# Are briefcases a thing of the past? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [August 24, 2018, 8:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-briefcases-a-thing-of-the-past/820210 "2018-08-24T20:00:32Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Tim\_R.Mortiss](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tim_r.mortiss/32/142_2.png) [@Tim\_R.Mortiss](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tim_R.Mortiss)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2018, 3:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-briefcases-a-thing-of-the-past/820210/21 "2018-08-25T15:56:22Z")
If _Pulp Fiction_ were to be remade today, Jules and Vincent would be toting around Marcellus Wallace’s soul in a Versace backpack. ---
**Author:** ![Jennshark](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Jennshark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jennshark)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2018, 4:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-briefcases-a-thing-of-the-past/820210/22 "2018-08-25T16:02:36Z")
> [@Bullitt](#): > > TIMBUK2 makes great gear. I’ve bought a large messenger bag for when I’m on the motorcycle — I got that long ago, around the late 1980s I think, and it’s holding up very well. Huh, I thought they were a newish company. I’ve had my bag for four years and nary a rip or zipper malfunction; I’ll probably be schlepping it around for decades. ---
**Author:** ![Bullitt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bullitt/32/5725_2.png) [@Bullitt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bullitt)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2018, 4:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-briefcases-a-thing-of-the-past/820210/23 "2018-08-25T16:04:07Z")
> [@Tim\_R.Mortiss](#): > > If _Pulp Fiction_ were to be remade today, Jules and Vincent would be toting around Marcellus Wallace’s soul in a Versace backpack. Reminds me — a briefcase can sometimes be a handy weapon. [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/X9bQjEHf0ug/maxresdefault.jpg "Tom Cruise Vs. Wilford Brimley") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X9bQjEHf0ug) (Tom Cruise and Wilfred Brimley, in _The Firm_) ---
**Author:** ![Kropotkin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kropotkin/32/18045_2.png) [@Kropotkin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kropotkin)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2018, 12:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-briefcases-a-thing-of-the-past/820210/24 "2018-08-26T00:07:02Z")
> [@Stranger\_On\_A\_Train](#): > > I did want one of those Halliburton cases where you push a button and the case falls away from the handle to reveal a submachine gun that you’ve then use to blast your attackers before a red Ferrari 308 GTS driven by a stunning blond screeches around the corner and you dive into to make your escape set to [a Larry Carlton guitar riff](https://youtu.be/LBIgXhiOpeQ) but I’ve contacted Mike Post numerous times to compose the theme and he has utterly refused to even consider it, so without that there is no point. > > Stranger i am virtually certain that Stranger does in fact have said Halliburton case and this is disinformation. ---
**Author:** ![k9bfriender](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/k9bfriender/32/3283_2.png) [@k9bfriender](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/k9bfriender)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2018, 3:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-briefcases-a-thing-of-the-past/820210/25 "2018-08-26T15:49:32Z")
> [@Kropotkin](#): > > i am virtually certain that Stranger does in fact have said Halliburton case and this is disinformation. He has the flamethrower version. He’s hoping for the full set. ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2018, 3:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-briefcases-a-thing-of-the-past/820210/26 "2018-08-26T15:57:49Z")
I have a good friend still using a brief case, but he is the only one I’ve seen with one in a few years now. I mostly see backpacks now. ---
**Author:** ![Bullitt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bullitt/32/5725_2.png) [@Bullitt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bullitt)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2018, 4:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-briefcases-a-thing-of-the-past/820210/27 "2018-08-26T16:04:27Z")
> [@Jennshark](#): > > Huh, I thought they were a newish company. > > I’ve had my bag for four years and nary a rip or zipper malfunction; I’ll probably be schlepping it around for decades. They’ve been around a while and make quality gear, and now it’s stylish — so maybe, did TIMBUK2 go through a rebranding phase since their founding? Don’t know, just asking. My bag isn’t very stylish but it’s extremely functional. Some 30 years ago, I got the same bag that was popular with San Francisco bicycle messengers back then It’s a great, functional bag and still looks new. I once rode my motorcycle through a snow storm in the Sierra Nevada mountains carrying family Christmas presents in that bag. ---
**Author:** ![Stranger\_On\_A\_Train](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/13edae/32.png) [@Stranger\_On\_A\_Train](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stranger_On_A_Train)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2018, 5:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-briefcases-a-thing-of-the-past/820210/28 "2018-08-26T17:10:28Z")
> [@k9bfriender](#): > > He has the flamethrower version. He’s hoping for the full set. All I have is the briefcase Bond used in _From Russia With Love_ with the concealed throwing knives and the AR-7 he used to somehow take down a helicopter. Stranger ---
**Author:** ![Jennshark](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Jennshark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jennshark)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2018, 9:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-briefcases-a-thing-of-the-past/820210/29 "2018-08-26T21:00:46Z")
> [@Bullitt](#): > > They’ve been around a while and make quality gear, and now it’s stylish — so maybe, did TIMBUK2 go through a rebranding phase since their founding? Don’t know, just asking. > > My bag isn’t very stylish but it’s extremely functional. Some 30 years ago, I got the same bag that was popular with San Francisco bicycle messengers back then It’s a great, functional bag and still looks new. I once rode my motorcycle through a snow storm in the Sierra Nevada mountains carrying family Christmas presents in that bag. I got mine at REI on impulse, I wasn’t aware of the brand at the time – it probably has been around a long time. ---
**Author:** ![Stranger\_On\_A\_Train](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/13edae/32.png) [@Stranger\_On\_A\_Train](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stranger_On_A_Train)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2018, 9:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-briefcases-a-thing-of-the-past/820210/30 "2018-08-26T21:24:19Z")
> [@Bullitt](#): > > They’ve been around a while and make quality gear, and now it’s stylish — so maybe, did TIMBUK2 go through a rebranding phase since their founding? Don’t know, just asking. The company in 1990 rebranded from their original name of “Scumbags” and expanded their range from made-to-order messenger bags manufactured in San Francisco to standardized product lines of messenger bags and backpacks primarily sold through outdoor and “active lifestyle” stores, but the basic construction of ballistic nylon and packcloth interior hasn’t really changed. They just became popular when the young professional set went from wearing those stupid contrast collar shirts with hand pained ties and ridiculously overpriced loafers to fleece and trainers at the office. Stranger ---
**Author:** ![Bullitt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bullitt/32/5725_2.png) [@Bullitt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bullitt)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2018, 10:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-briefcases-a-thing-of-the-past/820210/31 "2018-08-26T22:01:35Z")
> [@Stranger\_On\_A\_Train](#): > > The company in 1990 rebranded from their original name of “Scumbags” and expanded their range from made-to-order messenger bags manufactured in San Francisco to standardized product lines of messenger bags and backpacks primarily sold through outdoor and “active lifestyle” stores, but the basic construction of ballistic nylon and packcloth interior hasn’t really changed. They just became popular when the young professional set went from wearing those stupid contrast collar shirts with hand pained ties and ridiculously overpriced loafers to fleece and trainers at the office. > > Stranger Thanks Stranger. Also, Wikipedia has a nice summary of the company’s history. > **[Timbuk2 | History](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Timbuk2#History)** > > Timbuk2 was founded in 1989 by bike messenger Rob Honeycutt in a garage in San Francisco's Mission District. Honeycutt was fascinated by "just in time" manufacturing and studied the Toyota manufacturing model which led him to develop a bag pattern that was able to accommodate custom orders from independent bike dealers in San Francisco. The company was originally named Scumbags; Honeycutt changed the name to Timbuk2 Designs in 1990. The name Timbuk2 was inspired in part by the American r The comp... ---
**Author:** ![sisu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/df705f/32.png) [@sisu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sisu)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2018, 12:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-briefcases-a-thing-of-the-past/820210/32 "2018-08-27T00:20:02Z")
> [@Llama\_Llogophile](#): > > With any luck. Hopefully neckties are next. Then the suits altogether. I work for a very large conservative company and most people don’t wear ties and yes even suits are fading away but for important meetings suits are still the go. ---
**Author:** ![Bullitt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bullitt/32/5725_2.png) [@Bullitt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bullitt)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2018, 12:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-briefcases-a-thing-of-the-past/820210/33 "2018-08-27T00:27:33Z")
> [@sisu](#): > > I work for a very large conservative company and most people don’t wear ties and yes even suits are fading away but for important meetings suits are still the go. In the 1990s I worked for a DoD contractor, a company called Unisys, and I wore a tie every day. Sometimes for important meetings, yes a suit. :eek: Then I went to a startup where it was very casual. After a while I was in shorts and flip-flops or sandals (No Socks) almost every day. Much better! ---
**Author:** ![Bullitt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bullitt/32/5725_2.png) [@Bullitt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bullitt)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2018, 12:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-briefcases-a-thing-of-the-past/820210/34 "2018-08-27T00:30:38Z")
> [@Bullitt](#): > > Schlesinger and Coach — very nice. > > I went with Glaser Designs, a local San Francisco company. Excellent quality. I found a forum where there’s a thread titled ‘Briefcase Porn’. I just joined it and posted pics of my Glaser Designs bag — in the 6-7 months I’ve owned it, its patina is developing nicely. [Briefcase Appreciation thread | Page 197 | Styleforum](https://www.styleforum.net/threads/briefcase-porn-thread.34253/page-197) — and scroll down to post #2952. ---
**Author:** ![kopek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kopek/32/337_2.png) [@kopek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kopek)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2018, 1:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-briefcases-a-thing-of-the-past/820210/35 "2018-08-27T01:01:00Z")
I still use briefcases for some “jobs” (mostly volunteer things) as a way of keeping order; one for Church Council, one for the living history group I am active with, one for targets and range supplies, etc. That way I just grab the right handle and head out the door without really thinking if I packed the right thing for the right meeting or what - each one being different in some obvious way. For actual work I use an over-the-shoulder military map case as its easier to carry every day on the motorcycle. ---
**Author:** ![Quercus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/7ab992/32.png) [@Quercus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quercus)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2018, 1:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-briefcases-a-thing-of-the-past/820210/36 "2018-08-27T13:30:15Z")
> [@Stranger\_On\_A\_Train](#): > > All I have is the briefcase Bond used in _From Russia With Love_ with the concealed throwing knives and the AR-7 he used to somehow take down a helicopter. > > Stranger [dismissive tone/] Oh, the _movie_ version. [/dismissive tone] Seriously, I’ve seen a lot of lawyers in action. I think I’ve seen maybe one classic hard-shell briefcase. The common style is soft-sided, bulging with paper, briefcases. Because as they say,“legal briefs, aren’t”. ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2019, 11:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-briefcases-a-thing-of-the-past/820210/37 "2019-03-25T23:42:25Z")
I work in a courthouse, and still see briefcases just about every day, including my own. ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2019, 12:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-briefcases-a-thing-of-the-past/820210/38 "2019-03-26T00:20:53Z")
> [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](#): > > I work in a courthouse, and still see briefcases just about every day, including my own. The Courthouse will probably be the last holdout of briefcases, suits and ties. ---
**Author:** ![Spoons](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spoons/32/3141_2.png) [@Spoons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoons)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2019, 3:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-briefcases-a-thing-of-the-past/820210/39 "2019-03-26T03:54:53Z")
> [@What\_Exit](#): > > The Courthouse will probably be the last holdout of briefcases, suits and ties. Law firms too. Though I was in another firm’s office not long ago, for a meeting with another lawyer, and the lawyers and staff looked pretty relaxed. Guess when they’re doing a day of paperwork, they’re not too concerned. I still saw briefcases, though. ---
**Author:** ![HeyHomie](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/heyhomie/32/207_2.png) [@HeyHomie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HeyHomie)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2019, 2:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-briefcases-a-thing-of-the-past/820210/40 "2019-03-26T14:57:44Z")
I have one! Scrounged it up from someone’s basement a few years ago and, for a few years, even used it to carry my work paperwork around. It’s obsolete now; I keep my pot in it. Hand to the FSM, the combination is 420!\* \*I didn’t know the combination when I found it, but since it was only three reels I figured I could go through a thousand combinations in a day or so. 001 - Nope. 002 - Nope. 003 - Nope. Eventually it opened on 420. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-briefcases-a-thing-of-the-past/820210.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-briefcases-a-thing-of-the-past/820210.md?page=3)