About 16 years ago I bought a Belstaff colonial messenger bag — same as the bag Will Smith used in I Am Legend — I loved the look and feel, the quality initially felt great, and the bridal leather straps that extended from the back of the bag, over the top flap and far beyond the real buckles were extremely handy; I’d often fold up a waterproof and secure it under the straps. However, the canvas material hasn’t lasted; it’s worn away at certain points that make repair very difficult. Which is a shame, the bridal thickness leather parts have all worn nicely and will last a lot longer. I’m at the point where I might take it apart myself and try to fix it with patches (I’m not fussed at all about invisible mending).

For a while I was looking for an alternative bag, and pretty much exhaustively completed the internet looking for brands that have a similar look but are more durable. And it turns out that Filson, Duluth and Frost River are about as good as it gets! There are plenty of options on Etsy, though, and it’s worth having a trawl through. One option might be to find someone who can make you a bag to order. If you’re willing to drop hundreds on a top brand, then for about the same you could get something completely bespoke and made just for you.