Okay, so I'm thinking of switching over to a mess bag but I was worried about it slipping around to the front and such (of course, the only one's I'd ever seen were the stupid laptop-esque courier bags at the big W) so I had no idea, checked out timbuk2, and found out a REAL bag (I guess) has a second strap. But the way she puts it on it looks like if I were to have something heavy on it and hit a pot hole or drop off a high curb it'll rip my breast off! Scary! Is it as bad as it looks, or does it not budge at all?

masectomy via mess bag? ewwwwwww..

Sorry I wondered in here by mistake so I'll go ahead and give my 2 cents. Try crumpler messenger bags www.crumplerbags.com, my wife uses one and loves it, timbuk2 is a bit overrated. If you go to the REI outlet web site they have a couple of 'em on sale.

Hasta luego

Pac
Or
Bailey Works

I'd avoid timbuk2 unless you get one from a few years ago. It's my understanding that their quality has gone down.

I have an older timbuk2 bag, and I find that I end up having to accentuate my breasts with the cross strap. It makes them stand out, and I hate that, but I don't have too much of a choice.

Backpack.

Chimblysweep may have a comment or two on this!

i have a bailey's bag. it has a stabilizer strap on the front that prevents it from shifting, and my b00bs haven't been hurt or complained. everything pretty much stays in place. i would go with TiP's suggestions for bags.

anyone with a pac bag use the waist belt? And is it really necessary? How often do they swing around the front, if at all?

Um, I'm the wrong gender, but most bags don't just swing to the front (at least if the straps are adjusted properly). The stablizer strap is to keep it from slipping to one side, which throws off your balance a little. If you have a heavy load and it moves a couple of inches, it can be uncomfortable, and you have to keep pushing the bag back into place on your back...

Chrome's are cool bags too, but I don't have boobs, so I can't comment on them from that standpoint.

It seems to me the hardest thing about finding a messenger bag that fits comfortably, particularly with the larger sized bags, is that women's shoulders are generally narrower. I feel like I need shoulder implants or something to keep the things up.

me? no, never!

my timbuk2 was crap and wore out in less than a season.
my crumpler was not-quite-waterproof
bailey was a jerk to me
dank doesn't exist any more
the pac's are great, but the x strap gives you, well, superboobs.
and chrome doesn't custom stitch.

i got an under the weather, and i love it.

i think the important thing here is the width of your shoulders. make sure that the bag you get rides as small as you are. some of the bigger bags, especially when empty, will be larger than you are at their smallest setting. the kremlin (chrome) i won slipped off when the strap was all the way in, just because the bag size alone was bigger than I am.
most bags won't slip down/around, though. it's cuz they're meant for you to be leaned over your bike, carring part of the load on your back and the rest on the strap.

i'm happy to answer questions. i've won a couple chromes, a timbuk2, a dank, and a crumpler this year, and have tried on coworkers' pacs, reloads, and baileys and that's how i have good comparison.

My old PAC had to be customized to go around my somewhat er...'healthy' breasts instead of straight over the top
UTW rocks. Made by a chick. Room for boobs.

I have a chrome. Stabilizer strap fits comfortably between the boobage.

Boobage...

here's the deal. a strap is a strap and your cleavage is your cleavage. all you need to do is put the strap in between. period. We all kow that we have a nice little flat area between them. USE IT. unless you want to wear it between your shoulder and your cleavage and that doesn't feel too comfy. Yes, i know, it sucks, i catch people glance at 'em when i walk by with my bag on but what else are you going to do? Wear your bag and wear it fiercely, give them a dirty look if you must, or a smile if you're like that. Most of these straps are the same size in width, the bailey's I have comes with a built in padded strap while the others i.e. reload and timbuk2 requires you to purchase a velcro-strap on pad. In terms of the stabilizer strap my reload positions nicely underneath but i don't see why you girls can't just lift and allow it to sit underneath, that's what i would do if my bag gave me problems. Being uncomfortable on your bike sucks though, i'm having saddle issues right now.

I would not recommend Chrome. I have had one, it is much like a large envelope. the bigger the size gets the longer the bag gets.

Like i said.

Pac
or
Bailey Works

**Edit** I have heard good things about Reload but have never owned one

I vote Chrome - but not messenger bag, like TIP said, it is like a big envelope. The backpack works well. And if you ever take a trip out to SF (i know its unlikely for a bag) but they have always offered to restitch the chest strap for me since it tends to hit right at the boob line. I still havent taken them up on their offer yet and I just lift and strap underneath and ignore the whistling from the pushup effect.

I am jaded though - i have to wear backpack style now because I carry a laptop and text books.