Ojeito Go-kit Backpack Review

What happens when you combine decades of experience from action sports, outdoors, and the sneakers world? The answer is an impressive all-in-one bag system for daily use and travel. Ojeito is the culmination of the founders’ extensive backgrounds having worked with notable brands including Nike, Stussy, and UNDFTD, which many consider as foundational brands in streetwear.

After years spent traveling the globe including numerous trips to Japan, the founders took inspiration from Japanese culture and their sensibilities in creating the brand. Much like Japanese design, every detail has been considered. From the choice of material to the functional design language of their system.

The Go-kit backpack system is complete with a backpack, three go bags, and a single go-strap. What makes this unique is the modularity and versatility that the system offers. It’s built for travel, shopping, and daily work needs.

I’ve had the opportunity to test the system over the course of the past couple of months, using it mainly for daily work and one road trip. With many offices closed, along with in-person meetings and overall travel having been limited during this period, the limited real-world use was taken into consideration. I believe this system would excel when traveling, providing varied solutions once you reach your destination.

Who It Suits

The Ojeito Go-kit backpack system fits those looking for more organization, versatility, and sleek looks. It fits fashion-conscious aficionados as well as travelers, remote workers, and creatives. It also works for those into streetwear and fans of street art.

The company believes in the art of collaboration, with their first collaborative project with the acclaimed street artist, Futura and his brand, Futura Laboratories.

Who It Doesn’t

Those who require more durability and protection. The materials are soft and stylish, but not extremely rugged or durable when compared to most outdoor or tactical packs. Those with a limited budget may want to look elsewhere too, as the system retails for US$425.

The Good

Backpack

The backpack is extremely stylish with tonal black on black materials and only a small tag on the front pocket for branding, another single tag on one shoulder strap, and almost unnoticeable tonal black logos on the zippers, D-rings, and on the side of the nylon strap. The soft exterior shell is crafted from an engineered knit material that confidently pairs with the satin sheen of the ripstop outer pocket, lower portion of the backpack, and the back that is reminiscent of some Porter-Yoshida & Co. bags – the holy grail for streetwear enthusiasts. A more durable nubuck suede is wrapped on the base of the backpack to protect the contents from the elements and daily use of setting it on and off the ground.

The pack is robust with storage solutions and organization. The outer pocket is a traditional pocket that can fit medium-sized items such as smartphones, a wallet, or a passport, although this may be the least secure placement. A mid-sized exterior zippered pocket is slim, yet deep enough for a notepad or small tablet. A larger exterior zippered pocket is slim and includes a built-in keyring. This pocket can fit a magazine or book comfortably. 

The rear laptop sleeve opens wide for easy access and even has multiple interior storage options. These include two large drop-in sleeves that can fit a 15-inch laptop, a Velcro enclosed pocket, two mid-sized pockets, two pen holders, and one small pocket.

The main compartment is where the unique system shows off its modularity with additional pockets that house the removable and portable go bags, each labeled accordingly with an “S”, “M”, and “L” for small, medium, and large.  There is also a mesh pocket that holds the go-strap. The compartment opens wide and also has an interior mesh zippered pocket for more belongings.

The exterior also features a mesh side pocket for a water bottle with a strong elastic band to keep it in place. This fits an average or medium-sized water bottle, providing easy access on the go.

I found the pack really comfortable when worn. This could be due to the soft and smooth padded backing along with the padded shoulder straps that felt snug and secure against my body. Even with the added go bags stored inside, the pack is lightweight. Additionally, the pack itself is fairly slim despite all of its storage areas. And when empty including with the go bags it lays pretty flat.

One detail that I really like is the top grab handle. It’s constructed from the same nylon webbing as the shoulder straps and wrapped with the same durable nubuck suede as the bottom of the pack. It simply feels soft to the touch, yet strong and secure.

Go-kit System

The Go-kit system is clever in its design and implementation, with each bag having a dedicated space within the backpack. I found each go bag easy to access and store when not in use. While the labels of “S”, “M”, and “L” do come in handy to quickly place each bag into its home, the letters are quite large.

Overall, the look and feel are nice and lightweight with the ripstop nylon. Each bag has a branded label and a white dot that signifies which size bag it is i.e. one dot for small, two dots for medium, and three dots for large. A simple yet effective design detail.

The small and medium-sized bags were used most often as a tech pouch to hold and organize items such as cables, a mouse, and a couple of charging bricks. I didn’t have much of a need for the larger go bag while testing out the system, although it’s ample in size and I can see a use for it. I typically have used slings and cross-body bags over the past few years as a dad with two young ones for shorter stints as it fits a tablet, diapers, wet wipes, hand sanitizer, and even a spare t-shirt as you never know when that may come in handy.

All three go bags have built-in D-rings that easily connect to the included go-strap via the lobster clips, making it really easy to use and interchangeable.

The dimensions for each bag are listed below:

Dimensions:

Backpack:
height 50cm (19.6”), width 37cm (14.5”), depth 13cm (5.1”)

L go bag:
height 21cm (8.2”), width 27cm (10.6”), depth 7.5cm (2.9”)

M go bag:
height 13cm (5.1”), width 24.5cm (9.6”), depth 4.5cm (1.7”)

S go bag:
height 9.5cm (3.7”), width 19cm (7.4”), depth 3cm (1.1”)

Not So Good

Backpack

The materials while sleek and stylish, may not offer the maximum amount of protection from the elements, especially rain. While water-resistant, I can see the knit fabric getting damp and taking some time to dry off. The bottom of the pack in the main compartment is rather thin. This does fold and help the pack to store essentially flat, but it lacks padding for any additional protection.

One thing that I did find slightly annoying was that the zipper cords would become unraveled quite easily. I struggled a bit to knot it back up only to find it unraveling again later.

The ripstop outer fabric of the front pocket also creases, which can be visible and hard to flatten without the use of a steamer.

One last thing that may be an issue for some is the lack of a sternum strap for additional support. Although I didn’t feel I needed it for my daily use and carry, which consists of a MacBook Pro, cables and chargers, and a notebook.

Go-kit System

When packed with all three go bags, the backpack’s main compartment can be quite full. So it would be a challenge to carry larger items when traveling such as a jacket. You may be left with the decision to select and choose which go bag to use for each outing.

The go bags themselves don’t offer much protection. They are very lightweight but have minimal padding. Additionally, the storage compartments are mainly large zippered pockets without any additional internal organization, unlike a dedicated tech pouch/bag. So items like cables can become unraveled and other items will be loose.

The small go bag is shaped like a clutch and includes a built-in wrist strap. This can hold the aforementioned cables and such. But as a wallet, it lacks the organization you may want to hold a credit card, cash, or driver’s license. 

Finally, there is a lack of stability to the go bags as they are unstructured. The brand currently only offers a 30-day warranty.

Verdict

Ojeito exceeds expectations when it comes to creating a story and solving a need with their system. They had the goal to create “more than just a bag” and have creatively placed an emphasis on the overall system over any individual bag. The backpack itself is the core product and the highlight of the ecosystem. The go bags are complementary, but more of an accessory.

Stylish with a utilitarian vibe, the Go-kit system is versatile and covers the bases when it comes to practical daily carry.  It’s as comfortable as it is modular and works well for daily use in the city or when traveling. 

This isn’t a specialized system that focuses on any particular type of carry such as one-bag travel, professional photography, or that’s built to withstand the rigors of the outdoors. So durability may still be desired. 

At a price of $425 for the entire system, this can still be considered pricey. For those who may be in the market for both a pack and a combination of another bag such as a sling, this may be a nice all-in-one solution.

The Ojeito Go-kit system is available now via their website.