Comments on: Leather Messenger Bag

Question: Leather Messenger Bag

tnoetz01 — Wed, 28 Jun 2006 21:05:12 -0800

I'm looking for an inexpensive (less than $80 if possible), quality, brown leather messenger bag. It'd be great if it was big enough to hold my HP Compaq nc6000 (1.34 x 12.51 x 10.31 in).

Simplicity is certainly a priority, but I'd like to have some space to store pens, business cards, and the like as well.

By: Agamenticus

Agamenticus — Wed, 28 Jun 2006 21:12:44 -0800

I've seen a few nice ones on occasional basis at local T.J.Max stores...

By: LoriFLA

LoriFLA — Wed, 28 Jun 2006 21:57:03 -0800

High quality + leather = dreamland. Just kidding, please tell me if you find one at that price. I have to agree with the above poster--check out places like TJMaxx, Marshalls, and Ross. I always find great bags at great prices.

After a quick google search the cheapest I could find out there is this one from LLBean. I don't know how you feel about that LLBean logo. It's very prominent. Brown leather messenger bag.

Also, if you don't mind synthetic leather, Zappos.com has a few with great prices. Go to accessories, then to men's bags.

I personally love the black microfiber men's messenger bag at Banana Republic. It's sleek and stylish, and it's in your price range, but that's not what you are asking for, is it. :)

By: LoriFLA

LoriFLA — Wed, 28 Jun 2006 21:59:26 -0800

high quality plus leather at the price...duh. I need to go to sleep!

By: nathan_teske

nathan_teske — Wed, 28 Jun 2006 22:26:05 -0800

Bohemian Traders has some very nice leather bags on the cheap. You will want to put your laptop in a sleeve as the bags are not cushioned, but the bag itself is execeptionally sturdy.

By: zackdog

zackdog — Wed, 28 Jun 2006 23:04:03 -0800

If you go to enough Good Wills you'll find one for about seven dollars. I have several of them.

By: wfrgms

wfrgms — Wed, 28 Jun 2006 23:30:57 -0800

I dropped about $70 on a black leather Kenneth Cole messenger bag thinking I was buying quality. It lasted a few weeks before the zipper fobs broke... then the shoulder strap broke sending the bag flying onto the sidewalk. This wouldn't have been so bad except that it was spring in Chicago - so the sidewalk was covered in recently thawed pigeon shit. That was several years ago... I bought a Timbuk2 bag and never looked back.

I'm not saying that you can't find a reasonable quality leather bag for a good price... but often it's at the cost of style above function and reliability. YMMV.

By: dickyvibe

dickyvibe — Thu, 29 Jun 2006 00:04:33 -0800

I've bought two different cases from (believe it or not) leather-briefcases.com and both are well made and thoughtfully designed. Several less expensive messenger models are in the $100-150 range (a bit above your ceiling), but at least worth a look. In a year or so of hunting in NYC I found nothing close to their quality/price ratio.

By: reeddavid

reeddavid — Thu, 29 Jun 2006 01:10:09 -0800

I love the Kenneth Cole messenger bag I received as a gift a year ago. It's not $80, so it doesn't quite qualify as an answer to your question. And I just remembered you want brown, and this bag comes in black only. But it is holding up well after a year of daily use (the only slight signs of wear are the two points on the strap where the metal rubs) and I highly recommend the bag if you become interested in a black version.

You can see the bag I'm describing here: http://www.luggageonline.com/product.cfm?product_ID=2634