Who It Suits

The Peak Design Everyday Totepack is as versatile as its name sounds. It is made for commuters and professionals whether headed to a board meeting or tailgate. No matter the climate, the light and durable materials will keep your everyday items dry and protected without sacrificing accessibility or style.

Who It Doesn’t

The only limiting factor of this bag is the size. If your laptop is bigger than 15” or you’ve been told you have exceptionally broad shoulders, this may not be the bag for you. The top opening is narrow. This allows the bag to stay low profile but could be a deal breaker for some. Although I personally found accessibility to be a highlight of this bag. 

Specifications

• Dimensions:
  • External Dimensions: 46cm (height), 38cm (width), 17cm (depth)
  • Internal Dimensions: 38cm (height), 32cm (width), 15cm (depth)
• Capacity: 25 Liters
• Weight: 
  • Without Dividers: 2.31 lb
  • With Dividers: 2.76 lb
• Materials
  • 400D double poly-coated DWR-impregnated nylon canvas shell
  • 100% recycled post-consumer material
  • 900D waterproof bottom liner

• Maximum Laptop Carry: 15/16” MacBook Pro
• Maximum Tablet Carry: 9.7” iPad Pro
• Price: $179.95

Design

The Everyday Totepack was the first Peak Design bag designed by a woman! We love to see it! I tested out the Bone color and was really impressed upon unboxing. The color is creamy and makes the bag look expensive. The hand straps are a rich brown leather. Low profile is a term used for a lot of Peak Design bags. I haven’t fully appreciated that design choice until trying to put my Totepack in the bottom of my jogger stroller on the way to the beach. 

In my experience with Peak Design bags, the design is always beautiful and functionality is enhanced rather than sacrificed because of it. This concept is shown by the strap system. The backpack straps tuck away and the process is one you won’t dread. More on that below!

Features

From the outside, the Everyday Totepack may seem simple but its features set it apart. Every aspect of this pack is well thought out without being over designed. Often this can be a hard balance to strike, as sometimes when a product tries to be two things at once, it does neither thing well. This is not the case for the Totepack. With shoulder straps that stow in the bag and are completely hidden when not in use, the tote looks tailored but sporty and fits five liters more than the original Peak Design Tote. It certainly doesn’t look like a 25L pack, which is a good thing!

Comfort wise, the Everyday Totepack surprised me. Every touchpoint was joyful to use, essentially, I didn’t have to think about them, which indicates success! The tote handles are padded and magnetic so they stay together, not only good for organisation, but great for quick grab and go, and avoiding the dreaded rub between handles. When in use, the shoulder straps are comfortable and sturdy, I had no problem using them for an extended period of time.

The downfall of a backpack is on the go accessibility. With most backpacks, you need to put the bag down to retrieve items or you swing it to your front and are rifling through as things fall out. I spent five years living in New York City. Finding a clean place to put down your bag can be a tough thing to do in a big city. That’s why the side access zipper on both sides of the Everyday Totepack is so crucial. By swinging the bag around you can easily access whatever you need from the weatherproof side zippers. You may be thinking the side access zippers are a stolen wallet waiting to happen. The solution to this are the small loops on the bottom of the bag. By unsnapping the zipper pull and feeding it through the loop, the pocket remains secure. The top opening has a weatherproof zip closure as well as a magnetic seal. 

The outside of the pack houses the only smaller pocket of the bag. Within the external pocket there are some smaller stretchy pockets, intended for camera accessories, but I’ve also found them a great spot fo keys, chapstick, and the like. The internal cavity has no pockets but offers customization through the classic Peak Design FlexFold dividers. The dividers allow you to break up the space of the main cavity and safely stack all of the items you will need for your day. The Velcro lining the walls is incredibly sturdy and a line shows the center to help with divider placement. Inside this main volume, there is also a laptop sleeve and a tablet sleeve. I use an iPad for work but am never without my kindle so these two pockets are perfect for my everyday carry. 

My favorite feature of this bag surprised me. There are external carry straps that can attach to any of the eight attachment points along both sides and the bottom of the pack. This feature suits me so well because I am constantly packing my bag then running back in the house to grab a sweatshirt just in case. Now, instead of trying to shove it inside the main cavity of the bag I can cinch it down to the outside of the pack! I used this bag as one of my beach bags during my testing. I kept a beach towel inside the pack on the way to the beach. After a day in the sun, I cinched my towel to the outside for the walk home to keep sand out of the main cavity.

Performance

A pack can look good but it all comes down to how the product performs when it’s actually being used. I don’t want to sound like a Peak Design fan girl but they really never disappoint. Using this bag was so enjoyable. The zippers never catch, the straps are comfortable. Seemingly small examples like these make a big difference to the user experience.

I am a serial bag overstuffer. So despite my average strength I am constantly worried I am going to rip my bag or break a zipper. It feels like this bag was made by a fellow overstuffer. The zippers are so substantial and the material feels so strong. I’m confident it will last.

The testing for this bag was two-fold. I use it in my everyday life which these days consists of work, grocery store runs, and walks with my two month old daughter. I did not use this as a diaper bag but a bag for my things- iPad, Kindle, sunglasses, wallet and sweatshirt. For this use, the Everyday Totepack is near perfect. The only missing feature is a water bottle pocket. You can arrange the dividers to create a spot for your water bottle. However, that’s an extra step that isn’t going to happen while my beautiful but temperamental daughter screams from her carseat on the way out the door. That being said, the lack of a water bottle pocket is far from a deal breaker for me. I used this bag often and will continue to use it happily!

I also used this as a beach bag. In the main cavity I had a sweatshirt, extra set of clothes for my daughter, wet/dry bag with my sunscreen, beach towel, and Kindle. I also filled a Camelbak bladder with ice water and fed the hose through the top magnetic opening. This was my solution to the lack of a water bottle pocket and I will not go back to bringing a water bottle. At the end of the day I strapped my towel to the outside of the pack and was still able to fit the bag in the bottom of the stroller because of the sleek design. 

The Good

There is so much that is good about the Everyday Totepack. It’s beautiful. I would feel confident using it while in business casual attire. The lightweight materials add to the comfort of the bag and the straps are padded and adjustable to prevent any pinching or squeezing. 

For me, the star of the show is the accessibility. Instead of a zipper that spans the entire pack, the 3 zippers allow access to every corner of the bag without the threat of spilling all of your goods on the street. I used the side zippers more than the top while testing and that surprised (and delighted) me. 

The Not So Good

Thinking critically about changes I would make to this bag was a tall task. I was able to come up with just two things. There is no water bottle pocket which I missed for everyday use. The backpack straps have daisy chain webbing for the size adjustment. This is only an issue if you will be sharing this bag. When my husband grabbed the bag he had trouble fitting it on his back and the daisy chain just makes it slightly more time consuming to adjust. As this is some extreme nitpicking but it did come up throughout my testing so I had to share my experience! 

It is also worth mentioning that this bag is a light color and bags get dirty. I do not consider this a flaw and am not bothered by mild wear. I even consider stain removal to be a competitive sport at times. It’s amazing what a little baking soda and dawn dish soap can do. However, if the thought of keeping the bag pristine gives you heartburn, check out the Totepack in black! 

Verdict

This bag has me feeling like a real bag geek. You know you really like a product when you are trying to work it into all of your conversations. I’ve tested a few Peak Design bags and this is my favorite. It’s well priced for the quality and versatility. The accessibility is unrivaled and the weight and durability of the materials used really set it apart! 

This review was written by our newest contributor–Welcome to the team, Colleen! 

Colleen is an avid skier and hiker. She is also a new mom, navigating the best ways to get outside with a little one and all the stuff that comes with them. When not enjoying nature, Colleen spends her time reading and painting.

The post Peak Design Everyday Totepack Review appeared first on Carryology - Exploring better ways to carry.

The Cambiata is offered in a large enough selection of colors to appease any preferences, with a 630D Ballistic shell, and Tom Bihn’s signature 200D Halcyon lining (one of our favorite materials) or the newer 210D Cerylon. For this piece, we opted for the Black Ballistic with Zest Halcyon making a triumphant return to the lineup. Long live Halcyon.

While it’s easy to call this a totepack, that’s not exactly accurate. Satchelpack? Pursepack? CrossbodyPack? The Cambiata has a lot more in common with Tom Bihn’s Cafe Bag series than it does with many totes we’ve seen. That’s not a bad thing, just a point of distinction when it comes to deciding how you’ll use this bag. With totes, you’re often carrying them at your side by the handles, or over one shoulder. Realistically, that’s not going to be the case with the Cambiata.

We’ve found it’s best to treat the Cambiata like a crossbody first and foremost, ignoring the backpack straps for a moment. The single handle on the rear doesn’t lend itself well for anything other than picking the bag up – just like on a backpack. The longer included strap can easily be adjusted in length depending on if you prefer that classic crossbody fit or if you want to just be able to throw it over a shoulder quickly.

The Cambiata’s real trick is the readily available backpack straps that tuck into the rear sleeve. Both the straps and their connection points at the bottom stow away when not in use and stay out of sight and out of mind.

These are Tom Bihn’s Contour straps, which are a minimal yet comfortable dual strap setup for their smaller bags. Not quite as beefy as their current Edgeless straps, but a major upgrade from webbing straps. They’re definitely best suited to the shorter amongst us. If you’re over 6′, you might not find them the best fit. Luckily, our household is well under that mark.

The pocketing on the Cambiata is unsurprisingly solid. Tom Bihn is usually a go-to for those who love thoughtful pocketing. On the exterior alone there are four options to stuff your gear into. Two small zippered pockets on the right-hand side, a zippered bottle pocket on the opposing side, and an open top pocket on each of the front and back sides. It’s worth noting that the rear open top pocket is only really usable in backpack mode, and anything in there will probably push into your back – so choose wisely! There’s also a laptop sleeve on the top side rear of the pack. It’s well padded and raised but worth noting that it’s lined with lightweight, gray nylon – not the chosen liner of the main compartment.

Around the inside we have one zippered compartment under the lid – anything heavy here will weigh the lid down, so this is best for small items like keys or a wallet. One side has two open, elastic-topped pockets, while the other side is left free from any clutter. The back side has one full-height, open, elastic-topped pocket – very similar to the front internal pocket on the Synapse and Synik packs.

The Cambiata couldn’t be mistaken for anything other than a Tom Bihn piece. While at first we were a little confused as to how this was a totepack, we really started to dig it after we let any of those preconceived notions go. It’s exactly what it was designed to be, and needs to be. The Tom Bihn Cambiata is at home at the office, cafe, or even on your next trip.

The post Tom Bihn Cambiata | First Look appeared first on Carryology - Exploring better ways to carry.

Well, the Laflore bobobark bag might just offer it all.

Parisian chic with functional flair

Father and daughter team Elie Soroussi and Natacha Soroussi founded Laflore as a means to express their combined passions of fashion, functional design and sustainable construction. Elie has been in the fashion industry for over three decades and is the founder of fashion house Cecile & Jeanne Paris. Natacha shares her father’s love of design and craft and together they have created a brand that offers luxury and sustainability in one. And the Parisian brand’s first offering, the bobobark bag, is a piece that elegantly blends all of these values.

The bag’s clean, geometric aesthetic is designed to flatter the wearer’s silhouette and transition easily between the office and nights about town.

But what takes the bag to the next level is the fusion of functional features and designer looks, which is a combination, I personally, have found hard to find.

And there’s a lot more to it: three carry options make it easy to adapt to different settings and loads. bobobark can be carried as a backpack, shoulder bag or briefcase. And transitioning between carry modes is a straightforward process of clipping or unclipping the bag’s straps.

Additionally, the bag has a lovely range of pocketing options and convenient access to ensure the contents remain tidy and within easy reach throughout the day or night.

The bag opens 180 degrees to provide clear visibility of the contents and easy access. A zippered pocket in the center of the main compartment doubles as a divider, creating handy compartmentalization. The padded 13″ laptop pocket offers both internal and external access to your tech, while the phone pocket also offers both interior and exterior access and features a cable port for on-the-go charging. And with further pockets on hand, you can store work and EDC items neatly and avoid annoying rummaging for specific gear.

Style meets sustainability

It was important to Natacha and Elie that the bag not only looks great and functions well, but is also sustainably made. So they turned to nature for inspiration and found it with cork skin. Each bobobark bag is carefully handmade using premium cork skin harvested from cork oaks in Portugal. The bark from the trees is harvested every seven to nine years, which does not harm the tree and actually helps the tree to grow and release more oxygen. The forest where the bark is harvested shelters many endangered flora and fauna species and combines biodiversity with eco-friendly farming.

The cork skin is polished to create a soft and supple texture like leather, resulting in a durable material that lasts a lifetime and is waterproof, while also being three times lighter than leather. And the bag is meticulously crafted to ensure long-lasting quality so you never need to replace it.

Working with nature

The bobobark bag stands out as a fine example of high-end yet ethical design. A bag that celebrates sustainability, style, function and versatility. A piece that doesn’t make you sacrifice form or function, but instead provides it all with practical access and organization, adaptable portability and timeless aesthetics. If you’re keen to step up your work carry with this chic and sustainable bag, check out the bobobark Kickstarter campaign which runs until 13 September 2019.

The post Could This Be the Ultimate Work Bag for Women? appeared first on Carryology - Exploring better ways to carry.