'm a Waterfield addict but I needed a new rollerboard for traveling and timbuk2 seems to have a good one. I got it, and it is a killer carry on bag. It is a clamshell design but since we are not reviewing luggage here, I won't continue. A few here had said they like the Commute messenger 2.0 so I ordered that to match. Nice "ensemble" - as the girls say:
There is one very cool aspect to the luggage - they use professional ball bearing skateboard wheels that can be changed so it rolls across anything and fast if you need to. The bag is balanced for terminal to terminal sprints.
OK, the messenger bag. I really like it, it is not the heavy ballistic like waterfield and I'd give the nod to WF for overall quality. Straps a bit wider, things just a bit sturdier, but this is lighter on your shoulder.
The bag opens up nice and wide for my projector, MBA, iPad, speakers. One thing on sizing their medium size is waterfield's large so their large is...large. This is the medium bag.
They do a better job with more pockets and zippered closures with one caveat - the outside back is slit top and bottom so you can slide it on to the handle of the cockpit roller , waterfield does the same thing except they zip it at the bottom so it can be a pouch. No zip on the T2, things fall straight thru. I'll fix that with velcro and super glue.
And the TSA back works as advertised - the back splits a like a book so you can go thru TSA without taking out your computer.
All in all this is a great combo for about $400 and if you are a road person, this will allow you to be on the road for 10 days and never check a bag.
I only have one beef w/ Timbuk2. I really wanted to discuss if I should get the roller in small or medium and wanted an opin on what really fit in the overhead bin. 3 emails to the proper address (as I got a auto respond) and never an answer whatsoever. Email needs improvement, but nice stuff.
This is the co-pilot roller and commute messenger 2.0
Timbuk2 Bags - Timbuk2