Timbuk2

Walked in this Memorial Day, instantly greeted by Nick. He showed me the messenger bags that’ll fit my 17.3 inch hp envy. Fit perfectly. He showed me the features of the bag and the rest is history. No pressure sales just solid customer service. Thanks Nick

I have always been a fan of Timbuk2 bags. They are fantastic and last forever. They are not only designed well aesthetically but also for function. I expected this location to have more one of a kind designs and accessories. I was also disappointed by the lack of camera bags as well. The staff was very kind, patient, and helpful.

Timbuk2 sucks. I had a commuter for a number of years. When the strap broke and I submitted a picture (required for consideration) for warranty repair. I never heard back from them. They claim a lifetime warranty but that’s complete bull. Their site says 7 – 10 response to any claim. It’s been a month and a half. Lots of other companies who stand behind their warranty. I will never buy a Timbuk2 anything again. Screw you TImbuk2!

If I could give them 10 stars I would. I bought a bag about a year ago and use it daily. Unfortunately the fabric started to wear thin and a hole showed up. I am about to move out of the country so I wanted to see if I could get it fixed before I go so I tried calling their customer service line. Like most people have said, it just rings or goes to voicemail. So I resorted to email and sent my issue to them with pictures of the bag. They got back to me in 24 hours asking me to send it in for repairs. When I mentioned that I was leaving they immediately said that they would replace the bag. Since my bag had been discontinued the rep sent me a few bags to chose from that were similar in style. I wasn’t s fan so I asked if another style might have some stock (it’s usually a custom order only). He took pictures of a few sample bags they had and I picked the one closest to my bag and now it will be shipped to me overnight. All that within 48 hours. Talk about customer service!!! I love their lifetime warranty. I have a few of their bags and this is the only one that has ever shown wear. The worst I have seen is a little sun fading because I use my bags a lot.
Antonio, you rocked the customer service world today!

I’ve almost bought a Timbuk2 bag many a time over the last 20 years. But this time it really happened!
I love my new backpack. I love the friendly, no pressure staff who treated me like everyone else despite the ugly green north face backpack I was wearing.
They were super friendly even after I pulled down at least 10 bags, removed all the stuffing, and did visualizations of every conceivable use of each bag, compartment, and pocket.
The staff were also full of helpful info. What at first seemed like overkill – the number of liters each bag holds (like I’m going to be pouring liquids into my bag on purpose) – quickly became critical data I needed to weigh for each prospective bag.
Anyway I got an awesome, simple black nylon backpack. It’s sturdy, lousy (meaning lots) with pockets, and apparently I can pour 31 liters of water into it!

I bought what was being sold as a «travel wallet». It is large enough to hold travel papers as well as cards and money. Please understand, this is one of the best I have owned. It is made from heavy fabric with a substantial zipper. Due to my over loading the wallet the zipper finally failed. After contacting customer service at Timbuk2 I was told the zipper could be fixed. Just send the wallet back to a given address and it would be taken care of. So far so good. This wallet had been discontinued which I thought to be a bad idea. It was the best on the market. I would have just bought another if it was still made. After sending my wallet back to Timbuk2 and waiting for over 4 months I finally asked after it. The written reply was that there was no record of my sending the wallet back for repair. I was told repeatedly by a Timbuk2 representative that this wallet would be fixed. All that was needed was for me to send it back.
When I inquired after the item I was asked to prove I had sent it and had been actually been asked by a representative at Timbuk2 to ship the wallet back.
Please reflect on this problem before buying from a company that claims to back up their products.

Ordered a backpack one month ago at a corporate event, received an order confirmation email, but no further communication.
Sent an email to customer service 5 days ago. The auto-​reply message includes a snarky comment about «don’t send additional emails, you’ll go to the back of the line». Tried calling twice, nobody picks up.
The products might be nice, but don’t buy one online or try to reach customer service!

Being able to customize a bag with the wide array of fabrics and colors and patterns on the Timbuk2 website is awesome. I purchased a customized bag for myself in the spring. Loved it! The problem is, an inner pocket seam started unraveling after three months use. I don’t believe I abused it, in fact, only paperwork was stored in this pocket. I was eligible for the lifetime warranty, but only if I paid for delivery to send it back for a 6 – 8 week repair period, even after I explained that I rely on the bag for work. I was given the option of driving 70 miles north to SF to drop it off… so there was that. In summary, my bag is pretty on the outside, iffy stitching on the inside. Not great customer service, especially considering what I paid. Kind of a meh to blech experience. Make sure you look around if you’re looking for a bag for work. A disappointment, and I’m not likely to spend anymore buks there.

I have been mesmerized with Timbuk2 bags. I looked in Craigslist for one, but the prices are reasonable in the store. I’ve lost so many documents and such because of the lack of compartments from prior bags. The bag I bought is TSA friendly which is a huge plus because I’ve left laptops at the airport security a few times. With the specific one that I purchased, you don’t have to remove your laptop from the case. I read about the lack of service instore, so I kind of went in the store and helped myself without first asking for assistance. When I asked for assistance, the guys were responsive, with a full store. They gave me the information I needed for what I needed.
Anyways, am walking happily out of the store with my new timbuk2 bag. I have A flight to catch tomorrow so will be looking forward to pack.

I ordered a custom designed bag from Timbuk2 as a gift. It looked great online when I ordered it, and it was shipped quickly. Unfortunately this was the best part of the transaction. The bag was delivered to an incorrect address in the incorrect state.
I sent an email inquiry to try to get some clarification about this, and was asked (strangely) if I wanted to make any changes to the bag. I replied that I didn’t need any changes to the bag, but that I would be happy if Timbuk2 would get the remade bag out ASAP. I hadn’t received an acknowledgement of this after 2 business days, so I decided to call.
When I spoke with the customer service representative on the phone he thought it was strange that the order did not show any of this history, nor indicate that it was being remade /​sent. After a bit of further investigation it was determined that one of the materials on the bag was out of stock, and thus it could not be remade in the way I had ordered. No attempt to apologize for this, the wrongly shipped item or the lack of update was offered. I was given the option of redesigning the bag, or waiting until the out of stock material was back in.
Due to the lack of communication, absence of apology and the lack of trust in Timbuk2 that this has engendered I decided to cancel my order, and explore other options. While I understand that not every order is going to be fulfilled perfectly, and as the customer service representative charmingly noted, «sometimes there’s human error», I do expect that when these errors occur, that they be corrected promptly with some degree of courtesy.

Bought a Timbuk2 messenger bag about 25 years ago when they were just starting in SF, as a true messenger bag. Still have it, and besides having hundreds of miles of dirt on it, it as good as new.
Received a custom messenger bag 18 months ago and use it every day. It still looks new. The new bags are 1000% nicer than the old bag, which was retired as a gym bag, and worth every penny.
You pay more for the custom bags but they are CUSTOM and super nice — treat yourself — and it will last you a loooooong time!

I’ve come in here many times over the past few years and have ordered a few things through their website. The products are amazing quality and the customer service through email has been amazing.
Last weekend was the first time I actually bought something with in the store. They have a small selection of books, mainly for cycling and the city and I spotted one from an author I’ve read before (Bike Snob NYC). I picked it up and while it seemed a bit on the pricey side, I decided to buy it anyways. Turns out it was actually on sale so I got it for a good price!
The guy cashing me was super friendly and apologetic when the computer hiccuped and it took a bit longer than expected, but it was totally reasonable.
The atmosphere is super relaxed and the people working here are really helpful and nice.

I was a little hesitant to visit the store after reading some of the bad reviews… but I’m so glad I checked it out! I went to the store last night and Sam helped me create my SF custom made bag!
It was sad to part with my 5 year old friend, but Sam assured me that it will go to a good home or be made into another bag. I’m talking about their recycle program – which I knew nothing about! If you bring in your old timbuk2 bag, they will give you 20% off a brand new bag!!! How amazing is that?! I have always loved the brand itself but having nice people to help you along the decision making process is really great. You’ve got yourself a lifetime customer! I can’t wait to get my bag! Thank you!!!

I picked up a new Canon DSLR camera and have been looking everywhere for a simple (non-​pro) camera bag to hold the camera, two lenses, and an extra battery — nothing elaborate.
I checked the usual suspects: Lowepro, Tamrac, Tenba, Thule, etc. But then I remembered that I had Hershel backpack that should do the job (again, I’m a non-​pro) so all I needed was a camera insert. I looked online and found one made by one of my favorite bag brands: Timbuk2. I carry the Proof Messenger Bag by Timbuk2 for work; it looks great and has held up very well.
So I called the store in Hayes Valley and they had the Snoop Camera Insert in stock. I headed over after dinner at Patxi’s across the street. We had a great experience from the moment that we walked through the door. The staff there are easy to approach and helpful. They let me pack my camera and accessories into the insert and try it out in my backpack. Needless to say, it was a perfect fit.
The store is pretty small so they only display a fraction of what they have online. It would be cool if they had iPads or something below their bags to showcase the various sizes, colors and options.
In any case, I highly recommend their gear and will definitely be going with Timbuk2 again in the future.

I have loved Timbuk2 for years, in fact the very first Timbuk2 bag I purchase eons ago is still a part of my growing collection.
I had the chance on this trip to go to the store located in San Francisco. I noticed a bag i liked and was trying to make a decision since the bag had this cool orange trim and liner to it and my preference would have been red. The sales girl of course, suggested I make a customized version. Hmmm. Well, here’s the problem 1) currently the site does not offer red and 2) there is a bag I could order that does include red trim which she never mentioned or suggested. Bummers, if the sales gal was more on it I probably would have bought the bag in-​store.
In any case, i ordered the bag online. Well low and behold, I happened to walk into another store and found the exact bag at cheaper price ($ 15 less + no shipping to Hawaii). I tried to call/​email to cancel my online order, thankfully Antonio was able to get that squared away for me. Awesome customer service!
Keep on doing what you do Timbuk2 — you guys rock and so does your product!

I am from Singapore and have bought Timbuk2 bags from 3^rd party retailers before. Coming here to the flagship shop in SF was like a dream for me. I love Timbuk2 products as they are built to last and made so well. I have been using my laptop backpack for 4 years in college and also for travelling and it has never failed me. I especially love the dedicated laptop sleeve at the side with its cosy red velvet interior. After 4 years, I decided to get a new timbuk2 as I start a new phase of my life. The rouge backpack is compact, stylish and trendy. Keep it up timbuk2, you’ve got a fan here!

Boo. Major problems when you say you’re open till 730p on Fridays and you’re actually NOT. Please post new hours on ALL your location sites. Oh by the way, you owe me $ 2.25 for Muni. Thanks!

I heart Timbuk2! After a long love affair with Chrome, I made the switch to Timbuk2 for two reasons: their bags are lighter and they have more organization built in.
I’ve owned several over the years, but my favorite is the custom large messenger my wife made for me for our wedding. It’s in some pretty gorgeous colors (maroon, deep purple, gunmetal grey), and has an awesome laptop and iPad sleeve built right into the bag, on top of all the other great features (my favorite is the napoleon pocket that you can get into without opening the bag).
This location is really nice. Lots of great bags that get updated on the regular. Staff is nice and always willing to help out.

Who doesn’t like Timbuk2 bags? This place has a pretty big selection of many different bags as well as accessories. I stopped by to pick up a new padded strap for my bag. The staff was friendly and its located in a cool area with lots of shops and restaurants. Definitely worth checking out if you are in the area.

Gotta echo a prior review — customer service SUCKS BALLS. I came to look at some bags and ask some questions and they can’t be bothered to answer or merely looked at me like I’m from outer space. I suppose if you look like an easy mark tourist or a super-​hip hipster than they’ll be all over you. Otherwise, you aren’t wanted. Got the message! BTW, word of advice: don’t care how ostensibly good the product is, it ain’t gonna sell itself, especially with lousy service. You just lost a potential customer for life and I’ll be spreading the word too to avoid this place.
PS – Just buy a Jansport messenger bag! Like ¹⁄₈^th the cost and they also offer lifetime warranty. Plus ZERO attitude!

Three cheers for Timbuk2’s lifetime warranty!
They offer a variety of messenger bags and backpacks that have all sorts of little pockets, adjustments, and flaps.
The staff at the store was nice. I brought in my bag with a ripped seam, that I’d been using for years and years. I love my messenger bag. But I’ve been disappointed that stuff has been falling out of the increasingly large hole growing in the side of the bag. But they took a look at it, and showed me how to fill out a warranty claim, and suggested that I could even drop if off at their HQ on the other side of town.
I opted to mail it, since I was visiting, and I’m still waiting to see the job they do, but the experience has been good so far. I really appreciate Timbuk2 standing behind their products, and continuing the life of my messenger bag!

So I stopped by the store back in October 2013 just to buy a strap for a customized messenger bag that I bought maybe a year before since I was hiking around SF without a strap and my bag began to dig into my shoulder which got kind of lame after 8 miles of walking.
That being said, the staff were super nice and helpful. Unfortunately I couldn’t get a customized strap because I needed instant gratification, but the option is there if you have a couple of days to wait on it: P.
The real reason why I’ve chosen to review Timbuk2 now though is because I placed an online order with them during their Half-​Ass sale. Wicked discounts! I got a classic messenger (imported) for 54 bucks with shipping! Unfortunately, UPS lost my package somewhere between SF and Houston. So I called up customer service. They looked into the matter and in about a half hour, I got an email saying that a new one was on it’s way (sweet, right?). Well it gets better! I was hoping to get that bag for a trip I was taking and UPS ground would’ve meant that I would have left before the bag came in so I sent customer service an email asking if there was a way to expedite processing or shipping. The response said they’d see what they could do — I checked the status a few hours later only to find that they were sending my bag NEXT DAY AIR (I’ll have it tomorrow by 1030AM!).
It’s AMAZING customer service like this that makes working with Timbuk2 so worth it. So basically, if you’re stopping by in person or buying online, Timbuk2 has your back and it’s also a plus that their products are pretty awesome too!

The Mr was looking for a replacement messenger bag & we knew we wanted to come back to Timbuk2
I had given him a custom bag for xmas but didn’t realize they had changed their «cuts» so the Small, which was previously our go-​to size, was now a bit too small & his bag looked like a man-purse…which was unfortunately not the look we were going for…& even more unfortunately, it was unreturnable (since it was custom… BOO!)
So we needed to go a size up & this time, we weren’t taking chances so a visit to the store to physically look at the bags was in order
Didn’t have anything in stock that floated our boat — I liked this gray & yellow number but the Mr didn’t… but we did agree the Medium was the prefect size — so back home to customize our colors
Their website is super-​detailed & they offer a variety of colors & fabric patterns from which to choose & you’ll find these selections will change… apparently, this season, gray is the hot color b/​c almost everything we saw was a variation of gray
But The Mr likes gray so no harm, no foul
I also saw a killer camera backpack & was going to order it online as well but then I noticed the customer reviews that pointed out there was no water bottle pocket. So I think I’ll wait until they make that little update to the bag — b/​c it’s an awesome bag & worth the wait!
Their products last FOREVER & to this day, I still get compliments on my «map of SF» messenger!