Physical Address
304 North Cardinal St.
Dorchester Center, MA 02124
Compare the top 6 travel totes
Consider more travel totes
Air Simple Tote for $139: Have you ever picked up a nylon or leather tote and realized that slung it over your shoulder giving you instant scoliosis? Then you want Aer’s ultra-lightweight, simple sailcloth tote, which weighs less than a pound. Its 15 liters felt surprisingly capacious. I fit two jackets inside while walking with my kids, and the 3-inch-wide bag tucks neatly under my arm. Fits two external drop pockets My Nalgene And Kinto mugAnd my phone fits nicely in the outer zip pocket. The feedlock closure, while nice to look and use, provided some security but was far less, er, fiddly (sorry) than closing the bag with a zipper. It’s a great upgrade if you’re tired of carrying all your junk around Canvas Tote from Umami Mart And want a bag that won’t get soaked in something suspicious if misplaced on the subway. it is is A bit more expensive, though. – Adrienne is
The Cuyana System Tote 16-inch is priced at $358: The Kuana System Tote is a modular gear-hauler that changes shape with your itinerary. Designed to outlast the churn of fast fashion, this travel tote starts out minimal, but the genius lies in its add-ons. A Laptop sleeve or Insert organizer Creates an on-the-go structure with dedicated slots for your computer, water bottle and other work essentials. A System flap bag Insert doubles as a clutch or in-bag organizer, and A detachable, adjustable strap (Also available one Wide model) transforms the tote into a crossbody, perfect for hands-free airport sprints if you’re unwittingly trying. Airport theory. Instead of failure-prone sew-on straps, the System Tote’s handles are cut directly from the leather body, minimizing wear points. The main compartment closes instead of zipping, you’ll need to know if you’re the spill-resistant type.
Avoid this tote
Calpak Diaper Tote Bag with Laptop Sleeve for $195: This bag was really puffy, but felt heavy, and lost space to give puffiness to the layers of the bag. It was somehow too big for everyday use, but not big enough when I needed a lot of stuff for a day trip or long outing. It didn’t really feel that diaper bag centered; The only thing “diaper” about it is the baby wipe compartment on the outside, but I would have liked an external pocket to store actual diapers with it. You can stuff a few diapers in the flat front pocket, but it’s not as ideal as other designs I’ve tried. Insulated bottle pockets are handy if you’re traveling with bottles, but feel useless after your baby graduates from bottles (which they graduate much earlier than diapers!) It’s not a bad bag, but I’d recommend a different design for parents and travelers alike. –Nena Farrell
To determine the best travel tote, we put each bag through real-world travel scenarios to see how it performs. This means testing comfort when packed with laptops, chargers, clothes and toiletries, worn over the shoulder or carried by hand. We’ll go over the totes to test durability, organization, and accessibility. We’ll evaluate how it fits under airplane seats, protects technical gear, and resists wear and weather. If it’s supposedly water-resistant, we’ll take it out into the rain to determine if it survives without getting its contents wet.
We tested every pocket, compartment and zipper for usability. In terms of design, we paid attention to details: interior fabric choices that make contents easy to see, convenient pocket placement, and hardware choices like zippers and zipper pulls. We also paid attention to key design elements, such as handle length and overall structure.
We have prioritized quality and sustainability and we have included eco-friendly brands for eco-conscious consumers. We also made sure to include an array of fabrics for stylistic versatility. Finally, we considered how each bag stacked up against its price point, ensuring that the quality justifies the price.
What do we test next?
Power up with unlimited access to wired. Get best-in-class reporting and exclusive subscriber content that’s too important to ignore. Subscribe today.
