I have a messenger bag from another manufacturer, and I've been through a lot with it, and it's still in fine shape. But it's likely never to see the outside of the closet again now that I have this bag and the rainbow buckle. Also, it's huge and this 15L is a great size, objectively and in comparison to the old one.

The padded pocket is not large enough to accept a 16" MacBook - as advertised. That's fine, I'm getting a14" next year, and the 16" MacBook does fit in the larger, unpadded pocket. I am crazy about the fact that the pocket flaps are held in place by magnets and not velcro - I'm so tired of the sound of velcro and these are a very welcome change of pace.

I've used this bag a total of four times in a week - pretty light usage. But on every day it was raining pretty hard, and I don't know that I would have trusted my old bag with a MacBook, a work PC (in the padded pocket), an iPad (yes, I carry three devices) and mess of chargers and cables in that battering rain. On arrival, everything was as dry as a thing that is typically very dry indeed. I want to say desert. So yeah, as dry as a desert.

10/10 would buy again. And don't sleep on the contrast between bag and buckle - my barista said it was "quite something" when I asked her what she thought. Frankly, I was hoping for more from her for this review, but here we are.