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Briefcase Alternatives: 7 Messenger Bags for Men to Carry This Season

Looking for a new messenger bag? These options will keep you organized and stylish, wherever the day takes you.

by Donna Freydkin
Updated: 
Originally Published: 

A messenger bag is a product of deceptively simple beauty. Unlike the traditional briefcase, messenger bags are built for comfort and convenience, and their crossbody straps and flap closures make them ideal for toting around everything from laptops to your tupperwared lunch. (This is probably why so many diaper bags for dads are now being sold in the messenger style.) You can strap them on and commute anywhere on a bike, though messenger bags — originally designed for speed, durability, and comfort — are ideal for any kind of travel, with handy enclosures that make it easy to toggle between pockets holding laptops, water bottles, and toiletries as you make your way through TSA. And most of all, if you invest in a quality messenger bag, it will last for years — and only get better with age. If you’re looking for a stylish men’s bag to match all your needs, we’ve found seven messenger bags, from leather to canvas to rip-stop nylon, that are worthy of your hard-earned dollars.

Messenger Bags for Men

Filson Unisex Original Briefcase
$245
Peak Design Messenger Bag
$399.93
Timbuk2 Command Messenger Bag
$68
Ernest Alexander Mercer Leather Messenger
$595
Moshi Aerio Messenger Bag
$149.94
Shinola Navigator Leather Messenger Bag

This oiled calfskin-leather messenger bag is sleek and streamlined: It works with everything from business casual to weekend flannel, which is the very spirit of sophistication. The Navigator keeps your stuff secure, has a magnetic closure that makes it easy to get what you need fast, and an adjustable shoulder strap for extra comfort.

$695
Topo Designs Messenger Bag

Planning on braving the elements? Then store your stuff in this Topo Designs messenger bag, which features a truck-tarp liner, waterproof zippers and a top flap. This bag is ready to sustain some serious damage. It's made of 1000-denier rip-stop nylon that can weather whatever you can throw at it. There’s space for a 15-inch laptop, and the bag comes with an adjustable shoulder strap, interior zip and wall pockets. Not to mention, it has a dual-closure system with G hooks, internal water bottle straps, and a small front zippered pocket with key clip.

$159

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