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Imported.
Item 789263
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REVIEW SNAPSHOT®
by PowerReviewsPros
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Reviewed by 8 customers
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Displaying reviews 1-8
Pros
Cons
Best Uses
Comments about Timbuk2 Commute 2.0 Computer Bag - Medium:
I just took this bag out on its first major rain test, hauling gear to ACL (Austin City Limits) in a downpour. Everything in the main compartment stayed nice and dry, but the separate computer section got soaked (fortunately there wasn't a computer in it at the time). Seriously, they didn't waterproof the section that's most likely to contain the least-waterproof items? Poor design choice, that. I am a bike commuter, so when it looks like rain I wrap my computer in a grocery bag or two before loading it to keep it dry. This is completely ridiculous for a bag that costs as much as this one did (even on sale).
This makes me sad, since the pockets are plentiful and nicely thought-out, the main compartment is delightfully weatherproof (bike + big rainstorms/hail, you get to know this pretty quick), and there are handy features for those who use a bike to get around (reflective straps, padded shoulder strap, a loop for your rear light). On the whole, though, I wouldn't buy this bag again, and am considering returning it, due to the lack of weatherproofing where it counts.
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Comments about Timbuk2 Commute 2.0 Computer Bag - Medium:
I bought this to haul two computers around for my job - my personal Mac and a clunker of a Dell. The Dell was fine for a while, but eventually I noticed that the case around my Mac was getting cracked (since I have a plastic Speck case on the Mac, no big deal, but since the Mac was in the padded cordoroy area, that was a bit of an issue for me). I tested it, looked online for people saying how wonderful it was, how much it could haul, etc, etc. At some point a fanboy apparently decided it could win a Nobel prize on its own (though I'm not entirely sure that wasn't Timbuk2's marketing department talking).
I carried thirty pounds of gear in this for one month. Just one month. And at the end of that one month, the top handle had frayed. The shoulder strap had cracked. The supposedly nigh-indestructible clips that held the top on had snapped.
I wasn't hauling it hither and yon on the back of the snowmobile or tossing it into bullfighting rings (I used to do that with my venerable Jansport, which was retired to graduate to this one so I could haul a few more papers without worrying about squishing my lunch and so people would stop asking about the hoofprints.) It, for the most part, rode shotgun in the front of my car to work on a commute, and possibly was hauled out of a vehicle by the handle, which ripped due to the massive strain of being asked to do what it was designed to do.
I love Timbuk2's stuff. I've got a large messenger bag that has held up through four continents, two events in the desert, and four bike riding gigs that required a grand total of a spritz of Febreeze and an interior wipedown to be good to go for the next round, but this was intensely disappointing.
It's like driving a car that you've put through utter hell and back, then going, "Wow, this one is a little old and dented, I think I want to upgrade to a new one" and having the transmission fall off the minute you pull your new baby off the lot.
I'll also preface this by saying I like Timbuk2; they're comfortable and decent bags, and were it not for the cracking plastic, the ripping handles, the less-than-sturdy construction, and the misleading statements of a "TSA-friendly bag" (they're still going to make you take BOTH laptops out of the case at the airport. Nice try, TimBuk2) I wouldn't have gone back to ol' Stompy while I wait for my new upgrade bag.
Which is that other messenger bag. The one that I've been told can go into a bullfighting ring with crazed bulls amped up on energy drinks laced with synthetic human testosterone, and the one based out of San Francisco that actual bike messengers have used for a long while.
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Comments about Timbuk2 Commute 2.0 Computer Bag - Medium:
I knew its flaws when I bought it, and bought it anyway. Namely, the non-weatherproof laptop sleeve(an odd design oversight), so you'll have to put the computer in the less-padded main compartment before you take it through any downpours. I also think the padded strap needs some more traction, as it slips off my shoulder. I'm gonna have to put some broccoli stem rubber bands on it or something. Otherwise, it's sturdy and its other features are working well for my purposes. Buyer beware about those downsides though.
Pros
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Comments about Timbuk2 Commute 2.0 Computer Bag - Medium:
While the whole bag is heavy duty nylon and the top has a huge flap, the laptop compartment is on the back/outside of the bag. The zipper is exposed to the elements and does not appear to be waterproofed, so I worry that the computer will get wet if I use the bag in the rain or snow. I would much rather hassle with getting the computer out for airline check in and have the computer safely in the water resistant compartment. The bag seems well built but I wish it had more padding in the laptop compartment. There is a thin layer of foam padding on the back of the bag but none on the bottom and edges. The zippers provide what little protection there is on the edges. The sleeve on the back of the bag is not wide enough to put it over the handle of one of the roll aboard suitcases that I own and the fit is too tight to slip over the handle of the other bag. The bottom of the bag is some sort of heavy duty plastic that appears to be water resistant, but it is not padded. I like to carry a camera, MP3 player and other stuff in the main compartment, so I would have liked a padded bottom. I really wish I could have bought the older generation with the laptop stored inside the flap. For me there is not enough value in the easy airline check in feature to outweigh the disadvantages that the design changes created.
Pros
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Comments about Timbuk2 Commute 2.0 Computer Bag - Medium:
We have the commute from a few years ago. Even in a straight downpour nothing gets wet (including the laptop which is in the main compartment) and it still looks practically new. Now that we need a second bag (two of us commuting with our computers now), we went to the store to buy another one. When we got there, we discovered that they moved the laptop compartment to the back of the bag and didn't bother to seam seal the zipper. What is the purpose of a waterproof laptop bag with a non-waterproof computer compartment? Now we're going to be fighting over the old one after we're forced to buy a different brand.
Pros
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Comments about Timbuk2 Commute 2.0 Computer Bag - Medium:
This might fit netbooks, but I tried several laptops and they just don't fit. Game over.
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Comments about Timbuk2 Commute 2.0 Computer Bag - Medium:
So I read the reviews and new the flaws of the bag. I live in AZ and I was not concerned about the lack of weather proofing for the computer compartment. However, the TSA design of the bag was not to my liking. It takes up the whole part of the back half of the bag and zips all the way down so that you can slide it on the xray machine at the airport. The flaw in this design is the zippers are in a different place every time you open the compartment and they can slide down the side of the bag. Also the extra pockets are on the outside and have a cut out. When you add your power cable and other accessories in the pockets, it tends to pull the bag forward and items can fall out.
Pros
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Best Uses
Comments about Timbuk2 Commute 2.0 Computer Bag - Medium:
This is a fantastic bag and a nice upgrade from the non 2.0 version. The TSA compliant flip open pouch for the laptop is really slick; I'm looking forward to blowing through security. It's hard enough juggling your shoes, belt, keys, passport etc. Pulling my laptop out is the last thing I want to deal with.
This bag is very stylish as you would expect from Timbuk2. It has tons of storage and is, overall, very thoughtfully designed. The only con compared to the previous generation is the loss of one of the side pockets on the bag.
I highly recommend this bag!
Displaying reviews 1-8
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