I’m a big fan of Timbuk2.
I spend a lot of time on bikes and was even a cycle messenger once upon a time so am very familiar with bike-specific bags. Got my first Timbuk2 in high school in the 90s. Lasted something like twenty years, until I sent it in for a repair.
I thought that bag was in pretty good shape considering what I had put it through.
It lasted all through high school, college and well beyond. Weathered my bike messenger days and was my daily commuter until 2008 or so. That’s when the tarp started peeling pretty badly so I emailed the folks at Timbuk2 and they said they’d fix it for free.
After taking a look at it, they suggested it might be better to retire the bag to their used bag giveaway program. In exchange, they said they would gimme a hundred and thirty bucks in credit for the bag!
...I paid less’n a hundred bucks for that bag on sale. Yes, I mostly just buy stuff on sale lol.
Anyways, I took them up on their incredibly generous offer, spent another thirty five dollars out of pocket and got a custom bag which I love and still have.
The quality of those bags back then and that customer service cemented a relationship which lasts to this day haha.
My ridiculous collection of messenger bags currently includes three Timbuk2s(?) in xl, which isn’t made any more, four in size large, four in medium, the sling one, that Hunchback which is also a cooler, the Slingshot and a fanny pack one. And I’m probably missing another one or two or three in there.
I also got a Chrome Industries Citizen and their roll top backpack. I like their stuff, very well built. But the Citizen seems kind of “flat” to me, and the backpack seems a little on the heavy side. Great bags, tho.
Got other brands too. Crumpler, Mystery Ranch, Mission Workshop. But those were the two that popped up in this thread.
I’m a big advocate of the right tool/bag for the job.
That or I am unconsciously gearing up to open an eBay store specializing in bike bags...