I purchased the Belkin 15″ Messenger Bag because I thought it looked nice and because I prefer messenger style bags in general over briefcase or backpack designs. I find the Belkin bag to be a really good value, but I do have some nitpicks.

First, I have a Dell 15.4″ laptop with a 9-cell battery. The 9-cell protrudes out from the back of the laptop and adds about an inch to the depth. It does fit in the Belkin case okay. However, because the padded compartment for the laptop rests slightly under the main zipper, I’m paranoid that the zipper teeth will scratch the laptop. I live with it by putting the bottom of the laptop towards the back of the case. I’m able to throw my AC adapter in along with it and it’s somewhat of a snug fit.

Inside, there are 2 pen pockets, 2 card pockets, and 2 larger general pockets. There is also one smaller zippered pocket that runs along the top of the case, which looks large enough to put cables in. Oddly, the outside has one large zippered pocket that does not go through the inside of the case at all. The headphone passthrough can only be accessed from the zippered OUTSIDE pocket. This means you can only put your audio player in the outside pocket, which offers less protection for your god-knows-how-expensive music player.

Though the zippers work well and have a nice plastic colored pulls that matches the case, I wish the material was less slippery. A rubber coated one may have made zipping and unzipping a bit easier. Also, I wish that the strap were attached to 360 degree moving hinges and that it were removable.

All in all, it’s a decent bag for the money. It’s no Tumi bag, but of course the Belkin costs hundreds less.

This is a great bag if all you need to carry is your laptop and few other small items. I am using it for a 15.4″ MacBook Pro, a second generation iPod Nano, WD Passport HD, a few cables, USB thumb drive. Also, a few pieces of paper. I’d never be able to add a text book or anything like that. It’d exactly what I was looking for. It’s small, light and the strap that goes over your shoulder is very wide. I haven’t had to carry this for a long period of time yet, but I am sure it will be nice. I used to have a laptop bag with a smaller strap and after a couple hours of travel (airport etc) my should would hurt. With this bag I don’t think that’ll be a problem.

I feel it’s well built, feels solid. There are a few different pockets, but they are all a little small, so I’m not sure what use they are. The area the laptop rests is lined with a very soft velvet like material. I wish the MP3 player slot was the same, but it’s not, it’s the same material as the rest of the bag. Also, the main zipper only unzips halfway, so that if you are wearing the bag and you unzip it, the laptop will not fall out. This is a great feature when you are at the airport and you need to remove it etc. It keeps your bag from flapping open and spilling your stuff everywhere. There is a quick access pocket in the back that is perfect for storing paperwork, tickets, confirmation info for your rental car etc. Finally, a nice handle on top, if you want to carry it without using the strap. The strap is not removable…for me, I like that, but for some that may be bothersome.

Pros:
Small, Lightweight
Fits my MacBook Pro 15.4″ Perfectly
Good Build Quality
Wide Strap to keep from hurting your shoulder.
Nice lined laptop area
Does not unzip 100%, so that your stuff does not fall out.

Cons:
MP3 player pocket not lined like the laptop pocket.
(for some) non-removable strap

4.0 out of 5 stars
Pretty Good
This is a sturdy safe way to carry your laptop. It lacks a regular handle on the long side (it has one on the short side but that makes it drag on the ground when I walk and I’m…

4.0 out of 5 stars
Great Laptop Bag
This bag is amazing. It is exactly what I expected. I protects(cushions) the front and back of my laptop.

4.0 out of 5 stars
Sturdy Compact Bag
I’ve gone through two similar bags in the past six months. This one has done much better than the other two (some no-name garbage, and a waste of money Logicase) on which the…

4.0 out of 5 stars
Great purchase
This bag is a perfect fit for my laptop, all of it’s accessories, and other electronics such as camera, Ipod, etc., and there is a flap to hold paperwork or a thin notebook.

5.0 out of 5 stars
Great case for notebooks, better than I expected
I bought this bag because I sold my old laptop with the old case. This one is great! I use it with my HP Pavilion 15.4″ notebook and it works great with this laptop.