If you want to crush your shoulder, and at the same time have all your gear and gadgets within easy reach, then a messenger bag is the way to go. Less formal than a briefcase, and less sporty than a backpack, a messenger bag is stylish and practical. And Pad & Quill’s Attache messenger bag is more stylish and practical than most. It’s a hand-stitched leather beauty which can swallow most of your Mac and iOS devices and accessories.
Pad & Quill Attache messenger bag
Photo: Pad & Quill
The spec list of the Attache messenger bag is impressive — unbreakable solid forged nickel and copper hardware; American full-grain bridle leather — that kind of thing. Usually you can ignore that kind of nonsense, but in the case of Pad & Quill the promises are backed up by a 25-year guarantee. If you’ve ever used P&Q gear, you’ll know that it’ll easily last 25 years, and probably look a lot better when it reaches that age than it does when new, thanks to the George Clooney effect.
The downside of this ultra-tough construction is that the bags weigh a lot, even when empty. I’ve tested a number of these bags over the years, and they all have two things in common: They’re amazingly well-built, and they’re heavy. The two of those go together though, especially when using leather. This one weighs in at five pounds, which is a bag of potatoes.
It carries everything
Photo: Pad & Quill
The Attache messenger bag has purpose-made sections for a 15-inch MacBook (or other notebook), a 10.5-inch iPad, plus several internal and external pockets for cables, chargers, phones, AirPods, and so on. The shoulder strap is detachable, and there’s a regular handle on the back. Finally, the lining is orange, so you can find small items that have gone adrift inside.
If you’re not into the shoulder-crushing style of a messenger bag, there are other equally-tough well-made options. You can go for one of P&Q’s backpacks, for example, which offer similar style and features, only they’re more comfortable to carry. They’re also a bit cheaper than the Attache, which will cost you almost $500.
Price: $495
Buy from: Pad & Quill
