Test 3 Durability

Who’s tough enough to do the job?

The Moshi Urbana again comes out on top in the sturdiness stakes – the quality of the materials used are on a whole different level compared to the other bags. But then it costs £155. At the other end of the scale is the £70 InCase Gibson Messenger. Although it’s not the cheapest bag here (that’s the £65 STM Judge), it feels flimsier than the rest – a bag for occasional use then, rather than an everyday work bag.

In the middle sit the other three –the Herschel Gibson and STM Judge look and feel so similar in terms of quality, it’s almost impossible to tell them apart. The Targus Newport has a slight edge – there’s no doubting the quality of the materials (which are nylon and leatherette). However the design also feels fussy, and we’d be worried how long its 2-in-1 arrangement would last – the two stitched strips of leatherette that hold the straps in place on the back look particularly vulnerable to wear and tear over time.

Taste is a subjective thing – one person’s object of desire is another’s loathsome gargoyle and so it proves with these messenger bags. Sitting in the middle in the inoffensiveness stakes are the STM Judge, the InCase Compass and the Herschel Gibson, all of which seem a bit ‘meh’ there’s nothing particularly remarkable or attractive about them. They’re just bags. Ordinary, ordinary inoffensive bags. Although, the InCase Compass Messenger looks subjectively like the ‘wrong’ shade of blue. Your mileage may vary.

Now opinions are divided on the two that remain: the Targus Newport and the Moshi Urbana. The faux gold accents, contrast interior, leatherette and nylon exterior, and, well, overall style of the Targus Newport combine to give it more of a feminine, ‘smart handbag’ look. And then we have the Moshi Urbana, which lives up to its name; it’s stylish and sophisticated, and wouldn’t look out of place when worn with a suit or on dress-down Fridays.