I absolutely love the color of this bag! The plaid also adds detail to an otherwise plain bag, something I was looking for, among all of the plain bags on the market today. It was a little larger than I expected, or wanted, but its size can be attributed to it being very wide and thin. I can fit several text books side-by-side and my laptop inside, yet I don't feel like I'm carrying a bulky backpack around with me. I really like the two mesh pouches on the sides; it's very convenient for carrying multiple drink bottles. The quality is excellent. I've only had it for a few months, but it has not started to show signs of wear yet.
This is an excellent bag for someone looking to carry around a large amount of stuff with them. If all you plan on carrying with you is a notebook and a few pens, look for something else that's smaller. If you were like me, and looking for something to carry several books and a computer in, then this bag will suit your purpose to the letter. 4 stars

I have purchased from High Sierra before and their bag lasted from highschool on into college before I the zipper failed on me and some of the stitching on the shoulder pad was ripping out. This bag is great, fits several books, several notepads and a small binder. I have plenty of room for my calculator, pens, pencils, tissues, sunglasses, two water bottles, and a pack of gum for when I start to fall asleep in class. I use it everyday and everywhere I need to go, whether it's school or I'm off to another country. High Sierra uses rip-stop fabric that holds up incredibly against the day-to-day grind. 5 stars

I bought this bag to attend school. When i put books in it and put it over my shoulder, It made my arm go numb. When I began to take a closer look at the craftsmanship, I noticed the velcro on one of the inner pickets was loose. I also noticed loose strings all over it. I wasn't convinced It would serve my purposes, so I returned it. It did not appear as something that would last. 2 stars

This messenger bag was exactly what I wanted. Both the size and color are perfect. My kids have had problems fitting notebooks into the size of most backpack made these days and they would die before pulling a backpack with a handle. A three ring binder fits easily in the messenger bag and the second opening fits my daughters lunch box. Both compartments have room to spare. The smaller pockets and the zipper pocket on the flap give tons of storage. The shoulder strap is padded for comfort and adjusts. This is a great bag! The quality is there. This isn't going to fall apart any time soon. Your kids can actually fit the things that they need to take to school in it. This was a REALLY good find! 5 stars

I can point out several positive qualities of this bag. It is surprisingly lightweight. It has spacious compartments. The styling is very nice. But I would have preferred a few more smaller compartments to hold things like mp3 players and other personal electronics. And a dedicated business card holder would be good. Instead I end up cramming many things into two large pouches.

Another improvement would be to put the shoulder strap on swivel hooks, because I seem to spend a lot of time straightening mine out before I sling it on. The shoulder pad is comfortable, though.

Overall I would recommend this bag to someone who isn't going to carry a lot of gadgets or heavy items around. It's really not adequate for my daily use, but it's good for occasional casual jaunts. 3 stars