<p>I'm an 18 yo guy getting ready for college and am looking for a nice, durable, high quality bag for college. Throughout high school, I've switched from JanSport bags to LLBean, and recently to messenger bags. I like backpacks, but they can sometimes be too much for me. Plus, in college, I'll be taking 4 classes not 8, with varying textbooks being used at different times of year of varying sizes. I obviously cannot predict the size of my textbooks, or how many I'll need throughout the day, but I expect it would be manageable. I'm taking, just for some kind of background:</p>
<p>-a foreign language class
-an intro class to international affairs (my likely major)
-a gen ed class (im thinking environmental science! or psychology!)
-a gen ed class (some math...i may switch for a literature course.)</p>
<p>I've really liked using a messenger bag this year because it's easy to lug around and I really didn't use too many text books this year for whatever reason. In a way, messenger bags have grown on me, and something tells me that a messenger bag would be particularly good for a laptop. Here's what I'm planning on having in my bag:</p>
<p>-laptop
-3-4 books?
-a notebook
-pens, pencils, etc.</p>
<p>So...What is a good messenger bag that can hold these things comfortably? I don't mind going for a back pack either, as long is it is comfortable, durable, and as tragically hip as a messenger bag (hah)</p>
<p>Get one that spreads weight evenly, and settles in the small of your back. It's not exactly a focal point of fashion, and generally nobody cares. Comfort is what matters, followed by storage room.</p>
<p>I can't imagine you'll be brining 3-4 textbooks to your classes. I would say 0 to 2. You'll only be carrying around that many if you have several classes in a row and don't anticipate returning to your dorm between them.</p>
<p>You also may not decide to bring a laptop to your classes. It's often annoyingly heavy when a notebook and pen will do.</p>
<p>Anyway... I have a "mini metro" chrome bag that's perfect for fitting as much as I want in it and looks pretty darn nice, too.</p>
<p>I know that the only reason I had to have a school bag was because I'd like to carry my calculator to classes, otherwise I woulda just grabbed one notebook. Of course one summer I took 5 classes and had to textbooks and notebooks for 3 classes on some days, so from that, I'd suggest you get something that isn't a messenger bag, something that evenly distributes the weight.</p>
<p>Of course, it doesn't sound like you'll be strapped for time between classes, so maybe keep around your old messenger bag for when you don't need alot. You'll eventually stop bringing your laptop to classes, as its not really needed, unless you take better notes on it(I prefer paper).</p>
<p>Marc Jacobs seems awfully expensive...And I'm not into the leather. I frankly don't need anything that expensive when I can get something just as effective for a fraction of the price.</p>
<p>LeSportsac and Chrome look good. Lots of space and stuff. I just don't understand why LeSportsac is priced the way it is...</p>
<p>Figures that bannana_girl would suggest Marc Jacobs. There's no sense in splurging for a backpack. I can understand purses or handbags, but this is something you'll be toting around with you to class, not parties.</p>
<p>My son has a Swissgear Maxuum backpack. It carries a lot of stuff and can take a lot of books. It's designed as a laptop bag but he never brings his laptop to class. He usually carries the laptop (MacBook Pro) in an Eagle Creek sleeve or in a free mini-backpack that we got as a freebie from Barnes and Noble. I don't really like the idea of carrying a lot of heavy books with a backpack as you have a lot of weight on your laptop if you ever lay it down on the back. Backpacks usually provide protection, in the form of a suspension system or shock absorber assuming that it may drop on the bottom.</p>
<p>The Swissgear backpacks provide a lot of comfort and convenience features.</p>
<p>Keep in mind that messenger bags weigh pretty heavily one your shoulder once you get more than one or two textbooks or a laptop in there. Get one with padding attached to the strap and one that sits comfortably. My biggest thing is getting one that you can switch from one shoulder to another with because one shoulder gets tired quickly.</p>
<p>BCEagle91, that back pack you mention is the one I've used for the majority of high school (with the exception of this year.) I liked it a lot, and it certainly held a lot of stuff.</p>
<p>I bought my kids Timbuktu messenger bags two years ago and they both still look brand new. My daughter got hers for Christmas her senior year in College and now uses it as a teacher in China. My son was a rising senior in HS and started using his in College. I like how the messenger bags look. My daughter didn't have a laptop until she graduated from College but now does carry her macbook around with her in the bag. Timbuk2</a> Bags - Timbuk2</p>
<p>Perhaps you could arrange your schedule so that you have a break that gives you enough time to drop off one set of books at your dorm and pick up another set so that you don't have to carry everything around during the day.</p>
<p>The availability of lockers near the classrooms can help too.</p>
<p>One thing my son has complained about is the logistics of college. You have to be in certain places at certain times and then work the rest of your life around those. You have to take care of food, laundry, cleaning, showering, studying, study groups, extracurriculars, etc. If you do a poor job of logistics, it can feel like you're wasting a lot of time or missing opportunities. Planning your schedule in advance allows you some control over your schedule and the ability to make logistics work a bit more in your favor. I've explained to him that the real world is like this too. Only the distances are greater.</p>
<p>For his freshman year, his schedule didn't have more than two classes in a row where he couldn't stop off at his apartment in a comfortable amount of time. The fall is scheduled similarly. He generally has time for a lunch break or he can use that time to visit professors if he needs to talk about any class issues.</p>
<p>I second the recommendation for Timbuk2. I've got a medium classic messenger that I use to carry a Macbook Pro, large notebook, textbook or two, and other random stuff. It's pretty comfortable, even when almost full, waterproof, and durable.</p>
<p>My son has the SwissGear bag too. I don't know how much he carried the laptop around at school, but the backpack was excellent for transporting the laptop, hard drives, peripherals, etc. to and from college by plane.</p>
<p>Samsonite, swissgear, oakley, are all really good bags that my brother has used. He carries the whole load with him, and his laptop could be secured inside the bags, as they have a lot of straps. There is also really good padding for the shoulders, and airflow, and back support.
The other one that he uses is the clive bags, which I have to say are amazing! Some models even allow a skateboard strap, which is really useful.</p>
<p>i personally got a kenneth cole new york bag that's enormous and has always fit my stuff. i've had it for two years now and it holds all my stuff and still looks like new. i'm a firm believer in investing in something of good quality. it lasts longer and looks good while it lasts as well.
...but yeah, it doesn't hold my laptop AND books! you'd need one of those silly roller suitcase/bookbag things for that. count on having two separate bags for laptop and books, if you really want to lug your laptop around.</p>