The 5 Best Messenger Bags for a Daily Commute in 2020

The best leather messenger bags offer a practical way to manage what you require for work without being cumbersome. This design features a combination of pockets and compartments to make it easy to carry documents, laptops, mobile devices, and more safely and securely whilst travelling through the raucous trains and stations for your daily commute.

Choosing leather over canvas or fabric for a messenger bag can offer you several advantages. Aside from lasting for a long time with proper care, the material provides a timeless style that matches a professional wardrobe. It breathes well without compromising the support and care it provides to what you carry to work each day.

Leather is sturdy, but it is also flexible. A new leather messenger bag should literally mould to your lifestyle and methods of use.

When shopping for the best leather messenger bags available in today’s marketplace, five generic types or styles are available to meet your daily needs.

Types of Messenger Bags to Consider for Your Travel Needs

It is vital to remember that there is a difference between “cheap” and “affordable” when shopping for leather messenger bags. Most luxury brands charge more because of the name that appears on the bag, while niche providers offer similar and often even better quality and experience at a fraction of the cost. Consider that when you spend thousands on a single product, then you’re paying more for the brand than the product. If you need something for daily use, then a well-constructed functional item is a better item to consider.

Keep that in mind as you review the best types of messenger bag designs that work well for a daily commute.

1. Vertical Messenger Bags

These messenger bags provide about 25% of the storage capacity of a traditional design. It’s intended to serve as a compact way to manage small items, such as a wallet, smartphone, or similar essentials. The largest versions that are available today have enough space for two devices or a single 10-inch tablet.

Look for options that offer durability and weather-resistance to get the most value possible for this investment. The messenger bag should be thick and supportive and feel roomy without being flimsy. Think of it as an upgrade from the fanny pack.

Consider the Chiarugi black and brown vertical messenger bag from Forzieri as a top option in this category.

2. Briefcase Messenger Bags

This leather messenger bag design offers traditional styling and shape while working as a shoulder laptop bag. This design features this option by focusing on the strengths that are needed for daily use. It starts with a handmade leather exterior, leading to an interior lined with soft-touch suede. It gives users an experience of vintage style while benefitting from modern design.

The best designs feature top-grain leather so that the look and feel of the briefcase messenger bag only get better over time. It should contain multiple layers of compartments, extra storage with an external zip pocket, and black chrome hardware. A reinforced leather shoulder strap ensures durability without compromising on comfort.

An excellent example of this messenger bag is The Kingshood Messenger from Illicium London.

3. Travel Messenger Bags

A travel messenger bag has a little more room carrying plenty of materials between work and home each day. The goal of this design is to enable individuals to take whatever is necessary for an extended journey without needing to bring a suitcase. There should be enough space for a large laptop, a tablet, and a week’s worth of clothing with this option.

Even though the storage room is plentiful with this style, the best models still lay flat when carrying them. It should offer an excellent mix of form and function, with some brands including a swivel clasp for the shoulder strap to avoid having it twist up as one goes about their commute.

Try the Nightflight, available from Montblanc, on for size with this option.

4. Convertible Messenger Bags

This design option offers a combination of a backpack with a messenger bag to provide some extra versatility. It typically features more external pockets then internal places for storage, which means the design shifts ease-of-access with a lower level of protection for individual items. Although leather is available from some brands with this selection, most of the available products get made with canvas.

The one advantage to consider with a convertible bag is its attachment qualities to other luggage. It is helpful to have this design around when long-distance commuting or extended business trips are part of the usual routine.

Think about using the Traveler Messenger Bag from Lusso Leather to satisfy any needs here.

5. Tactical Messenger Bags

Messenger bags that adopt a tactical design feature lots of places to clip items that anyone might need during the day. It holds up to heavy-duty use while providing several internal and external storage options. Most designs feature Velcro components extensively while using rip-stop nylon, canvas, or high-quality cotton materials to create a weather-resistant design – although a few leather options are available on occasion.

This approach to a messenger bag works well for those who need a lot of flexibility with their career responsibilities. It can carry everything from a first aid kit to flash drives without feeling overweight or bulky. The best products in this category should be double-stitched at each seam to ensure its durability.

The best option for a tactical messenger back is the Hazard 4 Defense model, available at Cabela’s.

The Verdict: Benefits of Choosing a Vintage Leather Bag for a Daily Commute

There might be several messenger bag designs available in today’s marketplace, but the vintage design is what offers the most flexibility. Items that use this approach provide lightweight support crafted from the finest top-grain leather available today.

The Kingsman messenger bag by Illicium London was created with precisely these considerations in mind and is why it is our bag of choice.

On top of the ideal design offered by the briefcase messenger, when you order The Kingsman Messenger from Illicium London, you have the opportunity to turn this investment into a custom product. You can choose to add a touch of identity by adding leather initial embossing to your new leather messenger bag. You can choose from gold, silver, or clear lettering with a handful of placement options for that extra bit of perfection.

Illicium London employs an in-house artist who can add further custom touches to The Kingsman by using an existing design or one of your own to create a one-of-a-kind leather messenger bag.

Hauling items to and from work is already a challenging daily event. Turning this need into a luxurious experience adds a measure of safety to the daily routine. The best messenger bags provide the space needed to bring everything along without disrupting individual comfort. It is an investment that makes life more comfortable and enjoyable, no matter what design you prefer.