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In Depth Review
The Topo Designs Messenger Bag came along at the right time. My laptop is now 5 years old and needs more TLC than it used to. When I’m not out on trails I’m blogging and (up until the Covid19 outbreak) going to University a few days a week. The waterproof features and heavy padding attracted me to testing this messenger bag and I’ve ended up using it far more than just when I need a laptop.
Fabric and Build
The bag is made of a heavy duty ripstop 1000D fabric that’s completely waterproof. It’s the same material my commercial diving drysuit is made from. The strap is also interesting in that it seems to be made like a car seatbelt, which actually makes the bag comfortable to wear when walking around far more than the thinner straps that seem to pinch.
Waterproofness
I can’t stress enough how much this is the ‘party piece’ of this bag. The top flap of the bag is contoured in a way that means it also wraps round the sides of the bag when closed so that heavy rainfall would not get inside this bag even from the sides. The zips on the outside are also rubber sealed watertight zips so even things in the outer zip compartment wont get wet.
Main Compartment
The main compartment has a bright yellow interior (like their mountain pack) which makes rummaging round to find small items easier. One sleeve compartment inside is padded and has a support strap to keep a laptop safe from bangs and secure. The main bigger compartment has two very useful bottle bungee straps to keep water bottles upright and secure ( and separate from the laptop just in case). When the flap to the compartment is open it also reveals a zip waterproof sleeve you can use for documents etc.
Pockets, Sleeves and Storage
The outside ‘back’ of the bag has a large waterproof zip compartment, and when the top flap is open it also reveals another zip compartment on the ‘front’ of the bag too. For safety there is also a reflective strip built in near the base. There is also another sleeve area behind the front pocket that’s easy to overlook.There are also a few areas with daisy chain mountings, clips and loops so you can customize or add a few items to the outside if you wish.
Gripes
I’ve got a couple of gripes with this bag. Firstly the strap is comfortable but has too many places to adjust it making it more ‘messy’ than it needs to be. Secondly the velcro that secures the flap down is so severe that it is actually hard to open the bag and because the ‘harsh’ part of the velcro is on the flap and not the bag there is a tendency to catch it on clothing if you aren’t careful. They also use the slim metal ‘slide clasps’ to shut the bag rather than traditional push clips which I would prefer. It might be my age but I find the slide metal clasps a little bit fiddly.
Verdict
I consider myself mainly an ‘outdoorsy’ person and didn’t think I would use this bag much other than the odd trip into College with my laptop, but this messenger bag gets way more use than I expected for two main reasons. Firstly its badass waterproof compared to any other bag Ive ever put my laptop in. The waterproof zips, heavy padding and watertight top mean you can leave this bag out in the rain with your laptop in and not panic. Secondly its got a ton of storage space, with a surprising overall capacity of 20L which actually makes it useful for weekends away as well. Add in the rugged features, epic quality Topo build and literally loads of pockets, sleeves and zip pouches and you have a mini wearable office keeping your laptop safe.
You’ll buy it as a laptop bag but use it for weekends away too.
PURCHASE $94Features
- Top flap access to main compartment
- Dual closure system with g-hooks and hook and loop material
- Water resistant truck tarp liner
- Padded internal sleeve fits most 15″ laptops
- Internal vertical zip pocket on flap
- Internal water bottle straps
- Small front zippered pocket with key clip
- Large padded zippered back panel pocket
- Horizontal daisy chain webbing with reflective band
- Padded removable and adjustable shoulder strap
- Heavy-duty plastic hardware
- YKK waterproof zippers with paracord pulls
- Reinforced top carry handle
- Bottom compression straps
Specs
Materials: 1000D nylon, 10 oz. vinyl liner
Dimensions: 17″w x 12″h x 6″d
Volume: 1224 cu. in. / 20.1 L
About Topo Designs
Jedd Rose and Mark Hansen had always been interested in not only spending time outside, but also in the gear needed to get out. They found themselves wishing there was a company offering a lineup a bit more like the gear they grew up using—classic styling, functionality, durability and a clear connection with the brand behind the product. So in 2008, Jedd bought a sewing machine and began concepting, designing, and sewing packs in his Fort Collins basement, while Mark set out around Denver and the front range looking for resources and partners needed to build those designs.
They were lucky enough to find local Colorado folks that were just getting started like them and were willing to build companies together, and worked with them to produce Topo Designs’ initial offering of products, continuing to work with them to this day.
