15 Inch Vintage Leather Messenger Bag for Men & Women - Genuine Leather Briefcase Laptop Bag with Adjustable Shoulder Strap - Aaron Leather Caramel Brown Satchel - Perfect for Office, Business Travel & College

I'd say my review of this messenger bag is mixed, but with more pluses than minuses.In the plus column, I particularly like the way the top flap opens all the way, allowing easy access to the contents (this was not true with my old bag, which had a zipper across the top and was a hassle to access). l like the number and size of the compartments and the overall bag size--for my purposes (a couple of small books, a memo pad, a tablet, etc.) the compartments are neither too big nor too small--plus the "quickie" outside pocket is very helpful. The spring latches are another good feature--I prefer them to the magnetic latches found on some other bags, because of a concern about the effect of magnets on credit cards and wristwatches. I also appreciate the apparent sturdiness of the bag. And its availability in a number of different colors to suit personal taste and style. Lastly, I think the price of the bag represents a fairly good bargain.In the minus column, first, the top flap doesn't completely cover the main compartment--the ends of the compartment opening tend to stick out beyond the flap, making them rain catchers (the Amazon illustration does not show this). This is my major problem with the bag. Essentially, the flap needs to be about an inch wider on both sides.The second minus is that the parts of the bag tend to be assembled a bit askew. This problem varies from bag to bag on the samples I tried. On a given bag, the straps may not be perpendicular to the flap, one or both straps may be misaligned with the catch on the flap (this means a strap takes longer to secure), the flap may not be parallel to the rest of the bag, the zippered compartment may not be aligned with the back panel, etc. Granted, this problem is usually more aesthetic than practical, but it can make the bag look "off" and, hey, what's wrong with preferring something that looks right? The description says the bag is handmade, which allows for some variation, but does not justify sloppiness. On the other hand, so what if the assembly looks lopsided here and there--this is not a more-or-less perfect Coach bag and it does not have a Coach price tag!The third minus in my view is that the rich color of the leather in the Amazon illustration did not prepare me for its drab look in actuality. I applied some Bick 4 leather conditioner, which does not darken leather, but can heighten the appearance. It helped. Maybe the appearance of the leather will improve with time?In the end, the proof of the bag is in its use. I carried it with me on two cross-country airline trips and found it very satisfactory, except for the problems of rain exposure and strap misalignment as noted above. These problems were annoyances, yes, but I was still better off with the bag than I would have been without it.In sum, this bag was not, for me, a great purchase, but it's still a good one. For what it's worth, my overall assessment is positive, despite some important reservations.