Clark Kent

A lot of people tell me that I remind them of Clark Kent.  I think it has to do with the way that I wear my hair and the fact that I am so inconsistent about my glasses and my contacts.  I'll wear glasses for a month straight and then suddenly wear contacts one day.

Personally I think I'm more like Batman because I don't have a lot of inherent abilities (nor does the presence of Kryptonite make me go weak in the knees, if anything, it makes me more confident that my bike is secure), but I do get to try out a lot of cool stuff.

Something that came my way this last month was the Timbuk2 Covert Messenger bag.  Unfortunately it is discontinued (with one TINY exception here, and I'm not keeping that link updated, so when it's gone, it's gone).  I talked to the guys down at Timbuk2 and they told me that the Covert fabric is difficult to work with (it's made of glass, so that doesn't surprise me).  But they had one last one kicking around so they sent it my way.

This bag is awesome.  During the day it looks like a normal bag--none of the tacky reflective striping that you see on other bags.  It really looks like a brown and gold bag.  But when you're riding at night, and are car blasts up behind you, it's more reflective than those goofy reflective vests you see people wearing.  Blindingly reflective.  Awesome. (should have just left it at that)

Furthermore, the Covert fabric is just as tough as their regular ballistic nylon material.  If you're unfamiliar with Timbuk2 bags, they are THE answer to stylish, convenient and durable bags.  Ask anyone who has one and they'll tell you "it holds everything I need."  I'm not kidding.  That's what they all say.

Timbuk2 handmakes all their bags in the USA (good old San Fran), so you pay a premium, but it's basically the last bag you're going to buy.  Seriously.  I haven't worked my way through on in 8 years.  It's survived countless trips, daily commutes, college (a whole lotta textbooks gettin hauled from one end of campus to another), New York Pickpockets, etc.  Nothing beats them.

And if something does get the better of you, send it back.  They'll either honor their lifetime warranty or give you 20% off your next bag.

On top of that, they encourage sustainability.  All of their retail filler material (like hanging straps) are printed with a suggestion for how to reuse them.

It's a shame it's a discontinued product, but if you see one on eBay, scoop it up.

Well worth the investment.