Crossbody & Messenger Bags

A crossbody or messenger bag does the job a backpack can't: it stays on your body while you get into it. No taking it off on a train, no swinging it round in a queue. The trade is load — everything hangs off one shoulder, so weight matters more here than in any other bag.

Crossbody or messenger?

• Crossbody — smaller, worn tight to the body, for a phone, wallet, passport and not much else. The one you take out for the day once your main bag is at the hotel.
• Messenger — a flat, wide bag built around a laptop or documents, with a flap and a stabiliser strap. Made for cycling and commuting, which is where the shape comes from.

What to look for

• Strap width and padding — single-shoulder carry concentrates load. A narrow webbing strap will bite within a kilometre.
• Flap or zip — a flap is faster and quieter; a zip is more secure in a crowd. Some do both.
• A back panel that sits flat — a bag that bows away from your back swings when you walk.

For more messenger and crossbody bags, see the Manhattan Portage range.

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