I've been looking for a quality leather messenger bag for the past 6 months, and this bag fits the bill.
I'm a visual person and so it was a big leap for me to buy this bag since there was only one picture of the bag. What tipped the scale for me was reading the reviews. Reading the reviews of people who have purchased a product is absolutely invaluable in making the right decision
On to the product review:
The bag is made of quality leather, and uses double stitching. The bag strap is long enough to accommodate a big person, and at about 1.5 inches wide it doesn't get twisted up. The bag does not have a shoulder pad, which I initially thought would be a problem, because messenger bags that I've owned in the past that didn't have a pad had a tendency to dig into my shoulder. That is not the case with this bag.
The front flap is made of a single piece of relatively thick leather and is held down by a brass snap in the front. Hidden underneath of the front flap are two pockets that are about 3 inches wide, 4.5 inches long, and about .75 inches in depth; each having a single brass snap. Above the pockets is a zipper pocket that is about 12 inches wide and 9 inches long, and can easily hold a 75 page paper notebook.
The inside of the bag itself has 3 divided sections. The first section has pen, calculator and business card holders plus there is room for a 1 inch 3 ring binder. The middle section is zippered with a padded back area and was clearly meant to hold a laptop computer of 15.4 inches in size, although it is big enough to hold a 1.5 inch 3 ring binder. The last divided section was meant to hold notebooks, 3 ring binders, and books/textbooks. A big plus about this back section is that it will easily hold a 17.3 inch laptop computer plus a few additional items. The backing for the last interior section is padded as well.
A note about the 2 back padded areas. The padding is not all that thick, but that shouldn't be a problem since the bag is made of leather and that in and of itself provides additional protection for a laptop computer.
The back side of the messenger bag has a pocket for slipping in a newspaper, paper notebook, manila envelope, or paper notebook. There is no snap or zipper for this pocket.
There is no bag handle for the bag, however since this is a messenger bag that should be expect. If you need a bag with a handle, you should look at a briefcase or some other similar type bag.
Overall the bag looks good and the one image of it here on Amazon does not reflect how nice it looks. The double stitching is apparent and it looks and feels like a leather bag. The color of the leather is dark brown and it visually has a worn old school look to it. It has a stylish professional look to it that can be used for office / business or school.
Much has been said about the quality of this bag in other reviews, so I won't get into that. However, there's a big error with this particular listing, and potential buyers should take note. The photograph for this listing is for an entirely different bag from David King & Co. If you go to the official David King website (ussuitcase.com), and look under "messengers", you'll notice that the photograph above (which looks medium/dark brown) is for the "Distressed North/South Messenger Bag" (SKU: 6111), dimensions 12.5" x 10.5" x 4" . However, the bag that you'll actually receive (which looks nearly black), should you order from this listing, is "Distressed Large, Full Flap Messenger" (SKU: 6153), dimensions 15.5" x 11.5" x 4". Notice that neither bag has the 17" x 12.5" x 5" shown in this listing, so who knows where the seller got that number. If you would like to see an Amazon listing for the bag you'll actually be receiving, go here: [edit 7/2011: item has since been removed]. That isn't to say that this bag is not good. In fact, given that the medium/dark brown bag is smaller, I ended up needing the larger, nearly black bag after all (which is why I still rate the product a 5). But if you're wanting this bag purely for aesthetics and expect the dark brown bag above and not the nearly-black looking bag you'll be getting instead, you might be sorely disappointed.
[edit 7/2012. After a year and change, the picture for this listing is finally accurate. However, the listed dimensions are still off.]
Buy David King & Co Large Distressed Leather Laptop Messenger Now
While the bag is of a good design, plenty of easily accessible pockets, etc. The leather is of a very cheap quality. Given the price of the bag, $139.99 when I purchased it, I expected better. If the leather was a little better I would give it a 4 or 5.
Read Best Reviews of David King & Co Large Distressed Leather Laptop Messenger Here
I searched a lot of places for a distressed leather messenger bag for a gift for my husband, and this photo is the exact look that I was hoping for. However, the bag that I received was not the one in the photo. In fact, it is the one described in another review of this product (titled "Inaccuracies..."). I am disappointed because I can't find the one in the picture anywhere else. I ended up returning it and finding one at Wilson's Leather. This is a nice bag, but I will second the opinion in the other review: If you're buying this just for the look, don't.
Want David King & Co Large Distressed Leather Laptop Messenger Discount?
I've done lots of research online analyzing bags. After weeks I decided to purchase this one. I am very happy with it. I like its large size, rough finish, and ergonomics. Perfect for casual and professional use.
I've uploaded 4 pictures of the bag. This first contains a monster energy drink can for size reference.
Contemporary design is a +.
