[ocswing]

Quote:

http://www.missionworkshop.com/products/advanced_projects/vx-messenger-bag.php
Click on "Size/Color"  under the image.

Thanks, I've seen those. My complaint was that there aren't enough. Most are very similar and it doesn't show the detail of the pockets or inside. They don't have any of that series on their flickr either.

 

[jude]

 
Quote:

Thanks, I've seen those. My complaint was that there aren't enough. Most are very similar and it doesn't show the detail of the pockets or inside. They don't have any of that series on their flickr either.

Sorry, guys.  I forgot to post photos of the Rummy versus the Monty that were requested, as well as the VX Rummy.  I'll try to get to that tomorrow.  I might shoot a very short video showing how the Arkiv closure works, too, as I don't think I've seen any video of that, and I had no idea how it worked until I ordered the VX myself.
 

 

[ocswing]

Quote:

 
Sorry, guys.  I forgot to post photos of the Rummy versus the Monty that were requested, as well as the VX Rummy.  I'll try to get to that tomorrow.  I might shoot a very short video showing how the Arkiv closure works, too, as I don't think I've seen any video of that, and I had no idea how it worked until I ordered the VX myself.
 

Thanks! No worries, I'm sure you've got a lot going on with Head-Fi TV and RMAF coming up. Any details you can give on the bag would be great! Mission's bags look great, but the site lacks some info IMO.

 

[Scott_Tarlow]

honestly I couldn't see anyone being disappointed with one of these bags..... sorry for being a fanboy..

 

[jude]

 
Quote:

Thanks! No worries, I'm sure you've got a lot going on with Head-Fi TV and RMAF coming up. Any details you can give on the bag would be great! Mission's bags look great, but the site lacks some info IMO.

In terms of size and compartment configuration, the VX Rummy is exactly the same as the normal Rummy (so I imagine the same would go for the Monty counterparts).
 
The outer fabric is different, the VX having a slight diamond pattern/texture on the surface--it looks very nice, and you can see it in this photo.
 
The inside of the VX fabric also has a more cloth-like hand--with more give, and so a little more flowing than the stiffer, more tarp-like inside surface of the standard bag's fabric.
 
The Arkiv closure is very nice, but I've got to practice more with it for faster one-hand opening and closing.  Probably the most key advantage of the Arkiv closure (in my opinion) is that it essentially reduces the excess lengths of buckle straps, as the VX's straps are stretchy--I also find any excess of the VX's elastic straps easier to manage.
 
The VX looks nicer, too, in my opinion.

 

[Eric_C]

Wow, no excess strap? That's a major plus. The inside fabric sounds excellent too--the tarp-like lining of the standard bag has a lot of friction, which sometimes makes it very "squeaky" (literally) when trying to place things inside the bag.

 

[jude]

 
Quote:

Wow, no excess strap? That's a major plus. The inside fabric sounds excellent too--the tarp-like lining of the standard bag has a lot of friction, which sometimes makes it very "squeaky" (literally) when trying to place things inside the bag.

There's still some excess, but it's not quite as long; and it sits better, not flapping around in the wind as much.  (I edited my previous post to more accurately describe the straps.)
 
And, yes, the interior of the VX is less grippy than the standard fabric's tarp interior.
 

 

[Maverickmonk]

Just ordered a cheap dark-brown Rothco heavyweight messenger bag from amazon. Pictures will be posted when it arrives. I hope I end up with something suitable for carrying a book and folder to class when I don't need my whole backpack, without looking like a total hipster.

 

[Oraij]

So I have a question: In January I turn 21 and I am going to travel the world.  I'm talking trekking through countries, climbing mountains, traveling through deserts, visiting small remote villages in all 6 continents, etc.. and I want to take a messenger bag with me.  Personally, I think that the Mission Workshop AP VX Messenger is the best looking messenger bag available by far for under $300.  My question: Will it hold up?  It will be exposed to the elements, will be thrown around and beaten up. I would prefer that it operates fully when I return home to NYC after two years (it can look ugly as hell).  If not, any recommendations for a messenger bag that can?  I don't care about water wetting stuff inside and will even be ok if it stains (hopefully not), but I care about the strap holding and the fabric not ripping. I am ready to buy this bag at any moment in slate size medium, but I want to know if there is any messenger bag that can do a MUCH better job that costs under $300 dollars.  
 
Thanks ahead of time.  

 

[ocswing]

Quote:

So I have a question: In January I turn 21 and I am going to travel the world.  I'm talking trekking through countries, climbing mountains, traveling through deserts, visiting small remote villages in all 6 continents, etc.. and I want to take a messenger bag with me.  Personally, I think that the Mission Workshop AP VX Messenger is the best looking messenger bag available by far for under $300.  My question: Will it hold up?  It will be exposed to the elements, will be thrown around and beaten up. I would prefer that it operates fully when I return home to NYC after two years (it can look ugly as hell).  If not, any recommendations for a messenger bag that can?  I don't care about water wetting stuff inside and will even be ok if it stains (hopefully not), but I care about the strap holding and the fabric not ripping. I am ready to buy this bag at any moment in slate size medium, but I want to know if there is any messenger bag that can do a MUCH better job that costs under $300 dollars.  
 
Thanks ahead of time.  

Hmm for a trekking trip I don't think a messenger bag is your best option. I love messengers, but carrying large loads over long periods of time with only one shoulder is not fun. They can be pretty versatile, but there is a reason that large trekking backpacks exist. Maybe not so great once you get back, but if you're being serious about traveling I would get something made for the purpose and not get a messenger bag. Just my two cents.

 

[Oraij]

Ha I am bringing a rather large backpack as well.  I would just prefer a messenger as I will be making stops in cities. I didn't really make that clear, sorry about that. It is basically a year to go wherever.  The messenger will not be carrying all my stuff.  It will be taken through the same places tough. The basic question is: how durable is the bag

 

[Eric_C]

If you don't need waterproof, there probably are cheaper options than Mission. Also, I don't think the brand has been around that long? So there's limited customer testimonials about its durability. 
 
I *think* my regular Mission *feels* durable after 10 months of urban use. But if you want proven durability, I think you'll have to go with the established messenger brands that couriers actually use. They were mentioned earlier in the thread. 

 

[Oraij]

Ok. Thanks. I think I'm going to take a shot with the Mission Workshop AP and I'll post how it goes.

 

[Wilson M.]

Quote:

...

The inside of the VX fabric also has a more cloth-like hand--with more give, and so a little more flowing than the stiffer, more tarp-like inside surface of the standard bag's fabric.
 
...

 
I know this is a little late but I thought I'd add my thoughts. Sorry for the long post.
 
The tarp-like inside surface is a PVC tarp liner sewn into the bag and not bonded to the Cordura. With the standard bag, there's no choice but to line the outer pockets, flap for the outer pockets and the main compartment with a sturdy PVC lining to make the bag weather resistant. With the AP bag, the outer pockets don't have a PVC liner because the PTFE membrane bonded to the Cordura will keep things dry although you will notice the flap for the outer pockets still has a PVC layer sewn in. The main compartment also has a PVC liner but it's much thinner than the one on a standard bag because the PTFE aids in the weather resistance so a thicker liner is not required. It's nice that the liner isn't as stiff on the AP bags but I find the VX fabric to be much stiffer than standard Cordura. With a bit of use, it does loosen up somewhat. I do worry that the thinner liner might be susceptible to damage from hard pointy objects compared to the sturdier liner of the standard bags. Of course, I have a friend who has a standard Monty and the PVC is cracking on the flap for the outer pockets because she stuff them far too full and it causes the flap to sit awkwardly.
 
As for my favourite bags, I would have to say the PAC Designs Pro Ultimate and the Mission Workshop AP Rummy are my favourites.
 
The PAC won't win any style awards but I feel it has the best strapping system on the market and is the best bag when carrying really heavy and or bulky loads. The bottom and side compression straps make it easy to open the bag up wide to swallow just about anything while allowing one to cinch the bag up for the smallest loads. The location of the strap anchor points along with the side compression straps allow one to jam the bag completely full but still be able to secure the main strap very snugly. It truly wraps snugly around your shoulder and ribs no matter the load. None of the other messenger bags I've ever used (and I've used a couple dozen from different manufacturers) can do that because bulky loads tend to pull the strap anchor points away from the body leading to a less secure fit. I've carried a full water cooler bottle and a full-sized tower computer (on separate occasions) on a bike with never a worry about a wobbly feel from a less than secure strap. The X-Strap helps immensely to make things even more stable when carry more than 30 pounds. The main downside is the price. I think they recently raised their prices too. I would also like to see them put in two outer pockets like the AP Rummy instead of the single large expanding pocket.
 
The MW is one of the nicest looking bags out there. The rectangular design makes it ideal for carrying books, binders, files, laptops, etc. The pockets are very nice for commuters. The roll-top is great for really keeping stuff dry. I find a lot of messenger bags to be well shaped for aerodynamics on a bike but their shapes tend to make it less ideal for fitting bulky items or items that are hard with no give. But the bag isn't perfect. I find that accessing a fairly full main compartment even with the strap fully expanded to be an exercise in futility because of the tall walls of the roll-top closure. The depth is 5.5 inches which is a little narrow for carrying bulky items so you tend to fill the bag vertically which means whatever you're looking for invariably ends up buried under too much crap. I don't find it's a good "working" messenger bag. If I have to access stuff frequently, I keep them in the outer pockets. I'm considering getting MW to custom build a longer strap so the bag will sit lower when I expand the strap fully. It's comfortable but I feel the PAC is more comfortable especially with the removable back pad to keep the pointy things from jabbing my back.
 
Which one do I really prefer? The PAC is by far the more practical bag for on-bike use. I find I use the MW when I'm not riding because it just looks much nicer. The PAC is a fair bit heavier and the various straps complicate it a bit. The MW is very light and simple to use. If I could only have one bag, it would be the PAC without a doubt.
 

 

[ocswing]

So I decided to go ahead and buy the Mission Workshop AP Monty and I'm very happy with my purchase.
 
I have a Timbuk2 Commute 1.0 that I've used for a few years and it's good as a laptop messenger, but if you want to throw anything else in it's pretty limiting. I was looking for a new messenger that I could use for my laptop (as an office bag), but that would also expand enough to be a day bag. I took a look at T2 again, but I'm pretty disappointed with their lineup now. I felt the bags were uncomfortable and the build quality isn't as good as it used to be.
 
The Monty is slightly on the small side for a day pack, but the Rummy was slightly on the large side. Ideally, there would be a bag right in between them in size, but there is a fair amount of room in the Monty still. Functionality and build quality on the bag are top notch, and it's very comfortable. I've always liked messenger bags, but they aren't always comfortable. I think I'd have to stuff this bag with a ton of heavy stuff for it to be uncomfortable. It's a very versatile design, and I really feel like it will hold up for a lifetime. The only thing I wish it would have is a handle, but I've got a makeshift one by putting the cross-strap through the should strap velcro and it works pretty well. One word of note for those interested: the colors on the site are lighter than they really are. I got black first and it's really just straight black where the site makes it look like it's slightly lighter.