It has a removable strap and comes in medium, large, or extra-large-Calore uses the extra-large. While it isn't leakproof, the tote can haul frozen foods or snowy boots, and it wipes clean with a paper towel. All of the seams are double-stitched, the thick polyester shell is reinforced with a second layer of material along the bottom, and the handles are beefier than an Aberdeen Angus, as Calore says. Bean's merchandise, its rugged construction is designed for long, wet mornings spent trudging through the New England muck. We think it could be useful for work too, though it doesn't have a laptop sleeve, so you might consider getting a case to put your computer inside. Really! He takes it on quick grocery runs or farmer's market trips, camping, and beach days, as well as on flights. Gear editor Michael Calore loves this bag and says he uses it for everything. The faux leather is stiffer, but it's hard to say if that makes it more durable long-term or if its structure is more prone to cracks.Ĭheap purses have flimsy faux leather and fragile straps, but an affordable tote is much easier to find. The interior is nearly identical to the Newhey, and it has a pretty V-shaped pocket on the outside, like the Lux and Nyx bag below. ★ Another budget bag: We also tried and liked the Lovevook Laptop Tote ($37). I don't see this bag lasting forever, but if you treat it well, it should be OK for a while. However, I could see a clear difference in quality when it came to the stitching and materials. The outside is a soft faux leather, made of polyurethane, with adjustable handles and a removable strap for slinging it across your body if you need to.

There's a lot of room inside, but it's thin when it isn't stuffed full, so it feels nice and comfortable under your arm. A large zipper pocket runs down the middle of the bag, and a padded laptop sleeve is secured with a Velcro strap. The inside is well organized, with two pen slots and side pouches for a phone or wallet.

We tried three inexpensive, highly rated bags from Amazon, and this Newhey was the best. If you're in school or newly entering the workforce, spending over $100 on a bag is hard to stomach-it's still hard for me. We recommend getting the laptop sleeve first and the others later if you need them. An adjustable strap ($58) makes the clutch or the entire purse a cross-body bag. ★ More accessories: You can add a flap bag ($128) that works as a clutch when that's all you need, or as an inner compartment to hold essentials. There is, of course, stitching elsewhere, but I threw this bag around while it was filled to the brim and it held up. With this bag, the straps are integrated into the leather. Purses sometimes suffer at the point where the strap meets the rest of the bag-the more you stuff into it, the more weight those straps hold, and flimsy threads can unravel. It also snaps closed in the middle, but there isn't a zipper. The organizational insert ($98) has a pocket for your laptop and water bottle. But you have to pay a premium for those, even the laptop sleeve ($98). It gets its name for the add-ons that work as an efficient system for your needs, taking you from work to dinner to weekends away. The Cuyana System Tote is beautiful, with a design that should outlast trends. Subscriptions help fund the work we do every day.Ī nice bag is an investment you can make, instead of accumulating a bunch of cheapies. com and our print magazine (if you'd like). Special offer for Gear readers: Get a 1-year subscription to WIRED for $5 ($25 off). We've also added the Lojel Niru Tote to the honorable mentions. Updated August 2023: We've added Baggu's Duck Bag and Verloop's Scrapped Stuffed Tote as picks. If you prefer a backpack or a messenger bag, we have guides for those too, as well as a roundup of all our favorite types of bags made from recycled materials. We tried bags that make organization easy and can stand up to the elements and the normal amount of wear and tear that life brings. These totes aren't the thin, pocketless bags we all seem to accumulate. Whatever your needs or style, we have an option you should like. That's where a good work tote or purse comes in. A backpack will do the trick, but some of us want bags that look as nice as our outfits.

Even if you work from home permanently, you'll occasionally need to go out into the world and bring your junk with you. Now more than ever, people work hybrid jobs that take them from home to the office to the corner coffee shop.

Best lightweight tote with compartments