I have been through many messenger bags in recent years, both expensive and cheap. Most did not last me more than 6 months as I often have to carry one or two books, a laptop, and a tablet as well as any other items I need for the day. So when my latest bag finally broke at the straps I decided to spend a few weeks trying to find a new bag that would work for my needs. Most of what I found in stores in my price range either felt flimsy, were made of cheap pressed leather, or had magnetic clasps.

I've been unimpressed with magnetic closures on my bags as most often they either come apart or don't hold as soon as any weight is placed in the bag, so I wanted to make sure that no matter what I purchased, it didn't have magnetic closures. As a result I kept coming back to this bag.I was a little uncomfortable purchasing a bag online, as I like to be able to see and examine what I'm purchasing before I buy it, and it is very easy to make a product look better than it is in a photo. But I needed a bag and had run out of time to replace mine, so I purchased it.

I was pleasantly surprised when I opened the box to smell leather. There are many positives to this bag, the flap is made of a single piece of thick leather that wasn't hard to waterproof with a little mink oil. The canvas is high quality, thick canvas. The bag itself is both stitched and held together by brass fittings and rivets. The same thick leather lines the top of most of the pockets, and the bag has plenty of space to hold a few textbooks, a laptop, a tablet, and my wallet, phone, and keys. The snaps and closures aren't simply stitched in place but are pressed through the fabric with the snaps on the front being screwed and sewn into the leather. The straps are held on by brass clips and rings, and where they connect to the body of the bag, they are both stitched and held on by a rivet on either side. It feels very well made and sturdy and I am hopeful that it will last much longer than other bags I've owned.

The only con I have found to this bag is that it is a bit heavy on its own, but such is to be expected of a well made bag.All in all I would definitely recommend this bag to anyone looking for a solid messenger bag that has a reasonable amount of room and is well constructed.