I love to travel with this bag. I've got two: 1 purchased here in the US, and another very similar one (aka. European version) when I was traveling in London. They have many different handy pockets to store things like pens, books (had a guidebook and my Kindle), journal, wallet, mobile phone, keys, passport, iPod, iPad, and a small camera...all with plenty of room to spare! I used the flap to store my very light
Northface Ventura
jacket or rolled it into the bag (a bit bulky). Some people complained about how the snap closure is annoying, but I found it very useful as it makes it secure. My 'New Guard' bag from Kipling (only available in the Europe/International store) only has a faux belt buckle/
velcro closure that is a bit hard to keep lining up to close as the buckle is heavy. The bag isn't too big and when it rains/wet it rolls off (though I wouldn't leave it out in the rain) which is a major plus traveling to places such as Ireland, London,
DC, and even in my hometown of Seattle. Even though you can wash it in your washing machine, Kipling highly recommends not to. As the water-resistant coating will wear off bit by bit, instead to wipe it with a damp paper towel to clean. I used to carry around a small backpack whenever I traveled, but as I grew older, it seemed more mature to carry a small messenger type bag. I carried a few
Timbuk2 small/x-small/metro
bags as they are awesome in downpours, but the
velcro (made really LOUD noise) and size of the
bags were too much sometimes and gave me small bruises all over my thighs due to the corners. I love
Timbuk2 (not available on Zappos) and still use their
bags, but I needed something a bit more flexible and won't draw so much attention. Kipling products are made to last as I grew up with them, and still have my very first Kipling bag, from way back in the very early 1990s. The zippers on the bag are very smooth and quiet, and even though the material is Kipling's own unique blend of crinkled nylon, it doesn't make a sound while you wear it. Personally I think the best way to wear it is cross-body as I can blot for the bus/train and not have it fall off of my shoulder (which I've had to do a few times in my travels). The strap is comfortable, highly flexible, and soft which is great when you are walking around all day. The back pocket is great for quick items such as tickets and passes. I've got the Espresso color which is a nice dark brown and wish to purchase the black and true blue colors as well. If you read other reviews by Lancelot owners, you'll see that there are tons of colors (sadly not found here on Zappos) and many people own various colors to match their daily outfits. This bag has gone through many places and has taken a beating, but it still looks like the day that I bought it. I like to travel light, so it excellent to store underneath the seat in the airplane and easily have room to spare for random purchases or nothing for extra leg room. The design is very simple, but that's what I want in a travel bag. Sure, there isn't a dedicated water bottle holder, but you can put it in the bag (unless condensation is rolling off of it). Plus I don't like to attract a lot of attention while on my travels and try to be like a local as much as possible. Out of all of my Kipling
bags, this is my personal favorite. It's so versatile as some use it for work, baby bag/diaper bag, travel, and as a purse. I read some use it for school, but unless you carry small amount this isn't very useful for school. This bag is very light weight, but can easily be weighted down by what you put in it. So be careful at times, especially when you are like me who tend to have people hand you stuff to carry for them. This bag is great, you can squish it, smash it, and roll it into a bigger bag and it won't wrinkle, it's light enough for me to carry both of them (the US and European versions) and still be fine with my carry on suitcase. I like the monkey key chain, but you can easily detach and re-attach it depending on your preference. This bag can easily be worn by people from various styles, sizes (I'm only 5' tall), and age. Kipling is a brand you can trust, and even though their products are not cheap, they are definitely worth the money. I don't easily give out such high reviews, but this is one of those rare occasions. This is Kipling (US)'s bestselling product to date! The negatives? Well, it's not really padded so be careful with certain gadgets/electronics, can easily be weighted down w/o shoulder padding can be sore to some people, no smaller outside pocket, no water bottle holder (might matter to some), & I personally like the style of the older version a smidge better. In the end, if you want a bag to travel with or even carry around in the city with, carry just the essentials, simple and handy, and is a international trustworthy brand. This is the bag for you.
