Altego Coated Canvas 16-Inch Messenger Bag, Black (36600)

> decade ago I had this same gear, then also the backpack. Loved it for the color scheme, fabric, etc. and also it had more-or-less sensical pockets/layout. Was surprised to see somebody online still has a few of these on sale, so bought it for nostalgia's sake. Been using it every day since I got it. Now the faux leather (?) is flaking off and the pocket interior where the laptop goes is ripping. So 5 stars for cool factor; minus 2 stars for durability. Can't really be buying new bags so often in the era of "quantitative easing" -- dollars gotta stretch farther than cool. But still. If you're a light user, totally recommend.

I purchased this bag to go with my new macbook pro 15.4" retina so that I could have a safe way of carrying it around campus without having to buy a bunch of extra protection items (hard cases, sleeves, skins, etc). First off, the quality of the bag is fantastic! I've had this bag for a few weeks now and it's carried everything from computers, groceries, textbooks, alcohol, and more without the slightest wear from it. The laptop section on the back of the bag (the part that is against your body when you wear it) is super soft and the zipper goes across the top and down one side. This is particularly helpful so that you don't scratch your computer on the zipper when you put it in/take it out. On the inside of the laptop pocket there is also a small velcro padded piece across the bottom to provide more padding for when you set your bag down. This is a brilliant idea that I think a lot of manufacturers tend to overlook. It is nice to have padding on the side and all, but when you set your bag down, the bottom of the bag is the part that gets the most impact. My macbook pro hasn't come in yet though (extremely limited supply), so until it does, I've been using my 15.4" toshiba satellite computer. Now this laptop is thicker than the macbook I intend to use this product with, but still, the size is the same. The only thing I'm not a fan of is how snug my laptop fits into the case in back. I have to take out the padding on the bottom and then the zippers are slightly bulging when I zip it up. My laptop won't fit if the padding on the bottom is left in there. I hope this turns out to be different for my macbook when it comes in. As for the front pockets, there is one giant open space that is big enough for about 2 textbooks and 2 spirals with an umbrella and water bottle on the sides. The iPad pocket is awesome because it fits my galaxy tab 10.1. There is a zippered section as well in the main area where you can fit in some loose papers if you have them. The pocket on the outside flap though is what I find extremely handy. I put my wallet, keys, chapstick, usb drives, extra lead for my pencils, and more in there for quick access. Overall, this is a fantastic product. The only reason I'm giving it a 4/5 instead of a 5/5 is because I would like to be able to fit my laptop in it without having to take out the padding on the bottom.Edit: I have now received my macbook pro and the fit is unbelievable. I can put the padding on the bottom and everything fits perfectly. I even put a hard case on my computer and it's still not too tight to make me worry. I can't believe how good of a bag this is!

The bag itself has a great design and the strap was especially soft and comfortable, but the strap has started to come apart where it connects to the bag itself. Biggest design flaw is that the strap is connected directly to the bag so you cant replace the strap.

I bought this bag as I was tired of my backpack making my back too warm. Unfortunately, I returned it almost immediately.First, it's ugly. The blue accents are alright, until you open up the flap and see the entire interior is emblazoned with that bright blue. It's off putting. Then, you take a look at the rear, where Altego has decided to place the laptop padding (rather than inside the sleeve). There's is a waffles set of cubes sticking up. This may be personal preference, but I prefer to have the padding on the inside and there are plenty of materials that offer protection like this at half the thickness. A lot of people might want their bag to stand out, but most for the right reasons. Not because it's ugly.The material seems like it could take a bit of wear, but I wouldn't trust it. More on material and design later.After design, at least seemingly for Altego, comes function. This bag is sparse on pockets (zipped or otherwise) and space. It looks bulky, and it is, but a retina MBP and a normal textbook cause a significant bulge. The strap is seatbelt material, and it's fine. I wasn't overly concerned with the security of the clasps, but I wasn't thrilled either.The most odd thing are the clasps that hold the flap shut. Maybe they were chosen to differentiate the bag, but they suck. Really bad. They twist to release and then lock shut when the flap is brought back over them. Sounds cool, right? Nope. There's no easy access to the interior compartment, as you'd have with the common three prong clip. Walking down the street and reaching in to the bag for your phone just became a two-handed, fiddly operation that takes way more time than it should. They are difficult to handle with gloves on. They don't close without significantly pushing against the contents of the bag, not something I want to do when it's already a very tight squeeze in there. I wouldn't trust their longevity by some of the reviews here and the price of the bag. They are terrible.I returned mine and went back to my Thule 21L Crossover. Oh, and speaking of Thule... What brand does this bag remind you of? Yep. The material and patterns and the colour choice are definitely an attempt to rip off the Thule design. It doesn't work, because the materials are of much lower quality, the blue is too loud and the design doesn't have the user in mind.I'd skip this bag. It's not very big, not good looking at all, doesn't have enough pockets and hasn't got the user in mind. The clasps for the flap were the last straw, though.

Looked at a lot of bags on line and at stores. Liked the features, etc. so we spent the extra money and ordered for middle school child. Handle ripped off after 3 months and one latch broke off soon after. In both places, the seams came apart and filling, it's not really repairable. He doesn't even carry heavy books in it. Had "too long" to get replaced by company.