markhr - TAD gear is some cool, but expensive stuff!!

I switch from my Chrome Kremlin, which by the way is very comfortable and highly recommended, or my smaller 1st gen Chrome bag (purchased when they were based out of Colorado).

I preferred the larger messenger bags initially because they held the larger sketch pads and t-square, as well as the rest of my commuting gear when I was in school. Backpacks didn't cut it, space-wise (but then the Chrome backpacks came out...).

Also, I've used both bags for airline travel as carry-on and they've done fine (the newer one was even checked in - velcro and clipped - nothing was going to come out of this bag).