Noteworthy New Release :: Bellroy Bags
Oh boy, the time is here: Bellroy – long sponsors and good buds of Carryology – are sliding from pockets to shoulders. That’s right: bags baby (finally!).
It’s taken the brand eight years to get here. But they’re a considered bunch with a serious respect for bag design (full disclosure: Bellroy and Carryology share the same founders), so they weren’t going to rush it. And the result is a collection that’s considered, clean and cohesive. That uses the same design insights that saw them up-end the wallet game. And that, luckily, feels worth the wait.
Six bags. Three collections. Four colors. Let’s get into it.
Everyday backpacks
Both modern takes on familiar styles, the Classic and Slim backpacks are clean, simple and timeless when you ogle over the ‘lines’. But when you dig down, there’s real smarts.
The 17L Classic Backpack takes a familiar silhouette but adds integrated lumbar support, a new way of incorporating your tech (with a seriously awesome laptop section that stops the rigid frame from sitting flush against your spine), and new fabrics. Perfect for daytrips or around campus. And awesome for those wanting to lock down a daily carry on a budget.
The 16L Slim Backpack – one of our faves – has that classic heritage vibe, but with modern design dialed in. Its flexible angle shoulder straps allow for more comfort and fit (and wider range of shoulder widths), while a two-panel construction leaves fewer seams for water to ingress. And then there’s the lid: a weather-resistant foldover lashed with a leather magnetic snap closure for simple one-hand closing. Nice!
It takes a 15” laptop and has nailed internals for slim packing, a discreet external quick access pocket and soft-lined pocket for nestling your sunglasses or small devices.
If you’re an essentialist, urban adventurer, or keen on a slim backpack to slide through the commute crush, then this one’s for you.
Slim work bags
Not for the over-packers, the Slim Work Tote (13L) and Slim Work Bag (11L) are two trimmed-down offerings designed to pare things back to the essentials. No noise, just clean lines and a balance of cool simplicity. Both hold a 15” laptop, have easy access and valuables pockets, zipped closures, and thoughtful internals for work essentials like pens, notebooks and chargers. And the Work Bag has a removable shoulder strap when you’re keen to roll briefcase style.
Minimalists, these are your jam.
Duo range
As the name suggests, the Duo Totepack and Duo Work Bag (both 15Ls expanded) are two bags built with dual modes: in your hand or over your shoulders, slim or expanded, work or play.
They’re the burliest options here, in terms of fabric durability and water-resistance. The black colorway is CORDURA Nylon, the Moss a durable crimp-weave polyester treated to be water-resistant – both kitted out with fat Aquaguard zips to keep the rain at bay.
The kicker: they expand when you need it, and slim down when you don’t. Keeping the laptop centralized, they’re also great at stopping your hard device from bouncing against your hip or back when you’re on the move (it’s one of our pet peeves, so bonus points for that design detail, Bellroy!).
When versatility is your priority, these are the two we recommend you reach for.
All of the above are backed with a 3-year warranty and made from sustainably produced fabrics and premium, environmentally certified leather.
And that’s it. Bellroy’s first collection summed up.
Next phase: testing and reviewing! (As this is so close to home for us, we’ll be getting reviews from neutral folk so everything’s cool and fair.)
A heads up: Bellroy and Carryology share the same founders. You can read about our origin story here.
And hey, we’re reader-supported too, so if you find something that sparks your interest and click through and purchase via our affiliate links, sometimes we’ll get a little kickback from the brands or retailers. It helps us to make more content and build this channel. Although, we’ll just point out, some brands don’t have affiliate options, and that’s cool with us too. If the carry is awesome, we recommend it!