5 Reasons I can’t find a great messenger bag
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I really want a great messenger bag. I love how fast they are to access stuff, and I think they suit a workplace way better than backpacks (which in my opinion often look too ‘young’ and geeky).
But while I have fallen in love with concept of a messenger, the reality generally bites. There’s a few key things that frustrate me about them. Not least the fact that my hairless mexican cat cannot get comfortable in one while we are traveling, and so I am yet to find any messengers that have really solved all these issues.
Here’s my list of things I want fixed. And to all those bag designers that read Carryology, we’d love you to agree, disagree, or just design a messenger that solves these issues!
Reason 1: Most brands are too similar
Remove the logos, and it’s pretty hard to tell which messengers are from which brands. A big flap, a couple of buckles, some velcro, a shoulder pad, and either black or some pop brights.
Compare this to the world of backpacks, where you have every configuration, size, look and shape. Messengers still have a long way to go in creating some unique looks that leave me feeling special.
Reason 2: Shoulder pain
We humans are symmetrical creatures, but unfortunately messengers are not. The single strap carrying doesn’t affect you too badly if you’re carrying light loads, but once you start to fill the bag, your body gets tweaked with all sorts of badness.
I’d love a way to balance the load when I’m carrying lots. Pull out, fold out; whatever will work without getting clumsy.
Reason 3: Shoulder straps are getting smaller
The early Crumpler bags padded the entire strap. It was deluxe. Grab it any which way, any way up, and it worked.
Now messenger brands give you either a tiny little sliding pad, or they make you commit to being a lefty or a righty, and never allow you to swap.
Reason 4: They are not so laptop friendly
Look at the curves on your hips and back. Now look at a laptop. Why would you try and put those 2 things next to each other? Almost all laptop messengers stick it against the back wall, which happens to also be against your body. Crap.
Reason 5: Internal pocketing generally sucks
This one is harder to explain, but really important. You know when your Tetris L block gets dropped the wrong way, and no other blocks can get down beside or under it?
That’s what happens with messenger front pockets if you have books or laptops in the bag. Any old camera or power-pack in the front pocket can ‘lock-out’ the rest of the space beside it. It sucks.
Did I miss something?
Can anyone explain that number 5 reason better?
Do you have a new messenger that will ease my frustration and help my cat?
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I personally think the flaps are too big and get in the way
you could learn to sew and make one, or hire someone to make the perfect one for you
Thanks Luckie, I am actually trying to imagine the best messenger. They are few things I would love to see. Like side walls pockets and better strap system. The flap allow large opening, coming from a long european history of the “besasse” a large bag with flap worn across the shoulder.
The ACG nike bag is not too bad. But once again they all look the same.
My biggest issue with messenger bags is despite their name, they are not at all comfortable when worn on a bike. I don’t know how or why (real) messengers put up with them. A secondary strap that goes under your armpit helps but sometimes even worsens the problem. The bag naturally rests on your shoulder and one point on your back. We know from comfortable backpacks that three points (two shoulders and lower back) is ideal for stability and comfort.
Hi David, messenger bags have come to a turning point in their evolution. They have been made from trying to solve little issues at some point in time. They do often look like bunch of separate ideas put together but not thought as a complete innovative product.
They still look good on the body, and look more grown up than backpacks. They is something about messenger that is very appealing.
Reason 2: Shoulder Pain
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L4ITQQwdQ2A
Wow, I hadn’t seen that before. Great find.
(For those considering the link, Ogio have a new golf bag ‘Shling’ that spreads weight across both shoulders).
Oh wooo, indeed a great find. Wonder when it becomes popular so that the manufacturers will invest on the R&D
Do you know this? http://tomsailor.it/piquadro-voyager-messenger-grande-p-1525.html
soft but enought padded inside, big shouder strap and pad, external organization for easy and fast use, external bottle holder, rubber corners covered by fabric in the sides just to avoid nay strong shock, trolley holder pocket in the back, organized flap with 2 zipper ( inside and outside ), glasses/Iphod holder ( you can fix inside or outside), Pc case ( but this is the back panel), and finally, light to carry! give me your feedback!
Daniel,
that’s a really interesting bag. Piquadro are a pretty distinctive brand. Their bags do lots of things, but my hesitation is probably best described by Steve Jobs:
“When you start looking at a problem and it seems really simple, you don’t really understand the complexity of the problem. Then you get into the problem, and you see that it’s really complicated, and you come up with all these convoluted solutions. That’s sort of the middle, and that’s where most people stop….
But the really great person will keep on going and find the key, the underlying principle of the problem—and come up with an elegant, really beautiful solution that works. That’s what we wanted to do with Mac.”
So it feels like Piquadro stop at that middle point, where they’ve seen the complexity in the problem, and addressed each point, but not yet found the unity and the beauty.
Sorry, I kinda go off on tangents every now and then.
I’ve never developed love for messenger bags for reasons 2 and 3. Narrow, awfuls straps are consistently the dealbreakers for me. Further, you cannot rush with a messenger bag. Jogging through an airport with one is a bummer, the weight being low and to the side just doesn’t work – I’ve not had success keeping one behind me. This goes for shoulder strap briefcases also. I’ve tried a number of bags, and keep returning to the sling style packs — one thick, wide strap to distribute the load, and the weight rides on your back in a jog friendly manner. The single strap makes them a bit easier to manage than a backpack. I’ve tried cheap bags, and really, really pricy bags, but had deep love for a very inexpensive now discontinued High Sierra Crush, of all things. It fit perfectly, was easy to manage, and very comfortable for long carries.
Great feedback Mike.
Your sling technique rings true when you see how most bike couriers are running their messengers these days. They are generally pushing the messenger up really high on their back (in the position of a backpack), and cranking the main strap in really tight. They then have the additional stabiliser strap, which they lock in for additional pressure.
If your messenger has a bit of friction in the fabric (like a good polyester woven fabric), it will grip your shirt and stay at least reasonably secure.
My biggest issue with slings is that they don’t have the big and easy access of a messenger, or the load splitting of a backpack, so they feel like an odd compromise. However I have seen them work pretty well in lightweight bags, where you don’t try to carry too much. That must be part of your success.
The courier bags that bicyclers use are very different from the Messenger bags that flooded the market place. I think brands simply added straps and flaps to their briefcases and started calling them messenger bags. When you compare the two side-by-side, they are very different. Commercialization at its best…
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OMG take all this and add being a short woman. Most messenger bags are just not the right size to carry a daily tech load – 13″ laptop, wallet, charger, pens, lock, lunch. They’re either too big or too small, AND as a short woman adjusting everything tight enough is either impossible or results in flaps flying everywhere. Backpacks look even less professional if you’re trying to look like a lady, and leave the back oh so sweaty on a bike.
What I want is a small messenger bag, with back padding for a laptop. It keeps the laptop off of my curves (my back is tiny, so the curves are unavoidable), and has a fully padded strap that actually fits my small frame without tons of extra fabric. And has pockets and pen loops and all that jazz. Is that too much to ask for?
I’m so pleased to have found this blog…
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Thread resurrection…
I think the main reason why messenger bags are uncomfortable for many is because they were originally designed for bike messengers.
Most Bike messengers spend a lot of time riding in a ‘race’ position with their backs almost parallel to the ground. A well-packed/loaded messenger bag that is strapped tight to a cyclist will naturally hug the contour of the back, thus making it a very comfortable way for messengers to carry heavy loads while in a race position.
That’s a great point Bleek. You would think that at some point, when most of the users turned out to not be bike messengers, they should somehow modify the design. Or I guess they can keep it except people should change the way they view it. I rarely use messengers on the bike anymore. I do carry it to walk around or to and from work (with my car).
Lately, I have seen what I’d call satchels being renamed messenger bag for commercial purposes and are not much more than a purse for men. Real messenger bags are designed for messengers and not the regular joe who just walks about or occasionally rides. Messengers spend most of their time on the bike, so the fit is designed for carrying loads on a bike, usually resting on the upper back with an anti sway belt. Then they are used for ease of enter/exit the bag w/o having to remove the damn thing. A 2 strap backpack becomes a repetitive pain in the ass. Yes they are trendy but they are actually really good for what they were built for(IF you get a good one). I recommend the newer roll top 2 strap messenger bags for the regular person like Mission Works or Road Runner. They dont have the typical lame backpack look but are really usefull.
Hi Jake,
you are making a very good point regarding the messengers being used for everyday joe and not performing. The satchels have been around for centuries and are because of the opening a very easy type of bag to use. It is basically a sac. However because our modern days require to carry more and more fragile and expensive items the satchel has to adapt to the need. How to carry laptops, mp3 players, cameras etc on top of the everyday notebook etc. Then having a sac doesn’t cut it as you probably need pockets to find your stuff and not pilling up all that stuff at the bottom of the bag.
I still think that messengers and satchels can improve the way the bag performs in term of comfort but as well pocket placement. reality is that the two type of bags are merging in the bag market and can benefit of each other.
You make some excellent points. It is odd that no one has really done a good job of modernizing these bags for all of today’s gadgets that nearly everyone has…even working messengers. I see alot of separate things that can be attached somehow but not much integration. I would guess many of the small messenger bag makers could argue that all one has to do is request it as a customization but that seams like a bit of a hurdle for a typical customer that thinks these things would be included-especially at the prices that are being asked. Maybe that is why-the cost factor. Perhaps to include these features would markedly increase the price and scare people away. This is a very competitive industry, especially in the last several years.
Have anybody ever tried ILE(INSIDE LINE EQUIPMENT) DEFAULT or TRANSIT backpacks?
Hi Ernie,
I haven’t tried the Ile Default and Transit you mentioned. Actually I never even heard of the brand. But after checking their site I can say that if you are interested in that type of design you should probably check the original design from Chrome Soyuz or Ivan. You can check as well Mission Workshop bag called the RUMMY. Probably a better built and finish than Ile.
However if you were more attracted to the camera function then a tri zip bag is particularly interesting. It allows great access and still possess the benefit of a backpack. Reference: http://www.carryology.com/2012/02/17/carry-geeking-tri-zips/