mfad•3y ago

Handheld School Bag Recommendations

Hi,

I'm looking for a handheld school bag that will fit my laptop (Thinkpad), a notebook, and a few folders. Budget is sub $200. I found this very affordable Jansport backpack that can be hand held tho i'm not sure if it makes sense styling wise: https://www.alumniofny.com/collections/bag/products/signature-srs-right-pack-black

Thank you for any help!

Alumni of NY

Signature SRS Right Pack 'Black'

A premium boutique with locations in Crown Heights, Flatbush and Flushing NYC.

Carney•12/12/23, 2:06 AM

do you mean like more of a briefcase or tote style of bag?

BenjiOP•12/12/23, 2:08 AM

sortve like a briefcase i think though anything that has well closed compartments for what i'm carrying would work

Carney•12/12/23, 2:16 AM

hmm herschel, bellroy, topo designs, rains, timbuk2 will probably have some decent options in that range

BenjiOP•12/12/23, 2:18 AM

thank you!

Carney•12/12/23, 2:20 AM

yw!

BenjiOP•12/12/23, 3:28 AM

ok so herschel doesn't really have what i'm looking for. checking the other 3 now

BenjiOP•12/12/23, 3:29 AM

bellroy does but it's in the upper end of my price range

BenjiOP•12/12/23, 3:42 AM

actually a bag I use a lot is a manhattan portage messenger bag that was handed down to me but it's too small for a laptop. let me see how much a larger one is

BenjiOP•12/12/23, 3:44 AM

https://www.manhattanportage.com/view-all/messenger-p-85

NY Messenger Bag (LG)

The NY Messenger Bag is great to use as an alternative to a school bag or traveling bag. Perfect for hauling heavy loads and large items.

BenjiOP•12/12/23, 3:44 AM

a bit duffelly but i feel like it's a good option

BenjiOP•12/12/23, 3:53 AM

https://www.manhattanportage.com/convertible-laptop-p-377

Convertible Laptop Bag (15 in.)

The perfect commuting companion for the minimalist businessperson. The 1000D CORDURAregistered_trademark Classic fabric exterior protects your laptop from the elements and houses padding for extra protection. The zippered front pocket keeps small necessities safe while the back pocket is the perfect spot for a newspaper or magazine. Use the...

BenjiOP•12/12/23, 3:53 AM

ooh this one looks good

BenjiOP•12/12/23, 3:58 AM

should i do the smaller size or the larger size? the smaller one fits up to 13" laptops and the larger one up to 15.4" and my laptop is 13"

BenjiOP•12/12/23, 3:59 AM

i feel like the laptop will jostle around less in the smaller bag if that makes sense?

BenjiOP•12/12/23, 4:11 AM

actually it's 14" so i'll have to get the 16" one

youngblood•12/12/23, 4:36 AM

not a fan of the portage color/material, idk it's neither leaning into the sports/tech of a messenger bag nor as nice or interesting as a leather briefcase might be.

youngblood•12/12/23, 4:36 AM

and that laptop bag looks mad slim for other things

BenjiOP•12/12/23, 4:40 AM

ooh my dad found his old leather briefcase for me, it's perfect

BenjiOP•12/12/23, 4:40 AM

sortve padded inside and a comfortable leather handle

BenjiOP•12/12/23, 4:46 AM

lol it's vintage but the leather quality isn't great

BenjiOP•12/12/23, 5:20 AM

my dad has a nicer briefcase too but he didn't offer that one lol

BBenji lol it's vintage but the leather quality isn't great 😂

Nacho; Savotta cultist•12/12/23, 9:46 AM

you can always restore the leather with conditioner

Nacho; Savotta cultist•12/12/23, 9:47 AM

vintage leather briefcases look great!

Nacho; Savotta cultist•12/12/23, 9:47 AM

Sal•12/12/23, 3:13 PM

There are some very simple and elegant old designer briefcases out there too if you're willing to search a bit and spend toward the upper end of your range

Sal•12/12/23, 3:13 PM

These two are both cdg

Carney•12/12/23, 4:19 PM

Ahh I specifically mentioned those brands using the Jansport as the reference. Lot more options if you're interested in leather and also more vintage looking stuff