Huckberry and Mission Workshop Team Up to Elevate the Drift Tote

Drift Tote, meet waxed cotton…

We’re fans of Mission Workshop here at Carryology. Their innovative designs, modern aesthetic, and impressive functionality have always struck a chord with both our writers and our readers. Personally, though, I’ve always been somewhat “on the fence” about them. There is no doubting their pedigree, construction, and design. But personally, I’ve just always found them to be too “sharp” or “modernist” in their aesthetic. So, I hadn’t tried them until now.

If you’ve read any of my other reviews, it’s probably starting to look like I have a bit of a fetish for waxed cotton. That might be a few steps too far, but I do love it. Waxed cotton makes everything it adorns more organic and personal to me. Naturally, when I found out that our friends at Huckberry had teamed up with Mission Workshop to make an exclusive version of their celebrated Drift Tote (which we reviewed recently) made out of, you guessed it, waxed cotton – I got off the fence, as I was all hot and bothered.

From the moment it arrived, I was engrossed. Immediately, it assuaged all of my concerns about the modern look of the original. Huckberry has a nose for style that shines through with the choice of materials for this collaboration. This USA-made tote for the modern professional looks delightful in a rich 10oz olive cotton (which is also American-made). The waxed cotton also adds excellent weather resistance, I found rain and snow beaded up and rolled off quickly.

In my eyes, this material choice does more than making it just look better, it makes it decidedly more versatile. In the world that I ramble around in, the new exterior is at home in a wider variety of situations than the traditional Cordura® on the original. I can put it to use on more days without looking like I’m carrying just my laptop bag. I harp on about this because I think it makes a significant difference to how I, a modern professional (of sorts!), will use this bag.

Additionally, another perk of waxed cotton is that my version of the Drift has already started to pick up a unique pattern, which I love. It’s telling more of its own stories each time I use it. When you add the 500D Cordura® to the mix, you really have a battle tank that is going to live a long and happy life.

As we attested to in our previous review, there is no doubting MW’s build quality with the Drift. This feels luxurious in your hands, from the satisfying snaps and the smooth water-resistant zippers, to the sturdy shoulder strap and the magnetic lid. Every feature works seamlessly, just as it was designed to. As someone who hasn’t always opted for a tote, I’ve picked this up increasingly more over the last few weeks. It is very enjoyable (and easy) to use. Whether you carry it crossbody, over the shoulder, or by the handles, you’ll be comfortable. I also like the fact that the shoulder strap is removable which adds even more versatility.

This is designed with technology in mind (the external laptop access and built-in organization are excellent). But the 28L capacity makes it a great size for more than just daily carry. It has performed as a grocery bag, a beer shuttle, a gym bag, and a camera carry on casual strolls. And I’m sure that I will find many more uses for it! I can see this working almost anywhere in a pinch. The description of it functioning as a duffel, laptop bag, and tote is entirely apropos. It is worth noting the price too, as while value is subjective, I think that $265 is an incredibly reasonable price. Particularly for an American-made bag, constructed with American-made materials, that is a proven innovator. 

As seems to be the norm with Huckberry’s recent collaborations, this will appeal to a wide range of us. They’ve taken an already excellent product, added their considerable know-how, and in my eyes, they’ve elevated the Drift Tote from a good bag to a great bag. I hope that Mission Workshop will continue to add more iterations of this wonderful material to their impressive product line and I will certainly be keeping my fingers crossed and an eye out for it. I suppose that you should color me impressed by the Mission Workshop x Huckberry Drift Tote. I’m just sorry it took me so long to say “Hi!”.