Okay guys. You already know I'm a bag lady. I love a good travel bag and I probably have 15 in my arsenal. I've found a great new carry-on bag for those that need to drag their laptop everywhere, whether it's for travel or commuting. Lewis N Clark is expanding their product range and this new line of bags is pretty awesome. When I saw them at the Travel Goods Show, I knew I had to bring some of them to you. They agreed!
The WEA RFID-Blocking Tote is a very unisex carry-on with a classic look that has really nice hardware and quilted details. I pretty much take my laptop everywhere, and since it's large, at 17 inches, it can be hard to find a bag that accommodates it and other items I need to take without getting all bent out of shape or being hard to carry.
Look at me with this thing at the airport! The large shoulder strap is wide enough to make it comfortable to wear, plus it is adjustable, so you can use it as a shoulder bag or crossbody and it works for me, who's short, or someone taller. It worked equally well for me as it did for my husband, who's nearly a foot taller than me. If you want to carry it by the shorter handles, the longer strap can be disconnected and left at home or stashed inside.
This bag is pretty much the perfect size, whether you want to use it as a carry-on, a weekender or a commuter bag. It's big enough for all your necessities, but small enough that you can't overpack it and want to cry that it's ridiculously heavy. {What? Overpack, you say? Yes, I still do that sometimes, especially with my "personal" item. I guess I think I may starve to death or be left so bored I want to kill myself with something else in my bag.}
I'm in favor of pockets, but not so many pockets that you still can't find stuff or that once they all have stuff in them, you can't really zip the bag closed. The Lewis N Clark WEA Tote has this fun short zipper pocket on the outside to hold things you want to get to easily. Here you can see a version of a game I take everywhere*, my boarding passes, a pen and a map of my destination. I'd probably also stash a copy of my itinerary in here, just in case. It's also where I kept a pair of travel socks, so they were accessible during my flight. Yes! This bag fits under the airplane seat, even with a full-size laptop inside.
Lewis N Clark know that not everyone can accomplish their work tasks on a 13" laptop. I mean, I have a netbook, which is lightweight, but it doesn't have the power I need to blog, edit pictures or do some of the massive research projects I sometimes embark on. I'm not planning to buy a smaller laptop just for trips, and why should I? The WEA Tote has a large padded slot for your laptop of any size (well, up to 17"). It stays shut easily with that size, but a smaller laptop will benefit from that little flap strap (yes, that is my technical term) that somehow sticks to the outside of the pocket. I don't know if it's a low-grade magnet or what, but it works like one.
The laptop compartment isn't so tight that you have to wrestle to get your laptop in and out. To prove that, you can see that I have also kept a couple magazines in there...because you need some reading material!
The main area of the bag is roomy. Enough to handle all your snacks, other electronics and your 3-1-1 bag, among other things. Below I show you everything I packed. There's even a smaller compartment divided into a few different parts. A mesh zipper compartment held some money for use at the airport or right away at my destination and my lip balm (a must on the drying plane!), RFID-blocking card slots make it easy to keep your ID, a credit card and maybe some business cards (if that's the way you roll) right at your fingertips.
Behind those sections is a larger zipper compartment that's just big enough for items that you don't wan to get lost in the bottom of your bag. Here's where I would keep my passport, a pair of earbuds and my camera. No rummaging and nothing accidentally gets crushed.
Sorry for the wonky picture here, but I wanted to show you the bottom of the bag. It's nicely structured with little feet, but it also has a different fabric, so it's water resistant and is less likely to pick up gunk from the floor when you set it down. As you can see, there is also that zipper along the bottom. This allows you to slip the bag over your suitcase handle and saves you from having to drag a bunch of stuff and keeps an arm free.
The pass-through pocket is a must for all travel bags and I certainly don't understand why all bags don't have them. If this is the only bag you're taking, zip the bottom and now you've got another pocket, where you can keep a book, a pair of slippers or whatever else you like. It closes with a magnetic snap.
Also, don't overlook the two large side pockets that can carry a water bottle, umbrella or anything else smallish you want to put in it. I always carry a reusable thermos (and sometimes a travel coffee cup) that I can use throughout my trip. This accommodates two items of that size and has adjustable drawstrings to keep them snug. AND those large zipper pulls embossed with the Lewis N Clark logo.
Ever lost your keys after leaving home? Yeah, I've done it and frantically scrambled to find them once I returned. It's panic-inducing. Keep them close with this lovely tether clip...or use it for something else. In other bags, I attach my business card holder to this.
Not sure this bag is big enough for all the things you need to take on your trip or commute? Here, you can see everything I crammed into it and still had room to add more. My laptop isn't a small companion in the least, but it's mine and I love it too much to replace it with something smaller/lighter.
I enjoyed using this new bag on my New Orleans trip, plus dragging my work stuff around with my dog's leash and snacks when we've gone out. Now, I'm also looking forward to using it in the future for a weekender, carry-on or other purpose. If there's someone on your gift list who's a traveler or needs to take their laptop and other files with them wherever they go, this is the bag to consider.
More details
How much is it? $79.99 on Amazon or $99.99 on Lewis N Clark
What colors does it come in? Teal (shown) | Black
Other specs: size: 16in x 13.5in x 6in, lightweight at 26 oz, quilted nylon fabric
What do you look for first in a carry-on bag?
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Disclaimer: I was provided with the Lewis N Clark WEA RFID-Blocking Tote for the purposes of this review, but all opinions are 100% my own.
*Fluxx is a great game that never gets boring. We have 5 versions of it that can all be played together in any combo or separate. The rules change throughout and it's easy to learn. We've played with all ages, from 10 on up.
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