I do not care for this bag at all. The main opening isn't big enough to get things in and out easily. The too-long & stiff flap is always in the way. I thought there would be more pockets/separators inside. The construction is way too stiff and feels kind of cheap, and I hate the strap- about a foot too long. I am really surprised by LL Bean- not up to your usual high standards.
I hike 5 miles almost daily, summer or winter, and use this bag for carrying the few essential items I need. This typically includes 20 oz drink, apple, snack bars, various sundries, mp3 player, cell phone, etc. and in winter, cap, earmuffs, mittens. Small compartments are handy. I also can hang a sweatshirt or light rain jacket tucked across under the flap with the flap snapped in place, checking occasionally to make sure it stays in place. Could accomplish the same thing with a small backpack, but prefer this bag with the strap across my chest. It's easy to pull the bag around under my arm and access the contents. As others have noted, the strap is medium in length so the bag hangs high on my back, which works ok for me. Longer strap would be nice. Green (w/leather trim) bag itself has a cool, casual look when worn with jeans or khaki's, seen as either a guy or gal bag.
My wife really likes this bag and has been using it almost nonstop for over a year. Roomy enough for every day. The canvas is soft yet durable. The leather is high quality. Just what we would expect from LLBEAN. She really likes that the strap adjusts since she is of short stature (5 ft). The British Khaki is a very nice color, even nicer in person and matches her Explorer sandals. Her only complaints are that the leather tab curls outward (below the buckle closure) and the bottom of the purse needs to be leather so that you don't have to worry about the base getting wet (that would also help the purse stand up when placed on the floor). Other than that, a near perfect purse that will probably never wear out.
This bag is really durable and the canvas has a really thick feel to it. The leather also seems sturdy, and it's held up just fine so far. It has one large interior pocket, two smaller interior pockets, and one pocket at the back of the purse, plenty of room for storage. I did wish that it had a small compartment for chapsticks and my cell phone, but I just use one of the interior pockets for that, even though they knock around a bit. The length of the bag is very adjustable, and the strap is thick enough that you can pack the bag full and still not have it hurt your shoulder. The style is also very nice, sort of urban/field combo. It was a little bit more pricy than I would like, but it's a great bag overall.
