Before this bag, I had a backpack made by Ogio which I loved. The problem is, as I get older, walking around with two wide backpack straps across my chest had me feeling like Steve from Blue’s Clues, an overgrown man-child who didn’t dress his age. It was high time I upgraded my look from a post-college tech geek to a more polished and adult look. It was time to ditch my long loved backpack (which had garnered a few holes from years of use and abuse) and upgrade to a bag which matched my age and personality a bit better. I needed a messenger bag.
To the Internet!
I searched high and low. I went to website after website and read review after review. I looked at a plethora of messenger bags, each with it’s own merits, but also with their own drawbacks. I actually felt a tinge of discouragement because I thought perhaps I was chasing down the yeti or the illusive Lockness Monster. Was the bag I desired in the unformed back of my subconscious merely a myth that could not take shape in reality? I had to believe something would fit my desire for both form and function. Then I stumbled across a company based in Sweden with a bag which looked like the perfect match. I had to see more.
Form
Part of my desire for an upgrade was to get a better looking bag. I was tired of looking like a schoolboy, I wanted something stylish. There were plenty of butt ugly messenger bags on the market which functioned very well, but the Thule bag was really quite beautiful. The Thule Crossover is a black Dobby Nylon bag with tiny silver dots which look like the apoulstry of a new car. This material is lighter and cooler than leather, and is quite durable. It is also water resistant, which I am thankful for because I spilled a Red Bull on it and it rolled off without staining or damaging my MacBook Pro. Durability is guaranteed, as this bag carries a 25 year warranty.
The Thule Crossover is 17″ x 15″ x 5″, this bag works perfectly for a 15″ laptop. The strap is padded with an attractive logo and Dobbly Nylon pad, and is made from the same material as a seatbelt. The wideness of the strap makes it more comfortable when you load a bunch of stuff into the bag, and I think it looks a little manlier than some other bags with thinner straps. To add additional protection for your laptop and comfort for you, there are two raised padded portions where the bag will make contact with your body.
Instead of velcro or snaps, the Thule Crossover uses some aircraft grade aluminum hooks which clasp one of a series of nylon loops on the front. This guarantees that unless you intentionally unhook the clasps, that everything stays put where it belongs. Opening and closing the bag takes a little practice at first, but in no time it will become second nature (I’ve been using this bag for about 3 weeks now, and I don’t even think about it anymore).
Accenting the black and silver color scheme, there are splashes of blue, from several blue stripes on accent grey patches to help distinguish pockets to the bag’s hard plastic blue zipper handles. Inside the bag you see a light grey color with blue woven sparsely throughout to help you see all your contents with less available light. This is a very attractive bag!
Function
On the rear of the bag we have a looped portion which can be slid onto your luggage. This bag is designed for portability and travel, and it works very well for airports. Additionally, the laptop portion of the bag is separate from the rest, and by unzipping the back it becomes a TSA compliant computer bag which can be X-Rayed without needing to remove the contents. This also makes your laptop accessable without needing to unbuckle the aforementioned aluminum clasps, so this bag is quite easy for daily use as well as travel.
A nylon strap with a patch of velcro helps secure your laptop in it’s padded housing. Adjacent to that you have another velcro strapped flat mesh compartment suitable for a charger, or other small accessories or travel documents and receipts. On the top of the bag you have a nylon handle which seems small but pretty sturdy. It stays out of the way and doesn’t add weight or get in the way.
Under The Hood
The main pocket is quite large. I am able to keep not just my laptop’s accessories, but just about anything else I desire also in this bag. This would suit a student or a businessperson quite well. I can quickly and easily access anything within this bag, yet I don’t fret that I’ll lose something when it’s closed up.
Inside the main pocket there is another mesh pocket, this one closes with a zipper so I can put smaller things like USB flash drives or memory cards without worrying about them falling out.
The front of the bag just under the flap has two flat pockets and a heat molded safe zone where you can perfectly fit most phones or iPods. My iPhone sits comfortably and safely in this pocket. A velcro strap secures it from falling out over the top, and there is even a tiny slot for a couple of pens (I have a silve Cross pen and pencil set to help me feel more grown up and super cool.)
The Summary
This bag looks good, it feels good, it’s durable, water resistent, spacious, secure, airport friendly, afforable and has lots of room for lots of gear. There may be no such thing as “the perfect messenger bag” but I think that Thule has come as close as we mortals ever will. I love this bag, it is without a doubt a perfect 10. Thanks to the folks at Thule for sending this to us to review!
