Dana Design : Ti
| Pros | Great looking, highly functional, extremely comfortable |
| Cons | No water bottle pocket, no cell phone pocket, somewhat slouchy when bag is full |
Here's what went in this bag: Dayplanner (analog version), spiralbound notebook, water bottle, lunch, point-and-shoot camera (again, analog), address book, checkbook, wallet, sunglasses w/case, keys, pens, etc.
Finally a great bag that I loved carrying. The Dana Design Ti bag is big but not heavy, sturdy but not bulky, stylish yet highly functional. Its only drawbacks are that it doesn't have pockets for a water bottle or cell phone, and its appearance is somewhat slouchy when the bag is full. Overall, though, the bag rocks, and I would say it's completely street worthy if your job happens to be that of a courier. This bag is ready to go to work.
The bag I carried is bright red with black trim and accents. I loved the look. With an eye toward safety, it has two strips of silver reflective tape running vertically down its front. The bag's construction is excellent. The stitching is strong, the zippers are heavy-duty. The bag is made of a hefty tear-resistant nylon and lined with a tough, water-resistant material.
Except for the absence of pockets for a water bottle and cell phone, the bag has pockets for everything plus some, including a laptop. Finally ó a courier bag with a pocket on the front of the flap that's easy to get to and holds more than a spare key! This bag's front pocket runs the entire length of the front flap (the bag overall is more rectangular than square) and closes with dual zippers. Inside this big flap pocket are two zippered pockets (very nice), a couple other pockets, horizontal slots for your pens (very smart; they stay put nicely) and even a detachable holder for your keys. This last feature is smart. I'm forever trolling the inside of my cluttered bag for my key ring.
The main pocket, also very roomy, is divided in two. The half closest to the wearer is square and padded -- perfect for a laptop. It secures with Velcro, and a nylon strap with a plastic clasp draws across the entire main compartment. There is also another pocket that runs along the outside of the main compartment. It's made of nylon and mesh; it's top doesn't fasten, but its trimmed with elastic and isn't the least bit gappy. I used this pocket for my sunglass case and at various times stuck my wallet or checkbook there.
What impressed me most is the bag's shoulder strap design. It is so clever. The strap is a 2-inch thick length of nylon. It's adjustable from one side with a plastic clasp. Unused strap hangs in a loop beneath the clasp. Free to move along the nylon strap is a shoulder pad about a foot long that is so comfortable it makes carrying even a heavy bag a pleasure. Dana Design gets an A+ for this strap design. The company has managed to make an extremely comfortable, adjustable shoulder strap that isn't bulky. There's also a simple nylon handle sewn in the seam between the back and the top flap for hand carrying.
A really cool feature of the bag is that it has a red flashing safety light built right in to one of the two plastic clasps that secure the front flap. I love this idea; how many times have I ridden at night and my flashing light has fallen off my bag, pants, etc. ó whatever I've had it secured to? The light runs on a watch battery. There is no on/off switch for the light; when the battery is in, the light blinks, when there is no battery, it doesn't. This, along with the reflective strips, gives me confidence in the bag's designers; they are obviously riders.
There are other thoughtful touches: The front flap closes with two sturdy plastic clasps, but a strip of velcro also helps the flap to stay put; the zippers are tagged with sturdy fabric that makes them easy to find and pull; and what's really great is there's a padded waist strap so that you don't have to take the full weight of a loaded bag all on your shoulder. Even with all these pockets and extra features, Dana Design did a great job of keeping all straps and buckles, exterior and interior, to a minimum. There's no extra junk hanging off the bag, and even the waist strap stays neatly against the bag when the strap isn't in use.
Hats off to Dana Design. This bag was obviously designed with the help of someone who has carried a messenger bag and knew exactly what they wanted. With the addition of a water bottle pocket and a cell phone pocket, this will be a top-notch bag with little competition.
Dana Design
19215 Vashon Hwy SW
Vashon, WA 98070
888/357.3262
www.danadesign.com
