Best Messenger Bag Champion | Carry Awards X

Need a messenger bag that’s ready for action wherever the day leads? Whether hauling your work gear or weekend adventure kit, our Best Messenger Bag champion embraces life on the go with hard-wearing durability and practical organization…

1st Place

BRIEFING FREIGHTER T-SHOULDER

BRIEFING finishes right where they should be – at the top. A long-standing Japanese brand that has often dabbled in the USA consumer and MiUSA market, the FREIGHTER T-SHOULDER is a go-anywhere-do-anything messenger bag that moves with you through your everyday life.

We love that our community chose BRIEFING, as they aren’t always well represented among many of the other typical EDC carry brands, but they absolutely deserve to be there. We took this bag everywhere, from the cafe to the trails. It packs down super easily for travel too, which makes it a solid option for one-bag travelers to bring a bit extra for days on the town.

The BRIEFING FREIGHTER T-SHOULDER bag comes in a bit higher priced than many other options, but not so much that it’s unwarranted. For $315, you have a 500D MiUSA messenger bag, in several colorway options, that’s capable of just about anything you throw at it. Congratulations, BRIEFING!

Highly Commended

These are the pieces that just missed out, and in most cases, by the smallest of margins. To them, we award a High Commendation. The below were of outstanding quality, displaying fine craftsmanship and design flair. With honor, we bow our heads in the utmost respect and kudos. If this were a dais, they’d be biting their teeth into silver medals, while their flags were hoisted into the horizon – a feat not to be overlooked. And we’re sure they’ll be back, to take it one notch higher, next year.

Bedouin Foundry Poacher

Inspired by traditional game keepers’ bags, the Bedouin Foundry Poacher turns heads with its eye-catching style and offers great flexibility for day-to-day, work, and weekend use. Bedouin’s signature class and flair are well on display here with premium materials such as bonded cotton drill, top-grain vegetable-tanned leather, and Portuguese knotted netting. Crafted in England, the bag exudes quality and is built to last for many years of trusty use.

The front net pocket is handy for stashing a variety of quick-access items, while a pocket on the rear of the bag provides convenient and discreet storage for a passport or phone. Internally you’ll find sleeve pockets for smaller and flatter items, while the remainder of the main compartment accommodates a variety of bulkier items such as pouches, an outer layer, lunch, or whatever else you may need for the day’s excursion. Beautifully crafted and versatile in its uses, the Poacher is a fine catch for anyone who appreciates style, function, and quality in their carry. Bravo, Bedouin!

ORBITGear R231-ADV MK23 “FOXHOUND”

ORBITGear’s blend of technical construction, durable materials, and considered functionality has made them a standout name on the Indonesian carry scene and garnered the brand a global fanbase as well. The R231-ADV MK23 “FOXHOUND” delivers all of these features in a rugged, multifunctional bag that can carry your work supplies or weekend adventure gear equally well.

A host of pockets and webbing attachment points keep your gear well organized, including suspended and padded storage for a 16″ laptop. The closure can also alternate between flap and roll-top mode to suit different preferences. Burly materials and hardware including an X-Pac exterior, heavy-duty tarp lining, and YKK AquaGuard zippers provide confidence that the messenger will take any weather in its stride. The ambidextrous strap suits both left and right-handed use, while the blend of military and techwear aesthetics looks right at home on city streets. Tough and adaptable, this is a trusty choice for anyone who wants a bag that will embrace multiple settings and carry loads. Bravo, ORBITGear!

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