to accommodate a roller-bag handle without great effort. I would love to be able to secure my Timbuk2 bag to my roller's handles but don't even bother trying anymore -it just takes too long to get it on and off of there. A velcro-based wide strap, to go around a roller handle, would be a much more ideal solution here.
With typical loading (maybe it's just me), the bag has a tendency to lean "forward" and not sit upright. This wouldn't be a tremendous problem, except for the fact that you can't easily strap it to a roller bag handle (see above). So, if you are walking through an airport with the Timbuk2 bag resting on top of a roller bag, and stop walking, the Timbuk2 has a tendency to fall off the roller bag and onto the floor. Combine this tendency with the fact that the interior main pocket has no padding at all, and you have potential for damaged contents.
There is an external pocket on one side, but not the other. If you carry the bag over your right shoulder, you have easy access to this pocket. If you carry the bag over your left shoulder, you have no pocket at all. Why not put a pocket on each side?
If you are carrying some papers and want to keep them from sloshing all over the place in the bag, the only place to put them is in the pocket located in the laptop compartment. It would be nice to have an additional "paper" pocket in the main compartment. I carry around a big plastic folder in the back of the main compartment for papers. I wonder why I have to do this.
I want to love this bag but after a year these small design shortcomings have made me want to seek alternatives. I will continue to search for the perfect laptop bag for airline travel. Unfortunately, this isn't it. Perhaps with the Commute 3.0 Timbuk2 will address these shortcomings.
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No matter how hard I searched online, including on Flickr, I could not find any review or note that stated if the Small fit the Macbook Pro. The Timbuk2 website says it does but most review stated the Medium just fit it so I decided to try for myself as I wanted to get the smallest size possible. (I hate oversized bags). It fits perfectly! Its a little snug at first but after 2 days it seems to have relaxed a little and I am very happy with the fit and overall size compared to the medium which I also tried.
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