Commuting - Best Timbuk2 bag?

The shop I work at is considering stocking messenger bags. Three of the staff recommended Timbuk2 for various reasons. So the owner (who can't/won't get Chrome for some reason so that ends that discussion) wants me to find out what everyone's favorite model/style is. Thanks.

I guess the classic messenger bag is the standard. I have the large, and it is.. well pretty large.
I would suggest a smaller one and a larger one, and also one of their laptop bags. You'd have to explain the demographics of your clientele too. Is it a suburban shop, near a college, etc.

Classic medium messenger, and it's probably a good idea to stock some Classic XL's too.
as far as the laptop bag...it's a toss up. i didn't like mine.

and other than that, it's a shame you can't stock Chrome.

I've got a medium laptop messenger which alternates between being my briefcase and a camera case with the aid of some home made custom inserts for my slr. It still looks pretty new after a couple years and provides good protection from the elements as long is it's not too full (in which case the opening tends to "gap" a bit and the flap won't quite cover it, not a huge problem unless you're actually riding in the rain or have serious wind driven rain). I'd definitely recommend a laptop messenger.

Is it a suburban shop, near a college, etc.
Near midtown Atlanta. Georgia Tech and Georgia State U are nearby.
We want to stock messenger bags because college students and new commuters have asked about how to haul their stuff, other than a backpack or panniers.

You need to stock Chrome. period. Or get some kind of black bag inventory from Seagull.

Hey Ron,

If you're planning to sell these bags to a lot of college students, you may want to make sure that you have some medium bags in stock. I bought my daughter (a college sophomore) a large size Timbuk2 bag to use as a bookbag... she's 5'2" and 110 pounds and it looks like the bag is wearing her instead of the other way around! It is huge on her... but she loves that bag.

As a cyclist, however... I absolutely hate the Timbuk2 bags. They are well made, but the straps are so uncomfortable that they feel like some cruel torture device when the bag is loaded with more than about 5 pounds of stuff. So cyclists may not particularly like the bags... dunno.

Personally... I hate the way that decent messenger bags are priced. I simply find it hard to believe that any messenger bag should cost $200 and up... some of the names that I've seen discussed here run as much as $400 for a stupid bag! Consequently, I can see why a shop owner would balk at the idea of stocking Chrome bags. A rack full of $200 messenger bags ties up a lot of money. :twitchy:

As a cyclist, however... I absolutely hate the Timbuk2 bags. They are well made, but the straps are so uncomfortable that they feel like some cruel torture device when the bag is loaded with more than about 5 pounds of stuff. So cyclists may not particularly like the bags... dunno.


+1. I tried a friend's for a while recently and it cut into my shoulder when only half loaded.



Personally... I hate the way that decent messenger bags are priced. I simply find it hard to believe that any messenger bag should cost $200 and up... some of the names that I've seen discussed here run as much as $400 for a stupid bag! Consequently, I can see why a shop owner would balk at the idea of stocking Chrome bags. A rack full of $200 messenger bags ties up a lot of money. :twitchy:

Which is cool because Chromes only cost around $110-130 for the messenger bags.

Which is cool because Chromes only cost around $110-130 for the messenger bags.

I know what you're saying... and if I was a messenger bag user, the Chrome strap design would be worth the extra money in a heartbeat.

But a Chrome bag is normally about $30-$50 more than a similarly sized Timbuk2. That's a big price difference for a seller who's trying to hit a given price point. I also wonder if Timbuk2 gives deep discounts to their vendors because I always see dozens of Timbuk2 bags on Ebay for anywhere from $45 up... and almost never see Chrome bags Ebay'ed for deep discounts. Maybe the shop owner couldn't negotiate a good deal from Chrome for a decent inventory.

It's probably because Timbuk2 is way larger. Whatever happened to their wallets? I liked those.

I use the Timbuk2 Medium, and carry sometimes 40 pounds of books and an electronic notebook in it in a protective sleeve. So far, so good and relatively comfortable as long as I get the straps "just right". This includes rain commuting, btw, and so far no wet books (My notebook sleeve is immersion proof, though, just in case. :p)

Hmm, I seem to remember when I asked about the viability of using a mess bag as a book bag, the majority said don't. Oh, well...

To the topic at hand: I've got no experience w/TB2's, other than looking at them in a store. Wasn't exactly thrilled that I would have to pay an extra $10 for a strap pad. From what I gather, even with the optional pad, the strap is not the mose comfortable on the market.

What your boss might want to consider: Try to get only one of each size (s,m,l,xl), inquire about lead times (I'm too tired to go to timbuk2's site to look it up) for orders, possibly get a sample of each kind of material available, and sell the 'bag in a box' gift certificates.

Think about it. Minimal investment in inventory. No wondering if this style/model/color will move quickly or have to be marked down in 6 months.