For those of you who know me, you know I have a bag obsession. I finally got my hands on a Belstaff Large Colonial Bag. It is GORGEOUS. Expensive… yes… but I think definitely worth it. Since there is so little information about this bag, I’ll post some of my thoughts and a detailed description.
The bag is gorgeous. I just can’t say that enough. It is well crafted and definitely designer. It is made of a heavyweight waxed canvas that is water resistant. Is it as durable as some of the modern nylons and weaves… probably not. But this bag has the same effect as that well worn leather jacket or the perfect broken in jeans. The bag is really collapsible… there is little form to it. This can be good or bad. It’s great because the bag is bigger than it actually looks. The bag forms to your body. It’s bad sometimes when you take certain things out of it (SLR camera). You have to adjust it to get pointy items like that in and out.
The leather details are really nice. Some people complain about the straps and how they attach… I usually carry it around without the straps buckled. This allows easy access. When I want to secure the bag, I buckle the straps… which does a good job of holding the flap down. When you REALLY want to secure the bag, you can buckle the strap and loop it into the leather loops.
The only complaint is that the side pockets are a little hard to access. I end up keeping things I don’t need every day but would like to have with me just in case in there.
I typically use it as my work bag… big enough to hold a Macbook Pro 15″ with a sleeve. I can also swap it out and put Domke inserts inside to hold camera equipment. I am about to sell all my other bags on eBay… THIS IS THE ONE!
The dimensions measured at the seams* are: 12 in tall x 15 in wide x 3.5 in deep at the top and 4.5 in deep at the bottom.
Front pockets are 8 in tall x 5 in wide x 1 in deep.
Side pockets are 6 in tall by 4 in wide… tight rounded depth.
Inside zippered pocket is 7in long.
* inside might be a bit smaller.
Of course, pictures are worth a thousand words: More Pictures of Belstaff Colonial 554.
hi Nick ,please email me the 554 if you still
thanks.
in12hackers@163.com
I already posted this on the 556 page but I want to keep you guys up to date as well:
After more than a year of use of the above posted “new” or “made by Belstaff replica” Belstaff Colonial Bag with leather badge I have to say that the quality is superb. Only thing that bothered me was that the canvas isn’t water resistant like with newer bags by Belstaff (there actually is a new waxed Colonial Bag available in stores which looks a bit different but does have a pretty close resemblance in form but not in color). Therefore I did wax the canvas on my own. Currently the bag is drying and I will post some photos of the finished bad. Up till now I can say that the color got darker and it looks like new. I used the Barbour Thornproof Wax as a basic layer and added the Belstaff reproofing wax afterwards because one tin of Barbour wax wasn’t enough and I bought both to try them. The Barbour is easier to handle because it melts in hot water and it is easy to spread. The Belstaff wax only gets soft and not fluid/clear like the Barbour. I spread it as a second layer on the bad and used a hairdryer to melt the wax into the canvas. As soon as the bag is dry I will test the water resistance. If it isn’t good enough I will add some Fjallraven Greenland Wax (or Otter Wax) as a top layer. I think this is a good option to add some resistance to the bag (especially as I use it as a camera bag for my Fuji equipment now) and change the style to something unique (the color looks more like a dark military green/olive).
At least in Germany Belstaff now offers a “Messenger Colonial Bag” that is styled like the 554/556 but does have an additional handle and some other design changes. But the “khaki” colored one really looks like the old bags (at least the color):
http://www.belstaff.de/herren/schuhe-und-accessoires/taschen/colonial-herren-kuriertasche-black/75610370C61N0118-Black.html
It seems to be a good deal for 395 Euros as it is a new one and you won’t have to care about it being a replica/fake.
I brought the bag Belstaff 554 from a guy on this blog last year 2016. The bag was made in bulgaria and still with the metal batch. But I wonder why the smell of this bag has a fragrance which is still last until now :-). I mean I brought the bag more than 7 months, if the smells is from some kind of perfume. It should be disappear from now. But the bag is still nice fragrance smell. Anyone here has the same case as I do 🙂
https://it.pinterest.com/pin/516928863450429082/
Hi I’m looking for the Belstaff Wax cotton messenger bag. PM my email: hierophantmy@hotmail.com
Hi, After I’ve purchased the 554. But now thinking to get a mountain brown 556. Please anyone here willing to sell? thanks my email hierophantmy@hotmail.com
If anyone is interested I’ve created a subreddit dedicated to the Belstaff 554, which you can find here … https://www.reddit.com/r/Belstaff554/
@Tim Wilson
No 556 love!
Got lucky and purchased a Belstaff at the thrift store for $1.48 many years ago. I’ve only carried it a few times, maybe 3 at the most. I’ll be giving it to my teenage daughter to take to college this fall.
Wow. That is some deal. Good find!
I have a 556 for sale if anyone is interested. Check @clutteredpockets on IG and send me a dm if you’re interested in chatting.
Hi James.. i am looking for 556 or 554.. is there any way to get it in India. Thanks
I have a vintage Colonial Belstaff for sale. Check out @pisspoorandfancy Link in bio.
I have a vintage Belstaff Colonial Messenger for sale. Check out @pisspoorandfancy on instagram. Link in bio. DM me for more info.
Belstaff Colonial Messenger for sale. Check out @pisspoorandfancy on instagram. Link in bio. DM me for more info.
Belstaff Colonial Messenger on IG @pisspoorandfancy Link in bio. DM me for more info.