I recently started a new part-time job in a school, and for the first week of school I had been carrying my laptop and other items in a backpack, but the backpack made me feel a bit like one of the students. I wanted something that would make me feel both adult and professional to carry all my items. I loved this bag when viewing it on the Amazon page, and ordered it in brown. When it arrived, I was a bit disappointed in the color, as it it brighter and more “orangey” looking in person than I was expecting. I was hoping it was a richer, more muted brown, but I’ll deal with it. Also, as others have said, it stunk. There is a pretty strong, fishy smell, but it has been a few days since I received it, and the smell is dissipating.
I put my work stuff in it right away, and I love how there is a place for everything! My laptop fits great, along with a notebook, folder, hardcover book, and some purse items so I don’t have to carry both. That’s about all I initially had in there, but noticed that when I put it on my shoulder, the bottom sags. So that is the first real con for me. The first day I used it for work, I did feel more “grownup” if you will, and it did fit in a locking drawer I was given to keep my stuff in, which I was unsure of. However after work, I left from there and took my son to the orthodontist, then to a doctor appointment, and since I had put my purse items in here and left my purse at home, I noticed quickly how heavy this bag got… and the lack of bottom structure.
I see reviews where people say the straps are not long enough to put on their shoulders, but it worked just fine for me. In fact I’d almost like them a bit shorter, since I’m only 5’3”. It would be nice if they were adjustable somehow, maybe with buckles. This is when I thought “Huh, maybe I WOULD like a shoulder strap on this bag” which hadn’t crossed my mind. When I got home I dug out a guitar strap that I had purchased for another purse (both also from Amazon), the hardware matched, so I attached it and we will see how that goes.
As for the support on the bottom, I measured inside the piping on the bottom of the bag and cut a piece of thick cardboard to fit… which is when I noticed that the inside pockets are sewn to the bottom. This is normally a good thing, since I don’t want to have small things that I have to hunt for all over the bag because they’ve slid under dividers, but in this case, it meant that I couldn’t just slide in my cardboard and move on. I cut it in half and fit it into one section of the bag, but couldn’t do much with the laptop compartment or the other side, as it was somehow an odd shape on one side because of how the laptop compartment was sewn to the side of the bag. Not sure what to do about this, or if I’ll do anything at all, but these are the thoughts I’ve had regarding this bag after having and using it for a couple days.
Heather B.S.
MJJ (washington, dc)
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