Bellroy Transit Workpack - A compact, understated work bag with surprising capacity and organization
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 1 ก.ค. 2024
- A smaller work/EDC/commute-oriented version on the well-regard Bellroy Transit Travel bag, the Bellroy Transit Workpack is a relatively small, understated everyday use bag featuring a fairly high degree of organization and a surprising capacity for its size and silhouette.
* Introduction & Overview - 00:00
* Who it's for/not for - 01:14
* Compared to Transit Travel Pack - 02:20
* External Features - 06:26
* Pocketing - 07:39
* Zippers: 11:10
* Straps + Carry System - 13:30
* Laptop Compartment - 15:58
* Main Compartment - 17:00
* Other bags to consider - 22:34
The bag's main claim to fame is probably its overall small, compact size coupled with some clever patterning and material choice that lets it swallow far more than might be expected. Plentiful exterior and interior pockets provide several ways to organize smaller items and electronics in an easily accessible fashion, while the large interior compartment and clamshell opening makes it painless to store larger items like workout clothing, jackets and headphones. An exterior laptop compartment provides easy access even when the main compartment is packed out and a smaller inner flat pocket allows for easy document and tablet storage without taking up unnecessary space.
The bag does have a couple of shortcomings - the lack of the sternum strap (even as an option) is an annoying omission for those who prefer them, and the main compartment aqua guard coated zipper in a slightly smaller gauge occasionally results in a fussy and friction-filled in-and-out access especially when in a hurry.
Overall however, the Transit Workpack is, in the usual Bellroy tradition, a very good take on a classic genre (20-30L urban commuter pack) and well worth considering if you're in the market for a bag like this.
Bellroy Transit Workpack: bellroy.com/products/transit-...
Note: All the products we review are purchased with our own money and all opinions expressed are our own.
Links (non-affiliate) to some of the items shown in this review:
* G-Shock GR-B200RAF-8AJR: products.g-shock.jp/_detail/G...
* Apple iPhone 11 Pro: www.apple.com/iphone/
* Sony Xperia 1 Mark II: www.sony.com/electronics/smar...
* Sony WH-1000XM4: www.sony.com/electronics/head...
* Bellroy Tech Kit Compact: bellroy.com/products/tech-kit...
* Bellroy Notebook Cover: bellroy.com/products/notebook...
* Bellroy Apex Slim Sleeve: bellroy.com/products/apex-sli...
* Montbell Coin Wallet: en.montbell.jp/products/goods...
* The James Brand Mehlville Carabiner: shop.thejamesbrand.com/produc...
* The James Brand Benton: shop.thejamesbrand.com/produc...
* EverRatchet EDC tool: www.gearinfusion.com/products...
* Nitecore Tube V2 55 Lumen flashlight: www.nitecorestore.com/NITECOR...
* Olight S1R Baton Flashlight: olightworld.com/olight-s1rii-...
* GSI Microlite 500ml water bottle: www.rei.com/product/132408/gs...
* Peak Design Everyday Messenger: www.peakdesign.com/products/e...
* Arcteryx Fyx 9: search.rakuten.co.jp/search/m... (Japanese retailer link)
* Amazon Kindle Oasis: www.amazon.com/Kindle-Oasis-r...
* Apple AirPods Pro: www.apple.com/airpods-pro/
* Apple 11" iPad Pro: www.apple.com/ipad-pro/
* Apple 13" MacBook Pro: www.apple.com/macbook-pro-13/
![Bellroy Transit Workpack Review [But what about the shoe compartment?]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/x8HrVvqIjh0/mqdefault.jpg)
Just commenting to say, I've watched hundreds of bag reviews from all of the usual suspects. Literally hundreds.
This is the first video I've seen on your channel (somehow), and this is exactly what I'm looking for in a review.
I don't comment on videos often, but I just wanted to let you know this is a thoroughly excellent review, start to finish.
Thanks for the great content, I'll definitely be going through the rest of your channel.
Thank you so much for the kind words my friend! I'm really glad you enjoyed it - like you, I have watched hundreds of bag reviews from all the big/small names out there and while I enjoyed all of them in their own way, I also felt there was space for a slightly different take on it. Please let me know if there are any things you'd like to see more/less of!
Outstanding review, I liked it a lot, thank you! You clearly have a great appreciation and understanding of bags, of design, material and craftsmanship. Keep up the great work.
Thank you so much for the kind words Tamas! I've been a little busy with work/life/trying to survive 2020 (haha) but have a bunch of new videos coming soon!
Love your reviews man! Very thorough and hits all the important points.
Thank you so much for the kind words my friend!
Thank you I was waiting someone review this bag. Bellroy does such amazing bags.
My pleasure! And yes they definitely do!
Where I buy this bag
I wanted to echo that this is an excellent review from what seems to be a lesser known channel (for now). You covered some great points that I did not find in other reviews and I appreciated that you brought up some alternatives to consider -- ones that I was already considering. Keep up the great work and thank you!
Thank you so much for the kind words StarboardOar87! By the way I answered your question about this bag vs. the CHZ22 over on the other video you posted on. I hope it helps!!
Dude never stop making these reviews please. These are the detailed reviews I need when looking to buy a new bag.
awww, thank you for the kind words CuriousMus! I'm so glad this was useful for you!
I am 1000% seconding and supporting this comment
Aww thank you so much!!
I echo others in saying that this is one of the most thorough bag reviews I have ever seen, unbiased and detailed. Subbing to support!
Thank you so much for the kind words Pennypapercraft!
@@TheMountainborn I ended up buying the bag based on your review and it is everything you described. It’s perfect for my needs. Keep up the great work!
Wow, excellent review answered all my questions. Thank you
My pleasure - I'm glad this was helpful for you!
Great job on the bag review. I found a lot of useful information here that I couldn't find anywhere else. Love the focus you have while reviewing and I hope your channel continues to grow! One tip from someone who used to be in Marketing, maybe add a short intro with a logo, or something with your name at the beginning of every video. This will give you a sort of "brand" for everyone to remember and come back to.
Thank you so much for comparing with the 28l, so difficult to choose between the two!
We love your reviews, keep it up!
Thank you so much for the kind words Duo!!
Great, well considered review. Good work and thank you.
Thank you so much! I'm glad it was useful for you!
Superb review especially the comparison with the transit version
Great review. Please keep it coming!
Thanks Raymond! Definitely will!
This was a great review! I’ve been getting into VERY minimal travel lately, and I think this might have just the exact features I was looking for
Thank you so much! And yes, while this bag is intended more as an EDC use bag, you could definitely do very minimal one bag travel with it. The only feature it's missing that I think might come in handy in such a scenario would be a sternum strap but other than that it has a pretty great set of features for minimalist OBT!
Super helpful, thank you!
Great bag.... this is kind of what I want AER to make
Great review, keep it up! You will get many subscribers soon!
Thank you so much!
great review! So timely for christmas wish list! haha thanks for this! Subbed!
Thank you so much for the kind words and the sub - this would be the perfect thing to find under the Christmas tree! (This and maybe the new Bellroy Melbourne Backpack :) )
Great review, very fair and objective!
Thank you so much! I'm glad you liked it!!
Love your reviews, so thorough. I actually like the zippers because i feel that it would be harder for someone to get into your bag (would hopefully feel the tugging), when it is on your back. Keep up the great reviews. Blessed day.
Thank you so much my friend!
I know this is 1 year later, but you helped me decide to purchase this bag. Please continue to make more fantastic reviews. Your reviews are some of the best 👌
That's awesome - I'm so glad this video was helpful! And yes, this is one of my favourite backpacks - I'm sure you're gonna love it! (^^)
@@TheMountainborn and guess what else, I caught a sale and found the same color bag in the 38 liter plus backpack and purchased it too. 😀 I'm doing way too much but I love bags 🎒
@@Mr1Musicloverhey, quick question, any issue with the straps coming loose? And also a rather difficult access to your water bottle in those side pockets?
Thank you!
@normang663 straps coming aloose...no, not so much. I haven't used it in awhile as I upflgraded to the new Aer Pack. The water bottle area is almost unusable when the bag is packed out. Definitely an issue
Love your reviews! Came for the bellroy review and found myself juts watching through all of them!! So glad you compared this to the Transit bag and would love to see a video on the transit itself and get your thoughts on using it as an EDC pack and how it handles half full. Great content!
Thank you so much for the kind words Connor and I'm so happy you enjoyed the videos and found them useful!
I will definitely do a video review of the transit travel pack one of these days as it is one of my favourite compact one bag travel goldilocks bags!
Seconding the request for a dedicated Transit backpack review!
Great review! I've been glancing at this model since we'll start some part-time back at the office in a couple of months. I also really like that their backpacks aren't a gaping black void where you need a flashlight to find your stuff in it, that's way too common for a lot of backpacks.
My pleasure! Glad you could find this video helpful! To this day this remains one of my favorite EDC bags - and totally agree, I like how Bellroy does internal organization on their bags with contrast linings - greatly improves the usability over big gaping voids as you pointed out!
Out of curiosity which are/is your favorite EDC bags?
excellent video!
Hi Laís! Thank you very much!
Great review as always man. I am not even in the market for this but I really enjoy your reviews!
Thank you so much! I really appreciate you saying that!
Is there a bag you are in the market for, out of curiosity? If so maybe I can review it! :) (If I own it)
Awesome review! Thanks a lot!
My pleasure! Glad you liked it!
@@TheMountainborn the remainder about on the bd street creek 24 was awesome. “Bucket” bags are really useful edc’s. I wish we had more of them on market. I just managed to get the evergoods mqd24. Embracing the simplicity :)
Awesome review! Subscribed.
Awww thank you so much!!! Glad you found it useful!
Great review!
Could you do a review on the bellroy venture duffel?
Great video! I just did a hands on with the same bag in the same colour haha. Cant believe you dont have more subs, your videos are excellent
That's so awesome! Great minds think alike hahaha :)
I'm gonna check out your video tonight!
@@TheMountainborn Very true haha :) I found your channel when looking for the Arcteryx Nomin backpack reviews. I thought you were the LockPickingLawyers secret backpack channel at first hah (your voice and cadence is similar to his, which is a good thing, keeps my attention and always engaging). Keep the awesome videos coming
That might be the most awesome compliment anyone has ever given me!! 😂🔑🔓
"In today's video, we're going to be picking open this Master lock with a piece of uncooked spaghetti and an old piece of gum I found in my pocket....Click out of one, nothing on two, click out of three... and it's open. In any case, that's all I have for you today...."
@@TheMountainborn "if you DO have any questions or comments..." haha
I have a Transit workpack and a transit backpack from Bellroy. The shoulder strap will loosen, and backpack gets lower and lower even as i walk and move my shoulder... I wasn't carrying a very heavy load and just 15inch laptop, afew textbooks, a 500ml water bottle and some small accessories, weight total of less than 4kg. Bellroy's shoulder straps have been a problem since I bought both my backpacks from them in October 2021. It's a major design and materials flaws and frustrating when using their bag on a daily basis. I hope viewers make sure that problem is fixed before buying. Anyway, as of December 2022, Bellroy offers no solution to that.
thank you for the heads up with straps loosening up... has this been addressed?
I got it too and I have the same issues .it sucks when walking with uneven straps or too low backpack while commuting.I try to secure the straps locker (I don't know what's it called) sometimes it works other times it still slips
If to be used as an everyday workbag, is it ideal for carrying lunch? Just sandwich, but think of those vegetables and sometimes soupy dishes together with ample sized water bottles.
And lastly, would a small mirrorless camera like the Sony A6600 or Fujifilm X-T3 can inside in any of the side pouches and top shelf compartment?
Looking forward to your reply. Thanks
Waiting for transit 28 and 38 review , please.
Whats the insert you use for the gym shoes/gear? looking for something like that. Love the reviews. Been looking for a gym/work bag. Was leaning toward the Aer bags but really like this bellroy and liked how you showed how to add gym gear to it.
Hi Jason! That is the Aer Shoe Bag (www.aersf.com/shoe-bag-black) - looks like it's sold out on the Aer site but you should still be able to find stock on third party sites here and there. I love this bag not just for shoes but also to handle gym clothes together with it. I hope this helps!
Great review. I love the "slouchiness" of this pack and how that lets it punch above its weight when you pack it out in terms of volume. I wonder though how the bag would feel and pack in the other materiels Bellroy offers. They all behave and feel very different from each other. The lack of a sternum strap and the simple suspension concerns me though. I would have like to seen to pics or shots of you wearing the pack.
I'm a huge materials nerd, but I don't know much about the differences in the qualities of the different bellroy materials. Could you give a short rundown?
Great question! So regarding on-body pics, I keep intending to do that but I just haven't gotten around to adjusting my camera setup to reliably get the kind of shots I'd like. But it's coming in future reviews, I promise!
Regarding material choice, the fabric (Dura Nylon, I believe) used in the black colourway does feel a bit more "plasticky" or "nylon" than some of Bellroy's other materials which often have a more organic (not sure if that's the right word?) feel. I was used to this material from owning the original Bellroy Transit 28L travel pack so in that way it felt familiar - I believe (but am not sure) that it's also the same material used in the black version of their Weekender (which I previously reviewed) and Duo tote pack based on a quick side-by-side just now.
I don't have any concerns with how this fabric at least packs - as mentioned, I think it's got a great "stuff ability" and some subtle "give" under load and I found the same in the Weekender review I did. It has some water / stain resistance in my experience but it also does show certain kinds of stains (white streaks from rubbing up against a drywall wall or setting down on a sidewalk/garden rocks) more readily and stubbornly than maybe some of the other fabrics.
Looking at the Bellroy website and based on past experience I'm fairly sure the other colourways such as Lunar and Marine Blue are using different fabrics (Baida Nylon for the Marine blue for example) - annoyingly the "materials and specifications" entry for the work pack doesn't update depending on the selected colourway as it does on some of their other bags so I can't 100% confirm. Based on another product of theirs I have in the Marine Blue that's definitely feels less "nylon and plasticky" than the black Dura Nylon of the black colourway, so something to consider.
Regarding suspension and lack of sternum strap - I'm squarely in the Sternum Strap camp but I've found this bag surprisingly useful when packed out with light to moderate EDC loads and when worn high and tight despite the lack of stiff frame sheet and sternum strap. If you carry a bunch of stuff and/or heavy things, however, this bag is probably not going to be the best choice for you.
Hope this helps!
Hey there! For sure - one of the things I like about Bellroy is (much like Evergoods) they pay a lot of attention to their materials - but unlike Evergoods they have so many materials they even created a page detailing the differences:
bellroy.com/our-materials
Enjoy! :)
I agree, I really like the ‘slouchiness’ of the bag. The materials on this bag seem to have a good amount of give and it looks like does not show lint and dust as much as the canvas material. I ended up purchasing one based on this review. I am bummed about the lack of a sternum strap but trying to remember that this is not meant for extended carry. It is only to shuttle between landing spots for remote work for me. I hope this ends my search for a daily carry bag. This is a. Really good thorough review and I echo that the only thing missing is pics or demonstration of how the bag carries on your shoulders.
Wish one of the sides had a rear tall mesh pocket for water bottle/wet umbrella
This is a fantastic review. Ijs
Thanks so much G A!
Great video, thank you for making this!
qq - does the bellroy classic pouch fit in the laptop compartment separate area? If so does it get in the way when trying to pull out the laptop?
Thanks!
Hi Joshua - Yes it does fit in there quite nicely (the curved shape of the classic pouch matches pleasingly with the curve at the top of the bag which I liked)
In my experience the classic pouch doesn't interfere with getting the laptop in/out even when fairly loaded out as this pocket pushes into the main capacity of the bag - it's not too bad on that side either unless you've really got the main compartment stuffed.
(For comparison, I found that the more squarish and bulkier Bellroy tech kit compact started to push out slightly more into the laptop side as well as the main compartment when fully loaded out).
Thank you so much for the detailed response!! This helps a ton!
Great review. Would you be able to offer some insight as to how the Bellroy Dura Nylon materials compare to say the 1680D Cordura ballistic nylon in a standard AER pack?
Also wondering how the carry comfort is on this pack vs an AER Day Pack 2 or Fit Pack 3.
Great question Merlando (sorry for the late reply).
So I've owned and heavily used bags by Bellroy and Aer for years now and haven't really had either fail on me or really get seriously damaged so I would say from an EDC/urban travel perspective they're probably equalish for the average person.
Broadly generalising from my experiences, I feel like the 1680D cordura on the Aer can sometimes show a bit of surface wear (pilling, etc.) in high-abrasion areas (inside edge of shoulder pads, grab handles, broad exposed bottom surfaces of the bag etc.) which I don't see as much on the Bellroy fabric - however I have noticed the Bellroy fabric tends to show stains much more readily (i.e. white salt marks from road spray will dry and stain on that surface but I don't really see that on the Aer). Also, I feel like the zippers on the Bellroy transit workpack are a little more delicate than the ones on the Aer but again, in practice for the average user I think both are excellently durable.
I do think that when you start getting to more off the grid travel we might start to see some differences in abrasion resistance etc. but I don't usually use either of these bags for this use case so can't comment on that persay.
Regarding carry comfort of straps, one of the biggest differences is the presence of a sternum strap on the Aer bags and lack thereof on the Transit workpack - I wish the latter had it as I feel that contributes greatly to the carry and handle under load. (the Transit travel pack however does have one).
I think the straps of the transit workpack are an improvement over the Transit travel pack (save the lack of sternum strap) and I like the relatively low profile strap cushioning coupled with a somewhat stiff top layer for distribution of load throughout the strap. I think it looks cleaner and is gentler on the clothing, but the Aer straps are quite robust and more thickly padded (albeit at the expense of being slightly more unwieldy and a bit rougher on clothing). For me the sternum strap swings it in the favour of the Aer but from all other perspectives I would choose the Transit workpack straps - but that is just because I like lower profile less thickly padded straps - if you prefer the latter (or like sternum straps) then the Aer will probably win out for you IMO.
I hope this helps!
Thank you for the honest review.I just bought this bag and was immediately annoyed wit the zippers and the cheap looking handles. They wanted me to send them a video about the zippers. But you really need two hands to unzip it, so I need someone to film it. Now paying 18 Euros to send it back. Returns are not covered .......
Hi Sascha - glad to hear that you enjoyed the review but sorry to hear that the bag didn't work out for you - the friction on the main compartment zippers is definitely one of the weaker points of the bag and can be super annoying since it's an EDC bag that one usually wants to get into and out of quickly multiple times a day 😅.
What bag are you thinking of getting as a replacement now that you've returned it?
The only thing I'm missing is the luggage sleeve. Perhaps somebody knows if the backpack handle is allowing for luggage handle pass through?
Hi! Would you be able to let me know if the stuff you put in this Bellroy's main compartment would also fit into the Evergoods CPL24's main compartment?
Because I like how you use the Aer shoe bag to hold all your gym stuff - wondering if that will also fit in the Evergoods. Thanks!
Hi Steven - sorry for the late reply.
The initial load out I showed around 17:13 will easily fit in the CPL24 v1 pocket. The somewhat larger load out I show around 21:28 will also fit, but is starting to fill out the main capacity of the CPL24 v1 (depending on the size of the jacket/outer layer you're packing)
The full load out - including the Aer Shoe bag containing the shoes + gym clothes - that I show around 21:55 is really stuffing the CPL24 v1 to the limits. I personally was able to get it all to fit in there, but it was a tight fit that was stretching the main compartment and made it a bit annoying to try to access the inner flap pockets/inside main compartment mesh panel - I felt like I was closing an overstuffed suitcase each time I opened/closed it.
In my opinion this load out is doable in the CPL24, but it also depends on (1) the size of your shoes - I'm using some lightweight, low-profile Nike Flyknit runners, but if you have larger shoes/high tops etc they may not fit and (2) the size of the jacket/outer shell. The shell I show (an older circa 2016 ish Arcteryx Atom LT Hoodie) is relatively lightweight and scrunchable, but a heavier / larger / loftier layer might be too bulky to fit depending on the size of your shoes.
I hope this helps!
What do you generally think of Bellroy durability compared to bags at a similar price bracket? Can these be used without being careful and yet hold up over 10 years?
Top coverage as always.
The lack of an optional sternum strap makes it a no go for me as they make it for me.
That's a great question.
*tl;dr* - Versus some other common brands I've reviewed on this channel, and specifically speaking about my personal *impressions* of robustness, I'd rate Evergoods as superior (and often cheaper), GoRuck/Mystery Ranch as far tougher (but often functionally inferior for urban EDC/urban-travel), Heimplanet (transit lines) and Aer as probably slightly less robust (due to the wear I saw in the materials and based on my experience anyway) and Arcteryx as... mixed, depending on which particular bag you're talking about. However, I think most Bellroy bags also offer a compelling mix of design and functionality for their intended use cases that should probably be factored into most purchase decisions as well.
*slightly more detail*
To be fair, I think the oldest Bellroy bag that I own is only about 3 years old or so (I don't remember exactly but as far as I can recall, they weren't really on my radar as anything other than a quirky wallet manufacturer until just a few years ago) but up until now I've never experienced any kind of failures or major damage to any of their bags.
That having been said, I generally use Bellroy bags more for urban EDC (things like this work pack, tote pack, system workbag etc.) and urban travel (weekender, transit travel pack, etc.). I'm not particularly "careful" with any of my bags (it is my philosophy that tools are meant to be used for the most part and I appreciate well-worn-in tools and the story and memories the wear tells) but I also don't think that urban EDC/travel is such a particularly challenging use case (unless you're checking in a bag, which I rarely do and haven't with the Bellroys).
The hardest-worn Bellroy bag I have is probably the Transit Travel Pack 28L which over a couple of years I have taken on some pretty robust mixed one-bag travel adventures overseas - including up some snow covered mountains in Switzerland, jammed in tiny prop plane bins, into work meetings and bouncing up and down my back in some light rain as I ran to catch a crowded (and incorrect, as it turned out) inter-city train early in the morning. After a couple of years it still looks quite good to me - it has some gentle "wearing in" of the initial stiffness of the straps and the back panel but no surface abrasions, broken threads, hardware, etc. To my eye it could still easily go many more years without concern.
Normally I would expect to see some wear on the back panel near the lumbar region - as the back panel is covered in a type of stretch mesh, I've seen this wear from hitting the belt or moving up and down on abrasive clothing in other bags (the v1 Peak Design everyday bags were notorious for this) - surprisingly I haven't seen that in the Transit Travel bag but I'm wondering if it's because often I was wearing a shell or insulted jacket (quite smooth surface for the bag to slide on) or else because I switched to a lower profile "travel belt" (don't need to take off for the metal detectors) right around when I started carrying this bag. Anyway, I wonder if this area will show some wear if I were to switch to a regular thicker belt/rougher denim, etc.
That having been said, I think it's important to mention that I also choose the right tool for the right job - I would not take these bags into conditions where a more serious rugged bag might be need - i.e. Evergoods, Arcteryx, Mystery Ranch/GoRuck etc. (depending on the exact mix of needs and conditions). An example might be the zippers - I've never had a Bellroy zipper fail on me but I also don't yank or rip it open the same way I would a rugged #10 on an MR Tri-zip. I've never had a Bellroy shoulder strap tear on me, but I also don't load it down the same way I would say a Bora 65 (those are totally different bags granted) And while I would say Bellroy materials are quite good, I also wouldn't throw them up against rocks the way I might with say a GR1, etc.
So I think there's an aspect of use case and expected conditions to consider as well. For the general use cases I would classify them in - urban EDC and urban (as opposed to outdoor) travel, I'd say many of their bags are quite good, with the nylon ones (as opposed to some of the more fabric-y material colourways) in particular seeming fairly robust to me. I generally have been unsatisfied with some of their cheaper offerings (studio/slim backpack) but more from a feature set than robustness perspective), and personally think the "premium" variants are quite overpriced and the Apex is extremely overpriced for what you get. The remainder are slightly expensive but I feel they are decently robust for their intended use case and generally offer good functionality and utility for the price.
Hi. Great videos! If you had to choose between Evergoods CPL24 and this bag, which would u go for? Also, what’s ur favorite EDC backpack right now? Thanks again and look forward to more content from u
Ahhhh Nathan asking the real questions! I love it!
So regarding CPL24 vs. the Transit Workpack.... that's a toughie but if I had to choose just one I would personally probably go with the CPL 24 V2 (the just released version 2). In general I'm a huge fan of Evergoods however.
The advantages I see for the CPL24 over the work pack (for me) include:
1. Better materials (see below) leading to a more robust, yet civilized, bag.
2. Better suspension/harness including removable sternum strap.
3. Better zippers and ease of access
4. Side carry handle
5. (On the v2) Yoke-area dump pocket (which I find very useful)
On the other hand, some of the weaknesses of the Evergoods CPL24 vs. the Transit Workpack
1. The fabric does collect a lot of lint/pet hair which for me is a non-issue but does bother some people.
2. Doesn't stand up on its own
3. More rectangular (esp. laptop compartment) - for some people they mention it hits their lower back the wrong way.
4. No water bottle pockets
5. I think it probably holds slightly less due to dividing the capacity between two compartments, but it depends on what you're carrying I think.
Regarding my favorite EDC bag right now.... oh man, that's maybe an impossible question to answer! 😹
Here's a few that get a lot of heavy rotation with me:
1. Evergoods CPL24 (no surprise, given my gushing above)
2. Rofmia Shift Daypack
3. Evergoods CHZ22 (I wasn't a fan of this bag at first due to the frumpy look, but it has grown on me over time)
4. Bellroy Transit Workpack (I have been purposefully testing it for the last three weeks but surprisingly I quite like it)
5. Mystery Ranch Urban Assault 21/24L (depending on how much I'm carrying)
@@TheMountainborn Thank you so much for your thoughtful reply! Not only are your videos great, you really take time to answer questions. I just ordered the CPL while it is on preorder sale. I can always grab the Bellroy later. Would love to see ur review of the MR UA21/24 next. I have the MRxCarryology but it’s a bit much for edc and UA might be better. Thanks again!!!
My pleasure - and thank you so much for the kind words!
I hope you like your CPL24 as much a I love mine! And yes, will do a review of the MR UA soon!
Fun fact: the UA 21 is one of the few bags I own that isn't either black or gray (I own it in the waxed wood colourway) :)
I like how you say “pohkit”
hahaha now you have me re-watching the video to see how I pronounced it 😂
When are we getting your review of the Apex, Phoenix, or Stealth Cobra?
Thanks for review.
I recently picked up this backpack after your review.
can you tell me how to take care of this kind of backpacks (how to clean, wash, as I understand it, they cannot be)?
Hi Koyl!
I just wipe it down with a damp cloth and let it dry. If it's a particularly stubborn stain I'll put some soap and hot water on a cloth and scrub with that and then let it dry. I use a darker colour towel (blue/black) to avoid leaving any white little fuzzy bits (from a lighter coloured cloth) on the fabric after I scrub.
But generally speaking, care is pretty easy and straightforward, you don't need to use any super fancy detergents, etc. (also, don't use any scrub pads or abrasives - just a hot water, a little dish soap and a cloth). Also, goes without saying but don't put the backpack in the washing machine!!
Let me know if that helps!
Hey! Excellent! Now i am pretty sure this is not a bag for me.
Please do Tom Bihn Shadow v2 23l size.
Glad to be of help! And you got it!
Still a fantastic review, well done!!
Thank you so much for the kind words Diastro!!
Hey Mountain, thanks for this fantastic review! I'm trying to decide between this bag and the able carry dailly backpack, specifically the deep black XPAC X51 one. I'd like to keep it for at least 4-5 years and i intend to use it both in an urban environment and at the beach/mountain/rocky sea spots. I'm a bit concerned about the durabilty oh bellroy's materials, as i will travel quite a bit and it will more likely take some beating, which i think the able carry could whithstand more easily with the xpac... Which bag would you choose?
Oh this is a great question! So first and foremost, let me just state that I am not a materials specialist so hopefully someone else in the comments who is will chime in on this reply :)
That out of the way, let me give my perspective as someone who owns and has used both the Bellroy Transit and the Able Carry Daily pack (the latter for years at this point):
* The Bellroy Transit is more functional, usable bag
* The Able Carry is more comfortable to carry, especially under load
* The Bellroy has superior origanisation and larger capacity
* The Able Carry fabric feels more robust (in thickness and abrasion resistance)
* I don't particularly like the zippers on either of them - neither of them are terrible or cheap, but neither of them inspire the kind of confidence and rock-solid durability you find in something like a #10 YKK rack and coil zipper (think Evergoods for example). The fact that both bags use water-resistant/coated/aqua guard zippers is no excuse - neither is as good as the great examples you find on things like an Aer bag waterproof zipper or Mystery Ranch coated zipper. I think under normal use though, as long as you're careful, both of these zippers *should* last - again, as long as you don't abuse them (like you could an Evergoods/Mystery Ranch/Aer bag zipper).
* The Able Carry developed a rip in the inner liner of the front inner pocket within a few weeks of use. I was able to sew it (I was on a trip at the time) and it stayed put after that, but contrast that to the literal dozens + of different Bellroy bags I own none of which have ever had anything remotely similar happen.
* Overall build quality of the Bellroy is more refined (elegant) but the Able Carry also seems very robust in the overall external construction even if slightly less elegant in execution.
* To the extent that I can tell and have used them, the Bellroy nylon "wears" better than the Able Carry X-PAC, the latter of which shows quite a lot of wear early on, although the actual material integrity is not harmed at all. Couple of caveats: I have used the Able Carry far longer than the Bellroy (though I have other Bellroy bags of a similar age), and also I have a different flavor of X-PAC than the one you're looking at for your able carry bag (see below).
All of that being said, I think that both of these bags will serve you well given appropriate care, but given that you are mentioning you are planning rocky sea spots/mountains etc. I think I would give the slight edge to the Able Carry - the suspension is superior and very comfortable (very useful if you're climbing mountains/hiking with this bag) and the X-PAC material definitely seems much more robust/abrasion resistance.
Now, a couple of caveats - I have the older X-PAC 42 version which is a different type of X-PAC than the one you're looking at - you mentioned VX51 which I believe has a Cordura face fabric which should help even more with abrasion resistance and presumably look better with age than my version. Secondly, I don't think I've really ever truly abused either of these bags in the way you may be planning - i.e. I don't think I've taken either of them down to the beach nor really scraped them against a bunch of rocks when hiking narrow canyons/rocky sea spots etc. However, I do think that based on my experience with other bags of these kind of materials that the X-PAC Able Carry will probably hold up better in these situations over 4-5 years, although the Bellroy will probably be a better usability experience during that time.
I hope this helps!
@@TheMountainborn Thank you so much for the super detailed answer! The point you raise with the zippers is actually very important, thank you for bringing it up. I was sure that there were no differences between the YKK aquaguards zippers in the AER or AC or bellroy! The new X-PAC 51 version should wear a bit less than yours, as it's 500D x 1000D vs 410D nylon. Thank you again for all the informations and time you put in your answer, i think i'll go for the daily!
My pleasure! I am glad I could be helpful!!
That was a great video, thank you for that.
I'm trying to decide whether to get the 20 or 28l version. Do you think the 20l one is large enough for 3-10 day trips? I usually travel by bus and keep the bag with me. I'm afraid the 28l version would be too large. I'm kind of disappointed there's no sternum strap on the 20l version. Thank you in advance.
Hi MrKris! My pleasure.
So to answer your question, you can definitely do OBT (One Bag Travel) with the 20L Transit Workpack depending on how dialed in your setup is. If you look back at my review of the Heimplanet Monolith Daypack you can see my standard OBT setup - you can fit *most* of that (except for the gym shoes/workout kit and maybe leaving out a few small odds/ends like table tripod etc.) into this Bellroy Transit Work Pack. The kit that I show in that video is enough to travel 3 days, 5 days or even 30 days (like a lot of OBT travelers I tend to pack more or less the same regardless of the trip length).
There are maybe five things to be watch when traveling with the Work Pack for a 3-5 day trip.
#1 The size of your packing cube, depending on what else you're carrying with you. If you see the packing cube I show in Heimplanet Day Pack video, it's a pretty decent size and contains several changes of clothes/socks/underwear as well as sleepwear etc. But the clothes inside are pretty dialed in - so lots of lightweight synthetics and nothing bulky like denim jeans or winter sweaters, etc. You probably wouldn't want to go too much larger than this in the Work Pack depending on what else you're planning to bring.
#2 - I would probably leave shoes/gym setup out of this bag if traveling with it. Shoes tend to eat up a lot of space and I think those + a large packing cube will take up more space/depth than would be ideal. Really small flat shoes might be possible though, depending on how big your dopp/tech kit are.
#3 - I'd opt for smaller earbuds (airpod pros etc.) versus larger bulky noise canceling over-ear headphones as the latter will take up a huge amount of space in the bag. Same thing for cameras - if you'll bring one, I'd go with a small mirror less (APS-C/M43 with a flexible zoom) than a larger FF DSLR setup. If you omit the camera you'll get back a lot of space you can use to bring a larger packing cube etc.
#4 - The total weight. The bag itself is not so heavy and it can fit a surprising amount but it's easy to go over the 7kg weight limit if you're flying budget carriers. You did mention you travel by bus so while the weight limit for flying may not matter, that brings us to the last point...
#5 - No sternum strap means heavy loads start to really weigh on you. I think this is a pretty big consideration if you're planning on walking a lot (from bus station to destination) with this bag heavily packed out - the straps are good and firm but if you're carrying a 3-5 day load out in this you will really start to feel the lack of a sternum strap. Try to pack as light as possible - you'll have a much better experience once you need to walk with this.
All of the above being said, I think this would make an excellent bag for your described use case if you pack well - great organisation, good size, surprising capacity, robust yet non-descript (less tempting for thieves?), and can do both travel + destination use EDC.
Finally, regarding the 28L Transit Travel Pack - I actually found this one was surprisingly usable as both an EDC/OBT bag - I have used that bag as my sole bag for a 2 week trip through Switzerland in the winter and it performed amazingly and didn't look out of place in a work meetings, or walking through the city for example. It actually isn't that large which is one of the reasons why I like it - it's definitely among the smaller and svelter looking OBT bags in this general capacity range. Now, it does partially depend on your height/size but if you have a chance, try to check it out in person - while it is larger than the workpack, it might not be as large as you imagine once you're wearing it.
Good luck!
@@TheMountainborn thank you very much for a detailed answer, you really went above and beyond. Unfortunately I can't check them out in person, but your answer will surely help me make up my mind in the end. I'll also make sure to watch the video you shared, I'm sure it'll give me some insight as to what I can fit into the bag. I stumbled into your channel yesterday, and I'm glad I did. You got yourself a new subscriber. Keep up the great work!
My pleasure! If you list out your planned load out I can try to load it out with the closest item I have and let you know if it fits/how it carries! (if it's too long to leave as a comment, you can also email me, my email address is in my profile)
@@TheMountainborn that is very kind of you, though I doubt I'll trouble you with that. Truth be said I think everything would fit inside the 20l bag. I'm a minimalist traveler and have managed to trim down my carry quite a bit over the years. I had issues packing bags before but not anymore. Last time I used a 25l bag, and had room to spare. Since then I replaced several items with more compact ones (didn't get a chance to do any travelling in 2020, for obvious reasons, so I didn't try it out), so I don't think a 20l would be a problem. I'd rather keep it more compact due to thiefs and for practical reasons, the only thing I'm bothered with is the lack of a sturnum strap, but I'm try to keep thing light. I'm heavily leaning towards the smaller one. Thank you very much, you've been a huge help.
@@MrKrisWhyNot It
I would like to see your review about the Ark backpack from Opposethis. I find it very interesting and there aren’t reviews on TH-cam. Great review BTW.
Hi Borja! Oh I like the understated minimalist design of the Ark pack (and some of the other Opposethis) bags - reminds me a bit of the (sadly defunct) Brown Buffalo Conceal pack and other low-key EDC bags.
I don't currently own the Ark pack but I may pick it up now that you've put it on my radar - I'll keep you posted if I end up getting and reviewing it!
Great review and think this could be a great bag along with my roller luggage.
Could a regular iPad 8 fit inside the front pocket? Would it even be recommended to place it there? I also noticed you had the Peak Design sling in another Bellroy video. Could that fit inside this as well? Mine is the 5L but they are similar in size. Thanks!
Hi Eduardo!
While I don't have an iPad 8, I did try placing a 4th generation iPad Air in the front pocket and it wouldn't fit - while pocket itself is large enough the opening is too narrow to allow sliding the ipad in regardless of how you orient it. An iPad mini will fit however.
That having been said, I would not recommend storing an ipad in the front pocket as it could be easily damaged since there is no padding on the front pocket (a mini would probably be okay especially if you use a smart cover and face the screen inward towards the main compartment).
If you want to store a larger iPad such as the 8 and still want quick external access, I would recommend storing in the laptop sleeve in the back along with your laptop - there is enough space in that compartment to allow storing both a tablet and a reasonably sized computer such as a macbook (if your computer is super thick it may not fit, but I'd say most computers should be thin enough you can store a tablet next to it). Alternatively, if you don't need immediate access to it, you could easily store in the main compartment in the stretch mesh panel on the back.
Regarding the PD slings, you can definitely fit a 3L, 5L or 6L sling in the main compartment of the bag. The 3L sits perfectly in horizontal orientation on the bottom, while the 5L/6L have to be oriented vertically - this does take up a fair amount of the main compartment but you still have space on the side of the sling, on the upper third of the bag and still a fair amount of play in the z-axis/depth (i.e. you can stack stuff atop the sling like a folded sweater etc. and still be able to zip the bag closed) of the bag.
@@TheMountainborn Thank you so much for the detailed info!
What is that camera "sleeve"? Looking for something exactly like that!
Hey Mountain. I finally bought it. I’m an EDC guy now 😂
YAYYY!!!! how are you liking it so far?
@@TheMountainborn Love it. A Venture Ready Sling 2.5L next, I feel
I'm not sure if you have much experience with the Bellroy Classic Backpack Plus, but I was wondering how the Transit Workpack compares to the Backpack Plus? Keep up the great vids, and thank you!
Hi Clemmie!
I do own the Backpack plus - actually there is another commenter on this video ("Martin Shaves & Reviews") that was asking about this - I responded to him with some details on how the same loadout fit in both the Backpack plus vs. the Workpack, so if you can find that comment it may be a good reference point.
Aside from that, I generally enjoy the Transit Workpack more than the Backpack Plus for a few reasons:
- Easier in/out access (the zipper does stick on the Workpack as shown in my video, but I also find the zipper on the Backpack plus a bit of a two-handed job)
- Prefer the silhouette (a little more compact and dense)
- Better organisation (more pockets and the way they're designed just work better for me on the Transit Workpack)
- I find that it holds more when I need it to, is easier to access stuff I have inside, and yet doesn't look so big when not loaded out.
- Slightly lighter? (at least it feels lighter to me on the back)
The things I think are better about the Backpack plus:
- Sternum Strap
- Material - this is a bit of a mixed bag (pun not intended). I generally think it's a more interesting, organic material however.... I have to admit that there is friction (especially with the cloth interior) when sliding things in and out of the backpack plus that I just don't have with the Workpack and its smooth nylon surfaces.
- More colourways available - some of them quite playful. As one can tell from my channel I tend to prefer black bags, however I appreciate that some people want things that pop more or work with different fashion styles - I feel the backpack plus probably has the edge on this.
@@TheMountainborn thanks!
I want to buy it but I don't know where I can buy it in black as your showed. Please help me to send link to buy black one as your show. Thank you
Just the review I’m looking for. I’ve been waiting to buy this bag until some reviews come out first.
Do you think it holds more than just 20 liters?
Love your bag reviews btw 👌🏾
My pleasure!
Bag sizing always has some degree of variance from bag to bag and manufacturer to manufacturer. I would say that this is still a fairly compact bag, however, in my experience it holds more than many "average" 20-liter rated bags.
I believe this is partially due to the slight gusseting and subtle patterning of the bag's construction as well as some slight flex in the materials. However, I also think that bags with a single large cavity and clam-shell style opening (as this one does) often are able to hold more overall than bags of similar liter-rating that distribute that over multiple compartments.
In the video I do a quick packing/unpacking of both this bag and the larger Transit travel pack and I think in it you can see how much the bag can comfortably contain in the main compartment which is fairly considerable - and if pushed, both bags could still carry a few more things in each. This is probably a better performance in terms of sheer carrying capacity, in my experience, than most other 20L-rated bags.
I hope this helps!
The shoulder straps slip very easily. Any tips on preventing this?
Could you review the cpl 28 from evergoods? It looks sleek.
Hi Vera! Absolutely - I've been testing it in the context of a One Bag Travel + destination-use EDC bag over the past few weeks so hope to have a review soon!
(I want to take a couple more trips with it before posting my thoughts)
I prefer laptop safety in a bag like this, would you say these bags, specifically the travel size, do a good job in that department? I was going to grab the classic backpack plus v2 but I have no idea why they didn’t add the dedicated water bottle storage. I refuse to put a bottle in the main compartment next to thousands of dollars of computer power lol!
Hi Jason - good question!
I suppose it depends partially on how you define laptop safety and the types of laptops you have.
Regarding impact protection, I think all three bags in the series (Transit Workpack, Transit Travel pack and Transit Travel Pack plus) have good - but not class leading - laptop impact protection. I personally have never had any problems or concerns with the laptop impact protection in these bags and I think that for any kind of normal EDC/travel use they will perform admirably. However, there are definitely bags out there that have superior impact protection/cushioning so if you foresee your bag getting banged around a lot, you might want to consider another bag (and probably some personal protective equipment for yourself haha)
Regarding water protection. Again, same story. Good protection, but not class leading. Specifically, the zipper to the laptop area is an AquaGuard zipper however the seams are not taped, and the backpack material itself is water resistant but definitely not waterproof. So in a sustained driving rain or if the bag is fully immersed, the laptops will definitely get wet.
Regarding water bottles - so they are separated from the laptop compartment by several layers of fabric and being in physically different areas (water bottle compartments are enclosed side zip pockets on the exterior of the bag that is physically separate from the main compartment which itself is also physically separated from the separate laptop compartment.
So I would say compared to the Classic Backpack, you have far superior water bottle leakage protection in the transit packs and I would say that I have never had any issues in this respect with any of the bags (I own all three of the transit packs).
The one thing I would point out is: even though the water bottle pockets are external, they are still enclosed - what this means is that if the bottle does leak, it might go unnoticed by you (unlike a mesh external pocket). And the transit travel packs often spend time on their side - so I could see that over time if there was a long, sustained leak and the bag was sideways (like in an overhead bin) the water could conceivably leak in through the water bottle pocket into the main compartment and then over time eventually into the laptop compartment.
That having been said, I honestly don't think this scenario is very likely and I personally have no problems at all keeping my water bottles in these bags along with my laptops - the multiple layers of separation between the water bottle pockets and the laptop compartment are enough peace of mind for me. If you were truly concerned about it, I would say adding a light leather laptop sleeve or whatever to the laptop while it's in the compartment should be more than enough in conjunction with all the other layers/separations of the pockets to keep your laptop safe in the event of a leak. (And maybe invest in a tighter closing water bottle pocket ;) )
I hope this helps!
Could you use the 28L transit backpack as your personal item for a flight? I prefer the 28L transit backpack as my personal item on a flight but not sure it will fit beneath the seat in front of me on a flight. I usually travel with a roller carry on and looking for a backpack for my personal item.
Definitely, and I think it would make an excellent personal item for a flight. Standard caveats: depends on your particular airline's carry on limits, how full you pack out the bag, and the total packed weight and if your airline is strict about that. Of all of those things, I would say the weight is probably the biggest thing to watch for - the bag itself is not particularly heavy, but since it can carry a lot it would be easy to cross over a 7kg weight limit if you're not careful. Again, very much depends on if your airline cares and weighs your bags - but overall I would have no hesitation to carry this as a personal item for a flight.
Do you think this bag is ok for shorter height like 5ft1? I am quite concerned regarding the lump bar and that the bag’s height is quite long for me (47cm vs 44-45cm)
Hi Thuy - that's a good question. At a nominal 20L (though it feels slightly larger than that), the Transit Workpack is a relatively small bag, but as you mentioned it does have a the lumbar bump. Without that (admittedly soft so it does "squish" a bit) bump I'd say yes it would work, but since it has the bump... it's hard to tell.
Unfortunately the only model they show on the Bellroy site for the Workpack seems to be 5'10" and I'm similar in height so sadly, I think it's hard for me to tell you for sure if the bag will work for you.
I think the safest thing to do would be to measure your torso length (if you don't know how to do that you can google "measuring back length for backpack") and then email Bellroy customer service and ask them if they think this bag would work for your torso length.
I'm sorry I couldn't be of more help here! Good luck!
Was this whole video a single take or did I miss a cut somewhere? Impressive video either way!
Thank you so much!
It was done as a single take although I think I did trim out a few seconds here and there to make it a bit shorter :)
I currently own the Classic BP new design, with the side front access pocket. It fits as my workbag, but at times is a little bit too tight, and getting my 16inch MBP in and out is a struggle, other than I fear to scratch it every time I try to do that.. So, I'm debating between the Workpack and the Classic Plus. Actually the Classic Plus is 22L, while the Workpack (and my current Classic) are both 20L. Another plus towards the Classic Plus is that is currently selling for half of the price of the Workpack.
What do I usually carry? Laptop, iPad Air, Tech pouch, water bottle, small umbrella, Airpods, and some small items on my daily commute. Bose headphones with case, keychron K1 keyboard, and Roost stand, when traveling (that tight things up considerably). So, do you have any advice for me?
Hi Martin,
Great question. Hands down for that load out I recommend the Work Pack over the Backpack Plus (I'm assuming here BP = Bellroy Classic Backpack Plus).
I just test packed the following:
- 16" macbook Pro
- 11" iPad Pro
- Bellroy Tech Kit Compact
- 500ml Microlite water bottle
- Keychron K1 (I usually carry the apple magic keyboard for use in a cafe to avoid disturbing others, but I test packed the k1 here since you mentioned you carry it)
- Roost laptop stand
- Sony WH1000-MX4 in the carrying case
- Small collapsible umbrella.
- AirPods pro
- all my standard EDC stuff (wallet, phone, keys, EDC tools, pens, etc.)
They all fit very, very well into the Workpack with plenty of room to spare - you can make them fit into the Backpack Plus but I found it significantly more fussy and hard to access/work in/out of. It also just "felt" better and looked less cramped and stuffed in the Workpack. Though on paper the Workpack is rated at a smaller size than the BP, as I mentioned in the video, the Workpack really holds a surprising amount for its size due to its construction and materials.
So for me, for that load out, Workpack is how I would go.
I hope that helps!
@@TheMountainborn Wow, great super detailed advice. And thank you for taking the time of replicating my daily carry. But you know what? I already bought the Classic Backpack Plus. And why I did that? you may ask, well. The more room you have in a bag, the more you tend to pack inside. Right now I just need a little bit more room than the classic, and a dedicated Laptop access, so the Classic Backpack Plus seems to do the job. I tried all kinds of Peak Design bags, and I mean all the models. I even had the travel BP, which has kind of a similar shape than the Transit Backpack, and with a push of some press buttons, you can "convert it" to a Transit Workpack. But when is not that full, the shape of the bag kind of falls down and the fabric eventually gets a little bit fluffy, while the Classic type of bags have more structure. Although the turning point was the price. Is currently discounted on their last-to-buy section to $115, and with the Black Friday discount, I got it for $95. Less than half of the Workpack.
I'll tell you, so far I've owned, the Classic, the Classic new design, and now the Classic plus. If this one ends up not working, I'll sell it and get the Workpack. But I really want to avoid having too much room if I'm not going to use it.
What pouch or case would you recommend for a canon eos rp when I want to protect it in the bellroy workpack?
Hi Andrew!
My general solution for a single body + lens is a generic form-fitting neoprene pouch similar to something like this:
www.amazon.com/OP-TECH-USA-Pouch-Rangefinder/dp/B00009R9BP/ref=sr_1_8?crid=3811NL9EM218A
There are hundreds of generic cases of this style by dozens of manufacturers that will fit almost any camera body + lens combo. I find this type of solution provides the best protection-to-weight ratio for any "normal" edc camera carry solution I usually find myself in.
The only times I go to a camera cube type solution is when
- I'm carrying a ton of lenses (i.e. a 3 prime + zoom setup) or multiple bodies
- I really anticipating my camera being exposed to severe shocks (i.e. landscape photography where I'm hiking somewhere a bit off the beaten path)
- I need lots of rapid in-and-out access / lens switches (i.e. nature animal photography/outdoor sports
I hope this helps!
Great review,
Just wondering how you found the shoulder strap length adjustment straps I have the Bellroy Tokyo Tote Pack and I’m 5’10” and I found the straps were too short in my opinion.
Great question. I also own the Tokyo Tote Pack and the Duo Pack and I found the straps a bit short (but still within the realm of usability) on those.
I'm similar in height to you and have found the straps on the work pack a little shorter than most bags in this size range, but still comfortable and usable. I found it an overall more pleasant experience than the Duo/Tokyo Tote pack, but also because I believe the straps on the work pack are better constructed for a backpack form factor (albeit also lacking a sternum strap) than the ones on the totepacks.
I believe this bag is intended to be worn high-and-tight, and if you do there is plenty of strap to loosen to put on and then cinch up. If you prefer to wear your bag a little lower on the back then the straps might be a little short - you can still do it, but the adjusters are all the way to their limits with the straps let out.
The main culprit is the built-in strap keeper design of the straps coupled with the smaller size of the bag overall - there's not enough length of strap at the bottom of each padded strap to allow for a longer run and still enable a clean look with the built in keeper. (if that makes sense?)
@@TheMountainborn makes total sense, thanks for the reply. Great Channel
My pleasure - and thank you! ☺️
Are you one of the reviews of the tote on Amazon. They mention that the straps are short for them
@@Lex.S.theonlyone afraid not.
Hi mountain! Do you think the Transit Workpack can carry more stuff than the Classic Backpack Plus? It lists on the site the Workpack as 20L while the Backpack Plus as 22L. So I was curious if the actual carry capacity was the same or more on the Classic Backpack Plus. Thinking of pulling the trigger on the Workpack. I own the Aer Fit Pack 2 X-Pac and I love that thing to bits, but I wasn't really a fan of the duffel style opening. It's been my EDC since the bug hit, would you reckon I would have a similar experience on the workpack based on the comparison on the classic backpack plus?
Hi Skydaze!
Great question - the short answer is yes, I've found that the Transit Work packs generally tends to hold more stuff than the Classic Backpack plus despite being technically rated as slightly smaller.
I think it's partially due to the structure (slightly boxier), flex in the build and the fact that much of the literage is concentrated in a one large easy-to-load compartment.
A couple of other commenters ("Clemmie Murdock III" and "Martin Shaves & Reviews") asked a similar question and I provided a few more details in my responses to them which might be useful for you.
Regarding the Aer Fit Pack - I understand what you mean, that's a great pack that saw some pretty decent rotation in my EDC lineup for a while (I owned the v1 in Cordura though, not the v2 in X-pac). I think that in some ways it is pretty comparable to the Transit Workpack, at least in how has a large fairly spacious main compartment and moderate to high degree of organisation. It's been a while since I owned the Fit Pack (I sold it a while ago to make room on my shelves I believe) but if I recall correctly, here are some points of comparison if you were to move to the Transit Workpack from the Fit Pack
* Gain externally accessible laptop pocket with top-accessible pocket for charger/tech kit etc.
* Gain much better access via clamshell loading and semi-structured side walls (a big plus for me)
* Gain front slash pocket
* Gain two side waterbottle/etc. pockets
* Gain a slightly more professional-ish design/appearance (totally subjective but at least to my eye the work pack seems a little more polished/professional versus casual)
* Mixed: Gain more colour/fabric choices, but on the other hand you lose the cool X-Pac (though standard Bellroy materials are still very good)
* Mixed: Zippers are less burly/rippable, but also seem more refined and sleeker, with less obnoxious zipper pulls
* Mixed: Lose some of the smaller internal organisation slots for pens etc. in the main compartment but you also gain a flat inner mesh pocket and you do have some small internal organisation inside the front outside slash pocket
* Lose the shoe compartment - but personally I think this is a good thing since I never carry shoes in my EDC and I hated the weird extra floppy fabric at the bottom
* Lose top quick access pocket
* Lose sternum strap
All in all for me, looking back, while I enjoyed the Aer Fit pack, I would take the Transit Workpack over it, at least for how and what I carry in EDC these days. They're both great packs though so I don't think you can go wrong - hopefully some of the points above might be of use to you in your deliberations! In any case, I don't think you need to worry too much about capacity, you can almost certainly carry everything you currently carry in your Fit Pack in the Transit Workpack.
@@TheMountainborn Thanks for the great insight comparing the two extensively. Watching your video again and again makes me think how much it would bother me if the zippers behaved the way they did. And from my experience, X-PAC material was indeed lighter than any of my Cordura packs. I think even with losing the dedicated shoe compartment I'll still be able to fit a gym setup. Thanks again for covering this pack early on as there are almost no reviews on the Workpack as extensive as this. Great quality vid!
10 months into using the bag, I have to say.... it never left my edc spot. Even when I try to pick up and use some of my other bags I just could not trade off the things that made this bag so great and just actually nice to use. Couple of improvements would've been nice here and there but overall it's just gotten better overtime. Same sentiments with the sternum strap and the air channel like on the classic backpack plus v2 are some of the improvements I'm looking for and I hope they release a v2 of this with all of the things that made it exceptional but with minor improvements. Thanks again for redirecting me to this bag!
What bag do you recommend for gym shoes etc.? Similar to the one shown in this video?
Hey there! Well, you can definitely fit a pair of gym shoes in this bag (I think I show that in this review) with enough space for a pair of workout shorts/t-shirt. Did you mean other bags in a similar style such as the Bellroy Workpack that can also fit shoes? In such a case I think you can go with pretty much any clamshell-style opening bag in the 22l+ size provided it has at least one large clamshell-style opening main compartment. Some examples include: GoRuck GR1 21/26L (the 21L is actually quite large so can easily fit shoes), Aer Pro Pack 24L or the Evergoods CPL24. If you want a slightly more gym-oriented type of bag, you could also go with something like the Aer Fit Pack v3 or the Aer Duffel Pack v3 (I’ve reviewed the latter on this channel) which feature dedicated compartments for shoe carry.
Thanks for this!! Pls make a vid on transit backpack
Hi MyGel! Definitely!
Bell Roy’s marketing shows their Tech Pouch in that top shelf area in the laptop compartment. Did you try that? Or did it feel superfluous to use?
I have both products, I like that the tech pouch fits in there. It eats into the interior of the bag, but since I was always going to take space somehow, I like that all my main tech stuff is in the same area. I have no idea how useful it is if you don't have the tech kit but it seems more than enough room for any similar or slightly bigger size tech pouch. I bought this as part of 2 bag travel with the Bellroy weekender and I like the ease of which I pull out all my tech stuff and feel this will make a huge difference at the airport.
Hello there! As Eduardo mentioned in his reply, it definitely does fit in there however for me personally, I prefer to keep my tech items in the main pouch.
As mentioned in the video, I usually don't charge when I'm at a cafe and if I'm at the office or a co-working space, I usually need to get into my main compartment to grab my larger headphones/notebook anyway so it's no added friction to grab the tech pouch at that point. Conversely, as Eduardo flagged, if you put the tech pouch in the top pocket of the laptop compartment I does significantly intrude into the interior of the bag and at least for me, it felt a bit chunky and superfluous as you mentioned.
I think it probably comes down to use case: if I regularly did a lot of video/photo intake/editing on the go (where I regularly need access to both chargers + external SSDs, card readers, cables, mouse, etc.) then I could definitely see the value of putting a small tech kit in that pocket so it's quite effortless (especially if you used wireless airbuds rather than big folding headphones).
These days, that doesn't really align with what I tend to do on the go so I found putting my wallet/coin pouch and other stuff like that in this top area much more useful for me personally since it's quite secure (I don't like adding things like this to first order externally accessible pockets like the front slash pocket) but still easy to access quickly because the laptop compartment unzips so much more easily than the main compartment which sticks a bit as shown in the video.
FWIW, if your on-the-go tech need are largely centered around an AC charger and/or mouse, I think that you probably don't need the tech pouch in this pocket - it would probably be faster and more efficient just to toss them in the laptop area top pocket directly.
Hope this helps!
Great answer - the travel scenario is one in which putting everything in a tech pouch and then putting that pouch in this pocket makes a ton of sense.
I own so many tech pouches but ironically after spending so much money on them these days I find myself using the tiny and simple North Face Glam Expand Kit S to contain all my cables and chargers (the introduction of tiny form-factor Gallium Nitride USB-C AC chargers that can power both laptops+charge electronics at full speed as well as the move to a single USB-C for all my devices has been revolutionary in helping to downside my tech kit) when traveling 😹 !
You didn't compare to the Tortuga setout laptop bag? they both have basically the same dimensions (even though one is 20l and the other is 25l) and they occupy the same space of backpack for 2 bag travel.
Hi Eduardo - thanks for mentioning that.
Unfortunately the only Tortuga bag that I own is their Outbreaker Packable Daypack. I know Tortuga gets a lot of love in the travel carry world so I keep intending to pick one up sometime.
I had a hard time deciding which bags to pick for the "you may also want to consider" section of this video because there's just so many good options in the 20-30L EDC/work pack space and I wanted to avoid always recommending the same brands. I might do a special "EDC pack" comparison video at some point though - if I have the chance to pick up and use the Tortuga laptop pack you mentioned by then I'll make sure to include in that video!
I can’t decide between this and the minaal 3.0 for a 14inch MBP
FWIW, from my perspective, the Bellroy Transit Workpack all the way. (between those two)
I've been waiting for a review from anyone about this bag since it was announced, thank you! Quick question, since I know you also carry a camera often; how do you think this would handle a small fullframe mirrorless load in a 3rd party camera cube, like a tenba byob? Would the simple harness make it uncomfortable, do you think?
I just did a hands on with the same bag, I will be doing a full review of it next week and showing how it can be packed comfortably with my Tenba BYOB 7 and Lowepro Creator box camera gear.
@@PackingLess Neat! Do you think it could take something bigger (Tenba 9 / 10?) or is the 7 sort of maxing it out?
@@praxis-cat870 yeah I’d say it definitely could
@@PackingLess Look forward to seeing your full review!
My pleasure! And great question. I own the Tenba BYOB 9 Slim Backpack Insert which fits without any issues, but just in case I just checked with the Boundary Supply MK-2 Camera case which I believe is just slightly larger than the Tenba BYOB 9 DSLR Backpack insert and the MK-2 fit without any issues.
I do think that the harness system limitations could come into play depending on your exact gear setup. Any reasonable 2-3 lens APS-C or M43 setup will probably be fine (depending on what else you're carrying in there) but when you move up into FF mirrorless with fast glass you can easily start bumping up against what I consider comfortable to carry. As an example, loading my Sony A7RIV, 85mm f/1.2 GM and 24-70 f/2.8 GM + a 13" MacBook pro was certainly doable but I wouldn't enjoy walking around with it for an extended period of time.
The other main limitation I see is the friction of access into the main compartment that I mentioned in my video - it depends partially on if you intend to be getting in/out of the bag often, or if you're more like - transport my gear to the location, get it out of the cube once to do a shoot, then pack it up and get it back home. In the former case this is going to be super annoying, in the latter, probably fine.
Hope this helps!
What are some similar brand and model bags that could compete with this bag? In terms of it being compact, the zips, compartments etc. ?
Great question! I do list out a few bags towards the end of the video that I think people might want to consider as an alternative to this bag.
If you're asking for other bags that I own which I feel are similar but I didn't mention in that section as alternatives, actually the one that might come close is the Rofmia Shift Daypack v2. It has a similar compact size but surprisingly high carrying capacity and a fair degree of organisation. It is also unfortunately, eye wateringly expensive, which is why I didn't mention it in this section.
Relative to the Transit Workpack the Rofmia doesn't have zippered side water bottle pockets (it still has water bottle pockets, just not zipped). It maintains the same front zipper slash pocket, gains an additional internal lid zip pocket, does not have an internal main body flat mesh pocket, maintains a separate laptop compartment, and also maintains the separate internal pocket inside the laptop compartment. It gains a sternum strap, much more exotic materials (dyneema), and a 3x higher price tag (ouch).
I did a full review of this bag so feel free to check it out!
Thanks man for taking time to reply. Will check out the other bag, although I’ve just ordered this Bellroy Transit Workpack in Charcoal!
Would this bag be suitable for a university student? I need a bag I can fit my my binder in. I worry it might get heavy and this bag doesn't provide a sternum strap
Hi Estafania,
It depends on how large your binder is but I believe almost any normal sized binder will fit in this bag - it is remarkably capacious.
Regarding lack of sternum strap - it definitely is a weak point of the bag in my opinion (I am a fan of sternum straps for heavy loads for the same reason as you) however the straps do have some stiffness backing over the softer foam padding which I found helps distribute the load better than I was expecting (the straps on the Transit Workpack are wider than the straps on the Transit Travel pack so I found them more comfortable although the Travel pack has a sternum strap).
In my experience, I found this bag fairly comfortable for urban/commuter use under moderate loads even without a sternum strap.
Question: do you know how heavy your total loadout is? If you tell me, I can let you know if I think this bag can handle it without the sternum strap (although that is a bit of a subjective evaulation)
Hey Mountain!
I've been looking at this bag but the lack of sternum strap really turns me off as I regularly walk to work with a pretty heavy laptop+charger (45 min walk). I would also like to take a set of gym clothes +shoes.
Do you think this harness system could handle it or should I look elsewhere?
Hi Dis236!
I think I mention this in the review but as a fan of sternum straps, this bag's lack of sternum strap was a disappointment for me. However, the straps are decently broad and have a nice stiff layer over the softer padding layer that helps distribute the weight itself better than I was expecting which means that for most normal EDC weights (let's say under 8-9 kg) I was actually okay to do without the sternum strap.
That having been said, the problem that I ran into when carrying heavy weight in this bag for an extended period of time was that due to the lack of sternum strap the straps would tend to pull "outward" towards my shoulders - so while the weight on the straps themselves wasn't too bad, the constant outward "pulling" became somewhat fatiguing and/or meant I had to periodically stop and re-adjust the straps to pull them back closer to centre.
Thus, I think the answer depends on how much weight you're planning on carrying and how much you're planning on walking with this bag. What you've described (shoes, clothes + large laptop) should fit but I'm a little worried about the total weight (i.e. some large gaming PCs can easily be around 3kg + the weight of the charger) - and the fact that you said you're regularly walking 45 minutes at a time - comfort is definitely an important factor then.
If you tell me the total weight that you're thinking to carry I can perhaps offer a slightly more refined opinion but based on the above, my initial thought is that while I love this bag and it's one of my favourites, I think you might be better served with a different bag that has a sternum strap and a slightly more robust load carriage / harness system, since you'll regularly be walking for such a long time with a heavier load.
I hope this helps!
@@TheMountainborn Hi
Thank you for such a detailed answer.
It's truly amazing that you replied on a year old video in such a detailed manner!
Regarding the weight, I would like to carry around 6.5 kg of gear plus the weight of the backpack.
This would be still be under your recommended weight limit but not by much.
I've been looking at various backpacks of this size and functionality but I've yet to find a bag that checks all of my boxes while appealing to me in terms of looks and I can buy it in the EU.
If you have any kind of recommendation for an urban backpack with a large (16" with 3 cm thickness) laptop compartment, sternum strap, water bottle holder and preferably under 25L, I would be very happy read it!
Hello again and no worries!
So while I'm not sure how readily these are available in Europe, thinking about your requirement set, have you considered the Aer lineup of bags? There's several in their lineup that can handle large laptops of the dimensions you specified, have sternum straps, water bottle holders are are generally under 25L. They're also generally fairly comfortable under load due to both the sternum straps but also generally thicker shoulder padding and back padding and generally somewhat stiffer frame sheets than the Bellroy.
Some options to consider
www.aersf.com/city-pack-xpac-black (I did a review of the non X-pac variant of this bag on my channel. I really liked this pack although it may not hold your gym clothes + shoes so well)
www.aersf.com/duffel-pack-3-xpac-black (I also did a review of the non-X-Pac variant of this on my channel. This one is a great option for carrying gym clothes + shoes + big laptop + other stuff needed for daily urban life, though I'm not sure if this fits the design you're looking for)
www.aersf.com/fit-pack-3-black (an alternative design that will also carry a big laptop + gym clothes but looks slightly more traditional than the duffel pack)
www.aersf.com/tech-pack-2-black (I haven't reviewed this one but I do own it. It's oriented for tech carry it may possibly also fit your shoes + gym clothes but it will be a tight squeeze. It's a dream for those who need to carry lots of tech though)
Some non-aer bags to consider (also not sure what the availability of these is like in Europe but will share just in case)
www.mysteryranch.com/urban-assault-24-pack (This covers all your needs and can comfortably handle gym clothes as well. Super comfy harness for longer walks under load, downside is that this is a fairly strappy bag)
evergoods.us/collections/packs/products/civic-panel-loader-24l-v2 (One important note is that this one does not have a water bottle pocket but I'm mentioning because otherwise it hits all your other requirements and is also in my opinion, one of the best EDC daypacks out there right up next to the Bellroy Transit workpack you were eyeing. The only note beyond the water bottle pocket is that for some people the back seems to hit their lumbar in a weird way - but for those for whom it works (myself included) this is an incredibly comfortable and ergonomic load system)
@@TheMountainborn thank you again for the detailed answer!
Yes I've looked at Aer however I would neet to import it from the US and I've been a bit reluctant to do so.
I'll still need to think about it a bit more because the Aer fit pack 3 would suit me perfectly and including shipping and import taxes it would cost the exact same as the Bellroy workpack.
Unfortunately it's waiting for a restock and I'm not that big of a fan of black products in general but I might still consider it.
The civic looks really good but with import taxes and shipping it's getting close to 300usd which is more than I'm milling to pay for a backpack.
I found the Urban assault for a 104eur with free shipping in Europe lo I will have to look into that more!
Thank you again for the advice!
I will definitely let you know whdch bag I went for in the end!
@@TheMountainborn Hey Mountain,
Just a quick question. What do you think about the Bellroy Classic Backpack plus secod edition?
I was checking it out and it looks pretty good however I haven't found a lot of coverage of it.
Do you happen to have any experience with it?
Are the zippers also a problem on the 28L version? Also would you recommend this as a gym bag
I think it's partially down to the difference in use case, but I personally found that the 28L zippers don't snag quite as much, however they also do tend to feel a bit more delicate (subjective) in operation - not that I've ever had them break on me. When I mention use case differences, I think it's because the 28L is intended as a travel bag first so you're not usually in-and-out of it as much as you are with the Workpack.
FWIW, I found the zippers on the 38L Transit Plus to be probably the best out of all of them though again, I think the travel use case, how much the bag is filled up generally if you're moved up to the 38L plus and how little you usually are going in and out of it versus the Workpack also plays a role
Forgot to add - I think this (the workpack) can make a decent gym bag as long as your needs are reasonable - gym shoes, a change of clothes and reasonable accessories (jump rope, lifting gloves, etc) all fit easily thanks to the large capacity; additionally it's easy to carry a reasonably sized water bottles plus your normal EDC goods at the same time.
On the other hand, if you are trying to also fit in larger things (like a roller, or yoga mat or basketball etc) this might end up being too short in which case you might want to check out something like the Aer Duffle Pack v3 (I've done a review of this a few months ago). Good luck!
Just wondering how does it compare with the Peak Design Everyday Backpack Zip 20L?
tl;dr - I find the bellroy an infinitely better bag than the PD ED Zip 20L for almost all needs (including camera carry). Basically I feel the overbuilt heavily structured construction of the PD bags - while working well for their non-zip versions of the Everyday Pack 20L/30L etc. - I feel it starts to hurt it with the different form factor of the zippered versions (especially the smaller 15 version but also with the 20L) - the weight to carrying capacity ratio really starts to go askew and it feels fairly uncomfortable and like a turtle shell on my back.
Also, I found the all around zip much much fussier than I expected - the interaction of the all around opening zip opening x the velcro shelves to be less useful than I expected (i.e. you can't really "fillet open" the bag like you might expect with an all around zip since the shelves are velcroed in which case what is the point of the all around zip versus the better constructed side opening panels of the 30L?) and the inferior organization versus the larger PD bags (to say nothing of the infinitely more organized Bellroy bags) left me wanting for places to store things.
The Bellroy bags conversely have better load carriage, infinitely better capacity and organization for EDC loads and are lighter and more comfortable to carry and use in EDC situations IMO and can also comfortably carry a camera or two in some sort of padding/cube/neoprene case along with a bunch of other stuff (albeit at the expense of slightly reduced ease of access vs. a dedicated camera bag but again, I find the zip version of the PD ED bag fussy to access). Thus for EDC and most use cases I'd reach for the bellroy and in cases where camera carry + access is my top priority I'd go straight for the normal "non-zip" version of the PD Everyday Bag.
I hope this helps!
Great review, did you find the CPL24 or this bag has more volume? CPL24 looks much smaller for some reason.
Honestly, I found this bag to have more capacity than the CPL24 - both are excellent bags, but capacity wise I feel the Transit workpack comes out ahead by a fair amount.
No tablet compartment?
If you would have to pick one to be used as edc and minimal travel weekend bag? I am using pouches to organise my stuff
Hi KraKra!
So I actually think the Bellroy Transit series is a great choice for a bag that can serve as both an EDC and minimal travel bag. Go for the Workpack version if you're looking for a few more EDC amenities, and the Travel pack version if you're looking more for a travel bag that can also serve as an EDC. Both work well with pouches, but also have enough unobtrusive organisation to serve folks who aren't heavy pouch users.
I use the Transit travel pack to bridge that "goldilocks" zone of EDC + travel quite a bit. Depending on my mood though, I'll also use 22-30l clamshells like the Heimplanet Monolith Daypack (I did a review of that earlier in my channel if you want to see more) and/or the GoRuck GR1/Evergoods CPL24/28.
It's hard to pick just one since I think a large part of it depends on the exact trip parameters and your own carry preferences, but honestly if I had to pick one it would be either: Bellroy Transit series, Evergoods CPL24/28 or the Heimplanet Monolith Daypack, depending on the exact trip and details.
@@TheMountainborn thank you for very detailed answer. Really appreciated that you take time for answers. Which do you think can hold more. heimplanet daypack or bellroy workpack transit?
Actually i had cpl24 v1 and i did not like it do material picking lint and it was digging in my lower back. I also had bellroy transit and did not like thin straps. So basically i am selecting between bellroy workpack or monolith daypack.
Ahh gotcha. Yeah, the EG bags seem to "hit wrong" for some people - I've been fortunate that it seems to work well for me (the 28L v2 CPL did hit a little annoyingly if the straps were looser but if I cinch it tight it seems to work okay). The lint picking issue is definitely annoying especially now that they went to basically all black colourways for their mainline CPLs. FWIW, it definitely seems to be less of an issue with their more recent bags than their previous ones (the v1 black CPLs were notorious for this) and the Signal Blue version seems to be even better (though I only have the MPL30 not the CPL24 in the signal blue )
I hear you on the thin straps on the Transit travel pack.
Okay so to your question - which one holds more. So while the standard caveat that this isn't exactly scientific and your mileage may vary, in terms of sheer capacity I think the edge goes to the Heimplanet Monolith Daypack. It's just a little taller, a little wider and overall a little deeper (the Bellroy workpack matches it in depth sort of at the bottom but it also gets a little shallower towards the top of the pack whilst the Heimplanet is a straight up non-sloping rectangle) and just has this huge central compartment with no muss/fuss that maximises the sheer capacity. Of course, the Bellroy also has this, but it's just a little smaller and it does have little bits and bobs that can potentially intrude in (side water bottle pockets, top pocket, etc.).
What makes it a little hard to tell is the Bellroy has some "flex" built into its structure that lets it expand to hold more than you might imagine, but on the other hand the Heimplanet fabric I find has a bit of "give" and also a bit of looseness to the construction that also lets it hold more than you might expect. (I'm sure there is a more precise terminology to explain this but hopefully you get what I mean).
So yeah, sheer capacity wise, probably the Heimplanet. If you want a ton of capacity but just a little bit more organisation for EDC and/or a less floppy carry, then the Bellroy Transit workpack.
I hope this helps!
Nice mate! very informative and practical review!
For the Bellroy Transit (28L), do you think the material is durable enough in the long term? Will it at least be water resistant and good for travelling with (in terms of durability)?
I usually prefer dyneema, x-pac so not sure if this will suit me...
Thanks!
Hi there! So I've owned the Bellroy Transit 28L for at least a year now I believe and taken quite a few trips with it having survived rain storms in Seattle, sweltering summers in Tokyo and winter in Switzerland (including a quick trip up to the top of Jungfrau) and it's still hold out quite well with only a few stains to show for it.
At the same time, most of these trips have been pretty urban/city-centric (with the exception of the brief winter excursion to the Swiss alps) so I haven't, for example, put it through the wringer in SE Asian monsoons or tossed it in the back of a seaplane in Alaska or strapped it to the back of a pack mule ;)
So based on my experience and type of travel I think it's definitely durable enough and well suited for for urban-centric travel: my main concerns are the zippers (which I think are still probably fine but which I wish were just a slightly larger gauge and/or less prone to catching) and the backpack straps which narrow a bit too aggressively for my tastes and the potential full pack out size of the pack. But I don't personally have any fear of material/pack failure in this type of travel.
If you're more the latter adventure-style traveler, however, I think there are other bags that are going to be more durable and suitable for that style of travel than this one.
I'm also a big fan of Dyneema/X-Pac, but that having been said, for travel bags I'll almost always go with nylon over Dyneema as it's much more abrasion resistant and easy to repair "in the field" if damaged.
On the other hand, if you're usually rocking Dyneema/X-Pac bags, then this bag may be a bit different than what you prefer. I think it's a well executed, but very understated bag, so not so exciting on the material front.
If you're looking for an X-Pac travel bag, a couple of ones that I own/have owned are the Boundary Supply Prima travel bag X-Pac version, the Attitude Supply ATD1 X-Pac version and the Aer Travel Bag 2 X-Pac edition.
Hope this helps!
@@TheMountainborn Thanks for the reply!
Right. I have been using the Outlier Quadzip for a few years now and it works to my liking but obviously there's wear. I have been leaning towards xpac now. I have seen/felt/observed in use my friend's Able Carry Daily in xpac and that seems like a nice way to go down. Problem is Daily is too small for me and the new Max is too big (and bulky!) at 30L and quite heavy. I had actually convinced myself to get the Max but backed down unfortunately.
I was really hoping the Max matched Bellroy's Transit 28L specs. I'll check out the Attitude Supply.
Any thoughts on the 2020 TAD Axiom 24 or possible review in the works? Checks all my boxes I think.. just not overly keen on the design..
Yeah, I saw the kickstarter for the Able Carry Max and was torn on whether to back it or not - on the one hand their daily bag is one of the most comfortable bags I've ever worn although it hasn't been in my rotation for a while, but I also know my preferences and needs for One Bag Travel Bags and knew that the Max is too big for my tastes. I'll still pick one up at some point though to add to my collection!
Regarding the ATD1 - though I haven't reviewed this bag on this channel yet, I feel I should tell you that for me, personally, I didn't really like it - I picked it up because I appreciated what they were doing and I wanted to give it a shot but after using it a few times I found it too billowy and fabric-y (if that's a word 😂) for my tastes - and also short of enough small/external access pockets for my needs. But do check it out - it might match your needs - it has the ability to accommodate both large and smaller loads depending on how you cinch it down.
I have a lot of curiosity about Triple Aught stuff but it's *so hard* to get a hold of where I live and it seems like they're perpetually out of stock on just about all their bags their website. 😢
If I ever get a hold of the Axiom pack I will review it for sure!
@@TheMountainborn Yeah I get what you mean about the ATD1. That was helpful. Not for me either to be fair..
Excellent channel btw! Looking forward to future videos!
Please review Tom Bihn Synapse 25 / Synik 30.
Added to the queue! I think I'll probably end up doing the technonaut first though :(
@@TheMountainborn also great! But you will probably get it in October or later right?
Which size will you review?
Alas, yeah, definitely a few more months wait! :(
Definitely the 30L! You?
@@TheMountainborn 30l also ;) but maybe I should go 45l
What is the screw driver brand? Its very compact.
Hi Karthik!
It's The James Brand Cache River:
shop.thejamesbrand.com/collections/carry/products/the-cache-river
Unsurprisingly, it is out of stock at the moment (TJB seems to have massive problems keeping basic inventory in stock) but you can sign up to be notified when it's restocked.
That having been said, you may wish to watch my James Brand x Carryology Rover Capsule review (the very first review video I ever did) as there are some serious usability issues with this tool if you intend to use it as a screw driver. It looks really stylish and works okay for light work but there are far better choices if you are in the market for a screwdriver you can really depend on.
Which bag have more volume in vertical pocket? CPL 24 or Bellroy workpack?
Hi KraKra - I like this question because I had assumed one thing but when I sat down to check it turned out the other thing was true :)
So assuming you mean the front exterior slash pocket my initial thought was that this pocket on the CPL24 v2 would be larger than the Transit Workpack. But when I compared them actually I would say in terms of pure volume, the Transit Workpack actually is probably larger for a couple of reasons:
1. The CPL24 pocket is relatively flat while the Work Pack pocket has a pretty high degree of dimensioning - i.e. more "depth"
2. The Transit WorkPack pocket is actually slightly longer and slightly wider (if you count the space under the zipper which is offset slightly from the edge of the pocket ) than the CPL24
3. As mentioned in the video, the Transit Work Pack tends to have a pretty high degree of "flex" built into the materials/structuring and as such you can overload the front pocket and it can not only expand slightly (due to dimensioning) to contain it, the back panel can also flex into the main compartment to give more space.
So there you go :) FWIW, the CPL24 v2 does have superior organisation however,
@@TheMountainborn i prefer to use pouches anyway. So i only need volume to put something like classic pouch from bellroy or similar depth pouches. Thanks for your effort! 🖤
“Did I mention the lack of externum straps?”
Haha 😂
what shoe bag is that?
Hi Duo! In the video I'm showing the Aer Shoe Bag:
www.aersf.com/shoe-bag-black
Unfortunately it's out of stock and I don't know if they are going to ever make them again - you can still occasionally find a little remaining stock in third party sellers.
I personally love this shoe bag but FWIW, there are plenty of other generic options out there that will probably work just as well.
I hope this helps!
Does the side pockets fit a camelbak chute 750ml?
That's a great question - I don't own the Camelbak Chute 750ML and surprisingly it was hard to find dimensions online however, based off of a couple of sites that suggested it was 25cm tall, I tried inserting a couple of comparably sized water bottles in there and they fit, which leads me to believe it *probably* would fit.
My main concern would be the plastic loop part that sticks out a considerable distance on the Camelbak. There is a lot of flex and give in these side water bottle pockets so they could probably accommodate it, but I'd want to check just to make sure.
If you can measure your water bottle and let me know the dimensions I'll check for you for sure!
I got this bag last night and I was wondering the same thing so I tried it out, it does fit no problem. I even tried a Kleen Kanteen 32oz insulated with sport cap (huge bottle) and it surprisingly fit too, just needed a little finessing.
Do you think these bags can last a lifetime and can take a I guess what you can say beating ( can I be rough with the bag )
Great question. I have never had any issues with any of my Bellroy bags/slings (with a single exception of a strap clip that broke on one Venture sling I owned but that possibly was my fault and anyway was just one sling out of literally dozens and dozens of their items I've owned over the years) and whilst I wouldn't say I abuse them I certainly don't baby them.
That said, sometimes on reddit I read accounts of people who claim that Bellroy QA has decreased in recent years and mixed accounts of customer service experiences (some say its amazing, some say it's not, and a bunch in between) so keep that in mind as well.
As for me, speaking only from my own personal experience, I think these bags are quite well made and should survive any normal use for many many years though there are definitely bags out there that are made more robustly to stand up to heavier use or outright abuse.
It does depend a bit on your specific use case when you say "take a beating" - are you imagining like rubbing this up against rocks and carrying heavy bricks and sharp pokey objects in it every day? Or more like "heavy text books and I drop my bag on the ground when I get to my desk" kind of thing?
The latter I think it will survive, the former... maybe not so much?
@@TheMountainborn I was thinking would this be a good bag to just for hikes, edc, and stuff to do with the Forest wilderness. If it was a apocalypse would the bag last longer than me. I like getting things that are useful and are sustainable. I like the bags but I think it’s more for looks and compartments but I just seen a rain video with this bag and water got through it. Beating was just dropping the bag on different surfaces on the ground like dust gravel or snow
Wait, whaaaa? Mountain? I needed to turn on captions to make sure my ears weren't failing on me
Haha as you might imagine, I get that a fair bit! ⛰😊⛰
I love the simple design but it's too thin in width and the shoulder strap looks very cheap and flimsy.
Hi cjjr85! I understand where you're coming from on the width.
For what it's worth, while I can't comment on the appearance of the shoulder straps (aesthetics are in the eye of the beholder) I don't think that they are flimsy. They're simple and I wish they had a sternum strap, but they're definitely not flimsy (i.e. I've been using this bag for years and the strap are still holding up very well)
Can this fit 17inch laptop?
Hi Karan! It fits my 16" Macbook Pro with a bit of room to spare so my guess is probably yes, but it will depend on the exact dimensions of your 17" laptop (i.e. if it's super thick and chunky or has particularly large bezels etc. it may not fit)
What kind of laptop do you have?
@@TheMountainborn It's the Dell XPS 17 which is almost the same in size as the MBP16 so I doubt I'll see issues with fit. Thanks for the response! Excellent content on your channel!
My pleasure! Hope the bag works out well for you if you decide to get it and thank you for the kind words on my channel! :)
I bought it and I returned it. Two things for me. First the plastic looks kinda cheap and but it's recycled so ok , the most important are the straps they are very thin and very uncomfortable. I t was unbearable for me to carry it even for 5 minutes. p.s. Huge fan of the company but this bag didn't work for me.