Commuting bags are equal parts tote and companion. Stuffed with work paraphernalia, a newspaper or e-reader and perhaps a bit of lunch or gym gear, the work bag is an essential that’s chosen carefully and loved dearly.

There are many options for commuters beyond the ubiquitous black nylon shoulder bag, though there are some excellent versions of that, too.

Some of the best bags come from the West Coast, out of design studios started by guys with connections to the bike messenger community. While they may have begun with recycled car seat belts and industrial-strength upholstery fabric, companies like Chrome and Timbuk2 now create bags and cases that are state-of-the-art in style and construction.

Timbuk2 says its bags take on the “stains and scars of everyday urban adventures.” Timbuk2 Classic Messenger comes in lots of colors and patterns, including an edgy San Francisco street map and an earthier seed textured fabric. The bags have a reinforced bottom boot, key tethers and plenty of interior space.

A 10-inch nylon netbook bag can be slung anywhere on the body – hip, shoulder or chest – and features a cool cam buckle that, once adjusted, will always return to that setting when reconnected. The SuperBright messenger is swathed in a panel of reflective Reflexite, great for commuters who need to be safely visible.

Timbuk2 also has a create-your-own option: Choose a base model bag and customize the colors, even the interior configuration.

Chrome offers the smart Soyuz bag made of rugged Cordura with an impermeable chamber for wet stuff like gym gear or bottles. It also comes with an ergonomic back panel for comfy street trekking.

The entire Chrome line seems built to take anything a city or college warrior can throw at it.

Or consider Boston’s David King & Co. buttery and beautiful Vacquetta leather briefcases and bags; in rich hues of caramel, coffee or ebony, these are durable pieces that will take on the patina of age in style.

Briggs & Riley have several checkpoint-friendly cases including a slim rolling briefcase and clamshell messenger, both laden with clever features suggested by the legions of B&R followers who view the bags as serious “mobile support systems.”

The advent of e-readers has led to a number of case designs, with M-Edge probably leading the pack.

The jackets can be had in styles that open like a book or flip into a platform; materials include leather, nylon and laminated canvas. There’s a space for papers and business cards, and a booklight is available. There are sporty models like the Go! and Latitude, and more refined versions made of patent or crocodile print leather, or California’s Halsea prints.

Also from California come beautiful tooled leather e-reader cases with wool linings, by Oberon Designs’ Brendan Smith and his sister Becca. Intricate designs such as forests and Japanese and Celtic motifs are handcrafted, then the cases are finished with small etched pewter buttons.