GOOTIUM Canvas Messenger Bag - Vintage Cross Body Shoulder Satchel

I've been using this bag daily for over 6 months and am very happy with it. I waited to write this review so I could report on any problems that might not come up with use but there are none. Even a badly leaking water bottle doesn't seem to have caused any damage. It's big enough for everything I need to carry each day and that's a lot: a folding umbrella, power bank & cable, spare face masks, hand sanitiser and other personal care items, water bottle (in the main compartment as the outside pockets won't hold it), and more. Even with all the junk I insist on carrying every day there's still room for a few groceries or other shopping that I might do while out and about. I sometimes carry books in it too and it handles all that weight just fine. The pockets make it easy to find my wallet, phone, keys, ear buds and so on without having to dig around in the main compartment. I've sometimes loaded the bag so full that the flap won't close, it still folds over but won't reach all the way to the velcro fasteners. This isn't a problem as long as I keep the bag upright when I put it down so things can't spill out. When it's that full it more or less stands up by itself anyway but I might have to lean it against a wall or a piece of furniture. It easily fits under the seat when flying, I load it up with extra food and books, anything I might want quick access to while seated. Airlines treat it as a personal item (as they would a briefcase or handbag) so I can take it plus a full-sized carry-on. The main compartment, the largest internal pocket, and the large outside compartment (on the outside of the flap) all close with zippers which is very handy, mainly to stop anything falling out but also to deter pickpockets as I am sometimes in areas where they are known to operate. The outside phone pocket also has a zip but my phone is a larger model that won't fit so I don't use that pocket. I guess most phones would fit. The end pockets and one of the internal pockets are also too small for me. I knew this from other reviews so it didn't bother me. Even without using them the bag still has enough pockets to organise my stuff so I am giving it 5 stars even though I would prefer a bag where all the pockets can be used. In the past I had trouble with a bag where the lining came unstitched, allowing small items to get between the lining and the outer shell making it hard to find them. So far this bag is fine but even if the lining were to come loose, I have enough pockets for all the smaller stuff I carry so I can still find them easily. But I don't expect this problem as this bag seems to be much better made. I'm very glad I bought this bag and expect to keep using it for years to come. Read more

This is a useful bag, very well sewn, stylish, durable, with useful pockets, zippered & it is a total delight. I have no complaints except for the manner it was shipped--in the original plastic by the manufacturer with not even a secondary 2 cent plastic mailer to give this extra protection. I was going to give my sender's feedback when I noticed it was Amazon. Box not necessary. Use a cheap mailer, gee wiz! I was not happy with the mailing & no place to complain. Read more

Lots to like about this bag: Soft canvas look is perfect for me. Has an aged look from day one. Zippers. Smooth action. Completely consistent. Always a concern in a non-expensive bag, but no issues. Strap isn't padded, but at two inches wide and pretty soft it's perfectly comfortable. Velcro. I really wanted magnetic closure, and I hate aggressive/loud Velcro, so this was a concern. but this Velcro is mellow, and the perpendicular orientation makes it both easy to attach and more quiet. It basically just keeps the flap closed, which is exactly what I wanted. Plenty of pockets: Zipper pocket on front flap is large enough for a 10.5" iPad with room to spare; rear zipper pocket holds an iPhone XR in a slim case; two pockets under the flap are roomy, but do not have closures; pockets on both ends of bag have nice magnetic snap closures, but are kind of skinny. Good for cables though, or pens/pencils, and an iPhone 6 in slim case fits perfectly; the main compartment zips closed, and is seriously roomy, with another smaller zipped pocket, and two open pockets. How much can it hold? A lot. I just grabbed stuff that was close by and loaded it up. See 5th photo - a very large sweater, iPad, tech pouch, sunglasses, wallet, AirPods, iPhone XR in bulky case, electric razor, cables and a camera. And more would've fit, easily a 20oz water bottle and a bunch more little odds and ends. It would also work as an overnight bag, with a change of clothes and some toiletries. Or a school bag. First pic shows the bag with all that inside. It doesn't hold it's shape when loaded up, but that's a trade-off with the soft canvas. One minor con for me is the size. I'll likely underfill this thing almost all of the time. A couple of inches less wide would be ideal, but I'm really quibbling with that. Quality. Appears very good, though I guess time will tell. Second photo shows seams and strap rings and whatnot. Appearance is a bit ragged, but I think that is an intentional style choice. And if not, it works anyway. One downside here is color. I was hoping for a lighter khaki based on product shots. What I got is a few shades darker. My pics look different from one to the next, but to me the 4th one most closely matches the bag. This would be a five star review if the color was more as expected, or if those big pockets under the main flap had closures. I'm being tough though, and scraping a half of a star off, but that's not an option, so four it is. Read more

Great bag! Holds my laptop, books, and all my daily carry in style. Read more

I admit that this review may not be catered to the audience that is usually prone to buy this bag, that being middle aged men but I still wanna help my artsy gurls. So I've been looking for the perfect messenger bag that doesn't look like, well a middle aged man bag... anyways, so when I saw this bag I gasped because hallelujah my wishes have been answered. So without a second thought I clicked "proceed to checkout" and as I was waiting for "my precious" (lotr reference hehe) to be delivered I was having multiple doubts but all those doubts vanished when the bag was in my hand because WOW! The bag was the perfect dark olive brown color and there were many zippers and pockets! And yes the side pockets are very small but those are for show and I appreciate it. Regardless, the material itself is thick, hefty, and seems high quality. The bag itself is light weight but large enough to store almost anything in. However, I wish the company added a shoulder rest to the strap of the bag because as someone who has to carry my laptop in the bag everyday it gets uneasy. Read more