When the zipper broke on my other messenger bag, I quickly turned to Amazon to find a suitable replacement. After much browsing and research I decided to give this product a try. The bag arrived today in excellent condition and I must say I am not disappointed. One of my biggest fears was that the canvas the bag is made of would be cheap and thin-it is neither. I am confident the material will hold up very well through the abuse it will experience over the next year. The front pocket is large enough for my moleskine and a pen, while the back zippered pocket is the perfect size for my passport wallet, and swiss army knife. The interior of the bag holds a good deal and once full, the bag never appeals to be over stuffed. This is the most inexpensive bag I've bought and I like it more than any of my others! Canvas Field Bag - Olive DT702
**UPDATE: Yesterday morning (roughly 7 months after purchase) while opening my bag the button snap ripped through the fabric on the left side of the bag. This fell short of my expectation because I rarely used the bag half the time, and the other half, I might use it 3 times a week at most. Shame to think despite it's good fabric and strap, the button would effectively end my using of it, but I guess you can't buy a good quality bag for so little. Really tempted to repurchase because it's on sale for $12.99 ... but I will have to look at the high end options now from a name brand. Buying every 7 months vs 1 time for a few years. You take your pick. *[Minus Two Stars!]*
[Original Review] Here is a quick run down on ALL you need to know:
STRAP: The perfect length if your under '6, if you are taller, look else where. It's thick [feels strong] and soft, so it probably will not hurt ever, even if you carried around a bowling ball.
FABRIC: Study fabric, just stiff enough to hold it's shape, but not uncomfortable to use a pillow when you need that afternoon nap at Starbucks.
COLOR: 'charcoal' is actually just dark forest green ... with black strap. Yeah, it doesn't look like the gray/black'ish one pictured and I am pretty disappointed by this. It's the ONLY reason I bought it. Because of this color deception ... *[Minus One Star!]*
SIZE: Want to carry around a single notebook, one 1" binder or netbook? Take your pick, because it can fit any 2 of those, at any one time, at max. I knew the dimensions when I ordered, but was still surprised by it's size. It's both good and bad. I think the larger ones look really dorky, and it's large enough to never fall into the dreaded man-purse category. The zippered pocket if perfect for wallet, cell phone, pens or even a moleskin® notebook.
QUALITY: I've only used it for the day, but it seems like it will last, if something comes up ill make sure to update this review.
PRICE: The price jumps around a lot, I've seen it go from ~$26-16 here on Amazon.com, if you pay more then $20, make sure it's with free shipping.
STYLE: It's got fairly basic styling, with plenty of room for your own personal buttons, ect, on the outside. I will keep it plain, and it looks good enough all on it's own to do that.
SHIPPING TIME: I used the 'over $25 free shipping' option by purchasing another item on Amazon.com, and the item arrived literally 9 business days later, sadly it looks like the vendor staggered my order vs sending it when they got it, never have had this happen before, quite lame. [I will be kind and not drop a star, but they earned it, it shipped ONE state over from me]
Overall: I think it will really fit the needs of anyone looking to minimize the bulk they carry around [death to heavy backpacks!] on campus, feel comfy and look good while doing it. I just wish they actually sold a real charcoal color, and not dark forest green called 'charcoal'. [4/5 stars]
I am always on the hunt for a hi-quality yet lightweight messenger bag that can double as a handbag. I have a larger, heaver canvas messenger bag for school i.e. the "Jack Bauer" bag. While that one is sturdy, this messenger bag has function and form. I love its classic look. It's lightweight, but not cheap-looking. I like the soft comfy wide strap and the canvas material (not course, but still durable). This is by far my favorite bag to use. I'm always on the go and wanted a hand bag in which I could keep my wallet, a book, sunblock, some makeup, etc. There's nothing to complain about this bag. I especially love the outer and inner side pockets where I can easily get to my keys and cell phone when I need it-no more digging around! I got it in stone-a very nice shade. Nowadays, there are too many bags with too many add-ons and detailing that just makes the bags look ugly. This bag has a simple sophistication that I've been looking for and I'm sooo glad I finally found it. Now I can stop searching.
The bag is great. It's a little smaller than I had thought, (definitely not a laptop bag unless you have a mini) but it is what the description says as far as measurement. I just wasn't paying close attention. It's big enough to fit a couple of school books in and my notebook. It also has 3 different pockets. One on the inside, one on the back, and a slightly hidden one under the flap. Plenty of places to stick stuff. Good quality and has a comfy, long, adjustable strap. Love it!
I've been using this for 9 months now and it is as good as when it arrived. I bought it as a daypack for a trip to Spain and it held my camera, waterbottles, ereader and maps without being too bulky to haul around all day. After a minor mishap with tomato sauce, I discovered that it is washable as well, with no shrinkage or dye fading. Size is as described, and the charcoal I got really is gray, not the green in another review.
I looked long and hard for a bag I could carry that wouldn't look totally like a "man-purse," and this is the one. It's neither too big nor too small; most of the canvas messenger bags are 15" wide and 6" deep, which is more than I want to deal with. This little fella is (for me, anyway) a perfect 12" long x 10" tall x 3.5" deep, but still with plenty of room to carry a couple of books, notebook, pens, etc. The bag also has lots of hidden storage space--a zippered pocket on the back, and a couple of velcro-closed pouches inside. It would work well as a daily book-bag, or as an airline shoulder bag for taking passport, camera, meds, sunglasses, and a clean shirt & socks onboard the plane. As the name implies, it would also make a great a field bag suitable for toting trail maps or guide books, binoculars, snack foods, and a couple of water bottles; or packing home any rocks you might wish to pick up on the hiking trail.
The canvas material is not as thick as what you might find on a heavy-duty messenger bag, but it still looks as if it will hold up well. The bag is made of a double-thickness of the sort of canvas material you'd find in a pair of khakis or cargo pants. The material and construction give the bag a kind of floppy appearance, which I think adds to its non-Murse appeal. (If you look at Amazon's picture in the Olive color--which is what I purchased--you will see what I am talking about better than the pictures of the other 2 colors.) The strap is plenty long, when fully extended, to wear across your body without the bag hugging your armpit. The bag also looks as if it will be machine-washable without any great fuss.
At the price ($21, including shipping), you can hardly go wrong. I'm looking forward to taking mine to work, on the plane, and on my next hike. - Messenger Bag - Shoulder Bag'
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