Messenger bags in London

I'm well enough entrenched into hipster mode that it doesn't matter too much about being associated with my tight-jean clad brethren. I'll try one out.

I'm well enough entrenched into hipster mode that it doesn't matter too much about being associated with my tight-jean clad brethren. I'll try one out.

put the timbuk and the chrome on and see how you like the way each feels?

@last_caress - Get the grobag. I've had mine for over a year with heavy use and it's still in good nick, tough as old boots. Plus Camo & fluro pink - you will epic win over all hipsters with that bag.

Glamour-flage and fluorescent (punk-means-punk) pink being furthest from hipsterdom possible.

I actually really like the look of these bags, but 160 sheets is way to much for me right now.

Don't get the grobag as i've got to wait in line for mine so you can too ;)

last caress - i have a Timbuk2, purchased very late '80's, I think, I recall, & i've used it pretty much everyday in all conditions to carry vast amounts of family shopping, books, casefiles, bags of sand, a floor sander, film cans, lap-tops, record boxes, tents & camping equipment, bicycle parts, body parts, separately & together and much more and its still going strong, its ripped to pieces mind but is still serviceable and everything works. Using bungee straps you can attach another load on the outside of the bag.Pretty much everybody and everything in life has let me down except for my Timbuk2. I want to be buried in it.

Rusty, i find proper and careful packing is the key to it staying on my back

does chrome bags deliver to england?

Yes, but it costs $60 (I think), and you may get stung with a customs fee. Plenty of shops and UK mail order do Chrome bags - safer option to go with one of them.

When people talk aboput second shoulder straps and x-straps. What are they actually talkling about?
I tried on a couple of friends bags, and as far as i can tell they have a main shoulder strap, with another smaller strap that clips onto the main shoulder strap to stop the bag swinging about.
Is an x-strap different to this? How does a second shoulder strap work (does it just turn a messenger bag into a backpack?).
Basically, i'm in the market. I've heard good things about Pac, Chrome, Zugster and Bagaboo (can't wait for a grobag). Can anyone offer advise? Chrome look the shit, and i don't care how hipster they are peceived as. Are they as comfy as a pac, do they have the same straps etc.
Please help.

Pac and Archies are the best, followed by bagaboo. An X strap is an additional strap that attaches diagonally over the top of the opposing shoulder to the main strap, it helps to spread and stabilise the load further if you are fully laden. Really useful if you are carrying a shitload of stuff, such as shopping bike frames or if you are doing some proper messengering ;)

bagaboo workhorse rules!
got mine couple of days ago, it's an amazing bag, not same quality of archies but better than pacs on my back for sure...

Chrome are great bag, they spread the load nicely around your back, the only downside is that they don't have (or not much) padding for the back, a bit annoying when I can feel a big heavy square camera poking at my back if I didn't load it properly, if you just carry the occasional stuff every now and then, Chrome is just perfect for that, simple and straightforward, I even managed to carry a bike frame and two wheel on the Citizen, and they're aren't that big! (the bag, not the bike), only paid £50 for mine 2nd hand.

Bagaboo Workhouse (and Archie's) is a massive step up from the Chrome, does exactly as the name suggested it to do, there's nothing it can't do.

Cheers for the info guys. Based on that, i think i might go with a pac. I like the look of chromes, but i think the lack of back padding would be an issue. My mates got a Bagaboo 'Workhorse', which i really like, but it's fucking huge. Think the x-stap sounds like a good plan, coz although i don't carry a lot of stuff all the time, it's nice to have the option. I might see if the workhorse comes in a slightly smaller size and make up my mind between that and a pac.
As i said, cheers, very helpful!

Personally I would go with the pac, save up and go for the ultimate, amazing build quality, fully waterproof, and an unconditional lifetime warranty, and yo can compress it down when you don't need it to be massive, and the x strap clips out of the way when not in use. however you can fit shitloads in it/on it when you need to, one of my best loads so far includes:
My full toolkit
14 pizzas
6 ready meals
2 boxes of cereal
2 bags of baby bel

Alternatively 14 have got a really nice selection of Archies grobags in stock so you can get one without the waiting list! And the build quality is superb.

Cheers dude, i'm gonna go 14 and BLB on Saturday and check them out.

Bear in mind that with a Chrome it's easy enough to slip a piece of suitably sized foam between the outer and the 'floating' liner to prevent sharp things poking you in the ribs.

Still better off with a PAC or an Archie if you have the money.

one of my best loads so far includes:
My full toolkit
14 pizzas
6 ready meals
2 boxes of cereal
2 bags of baby bel

Is that your weekly diet????

I have a Chrome Bag, which I think is really comfortable when not massively ladden. The lack of a x-strap has proved to be a little tough on one shoulder, especially if you've got ride across town a couple of times.

Is that your weekly diet????

I have a Chrome Bag, which I think is really comfortable when not massively ladden. The lack of a x-strap has proved to be a little tough on one shoulder, especially if you've got ride across town a couple of times.

Haha erm, half the pizzas were for my flat mate, but other than that....i'm poor right now, so £1.29 pizzas and 3 for a 5er ready meals were the cheapest way of getting by for a week!

Also....personally I would say that Bagaboo>Chrome

14 pizzas
6 ready meals
2 boxes of cereal
2 bags of baby bel

so no beers.... fail :p

so no beers.... fail :p

Haha!

Bear in mind that with a Chrome it's easy enough to slip a piece of suitably sized foam between the outer and the 'floating' liner to prevent sharp things poking you in the ribs..

good advice that, gonna try that out, cheer!

Ed, that photo of you going back out for a first proper ride on the B{lo}J{ob} (snigger), I saw that you dropped off the frame, changed bags and went out with the Howies. Its huge! Looks good too.

timbuk2 = crap