Thomas Briefcase & Laptop Bag Navy Canvas / Chocolate Leather Reviews

4.7 Rating 6 Reviews

About Billingham:

Billingham are a family owned company, manufacturing camera bags for the world’s photographers since 1973 alongside a range of leisure and laptop bags. All bags are made in the West Midlands area of England, a region famous for manufacturing. A core reason for Billingham’s longevity is the fact that from the start, the Billingham family were determined that their products would always be made to the very highest standards from the best available materials to provide high levels of protection for their valued contents.

A notable feature of Billingham camera bags is that they are made from a distincive 3-layer waterpoof canvas that never needs reproofing. They also feature genuine top grain leather and solid brass details.

Like any premium product, the quality of materials, design and craftsmanship that goes into creating a Billingham means that it represents a significant investment. It’s important that they don’t just look beautiful, but that they do their job of protecting equipment wherever they are and whatever they’re being used for – year in and year out.

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Phone:

1384412700

Email:

help@billingham.co.uk

Location:

Unit 4, City Estate, Corngreaves Road
Cradley Heath
B64 7EP

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How would you rate the build quality of the bag/product?

Did you buy the product from Billingham.co.uk? yes

“High quality bag, fits my 16inch MacBook and cables well. The quick release straps are a little stiff but I expect this will loosen up with time.”

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Posted 1 year ago

How would you rate the build quality of the bag/product?

Did you buy the product from Billingham.co.uk? yes

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Posted 1 year ago

“I have several of Billingham’s camera bags and understand perfectly the materials, design and workmanship. Perhaps this is why I was disappointed by the Thomas briefcase. Four points that Billingham should look at: 1. Whilst the internal layout is very good, the front pockets are completely open, without a zip or any other closure. You can reach into them with the bag closed, and as s such, I wouldn’t recommend travelling on any crowded transport. 2. The case has no trolley strap at the rear, as found in the Hadley 1. 3. The shoulder mount fixings on the side of the bag are made of canvas and twist around. 4. The leather straps that secure the bag are fixed to the bag, rather than attached with a buckle in the way that they are in the camera bags. This is a concern because the straps on my bag (and it might just be a bad batch of straps) have frayed around the clog hole. It’s as if the leather wasn’t of sufficient stiffness. Hope that sounds fair.”

13 Helpful Report

Posted 3 years ago

Hi, Thank you for your feedback which I'll pass on to our team. With regards to the hole on the leather straps appearing to fray this is something that can occasionally happen depending on use - however, this is always a temporary situation with looser fibres around the hole falling off and the others being compacted back into the edge through use leaving a much neater hole afterwards. It causes us no concerns about the longevity of the bag - our 5-series bags (225, 555 etc) use a similar closure on their front pockets and often last several decades before any replacement etc is needed. I hope that this allays some of your concerns but feel free to contact help@billingham.co.uk if you wish to discuss the matter further. Kind regards, Mike

Posted 3 years ago

How would you rate the build quality of the bag/product?

Did you buy the product from Billingham.co.uk? yes

“I got the new blue version and love using it for work. The colour combo is perfect and as always good quality material and workmanship. Ordered online from the official store as I couldn't find the colour in stock in my local stores. Arrived very quickly.”

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Posted 4 years ago

“Nice blue! The Thomas bag is really good looking. Warning; if you buy and use one Billingham bag for photo or otherwise, you may want another one. And another one... Not only for photo gear and fishing stuff. They stay clean and new looking for years and years of use and abuse. At one time we winched an old classic, a wreck out of the woods, with the Landrover. Had to tie the LR to a big tree in order to make it not slide. Heavy! So the steel wire was properly taught. And we had forgotten to bring a sack to put on the wire, to "brake" it in case it broke during winching. The Billingham bag was the only thing. The wire didn't brake, but we forgot about the bag as we managed to get this lump of steel up out of the woods. The bag got caught 5 cm from under the front wheel - pressed down into the boggy, soaked ground. Saved just in time. Brushed the mud off it, dried it in the car afterwards. I still use it when I'm out and about. Looks near new. Still! My very first impression, when I bought my first Billingham photo bag years and years ago, was that it was so much roomier than I first thought (I use old Hasselblads so need space). Now I am also impressed by how much abuse it can take and still look very good (of course I try to take care of them and not trampel them into the mud every day, although sometimes..) And I really like to carry something that doesn't feel plasticcy(...) :-)”

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Posted 4 years ago

How would you rate the build quality of the bag/product?

Did you buy the product from Billingham.co.uk? yes

“Recently purchased a Thomas briefcase. I was skeptical initially because to me Billingham makes the best looking and build quality camera/ utility bags but not leisure/ work bags. Until the navy canvas launched, I take the plunge :) Very happy so far but there are some tiny room for improvements hopefully in Ver. 2.0. The stitches of the handles can be higher probably align with the logo patch so the handles wont collapse and get folded when the leather and canvas are worn in. Adding a stitched down snap button leather loop for the handles can be another good option.”

2 Helpful Report

Posted 4 years ago