Review: GoLite DayLite Large Tote

One of my favorite places to go is the farmers' market. I love discovering new local foods and also picking up fresh fruits and veggies for meals at home. It gives me the chance to cook healthier and support farmers and businesses from my area instead of big brands. I usually hit up the market once or twice a month to pick up the things I need to make vegetarian dishes or sides for a bunch of meals that I make double and triple batches of and then freeze, so I don't have to come home from work every day and cook something when I don't feel like it, and let's face it, that's more often than not. So when I hit up the market, I need a great bag to carry all my finds and that's where the large DayLite Tote from GoLite comes in.

This versatile tote is compact, but unfolds into the size of an overnight or weekender bag. The lightweight material is sturdy, but doesn't add any bulk once you start filling it up. As much as I love the market, I don't want to go every week, which means my haul is usually pretty heavy. A bag with wide, comfortable handles that fit over my shoulder is a necessity. That's one of the things I love most about this tote. It is also durable and wipes down easily.

Check out how much fit in the tote on this trip. Pretty good, right? That didn't even include the bag of bakery goodies I picked up, too.

So, what sets this tote bag apart from all the others on the market? I mean, everyone has a tote bag of some sort, right? GoLite set out to make theirs innovative and more usable and I think they hit the nail on the head. Not only is this bag roomy (there's easily 25 lbs of produce in it) but it also has strategic pockets that can hold your wallet, phone, camera, grocery list and more. There's a cool little clip on the inside for your keys, so they don't get lost in the bottom under your lettuce and beets. I liked that feature so much, I used it for my car keys instead of putting them back in my purse.

Going on a short trip? Use this as your getaway bag. It would make a great "personal item" carry-on where you could stash your cardigan, Kindle, snacks and games, with your travel docs in the outside pocket. If you have a baby, it could double as a diaper bag. Another favorite use for it might be for a beach bag. It’s big, but not overly big, plus it has a wide opening that zips closed and is perfect for the essentials: beach towel, cover-up, flip flops and sunscreen. It also has a large front zippered pocket for reading material, like your iPad, magazine or Kindle (or a mixture). Leave your purse out of the equation and keep your keys, a bottle of water, money for lunch, your phone and camera for those fantastic sunset pics in the inside pockets. I also tossed in a makeup palette for when going straight from beach to bar or restaurant, because you’ll want to freshen up a bit after a long day in the sun.

What more can I say about this tote? It comes in pretty colors, it’s attractive and I can’t wait to tuck it away in my day bag for my grocery and market visits in London and Paris, because not only will it make my purchases easier to carry, but I’m going to look great doing it and saving the earth by not using plastic bags.

More information

Where you can buy it: GoLite online

How much it costs: $29.99

Colors it comes in: dark purple (shown) | Dragon Fly (teal) | Smoke (grey) | Twilight Blue

Other specs: Double rip-stop nylon that is both strong and lightweight, 11 oz, 18" L x 4.5" W x 12.5" H

Disclosure: I was provided with the Large DayLite Tote for the purposes of this review, but all opinions are 100% my own.

Review and Giveaway: Travelon Anti-Theft Signature Messenger Bag

Do you have a great day bag for when you travel, or even something to carry your necessities in when you fly? The problem with a lot of bags is that they are either too big or too small for what you need. Many aren’t secure and those that are aren’t attractive and scream “tourist”. The Signature Messenger Bag from Travelon can solve those problems for you. If you hate regular messenger bags that are bulky and hurt your shoulder, take a look at this stylish bag that won’t get in the way, is ergonomic and has an adjustable, wide shoulder strap.

As you know, I’m a bag hoarder. I have been known to buy a new bag every time I travel based on where I’m going and what I’m doing. Obviously, I want a different bag for the plane than I do for sightseeing or than I do for an amusement park or than I do for a beach trip. Do I need to carry a lot of things with me – like a sweater – or not? Yes, I am really particular, but I’m guessing many of you are, too. Here are the pros of this bag for those of you still searching for the perfect bag for your travels.

It’s anti-theft!

Going to any large city? Guess what? There are probably thieves. If you’re really worried about this, like I am going to Paris, then fear no more. The large strap is cut-proof and the lining of the bag has a slash-proof mesh as well, so unless they want to try to wrench the bag off of you and drag you halfway down the street, it’s a safe bet that no one is going to steal it off your person.

The zippers have locking clips so no one can dip into your bag without you realizing it. This is something that would take effort to achieve by a thief, no matter how deft they are. As you can see from the pictures above, there are clips that slip through the holes in the zippers on both the front pocket that holds your credit cards, phone and other small items and the main compartment as well.

Another feature you can use is the locking clasp that you can detach and reattach the shoulder strap to. Say you’re sitting down to eat at a café. You don’t want to hold the bag in your lap while you eat and you don’t want to hang it on your chair where anyone can just make off with it. Instead, detach the strap, wrap it around the table leg or your chair and reattach it. The slash-proof construction basically turns your bag into a mini-safe. It would be pretty obvious that someone was stealing your purse if they had to take the entire chair or table with them.

Keep your information safe with RFID-blocking card slots that hold up to four cards and a passport. It would suck to get to your destination only to find that someone had used an electronic card reader to steal all your info – and maybe your identity – and spend all your money. Worst vacation ever, right? These things have been tested and they really work! You can feel pretty safe that your cards will still have any money on them that you didn’t spend and your passport won’t be compromised either.

A lot of room, but not too much room!

Most regular messenger bags are like un-structured overnight bags. You put stuff in there and it all falls to the bottom somehow, no matter what it is. Yes, everything is in the bottom. How did that happen??? I have no idea, but it’s annoying. I took this bag with me on the plane to Vegas and the main compartment was perfect for my netbook, but it would be more convenient for an iPad. I was able to also get all my travel docs in there and also stashed my airplane magazine in it as I was deplaning. It still closed and I had makeup items in the back pocket.

I’ve also used this bag on several outings, including a day out where I stashed my mini makeup bag in the main compartment, along with a cardigan, keys and sunglasses. I like that the main compartment is just that. The mesh pocket doesn’t go all the way to the bottom, which makes it easy not to lose things down there and also to get them out. If you can’t see the contents, use the included snap-in handy-dandy mini flashlight to check it out.

The back pocket fits next to your body and is good for things you like to have convenient, like your lip balm and snacks or gum. It is also a half-size pocket, like the one on the inside, so you can’t overstuff it, though, like me, you can try.

It’s pretty rugged!

It’s also pretty and rugged. The eggplant might be a bit feminine, but I feel like the black and the mushroom can work perfectly for men as well. Everyone’s going to look good with this bag slung across their body. Travelon bags can really take a beating. I know, we have a bunch and we aren’t gentle with our travel gear. After many trips, the Signature Messenger Bag is still going to look like you just got it.

More information

Where you can buy it: Travelon online

How much it costs: $65.00

Colors it comes in: black | eggplant (shown) | truffle

Other specs: Poly twill fabric that is easily wiped down if you spill on it, 11.25 x 10.25 x 2 

Want to win your own Travelon Anti-Theft Signature Messenger Bag? Enter below:

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Disclosure: I was provided with the Anti-Theft Signature Slim Pouch for the purposes of this review, but all opinions are 100% my own.

Infographic: Put Away Your Phone - You're on Vacation

On vacation I cut down a lot on my technological distractions. I like to unplug while I'm out sightseeing and tend to only take photos. We watch a lot less TV when we travel and spend more quality time with each other. Of course, when we have been together 24/7 it can get a little stressful and that's when we will chill out separately at our accommodation. I use my mornings for quiet time and decompress by checking and answering emails while eating sipping my coffee and eating a bit of breakfast. This gives me the personal time I need to start the day. When we get back after a long day out, we talk about our day, but we can often be found in different parts of the room reading or playing on a handheld game. This alone time gives us enough decompression to do it all again the next day.

Holidays Unplugged infographic

While I feel like I need to keep my phone handy for emergencies, I don't think I need to use it constantly on vacation. How do you detox from the digital world when you travel?