My day to day laptop bag is overloaded and heavy. I need something that will fit just the essentials for a quick trip to the coffee shop or a few days at a conference. That was the problem statement that led to the 2009 bag-off contest that compared 5 different bags in an attempt to find the best performing small messenger bag.
The bags tested included:
- Vaja Messenger
- Timbuk2 Blogger
- Pacific Outdoor Juneau
- Tom Bihn Cafe bag
- Waterfield Muzetto
The Muzetto was the clear winner as it had the right combination of style and functionality coupled with superior construction. Here’s why:
Style – The Muzetto was one of two leather bags tested, the other being a Vaja Messenger case. The Vaja Messenger was disliked from the beginning as it arrived in a color that can only be described as crap brown. I was embarrassed to carry the Vaja around given the color and found the leather to be too soft. I’m a huge fan of Vaja cases and their my case of choice for my iPods, but their messenger bags leave a lot to be desired.
The Muzetto on the other had was very stylish and the exterior leather had the feel or quality of a good bomber jacket. The kind of leather that will wear for years and for which scuffing will only add to the character of the bag. It was also a vertical style messenger (as opposed to the Vaja horizontal) that gave it a much more compact feel and was less of a burden to carry. I found myself using the Muzetto with a variety of dress-codes and it fit in every time, though I think its best impact is as a casual bag.
Functionality - The Muzetto bag was also very functional. While it lacked the cubic storage of several other bags (namely the Timbuk2 and Vaja) that was primarily a positive thing. I was looking for bag that would hold the essentials (a laptop, charger, MiFi, iPhone and a few other accessories). The Muzetto bag carried that load perfectly, which was the whole point. If I wanted a lot of space, I should simply take my laptop bag, but if I was going to be on the run or spend the day on my feet at a conference I wanted just my mobility essentials.
I’ll admit there were times I wished the Muzetto was just a bit deeper. For example, once I got the laptop and essentials in, I found getting my headphones (large Dre Beats) into the bag was a challenge. Another two inches of depth would probably have made the dimensions on this bag just about perfect.
The contents of the bag were very easy to access and the neoprene-type material that the phone/iPod pockets are made out of were one of my favorite features. Since I carry my iPhone without a case, I often worried dropping it in the pockets of the other bags. In most of them, no padding was present and in some instances it seemed like the roughness of the pocket seams alone would be enough to scratch and scuff my favorite electronics. The Muzetto pockets on the other hand are soft and have just the right amount of padding. It is almost as if the pockets themselves are the perfect case for your cell phone or iPod. I never worried about my phone getting damaged or scuffed and found that when carrying the Muzetto I tended to store my iPhone in the bag instead of my pocket. Yeah, for less things in my pockets, so a clear win.
It was also easy to adjust the straps and get the Muzetto in a comfortable carry position. While I might prefer detachable straps, the built in straps worked well.
From a functionality perspective there are three improvements I would make if I were designing this bag:
1) Make it two inches deeper
2) Put a small carry handle on the top of the bag (to make it easier to place and grab in the trunk)
3) Use magnets to keep the flap from, well, flapping around in the wind.
Overall, this was the most functional bag of all and it became my “go to” bag for a variety of things.
Build Quality – Waterfield designs makes quality bags and the Muzetto is no exception. My Waterfield messenger has traveled the world and has been exposed to some pretty rough situations and in over 6 years I have never had a quality issue. No popped seams, no broken zippers, etc. In fact, it is the only bag that has been problem free after so much use. Even my indestructible Haliburton cases have broken down after years of travel.
I dragged the Muzetto with me to conferences, threw it in the car for family trips, and used it for day to day carry. It is no worse for the wear and is holding up as expected. I would fully expect to get a decade of use out of this bag and perhaps more. Sure, the leather will get dinged and dented, but that only adds to the character. Show me a leather bag that isn’t dinged up and I’ll show you a bag that hasn’t been put through the paces.
In the end, the Muzetto beat out a pretty strong pool of candidates and the ultimate testimonial is the fact that I’m still using it and expect to keep using it as my day trip/light load bag of choice.
You can purchase your own Muzetto bag here.
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