I had seen these before, and they looked so durable and well made, that I decided to buy 3, one Large as a gift, an extra large, which is HUGE and the small for a work out bag to hold weights. I am very pleased and know that these will last forever. I have always said that if you buy quality, you will have quality, and never need to replace it. No regrets, and the personalization adds so much also! THANKS!
I bought one of the XL bags with the long strap four years ago, before starting college, to use mainly as a laundry bag. It has seen a LOT of use for that and other purposes, and after four years you can't see a single sign of wear (and I normally wear bags/luggage/purses out SO quickly by overfilling them and things like that). It can hold several loads of laundry and be dragged and thrown around with no stress ever showing in the construction (and I regularly have to lug and sometimes literally drag it quite a long way to another building to even get to the laundry room). My cheaper second laundry bag didn't make it through a single semester - I will never make the mistake of buying another brand of large tote bag again. It has also survived general dorm room abuse, use as checked luggage (it was perfect as an extra bag that I folded up and packed empty when I moved abroad for several months so that I could bring more things home on my return flight), and the like, with no apparent wear. The only thing that might improve it would be options for pockets or compartments if it were going to be used for smaller items, but for my particular purposes, the open design is great because it maximizes capacity. LL Bean, please never fall prey to commercial trends - don't ever change the amazing quality of your items! They're the best.
I love bags and I received one bag for my birthday and the other at Christmas. I carry a lot of heavy stuff and this bag is so durable and very good looking too. Before too long, I will be purchasing one....but for myself.
I got the medium with long handles, I love the handle length and I can fit all my stuff in it. I just wish there was an inside pocket for my cell phone and keys so they don't get lost in all my stuff.
