So what is it like carrying the Alpaka Elements Tote as a non-tote user? Pretty great in fact. The webbing straps fit in the hand nicely and fairly comfortably as it doubles on itself to create a more substantial handle area. There’s more than enough clearance to put my arm through and sling it over my shoulder. In my experience, Alpaka tends to overdeliver on the quality and premium experience and feel worthwhile for your hard-earned money. The Elements Tote is another one that feels premium throughout, and any other brand would comfortably price this much more expensive because it feels that way. But Alpaka over-delivers rather than undercuts, which is a statement of how much Alpaka wants to create high-quality experiences and price affordably to put in the hands of people like you and me. Enviorsax bags are so popular because of their different and beautiful designs. They come in multiple colors and styles, so there is a bag for everyone! One reader says “I take one everywhere I go. I’ve used them for groceries and shopping, as a beach bag, and as an extra bag just in case. I can’t say enough about them”.

Not all tote bags are best for certain types of travel, so it’s important to invest in a bag that meets your needs. Traveling somewhere wet and rainy? You’ll want to opt for a more rugged tote bag that features waterproof or resistant materials like nylon or polyester for protecting items. Leather tote bags work well for air travel or office days, but you’ll likely want to skip bringing it to the beach or for camping where you may speed up the wear and tear on the bag. Or you could buy one from your destination, and use it when you get home so you always have a memento to remember you trip. One reader said that “I brought one from a grocery store in Paris and got one for myself and a few extras as souvenirs.” The other is using stronger magnets than the current ones. They work fine with light, simple loads, but once it’s filled and with big bulky stuff, the magnet is basically unusable as it caves under pressure. I also found even if it’s not fully loaded, if there are stuff nearly as high as the magnets it can reduce the magnet tension and open up once you start carrying it. Often, we leave for our travels and forget about the basics we carry around with us at home, such as a reusable foldable bag. Rather than be without a bag while shopping, keep one in your personal item so you always have it handy for your shopping, daily essentials, and souvenir carrying! Cloth foldable bags are actually stronger than grocery bags so you won’t run the risk of the bag splitting and your souvenirs falling out.The Ikea KNALLA bag is perfect for traveling light and is only a few dollars. Just fold it up and stash it away at the bottom of your purse until you have need of the sturdy bag. Since totes have the luxury of a simple design at their core, they make for great compressible bags you can have in reserve. Case in point: REI Co-op’s Stuff Travel Tote. Its key feature is the ability to compress from a 20-liter travel tote bag and down to a smartphone-sized pouch. To put that into perspective, that’s smaller than the 32-ounce Nalgene bottle we like to travel with. Even in its uncompressed form, tight dimensions are a key focus, as REI keenly points out that its linear dimensions comply with airport requirements (though that’s subject to change depending on the regulations).

They have become a popular new fashion trend available in different materials, colors and designs, so they can even liven up your travel outfit. And when the bag gets dirty, just put it in the washer and then carry on using it.The tote bags below still came highly recommended for travelers, but didn’t quite make our list of winners. Fortunately, we’ve seen self-healing nylon in action with Peak Design’s Shoe Pouch. Spoiler alert: it works, and it works rather well. The short explanation is that molecules in the nylon fabric are engineered so that they can bond together after breaking, so minor tears and loose threads are patched up neatly—nice! Usage & Features Here, are readers share their recommendations for the best reusable bags that they keep handy in their purses while traveling! The 46cm length and 34cm height work well to fit long items like my Marshall Middleton speaker, and Sony A7IV camera with a 70-200mm lens. It’s very spacious yet still maintains a reasonable dimension that doesn’t feel overly large or big.

Plus, a reusable shopping bag will allow you to save money, as one bag can be used for years and you won’t need to pay for carrier bags. And, of course, they’re eco-friendly! YKK zippers with Hypalon pulls are easy to grab, and the front section snaps closed with a Woojin magnetic fastener. Each zipper pull sports the Aer brand name. It’s also stamped in white on a 2-inch tab of material on the front of the bag. We’re unsure what it is, though it’s soft like Hypalon. Aer Go Tote 2 | Slip the bag over a luggage handle to cruise through the airport.

According to another reader “Envirosax make some cute ones that have lasted me for years, and they roll up”. A perfect all round bag! The Elements Tote is no exception in that Totes don’t sit well on my sloping shoulders and tend to slide off, but the clearance is enough for my long arms to comfortably grip the base of the carry strap and not find it awkward or uncomfortable to hold onto. Other duffels or totes I’ve tried are too short in length and make it difficult to do the same, while I found it sit well under my arm and for my wrist. ChicoBags make the perfect durable bag to have in your purse at all times. They designed their bags to be of the highest quality and a long lasting reusable bag to try and minimize the amount of waste we produce. There are mostly refinement details that can be built into the current Elements Tote design and would no doubt be perfection for me if they do build those features in. Value for Money What You Should Know: The travel tote will sag under the weight of your mat if you’re not carrying anything else.