Traditionally, the typical business bag would have been a rigid leather briefcase, portfolio, satchels or attaché case. Things have changed and you just have to go to Canary Wharf or Wall Street to realise that more and more people are carrying Leather Messenger Bags. They have always been popular with trendy students, designers and the fashion conscious, but they are now becoming increasingly popular with other professionals and city slickers. Some people call the leather messenger bag a leather man bag or manbag but whatever you call it, one thing is for sure, The Messenger Bag is the new business bag.

They are ergonomically designed with wide shoulder straps that allow the bag to sit comfortably over the shoulder or across the body. As Messenger Bags are softer then the traditional rigid business bag, they can sit close to the body and don’t poke people, which is useful when standing too close for comfort to other passengers in over packed trains and tubes. Messenger bags are very practical, having lots of compartments, some with padded areas for laptops, having easy openings to allow easy access.

There are a large variety of very well designed messenger bags out there. Designers have used a variety of materials, such as heavy duty canvas, nylons and leather. The latter, leather, seems to be the favourite with designers and consumers alike. Leather messenger bags which are laptop compatible allow people to discretely carry their valuable laptops and not catch the eyes of would be muggers, who are always on the look out for the omnipresent black nylon laptop case.

How do you find the right leather messenger bag for you ?

Functional : You should ask yourself, what is the purpose of the bag ? Are you planning to carry a laptop or, are you just using it to carry a newspaper, a folder and notepads ? Practical messengers bags should have lots of pockets and compartments to carry keys, coins, iPods and your mobile. If you are planning to carry a laptop, then look for a bag that has a padded laptop compartment or use a laptop sleeve. A padded laptop compartment or laptop sleeve will provide the necessary protection to your valuable laptop and will prevent your messenger bag from getting damaged.

Material : Messenger bags come in a variety of materials including, but not limited to leather, thick canvas or nylons. There is a huge variety in finishes of materials giving the bag a look ranging from rugged and worn, to a modern slick looking bag. Leather has the additional advantage that it ages very well and typically, the more it is used, the better it looks.

Design : There is a huge of variety of leather messengers out there catering for every taste. Rugged or Urban messenger bags are a favourite with many. Several of the well known brands are using antique leathers in a large range of colours.