I often agonize over bag sizes. Part of me always wants to go bigger, just in case. But then I end up with messenger bags and backpacks that feel too bulky to carry around every day. If I opt for the smaller one, it’s often too small to fit the things I need and ends up overstuffed. The item I often carry with me that seems to complicate this issue is the 11-inch iPad Pro. It’s light but rigid, and in small bags it can feel like carrying around a plank of wood flapping against your leg. Smaller bags can also be too narrow, making it a tight fit for any other items you want to carry. WaterField’s Shinjuku Messenger aims to solve some of these problems with a design purpose-built for the iPad.
Everyday Carrying
Coming out of the box, it seemed way too small. There was no way this one was going to comfortably fit my iPad, water bottle, chargers, and other stuff. It seemed doomed to be one of the tiny messengers that couldn’t quite cut it.
Until I started putting stuff inside. The iPad slipped into the padded tablet sleeve with ease, a narrow water bottle fit comfortably at the bottom of the main pocket. The other inward-facing pockets were spacious and expanded a bit as I put in a charger, my wallet, a pair of earbuds, and a sunglasses case. There was room for everything, and the bag wasn’t even filled to capacity. Its exterior shape still felt soft and pliable, not taut and filled to the brim the way an overloaded messenger can feel. Flipping open the lid, everything was within view, and every item was reachable without moving anything—a must for any bag as far as I’m concerned.