So are the Zatchel's satchel bags any good for work?

[libertychick]

They have 20% off for fashion week and I am thinking about ordering this one. I was going to order the 16 inch one. I need it to take a 13 inch slim laptop, laptop cable, A4 notebook, couple of A4 files (slim ones). I don't want to carry a separate handbag so it will also have to take my purse, phone, blackberry, blackberry charger, small make up bag, pens and 500ml bottle of water, small A-Z and sometimes a book or kindle.

Will it take all this? And if you use one, does the hard leather annoy you and how are the buckles (need to open and close frequently to get out oyster card etc).

Thanks

I think you'll struggle to fit all that in. The Zatchels are firm and unyielding so you can't really cram extra stuff in. The make up bag and water bottle for example will be a problem.

You won't get all that in. I have one, which is lovely, but it's really firm and you can only really fit in flat things - a notebook and a laptop, etc.

Chargers will go in with some forcing, and pens etc can just be lobbed in, but the water bottle and make-up bag wouldn't go. You'd need a small purse, too.

Buckles are stiff. I keep my cards in my pockets to stop me going in it frequently, but a lot of people just use them undone instead.

Ps the buckles are fine but I'm not that keen on hard leathery bags, I like something with a bit of give.

Thanks Caja and Hand...

I could just keep using a small cross body handbag I guess for the extras...I don't always carry water and makeup, I'm just trying out all possibilities here! I end up feeling like a bag lady a lot of the time ATM with multiple bags with me - One of the ladies in the building here has one, I may go and interrogate her....

I remember someone on the Zatchels thread (when we all bought them half price) said to make sure you get a small carry handle on the bag, and not just a shoulder strap.

Do a search for that thread Liberty, people were giving lots of advice.

No. They are like an anti- Tardis. Look bigger on the outside than the inside. You can't fit much at all, and there are no pockets either inside or out so I spend forever emptying my satchel to try to find something. You will end up carrying multiple bags like me which destroys the whole look.
Only buy if you only want to put about three or four things in and if you have a coat with zipped pockets for the stuff you need quickly.

I think it would fit all your stuff. I have a 16" executive one, where the leather is starting to give. I can now fit in a water bottle and pencil case as well as a couple of A4 files. The small front pockets on the executive one are pretty fiddly, but you will have a bigger pocket on yours.

They are heavy. I bought a 16" one for my laptop, but have ebayed it because it gave me a sore back just trying it on with the laptop in.

I checked out the previous thread Anni - all the anti tardis comments there and here are making me think twice...

I have a Cambridge satchel and yes I agree with the anti tardis comments! Mine is beautiful and red and I hope it lasts for years

Look on ebay, plenty of new ones at cheaper prices.

www.ebay.co.uk/sch/i.html?LH_ItemCondition=3&_sacat=0&_from=R40&_nkw=Zatchels&_dcat=169291&Style=Satchels&rt=nc

I bought two in the 50% summer sale, a small summer one for me and a large 16" for DD school. They are lovely bags but the buckles are a pain to keep undoing/doing up. I love mine still but DD has stopped using hers as too heavy and hard and even with extra holes punched into strap is still too long and rubs and bruises the top of her leg. I still think it is lovely but you would be better having a smaller bag aswell for purse/keys/phone.

I can reccomend Scaramanger satchels. They have sizing information rated by what you can fit into them, eg lap top, ipad etc. mine is an ipad sized satchel.. They have " portrait" or "landscape" direction styles (hope that makes sense).

The leather of my bag was stiff when new but it softens up with use. They are great bags.

I used to lug around massive handbags with enough to survive for a week. I like only being able to carry a few things in my Zatchels, it's saving my back!
Not sure that's very helpful to you, OP, sorry!

Love mine, and the 'distressed leather' ones are a bit softer, but yeah... and beware the using it unbuckled. I did that, put bag on a table, it toppled over (they are not very stable), everything slid out, phone screen shattered. My own fault, but I just wish there was a zippable internal pocket...

I have a Zatchels and I love it. However, I only bought a small one as the big sizes just looked huge in real life. I have a 13" one and in it, I can fit an A5 page per day diary, pencil case, purse, phone, big bunch of keys and my sunglasses. My one will hold an A4 notebook, but not a folder.

TBh, I think it is a good size, as they not only get big, but heavy too. Its not the most practical bag in the world, but I love it.

sorry op I don't think you'll get that lot in. I have a 13'' one and fit my purse, kindle, small note book, lip gloss, keys and phone I would struggle to cram anything else in.
also to agree with some of the other posters theres no give in the leather, its annoying if you need to constantly be in and out of your bag all day, it won't stand up and does hurt at times when it whacks against my leg as I am pounding the streets.
having said that I still love mine. its just forced me to edit what I carry around all the time. the bigger the bag the more crap I fill it with .

I'm getting a 15" one for my birthday to use as a briefcase, but I intend to use my handbag for days when I don't have meetings.

I have reservations about the buckles but am getting one anyway, as I love it. Mine's from the Leather Satchel Co though, just because they have more colours. But now I'm considering Zatchels for the 20% off.

I looked at getting one as a work/uni bag a few months ago but decided against it.

Much like you I wasn't sure that once I'd fitted in my laptop and charger there'd also be room for a waterbottle/tissues/assorted bits and pieces.

My main concern was that because it was hard there would be less give - for shoving stuff in!

In the end I got a much cheaper soft navy satchel from tkmaxx which had a little zipped pocket to easily get out my phone/oyster card. - As it's soft it expands a bit when I put loads in.

(I also took my laptop shopping with me to see how well it fitted into different bags!)