I have a Love Hate Relationship with this bag.
I really like this bag. It’s beautiful and hip and I love how it will hold its structure and stand up (more like a breifcase) and not get all slouchy like a regular backpack. I didn’t notice a smell after the first couple days. Pockets and compartments are great. I wish the outer ones were slightly bigger to hold Mac power cord. It will fit but then getting it out is difficult. In the beginning 17” MacBook barely slid into one of the inside compartments but seems to be stretching out to fit nicely. Bag is well made and I am thinking I will be able to use it for years to come.<br /><br />However, if you wear it as a backpack it’s pretty uncomfortable. I only walk a short distance in it but if you were in a city with a long commute it will dig into your back and that could get old. I only use as a backpack and not as messenger and it’s filled with super heavy crap so maybe that is contributing.<br /><br />My other gripe is the buckles. I read the reviews about them but didn’t believe they could be that bad. They are. It’s extremely frustrating. You’ll just be walking and the buckle will just abruptly release and you have to grab the strap before your bag falls. I keep about 5k of computer crap in this thing so if it were to fall it would be traumatic. Sometimes I just get so annoyed I just carry it by the top handle (which is really sturdy) but defeats the point of this purchase. I have coffee and a toddler; I need hands free. I have tried to just redo the straps similar to the way the other reviewer posted but can’t get it to stay for more than a few days. I think I am just going to sew the straps so they can’t slide out of the buckles. That will mean going forward I can only wear it as a backpack but I think I can handle that commitment.<br /><br />Still I love this bag and am too stubborn to quit using it even though I am annoyed on a daily basis.
Rating: 4 stars