Canvas Field Bag

Fist off I'd like to point out that I've only used this bag for one day. It came in the mail, and upon my initial inspection I noticed how small it really was. This isn't the reason for the one star review, but if you're looking for something that will fit a laptop or more than a few books, look elsewhere. However, it's perfect for an iPad using college student like myself. The next day I headed out for my normal routine: a short shift at work and a few classes. After that I walked back home.Upon my return I noticed that the bag was already showing signs of wear despite its incredibly light use. One of the snaps that keeps the bag shut had already fallen off. It appears to have been stitched on with a single piece of thread reinforced with Elmer's glue. In addition the stitching holding said flap to the body of the bag is beginning to come loose. This sort of damage would be understandable if I was using the bag aggressively over an extended period of time. However, this was not the case. I LITERALLY had the bag on my person for under an hour. The rest of the day it was sitting undisturbed on the floor. As for opening and closing it, I was very gentle.In conclusion, the bag looks good at first glance - I thought it would hold up well to be honest. This was not the case for me, as it's already starting to wear out within one day of use. I really REALLY wanted to like this bag because it does look pretty darn cool, but I wouldn't recommend wasting your money on it.

I was looking for a new shoulder bag to carry with me that would hold my tablet, ereader, and a notebook or two along with any necessary peripherals, without being as over-large as my 5-year-old Manhattan Portage bag (which I [ab]used for schoolbooks then and now use as a laptop bag). This being advertised as 10x12x3.5", I figured it would be the perfect size.The material feels less durable than I had hoped for--I agree with the person who described it as twice the weight of pants material. I knew it'd be thinner than my rock-solid MP, but with this I suspect it'll be luck if it lasts more than two years with regular use and never, ever using the snaps. (MP, on the other hand, feels like it'll last another five, no problem.)More importantly to me, though, it is NOT the size advertised. The reason I got this instead of a slightly smaller netbook or tablet bag is that 10x12 would allow me to slide in a smaller 3-ring binder or a manila folder without folding or bending the paper. I cannot do that; I have to bend a flat manila folder (a little over 11.5" wide) to make it fit. The bag grudgingly holds the 11x8x2.25" box that my tablet came in; a 1" 3-ring binder (11.5x10x1.75") feels like it may tear the sides of the bag, won't sit flat on the bottom of the bag, and sticks up a lot from the top (between 1.25 and 1.5").Measuring from corner to corner, the real, usable measurements of this bag are11" wide8.75 - 9" tall2 - 2.25" deepToward the center, because the cloth is soft, it can flex and stretch to fit a decent bit more, but its usefulness for me is limited because it can't fit normal-sized paper without bending or warping it (especially if the bag is already nearly full). I'll keep it because it's a cheap, nice-looking bag that will carry most of what I want it to, but I'm definitely disappointed and feel like I was cheated because it is not as advertised.If it makes a difference, I bought the stone color, and it's a nice creamy/sandy color, about what I'd expect of undyed canvas. The stripes on the strap are very, very dark brown. The front pocket is about 6x7" with a velcroed side opening that's sewn shut on the bottom 2" to help keep stuff in. Inside pocket is also velcroed, cut a bit unevenly but about 4x5.25". Back pocket is zippered, about 7.75" wide by 5.5" tall. All the pockets are essentially flat, though again the softer cloth lets them flex to fit stuff. If Amazon's description had been accurate, it'd be a 4-star bag instead of just 3.

I looked long and hard for a bag I could carry that wouldn't look totally like a "man-purse," and this is the one. It's neither too big nor too small; most of the canvas messenger bags are 15" wide and 6" deep, which is more than I want to deal with. This little fella is (for me, anyway) a perfect 12" long x 10" tall x 3.5" deep, but still with plenty of room to carry a couple of books, notebook, pens, etc. The bag also has lots of hidden storage space--a zippered pocket on the back, and a couple of velcro-closed pouches inside. It would work well as a daily book-bag, or as an airline shoulder bag for taking passport, camera, meds, sunglasses, and a clean shirt & socks onboard the plane. As the name implies, it would also make a great a field bag suitable for toting trail maps or guide books, binoculars, snack foods, and a couple of water bottles; or packing home any rocks you might wish to pick up on the hiking trail.The canvas material is not as thick as what you might find on a heavy-duty messenger bag, but it still looks as if it will hold up well. The bag is made of a double-thickness of the sort of canvas material you'd find in a pair of khakis or cargo pants. The material and construction give the bag a kind of floppy appearance, which I think adds to its non-Murse appeal. (If you look at Amazon's picture in the Olive color--which is what I purchased--you will see what I am talking about better than the pictures of the other 2 colors.) The strap is plenty long, when fully extended, to wear across your body without the bag hugging your armpit. The bag also looks as if it will be machine-washable without any great fuss.At the price ($21, including shipping), you can hardly go wrong. I'm looking forward to taking mine to work, on the plane, and on my next hike.