From bike commutes to airline routes – Review of the Patagonia Half Mass Bag
For those minimalists who want to transport their gear in style. The Patagonia Half Mass bag is very light given the amount of goods you can carry in it. It is surprisingly hard to find a great commuter bag, but this one comes very close. It is a great size for carrying a latptop, a couple of books, jacket, extra layers, lunch and coffee mug. Very comfortable to wear, and the carry handle option is great to have. Handy computer sleeve, tons of little storage pockets for odds and ends.
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Features
The Half Mass is made of 8.4-oz 600-denier 100% recycled polyester with a polyurethane coating and a DWR (durable water repellent) finish, the bag is eco-friendly and very water repellant.
The bag is loaded with compartments and pockets that make it very easy to organize your gear. For compartments, it is one of the best messenger bags out there.
On the external part of the bag, there is a front flap zip, a side water bottle holder that is elasticized so your bottle won’t fall out, even while riding. Internal pockets include one front mesh, one front slot, one front padded electronic and one under-flap divided catch.
One thing I really love about this bag is how easy it is to organize everything in it. There is a large pocket in the back, a zippered pocked out front, two compression straps, and when you open up the main flap there is a padded laptop compartment inside. Can easily fit a 15″ laptop with room to spare.
The Half Mass bag comes with a stowaway waist strap for extra stability while riding. Note that the front flap has no velcro, so when make sure that you buckle it up when heading out. It does make it a little tedious, since other bags you can just close it and go if they have very sturdy velcro, but on the other hand it’s nice not to have it because it makes the bag more bulky. The bag does suffer from lack of durability compared to other bags, and lack of velcro is one of the factors.
On the interior I can keep my iPad and a couple notebooks, power cord and cable with room to spare. Great compartments for cords, business cards, wallet, pens/pencils, flash drives and all the other work essentials. Great for riding to work as the extra strap is good for keeping it on your back, not to mention the reflective strip keeps you safe and visible.
The bag is very office-commuter friendly. It comes with a number of carrying options: there is a handle on top, a padded cross body strap to wear in the conventional “messenger” style, and a removable waist strap that will allow the bag to stay in place.
Materials
The exterior 100% recycled polyester, 600 denier, with Deluge DWR coating, and the lining is 200 denier polyester. Patagonia states that they recycle used soda bottles, unusable second quality fabrics and worn out garments into polyester fibers to produce many of their clothes and bags.
Pros and Cons
Things we liked
- Great size, lightweight
- This bag comes in a wide variety of colours, and the inside and outside are complementing colours
- Love the inside compartments, great storage, and the outside stretchy pocket for your waterbottle or beverage
- Love the fact that it’s made from recycled polyester
- Very friendly overall commuter bag, with multiple carrying options
Things we didn’t like. A few disadvantages
- Once the padded shoulder strap gets wet, it stays wet, and takes a long time to dry compared to the rest of the bag
- Not the most durable bag out there, many other bags are much more durable and waterproof
- Laptop sleeve is bulky and awkward
Dimensions and Specifications
Dimensions: 16″ x 13″ x 5″ (inches)
Volume: The bag is 1343 cubic inches in volume or 20 Liters
Weight: 822 g (1 lb 13 oz)
Where to Buy the Patagonia Half Mass Bag
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Looking for other messenger bags from Patagonia? Check out the full selection of Patagonia bags or look at other messenger bag brands.
