Who makes good messenger/courier bags?
09-25-11, 08:35 PM
#51
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Me too. Especially from the small time bag makers. The guy/company local to me appears to make a good bag, but DAMN. Over $200??
I got my Chrome Metropolis for 30% off normal price. Even with that, I feel like I still paid about $20 too much. I chalk messenger bags up in the category of "price gouging."
I got my Chrome Metropolis for 30% off normal price. Even with that, I feel like I still paid about $20 too much. I chalk messenger bags up in the category of "price gouging."
09-25-11, 09:56 PM
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Most messenger bags (especially from small companies) are made in the USA. They seem expensive because everyone is used to paying slave wages for stuff made in Asian sweatshops.
09-26-11, 11:51 AM
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Does any company make a really good padded sleeve for a cheap nylon strap on my current bag? Manhattan Portage makes one that looks pretty decent and Timbuk2 has one that looks uncomfortable, but I figure there's gotta be some small boutique company out there making some really badass ones. And I think I can probably afford US-made prices for such a small item.
09-26-11, 01:12 PM
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My around-town bike has a rack on it full-time. If I'm going somewhere I need to bring stuff, I ride the around-town bike. If I'm going out just to ride, I ride my good bike.
10-03-11, 07:17 PM
#57
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All the good bags are not expensive! I have to believe people have not personally handled them or else they would not say "too expensive".
Cheap bags are cheap. They don't compare in quality or durability.
Actually, $200 is not bad if you are using your bag day-in day-out. Comfort and durability are important.
By the time you buy 2 or 3 bags that have worn out or broken, the Chrome (or comparable) is still going strong.
I can't think of a sub-$100 retail messenger bag that could compare to one of the top brands.
Cheap bags are cheap. They don't compare in quality or durability.
Actually, $200 is not bad if you are using your bag day-in day-out. Comfort and durability are important.
By the time you buy 2 or 3 bags that have worn out or broken, the Chrome (or comparable) is still going strong.
I can't think of a sub-$100 retail messenger bag that could compare to one of the top brands.
10-03-11, 07:58 PM
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All the good bags are not expensive! I have to believe people have not personally handled them or else they would not say "too expensive".
Cheap bags are cheap. They don't compare in quality or durability.
Actually, $200 is not bad if you are using your bag day-in day-out. Comfort and durability are important.
By the time you buy 2 or 3 bags that have worn out or broken, the Chrome (or comparable) is still going strong.
I can't think of a sub-$100 retail messenger bag that could compare to one of the top brands.
Cheap bags are cheap. They don't compare in quality or durability.
Actually, $200 is not bad if you are using your bag day-in day-out. Comfort and durability are important.
By the time you buy 2 or 3 bags that have worn out or broken, the Chrome (or comparable) is still going strong.
I can't think of a sub-$100 retail messenger bag that could compare to one of the top brands.
Truth.
Bags are incredibly personal. That's why women have so many of them
Guys are just more afraid to spend money on them.
10-04-11, 11:43 PM
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Look, it's not that they're too expensive for a really nice bag. They're just too expensive when some people need to pay rent and car payments and student loans. And the fact of the matter is that, while not nearly as comfortable, a cheaper (sub 100 dolla) bag is going to last you a long time. Clive backpacks were bulletproof (made by Eagle River in the early 2000s) as I still have two of them and they have almost no signs of wear and those were all priced under 80 bucks.
But do I want a made-in-USA, custom bag with comfy straps and all the bells and whistles? Of course I do.
But do I want a made-in-USA, custom bag with comfy straps and all the bells and whistles? Of course I do.
10-04-11, 11:47 PM
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im glad i dont really know how much more awesome $200 bags are than my $7, $20, and $40 dollar backpacks because im happy and not out $500 plus right now, but i am curious.
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10-05-11, 12:17 AM
#62
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personally I really enjoy my Chicagowig bag and feel it was worth the price.
It's huge, its comfortable, it's been fairly durable for all the **** I put it through.
In the end, I wanna pull a CC700 and buy a mission workshops backpack and a bunch of bikes and race cyclocross.
But yeah.
It's huge, its comfortable, it's been fairly durable for all the **** I put it through.
In the end, I wanna pull a CC700 and buy a mission workshops backpack and a bunch of bikes and race cyclocross.
But yeah.
10-05-11, 12:32 AM
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I was willing to pay money for a good bag (Mission Workshop) for a few reasons:
a. Waterproof. It rains here. Hard. I often move around with valuables--laptop, lots of expensive textbooks, etc. Knowing that I can get from point A to point B without worrying about what's on my bike is really nice.
b. Volume. Having a big bag is like a huge trunk in a car or bed in a truck. I can put 3 weeks worth of laundry in my bag. When I go out, I never worry about what won't fit. That said...
c. Comfort. Keeping a lot of things on your back, a few big things, a lot or a few awkwardly-shaped things, etc. can be very tricky. A good bag is designed to give support wherever it can. This means things like suspension straps, padded/suspended mesh backs, sternum straps, and waist belts for when you're walking.
d. Lifetime warranty. If anything happens to my bag, I just bring it in and they'll fix it right there, on the spot, no cost. If they can't fix it, they'll replace it. There's a nice feeling about knowing this may be the last bag you'll ever buy (though that's often not true for us consumers...)
a. Waterproof. It rains here. Hard. I often move around with valuables--laptop, lots of expensive textbooks, etc. Knowing that I can get from point A to point B without worrying about what's on my bike is really nice.
b. Volume. Having a big bag is like a huge trunk in a car or bed in a truck. I can put 3 weeks worth of laundry in my bag. When I go out, I never worry about what won't fit. That said...
c. Comfort. Keeping a lot of things on your back, a few big things, a lot or a few awkwardly-shaped things, etc. can be very tricky. A good bag is designed to give support wherever it can. This means things like suspension straps, padded/suspended mesh backs, sternum straps, and waist belts for when you're walking.
d. Lifetime warranty. If anything happens to my bag, I just bring it in and they'll fix it right there, on the spot, no cost. If they can't fix it, they'll replace it. There's a nice feeling about knowing this may be the last bag you'll ever buy (though that's often not true for us consumers...)
10-05-11, 03:30 AM
#65
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https://www.reloadbags.com/
They make great bags. I had a "Deluxe Courier" and lost it due to Hurricane Katrina years ago. I immediately replaced it with another.
I really like their original shoulder strap adjustment buckle, they have a another style as an option.
-Mitch
They make great bags. I had a "Deluxe Courier" and lost it due to Hurricane Katrina years ago. I immediately replaced it with another.
I really like their original shoulder strap adjustment buckle, they have a another style as an option.
-Mitch
10-05-11, 08:10 AM
#66
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It also comes down to logistics and how a small company fits into the supply chain. Timbuk2 and Chrome can definitely get better price breaks on materials versus your smaller, local bag maker.
My local bag maker gets rave reviews, but the truth is that with their backpack, if someone chooses to pay just a little more, they could buy themselves a MW Vandal, which is pretty much the ultimate 'boutique' bag/bag maker.
And the other thing is that Chrome seems to have frequent sales. If you were able to get in on that InterBike deal, you could have gotten a Metropolis for $80. Heck, I got my Metropolis for $120 during the anniversary sale. To me, Chrome and MW have some of the most top notch quality.
My local bag maker gets rave reviews, but the truth is that with their backpack, if someone chooses to pay just a little more, they could buy themselves a MW Vandal, which is pretty much the ultimate 'boutique' bag/bag maker.
And the other thing is that Chrome seems to have frequent sales. If you were able to get in on that InterBike deal, you could have gotten a Metropolis for $80. Heck, I got my Metropolis for $120 during the anniversary sale. To me, Chrome and MW have some of the most top notch quality.
10-05-11, 05:33 PM
#67
moving target
I used to own 9 bags, and I can justify the price.
I lost them in a fire. They are worth it. made with climbing webbing and good outdoor webbing that had all the ends treated. 1000d cordura or water proof pocket cloth in a few places. triple layered bottoms. And nice buckles I had to order or go to out do stores for. mold proof and water proof padding.
They cost around $60 to 80 make a piece. And took forever If I was only making one at a time.
I lost them in a fire. They are worth it. made with climbing webbing and good outdoor webbing that had all the ends treated. 1000d cordura or water proof pocket cloth in a few places. triple layered bottoms. And nice buckles I had to order or go to out do stores for. mold proof and water proof padding.
They cost around $60 to 80 make a piece. And took forever If I was only making one at a time.
10-05-11, 07:14 PM
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It also comes down to logistics and how a small company fits into the supply chain. Timbuk2 and Chrome can definitely get better price breaks on materials versus your smaller, local bag maker.
My local bag maker gets rave reviews, but the truth is that with their backpack, if someone chooses to pay just a little more, they could buy themselves a MW Vandal, which is pretty much the ultimate 'boutique' bag/bag maker.
And the other thing is that Chrome seems to have frequent sales. If you were able to get in on that InterBike deal, you could have gotten a Metropolis for $80. Heck, I got my Metropolis for $120 during the anniversary sale. To me, Chrome and MW have some of the most top notch quality.
My local bag maker gets rave reviews, but the truth is that with their backpack, if someone chooses to pay just a little more, they could buy themselves a MW Vandal, which is pretty much the ultimate 'boutique' bag/bag maker.
And the other thing is that Chrome seems to have frequent sales. If you were able to get in on that InterBike deal, you could have gotten a Metropolis for $80. Heck, I got my Metropolis for $120 during the anniversary sale. To me, Chrome and MW have some of the most top notch quality.
10-05-11, 08:29 PM
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10-05-11, 09:19 PM
#71
moving target
10-05-11, 11:55 PM
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I have a RELoad bag that I've been using for almost 2 years now. I am the third owner of this bag. Bought it from a coworker for $20. It has been floating around, used for various different purposes, for about 5 years at this point. I still have no good reason to buy a new one, and I think that speaks volumes.