The Herschel Sandford Laptop Messenger Bag is handy bag. It’s missing a couple of features but the overall functionality of the bag overshadows the shortcomings. For me personally, I really enjoy using the larger handles on the bag and the ability to turn it into a backpack means that I don’t have to bag swap on the days that I decide to bike to work.
The Herschel Sandford Laptop Messenger Bag’s laptop compartment isn’t as snug as other bags so your laptop will move around a small amount. There is a clip to secure it a bit more but ii could be better. The one thing that may get annoying overtime is how the laptop will catch the top of the bag as you remove it.
Herschel Sandford Laptop Messenger Bag is made from polyester and despite looking it would be quite water resistant, Herschel Sandford Laptop Messenger Bag absorbs water like a towel. The material is lined with a layer of plastic so moisture might not reach the inside of the bag but it’s still unnerving to see the bag absorb water better than most microfibre cloths.
Unlike the average laptop bag, the Sandford line of bags has a variety of different colors and designs.
When it comes to storage capacity, we were able to haul around all my large items plus a small tripod not in the main compartment. This might not be a big deal for some people but being able to easily carry a compact tripod without having to worry about it being banged around by other things is quite handy. Also, the design of the bag also allows it to stand on its own which is going to prevent your laptop filled bag from flopping over unexpectedly.
The only thing we wished the Herschel Sandford Laptop Messenger Bag had was a slot for a tablet. Having an iPad Pro bounce around with the other contents in the bag is mildly unnerving. There are three zippered compartments with only one zippered compartment being inside the bag. Overall, the bag had enough slots to hold a moderate amount of object.
The only other thing we struggled with was carrying sheets of paper. We still use paper copies of our scripts when creating these reviews and the scripts will end up flopping down to the bottom of the bag and get mangled after a day. If this sounds like a problem you’d like to avoid, make sure have a stiff portfolio to protect the paper.
The large handles are just so handy. The average laptop bag usually has a handle but it’s buried behind the bag and is hard to use. It feels very clumsy moving the bag from one spot to another using the handle. That’s not the case for the Herschel Sandford Laptop Messenger Bag. The handles might get in the way every once in a while but being able to carry my laptop around without fear of the bag tipping over is quite nice.
The other standout feature is the ability to wear the Herschel Sandford Laptop Messenger Bag is a backpack. There are two thing straps that are hidden behind the luggage pouch and can be hidden if need be. The backpack functionality isn’t built for long term use but was generally comfortable enough to use for my 20 min bike commutes to work.