I wanted to replace my not-so-stylish Vaude bag because I do a lot of walking and need to carry books, wine, & food when I walk. I carefully measured this bag and chose it over the shoulder bag for its size. When it arrived, it was larger than I anticipated, and I almost ordered the shoulder bag to replace it, but I've grown accustomed to the size and love the look, so will keep this. One of the advantages is the outside pockets, where I keep glasses and cell phone. There is a cord and hook for keys. The disadvantage (compared to the Vaude) is the inside has one pocket and two sections, but does not have all the little slots for cards, etc. that an organized person like myself covets.
I bought this bag because I needed a bag big anough for my all my personal and work items. This bag carries it all and its confortable. As a Project Manager, I'm always on the run and need to have tons of drawings and documents with me. This bag is stylish and really durable.
I'm a graduate student in English lit---obviously, I carry books. I needed a roomy bag of subtle style--I didn't want an obnoxious color, and the dimensions and canvas exterior of this bag attracted me as being both practical and appropriately stylish.
Positives: I love the look of the bag. And it can fit _a_lot_ of books, jacket, etc. The canvas seemed to weather well, and as I never needed to wash it, I did not notice any problems with the material not being color-fast, as some reviewers have noted.
Negatives: I immediately stole a gel-shoulder pad from one of my husband's extra briefcases. The bag would have simply not been usable without it---the strap is narrow canvas with no padding whatsoever. Also, the canvas is fairly shapeless, and does not stand well under any amount of book weight, be that light or heavy.
I've had the bag a year, and the stitch-work on the outside pocket (which is such a handy place to have a pocket!) is coming undone at the seam, and I've noticed that the buckle has become unreliable.
After speaking to the exceptional customer service line at LLBean, I've decided to return the bag and exchange it for Bean's Expedition Messenger Bag. While the bag's a bit boring to look at, it seems sturdy enough from reviews to make it through the remaining years of my PhD.
I can't say enough how great it is to do business with a company like LLBean--whether you love the product or not. And that's really the consumer test, isn't it?
I bought this bag for work to carry sales needs in and out of accounts. It is rugged and not too heavy. There are plenty of pockets to keep things organized. The canvas material should hold up for long time use.
