Bellroy Melbourne Backpack 18L - Compact top-loading minimalist pack for small urban EDC load outs
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- Опубліковано 13 лип 2024
- The Bellroy Melbourne Pack is a compact, minimalist backpack aimed at urban commuters with lighter EDC loadouts - i.e. the kind of use case that has grown rapidly in the new pandemic era where people are going out much less frequently, telecommuting more and often just generally carrying less.
* 00:00 - Introduction
* 01:00 - Overview
* 03:33 - For/Not For
* 05:26 - Exterior
* 10:40 - Straps/Carry
* 13:01 - Exterior Pockets
* 17:15 - Access
* 20:00 - Interior/Pockets
* 24:00 - Laptop/Tablet Carry
* 25:20 - Sample loadouts
* 28:08 - Closing
* 29:28 - Other bags to consider
* 38:05 - Ummm...
Its main claim to fame is its overall compact size and weight as well as its quick and deep access via the fast open magnetic top flap and asymmetrical front flap zipper. Conversely its main disadvantage might be its overall adequate, but not exceptional, execution, below-average organisation/pocketing and semi-constrictive build - this is a small pack that feels small.
Bellroy Melbourne Backpack (18L)
bellroy.com/products/melbourn...
Note: All the products we review are purchased with our own money and all opinions expressed are our own.
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Just wanted to drop in and say you’re doing an awesome job with these reviews! I’ve spent a few too many hours watching all kinds of bag/EDC/gear reviews over the past few years, but yours have been my absolute favourites. I love how thorough they are and especially appreciate the gear load outs! I also dig the “other bags to consider” part at the end, which is very helpful especially considering your impressive bag collection. Keep em coming :)
Thank you so much my friend! Comments like this really make my day!
Sometimes the "other bags to consider" section is the hardest part of the video - it's so hard to narrow down which other bags to feature!! :)
Nobody does bag reviews like u thank u
Awwww - thank you so much for the kind words my friend!!
This was incredibly thorough & very helpful--thank you!
Hi Maria! Thank you so much - I'm really glad this could be of use to you! 😊
I've been waiting for this review for so long! haha tks, really nice video
My pleasure! I'm glad you enjoyed it :)
Thanks for this very helpful review of backpack. Lovely. Cheers from the top of the mountain.
Hi Gladys! My pleasure! I'm glad you found it useful!! :)
You're welcome. Cheers.
Almost half an hour video for a simple Bellroy Melbourne backpack! Extremely, almost OCD review of bags. Coming from watching the likes of Chase Reeves, Bo Ismono, and others you tubers, I have to say your videos took the most in-depth look at bags. Cannot buy a bag without first watching your reviews. Keep them coming. You earn a subscriber! Oh, I do wished the audio can be improved, a little muffed at times. Perhaps I am watching your video from my iPad Pro, I don’t know for sure. Great videos!
Thank you so much Arthus! (and sorry for my late reply) - I really appreciate the kind words and am glad that you find my videos useful!
And noted about the sound - I've also noticed that sometimes the audio quality/volume seems to differ depending if I'm watching on my laptop/phone/tablet and I'm not quite sure why (I'm using a lavalier mic and the levels seems appropriate when I export them). But good to know that you're also experiencing these problems - I'll see if I can fix it in upcoming videos!
I’m petite, looking for an urban EDC backpack and was considering this for my commute to work. The top panel opening worries me since I take public transportation and am concerned about theft. Thanks for the thorough and great reviews! I always look forward to them
Hi there! I completely understand - the ease of access in the top panel is both an advantage and a disadvantage - the latter particularly in cases such as yours (commute with public transportation).
If you're looking for a compact urban EDC bag that works well on petite frames but is a bit more secure, you might want to check out the Able Carry Thirteen Daybag. It's a smaller (13L) version of their original Daily backpack (one of my favourite bags back in the day) that contains much of the same goodness but in smaller package.
While I own this bag, I've only worn it a couple of times as it's just a little too small on me, however it would be perfectly suited for someone with a more petite frame - if you like the asthetic (all their current offerings are only available in X-Pac) it might be worth considering!
ablecarry.com/products/thirteen-daybag
The magnetic close is genius. Especially if you're going in and out of your bag a lot. So much better than a zip that you need to open and close constantly. It's really a minimalist bag with quick access as the priority. If you carry a an ultrabook, tablet, pair of headphones and perhaps glasses it's perfect. I keep my Surface 2 Duo down the side pocket on the outside and it works really well.
Have experience a sudden pop up from the bag because of the magent?
This helped me a lot, thank you!
That's awesome to hear - so glad I could be of help!!
Very well and nice review.
Thank You!
Thank you Alex! I'm glad you enjoyed it!
Finally someone did it!!
I was also surprised at the dearth of Melbourne reviews out there! Hopefully the length of this one helps make up for the paucity of overall reviews. :)
Since your last review, I bough the Transit Workpack and I've been loving it in terms of packing style. Easily one of my most favorite packs I've bought. I kind of wish I could merge the Aer harness system into the Bellroy Transit Workpack. And in my opinion it would be the "perfect" backpack for me. Great review, Mountain!
Hi Skydaze! I'm so glad to hear that the review was helpful and that you're enjoying the Transit Workpack!
And I totally understand where you're coming from - so often I look at my various bags and wish I had a magic wand where I could just magically take the best pieces of different bags and glue them together into one super über-bag 😂!
@@TheMountainborn Yeah I kinda wish Aer made a bag similar to the style seen on their daypacks but functioned more like the compartments of their travel pack. The only thing I wish for my daypack to be is bigger. Around 25 liters or hope it could "expand" like the Transit Workpack.
Thanks for the amazing review. I almost bought the bag
Glad you found this review helpful! (and sorry for the super late reply) - what bag did you end up going with instead?
Thanks for another thoughtful and thorough review! Was looking at this bag but seeing the lack of flex for the water bottle pockets is concerning.
My pleasure!
Whether this is a dealbreaker or not I think probably comes down to how much you're planning to carry in this bag on a regular basis.
The lack of flex in the water bottle pocket is a definite issue if you pack out the interior of the bag or put in things that take up the entire "horizontal width" (such as the Evergoods Civic Access Pouch 2L which I show in the video). Then it becomes basically unusable.
On the other hand, as long as you don't fully pack out the bag then the water bottle pocket is still quite usable in daily life, albeit with a slight bit more friction due to the hard bartack stitch in place of an elastic gusset.
One more note: it will carry most "normal" sized water bottles (such as 500-700ml bottles) but you won't be able to get larger water bottles (1L nalgene for example) in there unless they are unusually tall and skinny; additionally water bottles with rubber caps on the bottom (for example, like some Hydroflasks with the optional bottom cap) tend to have a lot of friction when stowing due to the cloth interior of the water bottle pocket. Smooth bottomed water bottles (i.e. most normal bottles) have no problem however.
:)) I always watch the other bags section of your videos first ;)
Awesome :)
Apropos this, that's an interesting way of approaching it. I've toyed around with the idea of inverting the order of the videos - i.e. starting with an overview of what is available on the market, then deep diving into the featured bag for the deeper review now that viewers have more context to formulate an opinion about the bag.
@@TheMountainborn Actually , I knew the bag before your video. And that is usually the case with all of your videos. And I still watch them anyways. I think they are very good. And MHO your order is awesome. I don’t think you need to change it.
Good video 🇬🇧
Thank you so much Michelle!
Just wanted to say that I think your bag reviews are the absolute best. I stumbled on your channel when I was looking up the MR Unicorn and ended up going through all your videos. I love how you organically walk through your thoughts in detail vs scripting the entire conversation. I’ve been waiting on a review for this bag in order to make a decision and I really appreciate your candid feedback. Keep it up!!
Maybe do a Bellroy Apex next? I don’t think there are a lot of reviews for that bag out there.
Thank you so much for the kind words Kevin! I'm so glad this video could be of use to you when considering this bag.
About the Bellroy Apex - you've got it! Added to the queue!
Love your reviews, they are excellent! Are you looking to add some Porter x Bside Yoshida in the future from Japan?
Definitely! I've been using the Porter 3-way duffle bag (www.yoshidakaban.com/product/102129.html) for a while now and was thinking to do a review of it once I catch up on my backlog. Any particular Porter bags you have in mind?
Great review. Thanks - also what kind of watch are you wearing? In addition to backpacks I collect watches as well
Hi dalejayne2461! In this review I'm wearing the Casio G-Shock Gravity Master model GR-B200RAF-8AJR . I have a soft spot in my heart for G-shocks and this one appealed to me primarily because of the gray colourway. In my opinion it's too big and chunky to be an everyday timepiece but I enjoy wearing it sometimes on weekends or when I'm in the mood for something different.
It's great to meet a fellow backpack and watch enthusiast!!!! (^^)
Nice review. Very detailed and covers everything one needs to know about the bag. I was considering on buying this bag, but completely changed my mind because of your review. Do you think you can cover Waterfield's Mezzo bag? No one seems to have covered that yet. Thanks a bunch!
Thank you James! I have added the Waterfield Mezzo to my list of bags to purchase - will ping you on this comment if I pick it up and do a review on it!
@@TheMountainborn Thank you for considering it! Cheers!
Mine arrived a couple of weeks ago. I really like it so far. I like how the water bottle compartment expands inward to help keep the shape overall.
Awesome! Few things in lovely in life as New Bag Day! 😂
@@TheMountainborn mine is a lint magnet 😳
Yeah I feel you :( Did you get the black or one of the other colourways?
@@TheMountainborn black
hey i have one question referring the backpack. can you cut the strings of the water holder to fit a 1.5l bottle? cuz i’m afraid that mine won’t fit in but i really like the bag
Hi Marvin - the same thought occurred to me but after examining the structure of the stitching I would not recommend it, it's not going to work well (you'll lose all retention ability in the water bottle pocket and it will look notably torn).
My general advice to people when they encounter a situation like this (where a bag fits their needs awesomely except for one small detail that doesn't work with say their lunch box/water bottle/etc.) is to just buy a different water bottle that fits this bag. :). Nothing wrong with having two different water bottles depending on which bag you're rocking and no sense in denying yourself an awesome bag just because of a relatively affordable water bottle.
Hope this helps!
great review! if you were to run with this bag on would the top flap open up?
Good question.
tl;dr - Probably not under smaller loads, but probably yes when the bag is filled with larger loads.
As with many things, I think it depends. Under normal loads and a "normal" running speed (i.e. not trying to break the world 100M dash record) I would say probably not (at least it didn't when I just tried it). If the bag is filled up near the top and/or it's really bouncing up and down if you're running at breakneck speed, I would say there is a possibility it will come open.
I show in the video that the bag doesn't like to be overstuffed (you can skip to the chapter where I show some sample load outs). The magnets are weak when a load is pushing "outwards" on them from the inside so if you load the bag anywhere close to how I show in the larger load out example in the video then I would say there is a high possibility of the flap coming undone with any kind of vigorous movement like running.
Great video! Consider checking out the Victorinox Almont Professional Compact
Hi David - thanks for the suggestion! I will add it to my list!
Is it good in the rain? Rain resistant? Wondering as sometimes you don't carry an umbrella or you're on the bike..
I got it as I gift and the magnets aren't that strong. Bellroy Customer Service said that my item is not faulty and I should be packing less.. The side pocket is impossible to use without the magnets opening. It is advertised as an 18L bag with "SURPRISING STORAGE" but you will be able to carry max a laptop, a water bottle and a pouch. Maybe an umbrella. If you put a jacket in it that will open the magnet as soon as you move the bag to put it on or dash to take the bus.
Of course, your experience might differ based on what you carry but be aware that you might experience some of the issues I had or all of them.
Hi George - sorry to hear about your experience. Yeah, I agree that the magnets are pretty weak on this bag - I had the same experience with them spontaneously opening if the bag was packed out anywhere near full as shown in the video.
It's unfortunate that Bellroy wasn't able to help you though at least you got this as a gift and didn't pay for it outright. If you happen to like the form factor of the bag but need more capacity/more secure closure system I show a couple of other suggestions at the end of the video that might be of use to you.
One that I didn't show in the video but which is also from Bellroy and comes in at almost exactly the same price point is the Bellroy Shift - it uses a much more secure metal hook to secure which is slightly slower but much more secure.
Good luck - hopefully you can sell your bag and use the money to buy one that works better!
@@TheMountainborn Thank you for your answer :) much appreciated! I'll keep the backpack and use it when I carry just essentials or going to a meeting. Just wanted to give a heads-up to everyone because the website is deceiving. I would have preferred to see the same closure as the Bellroy Studio (Fidlock magnetic clasp) those would have made the bag a lot more secure. I have passed this advice to Bellroy and hope to see a second version of the bag with a better and more secure closure. So one can use the whole 18L of the bag and not just half of it.
Great review, I felt that the frame sheet impaired access to the side wb pockets on the Transit 28L too, despite having tonnes of capacity. Also love how you pronounce Melbourne (we say it more like Melb'n)
Good point - I generally like the Transit 28L but I did find the side water bottle pockets quite tight as you said, especially under load. (As a result I tended to carry less-frequently accessed items like usb batteries/toothbrush kit etc. in them rather than water bottles)
And duly noted about Melbourne! I figured I would spare people my mangled attempts at an Australian accent :)
Compared with the Bellroy studio... I know they are quite similar (bellroy appears to be retiring the studio), but which one would you choose?
Good question Greg - I saw in a different comment you mentioned that you are looking to use this in a hospital setting to move things between wards. I'm assuming you probably will be carrying a fair amount of stuff and as I mentioned in that comment and in this video I don't think the Melbourne does very well when it's packed up close to capacity due to the top coming inadvertently open.
Thus, for your use case, I would not recommend the Melbourne. However, I think the Bellroy studio honestly isn't that great of a bag either - I think the build quality on - while not flawed - honestly is quite pedestrian (and I don't like how the straps are attached to the back in particular). It's among Bellroy's more entry level bags and I think it shows in the build and design. Again, not a bad bag by any stretch, but not that great.
If your budget can accommodate it and you're interested in this general form factor, I would recommend you also consider the Bellroy Shift backpack. It's slightly more expensive than the Melbourne but I think it fixes a lot of the issues particularly with a more secure top closure (which granted, the hook closure does introduce a bit of friction but that is probably a good thing in your use case) and sternum straps (if that's your thing), while maintaining a lot of good things from the Melbourne - direct access to the internal contents without undoing the top (with a side zip versus a front flap), an externally accessible zip pocket, as well as slightly better internal organization.
The one thing that you lose with the Shift versus the Melbourne is the external water bottle pocket - whether this is a deal breaker or not depends on your preferences but for me I think it's a decent trade off for the security of closure that you'd probably need in your stated use case.
I hope this helps! If you are open to other form factors besides the top flap-opening bags there may be other bags I could recommend but in terms of Bellroy offerings the Shift is probably what I think will be best for you.
@@TheMountainborn Holy smokes, thank you so much for the reply. I discovered your channel a few days ago and suffice to say, I love the content. You've got yourself a subscriber!
I almost bought this bag, thanks to your review! Chz 26 next?
You've got it! I actually did a full review of the v1 CHZ22 where I touched on the differences versus the v2 but lost the source files in an unfortunate HDD crash so I was never able to post the video. I think I've finally gotten over my trauma of the lost hour of my life 😂 so maybe it's time to take another stab at it !
@@TheMountainborn So excited for the CHZ26 review. In fact, I’m excited for any Evergoods review! Maybe MQD24 and CAP2 too?
You got it! Fun fact - the Mountain Quick Draw 24 is probably my favorite bag ever in terms of just overall design and aesthetic. It's the bag that made me fall in love with Evergoods and all that Grey on Grey on Grey with that brilliant pop of red in the central drawstring camlock.... oh my! ❤️. I just wish I had more use for it in my everyday life so I could use it more rather than just have it hanging beautifully on my wall for most of the year.
@@TheMountainborn I feel you on that, I love mine but unfortunately it is relegated to day hiking duty only. It is probably Evergoods' most underrated/under-appreciated, forgotten about bag and it's nice to hear your appreciation for it. There are not enough reviews of it out there so seeing you dissect it would be terrific! Thanks for your thorough reviews, incredible content and information!
Any chance you might do a review of the Bellroy Apex?
Hi Andrew - yes, definitely at some point. I actually didn't like that bag as much as I thought I would when I bought it so I don't use it so much these days, but I know it's a bag that gets a lot of interest from folks plus it's quite expensive so I think it'd be good to do a review of it for people who are interested. Thanks for the great suggestion!
Definitely count me as interested!
I love the look of the bag and bellroy makes quality products, but I am super nervous about the magnetic closure. A bag that can easily open with out much of a tug is prime pickpocketed in Chicago. That stinks as with the side opening I was looking to this as a cheaper apex.
Yes, I would definitely caution you to think strongly about this bag if you live in an area where pickpocketing is a concern (especially if you're riding crowded public transit, etc.). The flap is super loose and in my opinion would be extremely easy for someone to access without you ever realizing.
In my "also consider" section at the end of the video I mentioned a few other bags from Bellroy with similar form factors (the Apex and the Studio). One bag that I didn't mention but which is also from Bellroy and has a similar form factor is the Bellroy Shift backpack. This one lacks the partial/full front opening flap of the Melbourne/Apex but it does gain a sternum strap (better than the one on the Apex IMHO) and also a similar much more secure hook/leather loop closing mechanism similar to what you get on the Apex and a decent amount of internal organization (better than the Melbourne IMO). In lieu of the front opening flap, you get a side access zipper which again, could potentially pose a risk in pickpocket prone areas however it's relatively small and close to your back so I would say it is far less of a risk than the magnetic flap on the Melbourne. It's going to be harder to pack this pack versus the Melbourne/Apex due to the fact that there is no front-flap but for on the go access I'd say it's probably not too much of a difference (though the metal hook flap closure on this/Apex are more frictionful than the Melbourne but sounds like in this case that will be a benefit) You maintain the side rear-mounted quick access pouch but lose the external water bottle pocket (which the Apex also doesn't have).
It might be worth checking out - it's priced right around the same as the Melbourne, more expensive than the Studio (but it's also a better bag than the Studio) and significantly less than the Apex.
@@TheMountainborn thank you for this wonderful response! I currently have the bellroy transit workpack and bought it right before the melbourne was released. Your words have made it clear I (luckily) made the right choice. That is very interesting they would make a pack that opens so easily. I would wonder if you had a laptop in it, if the bag got turn upside down (say someone picks it up without thinking) would a heavier laptop slide out and pop out of it. I could see that being a problem if someone haphazardly pulled there bag out a car and the laptop were to crash on the sidewalk or street. I have also read some review say, if the pack is full loaded to the gills, that the magnets can sometimes just come loose while your moving. Perhaps melbourne australia is simply a safer area where one doesn't need to carry much for work. Beautiful pack all the same, just not for my own needs I suppose.
Turning the bag upside down will definitely result in the contents spilling out into the ground in most cases - particularly the laptop as you mentioned (unless it were super tightly jammed into the sleeve with a high-friction case (such as rubber etc.) (one of the reasons why I didn't recommend this bag for travel - I don't trust it sideways in an overhead bin for example)
I'm glad you got the transit work pack - that is actually one of my current favorite bags (not just from Bellroy but in general). How do you like it? :)
@@TheMountainborn I bought it to be part of a 2 bag system with the bellroy weekender. Since travel is still restricted, time will tell how much I enjoy it for that. For now, as a normal backpack it's been great. It's comfortable to carry and feels like it carries way more than 20l. I enjoy the separate laptop sleeve and I have the tech kit compact in the flap. I really enjoy having all my tech in one area and separated from my other items. Honestly, I could likely easily use it just for a quick weekend trip on its own. But it never feels bulky or looks huge which means I could also use it for going to the office and carrying an extra change of clothes for the gym. I have multiple items from bellroy (wallet(s), key chain holder, a5 folio, the pen, and multiple pouches, and the designer edition laptop brief) but this is my first backpack from them and I am really happy with the results. It's definitely made me wonder if the bellroy transit backpack would work for one bag travel to Europe (I had previously been thinking of purchasing the transit plus).
Thanks for the great review. Please make a review on the Bellroy Apex bag next 🙏
Thank you Ken! You got it - I'll add it to the queue to review!!
What are the demenions of the bag for under the seat airplane travel.
Hi Barrie!
You can find the dimensions (and other specifications) for the Melbourne Pack on Bellroy's website. It should fit under just about any airline seat including economy in my opinion however - it's a fairly small pack.
That said, I wouldn't necessarily recommend this bag for frequent under-seat (or even overhead bin) storage - see the part of my review where I talk about the relative ease with which the top magnetic flap opens - I think if you stuff the bag in / out under a seat a lot if you're not careful it's possible the top might come open and things can slip out - you'd need to be super careful to ensure you don't accidentally leave anything important behind!
Personally I'd opt for a bag with a more secure closing top for frequent airline travel use.
I hope this helps!
What happens when it rains? Is it good at keeping water out?
Hi Nicole - I would not recommend this bag if you are concerned about water resistance - the fabric will resist a light spill or splash but definitely will soak through in a hard /sustained rain. Similarly the corners are easy to get stuck "open" as I demonstrate in the video so it will be very easy for large amounts of water to get in through there.
This is legit an Apex Backpack Lite
It definitely draws a lot of inspiration from the Apex that's for sure!
General Kenobi?
😂
Evergoods CPL24 V2!
In the works! I actually thought that one would be a slam dunk since the v1 is easily one of my top bags ever, but I was surprised to find the v2 more...mixed, in practice. Giving it some extra time in use to try to understand if some of the issues I was experiencing are the result of the bag not being broken in - it's taking some time since my load outs generally aren't that heavy these days for obvious reasons. Stay tuned!
@@TheMountainborn First time I put it on, I hated it... Within a week, it became best bag I've ever owned
This vs the ripruck 15🤔🤔🤔🤔
Ah I have not tried any of the Riprucks yet. I'll let you know my thoughts if I pick one up!
Yeah I have the tote not good looks horrid covered in lint n hair I use selotape now to remove it off shouldn't have to tho at the price it is.
Sorry to hear that :(. The use of tape to remove the lint/hair is a great idea!
Regret buying this 😩 not good for heavy loads at all. Very average execution
does the top open pretty easy under moderate load? I'm sorta looking to use it in the hospital, between wards, need easy access but obvs don't want the bugger opening under moderate load or slight movement lol
@@GM_LEONG the top opening unwillingly is my main fault with the bag. Magnets aren’t strong enough
Greg - definitely agree with what Kosi mentioned - the top can open quite easily which is both convenient (easy access) and inconvenient (not particularly secure).
I show a couple of examples of this in my video - it happens quite consistently when you have the bag packed up nearer to capacity (≈80% etc.) because of who the load will push outward on the main flap - the magnets are too weak to keep the lid closed in this situation. At the end of the video I show a few alternatives that are a bit more secure but have the same general form factor which may be worth considering for your use case.
Did Bellroy fixed the magnet issue? Magnets were weak and the bag opens up on its own
As you can see from my video, I had the same issue with the weak magnets and bag opening on its own. This review is three years old and while it looks like there may have been some minor materialway updates to the bag based on the most recent version for sale on their website, it doesn't look like there's anything majorly changed with the opening/closing mechanism so I doubt they have meaningfully addressed this (I am not sure how they would whilst keeping the same two-magnet closure system, save using some extremely strong magnets (rare earth etc), though that would introduce a whole host of other problems). That said I haven't tried the latest version on their site so I can't say for certain...