Awwww thank you so much for the super kind words @JMPerona !! I really appreciate it!! ✨☺️✨ Out of curiosity, are there any bags or items you want me to review next?
@@TheMountainborn Any Yoshida/Porter bag or Fjällräven would be great. But I come here mainly for the bags I don't know, like the Rofmia you showed in this video, that I'm trying to find right now. Keep the good work!
You got it! Fjallraven is a brand that I quite like but have never reviewed on the channel yet - might need to add one of their bags to the queue! And noted on the more niche brands like Rofmia - will keep those coming!
Love Bellroy so much. Just sharing this pro-tip as an Aussie who lived in Melbourne: it's pronounced Mel-bun. Love your reviews. Please keep 'em coming.
Thank you for the tip @batruax ! As soon as I read how you wrote it I was like - oh yeah, that totally sounds more like how I remember people in Australia pronouncing it! 😂 I shall pronounce it accordingly from this point onward!!! (^^)
Me too!! I love saccoches but they're often just a bit too small or lacking just a bit more organization/capacity than I would like but this one maintains the same general form factor but adds in the missing functionality. ☺️
Hey there! Thanks for stopping by - if you have any specific questions about the three please let me know and I can try to answer them here as I own all three. Tl;d;r - of the three overall the Tokyo Sidebag is my favorite as it has (in my opinion) the best mix of organization and capacity whilst still retaining an overall compact form factor. The city pouch plus is the oldest design of the three and I think it shows. While it theoretically has the most organization out of the three (similar internal organization as the sidebag but also adds both front and a rear external first order access pockets) I find that overall it is just too slim and lacking in the depth dimension to be able to efficiently use all of this organization if you have anything that isn't super flat - i.e. wireless earbuds, anything but the very slimmest of wallets, any kind of normal car keys with a fob, etc. They no longer make this bag and I think it's probably the right choice - if it only had a bit more depth or more advanced patterning to allow for expansion to carry slightly bulkier items it would be perfect however. The Crossbody has the most raw capacity and goes the other direction with a pretty chonky depth dimension built into its boxy design - the challenge I have with it is the lack of organization. It's basically just a big open box with an anemic internal "shelf" that is open at the top and has ineffective object retention - anything you put in there is just going to fall right out. The other internal pocket is a back slip pocket that barely holds a phone - and then on the outside back of the bag they have a single flat slip pocket with no zipper or closure - so forget about putting anything important or small in that pocket. Overall, it's basically just a square box with very little organization - this might work for some certain use cases but for me I found when I used it everything just ended up in a jumble in the big main area which was fussy and messy. The Sidebag - well, you watched this video so I think you know my perspective on it! :) Anyway, that's my take - let me know if you have any specific questions!
Hey friend!! It is indeed! I was thinking to review this one but I saw they have a new version out so thought it might be better to try to get that one and review it... only problem is they are perpetually sold out...! 😂
@@TheMountainborn I think you took the right decision. Bellroy usually does not update their products. Also the fact that it is always available makes this review really meaningful in the long term. ie. I found my self watching the transit workpack review several times before actually buying one.
Hey there - yes I can definitely do that! Added to the queue! (It might be a month or so though since I have a few bags already scheduled for the coming weeks)
Great review! Does the middle slip pocket have a soft lining or is it just a different colour from the rest of the interior? Wondering if you could fit sunglasses in there without a case.
It’s just a different colour from the rest of the interior (there is generally the black external nylon fabric and the white contrast interior fabric - for the front/back dump pockets of the main compartment the white interior fabric is used for the lining, but in the middle slip pocket it appears to be the same black exterior fabric used for the inner (which makes sense if you think about how it sits between the two interior dump pockets which use the white inner fabric for their walls, it’s just like the “outside” of those is the “inside” of the middle slip pocket). There is no soft lining. Also it has no independent dimension so you can’t fit any kind of sunglasses in there at all except for perhaps the Roav folding sunglasses or some similar extremely thin flat folding sunglasses. Even for the Roav you’d probably need to take them out of the silicon case to fit in there. Larger folding sunglasses (think the Ray Ban folding wayfarers etc) will not fit, and no “regular” glasses of any kind will fit in this pocket at all. (If you want to carry sunglasses in a small pouch you might want to check out the Bellroy Tokyo Crossbody which I mentioned in the “also consider” section as it is better proportioned to carry sunglasses and similarly sized items, though the Crossbody has pros/cons relative to the Sidebag mainly in the form of less usable interior organization in my opinion).
Just to confirm, when you say the “Tokyo Sling” are you referring to the Bellroy “Tokyo Crossbody” ? If so the Crossbody is nominally rated at 2L whilst the Sidebag is rated at 1L. In absolute terms you can fit more in the Crossbody, but its internal organization is (in my opinion) not as functional as that of the Sidebag so most everything you put in the Crossbody ends up in a jumble in the main compartment which I found a little annoying. You can fit bulkier things into the Crossbody relative to the Sidebag as the Crossbody has a larger, wider single main compartment (so you can get things like a small compact 1” sensor digital camera, sunglasses, etc. in there.)
I don't think you're weird at all! I'm not sure if I would say it necessarily looks like a purse (the majority of purses* are designed to be worn over the shoulder, and thus the strap attachment points are usually either at the top or else on the sides as opposed to the back, since the latter introduces substantial cant under portage given a typical purse loadout) however I do think the overall profile can feel slightly feminine, especially depending on colourway (I believe I call that out in the video at around the 04:42 mark and also in the "not for" section). * obvious caveat that there are a near infinite variety of "purses" out there so I'm sure there must be a few that have strap attachment at the back but this is quite the minority
You are my favorite bag reviewer not just from UA-cam but from the whole work! Great job!
Awwww thank you so much for the super kind words @JMPerona !! I really appreciate it!! ✨☺️✨
Out of curiosity, are there any bags or items you want me to review next?
@@TheMountainborn Any Yoshida/Porter bag or Fjällräven would be great. But I come here mainly for the bags I don't know, like the Rofmia you showed in this video, that I'm trying to find right now. Keep the good work!
You got it! Fjallraven is a brand that I quite like but have never reviewed on the channel yet - might need to add one of their bags to the queue!
And noted on the more niche brands like Rofmia - will keep those coming!
Love Bellroy so much. Just sharing this pro-tip as an Aussie who lived in Melbourne: it's pronounced Mel-bun. Love your reviews. Please keep 'em coming.
I think MEL-b'n is also a good cue, to ensure emphasis on Mel
Thank you for the tip @batruax ! As soon as I read how you wrote it I was like - oh yeah, that totally sounds more like how I remember people in Australia pronouncing it! 😂
I shall pronounce it accordingly from this point onward!!! (^^)
Thank you @MrJed_s ! For sure I'll review more Bellroy products in the future so shall make sure to try to pronounce it accordingly next time! (^^)
Another great review. I am really liking the bag. It reminds me of the sacoche which I own and love.
Me too!! I love saccoches but they're often just a bit too small or lacking just a bit more organization/capacity than I would like but this one maintains the same general form factor but adds in the missing functionality. ☺️
found this review after looking at the tokyo crossbody or the city pouch plus... nobody comparing the two
Hey there! Thanks for stopping by - if you have any specific questions about the three please let me know and I can try to answer them here as I own all three.
Tl;d;r - of the three overall the Tokyo Sidebag is my favorite as it has (in my opinion) the best mix of organization and capacity whilst still retaining an overall compact form factor. The city pouch plus is the oldest design of the three and I think it shows. While it theoretically has the most organization out of the three (similar internal organization as the sidebag but also adds both front and a rear external first order access pockets) I find that overall it is just too slim and lacking in the depth dimension to be able to efficiently use all of this organization if you have anything that isn't super flat - i.e. wireless earbuds, anything but the very slimmest of wallets, any kind of normal car keys with a fob, etc. They no longer make this bag and I think it's probably the right choice - if it only had a bit more depth or more advanced patterning to allow for expansion to carry slightly bulkier items it would be perfect however.
The Crossbody has the most raw capacity and goes the other direction with a pretty chonky depth dimension built into its boxy design - the challenge I have with it is the lack of organization. It's basically just a big open box with an anemic internal "shelf" that is open at the top and has ineffective object retention - anything you put in there is just going to fall right out. The other internal pocket is a back slip pocket that barely holds a phone - and then on the outside back of the bag they have a single flat slip pocket with no zipper or closure - so forget about putting anything important or small in that pocket. Overall, it's basically just a square box with very little organization - this might work for some certain use cases but for me I found when I used it everything just ended up in a jumble in the big main area which was fussy and messy.
The Sidebag - well, you watched this video so I think you know my perspective on it! :)
Anyway, that's my take - let me know if you have any specific questions!
Oh the Rofmia one is really nice
Hey friend!! It is indeed! I was thinking to review this one but I saw they have a new version out so thought it might be better to try to get that one and review it... only problem is they are perpetually sold out...! 😂
@@TheMountainborn I think you took the right decision. Bellroy usually does not update their products. Also the fact that it is always available makes this review really meaningful in the long term.
ie. I found my self watching the transit workpack review several times before actually buying one.
Ah, sorry I was referring to the Rofmia not the Bellroy in my previous comment 😅
@@TheMountainborn I got it. And I think you did well by choosing to review the Bellroy. :)
love your review as always! would like you to review "Western Rise Voyager collection" specifically the sling.
Thank you so much - I’m so happy you like the videos. The Western Rise collection is a great idea - I shall add it to the queue!
Great review as always, Any chance reviewing Venture travel backpack 26l ?
Hey there - yes I can definitely do that! Added to the queue! (It might be a month or so though since I have a few bags already scheduled for the coming weeks)
@@TheMountainborn appreciate that!
No problem! :)
Great review! Does the middle slip pocket have a soft lining or is it just a different colour from the rest of the interior? Wondering if you could fit sunglasses in there without a case.
It’s just a different colour from the rest of the interior (there is generally the black external nylon fabric and the white contrast interior fabric - for the front/back dump pockets of the main compartment the white interior fabric is used for the lining, but in the middle slip pocket it appears to be the same black exterior fabric used for the inner (which makes sense if you think about how it sits between the two interior dump pockets which use the white inner fabric for their walls, it’s just like the “outside” of those is the “inside” of the middle slip pocket).
There is no soft lining. Also it has no independent dimension so you can’t fit any kind of sunglasses in there at all except for perhaps the Roav folding sunglasses or some similar extremely thin flat folding sunglasses. Even for the Roav you’d probably need to take them out of the silicon case to fit in there. Larger folding sunglasses (think the Ray Ban folding wayfarers etc) will not fit, and no “regular” glasses of any kind will fit in this pocket at all. (If you want to carry sunglasses in a small pouch you might want to check out the Bellroy Tokyo Crossbody which I mentioned in the “also consider” section as it is better proportioned to carry sunglasses and similarly sized items, though the Crossbody has pros/cons relative to the Sidebag mainly in the form of less usable interior organization in my opinion).
Can this fit an iPad mini 7?
No, unfortunately not.
Compared to the Tokyo sling, which has more capacity?
Just to confirm, when you say the “Tokyo Sling” are you referring to the Bellroy “Tokyo Crossbody” ? If so the Crossbody is nominally rated at 2L whilst the Sidebag is rated at 1L. In absolute terms you can fit more in the Crossbody, but its internal organization is (in my opinion) not as functional as that of the Sidebag so most everything you put in the Crossbody ends up in a jumble in the main compartment which I found a little annoying. You can fit bulkier things into the Crossbody relative to the Sidebag as the Crossbody has a larger, wider single main compartment (so you can get things like a small compact 1” sensor digital camera, sunglasses, etc. in there.)
@@TheMountainborn thank you! And yes I did mean the crossbody 😊😊
Am I weird? As soon as I see the shape it looks like a purse so not a fan
I don't think you're weird at all! I'm not sure if I would say it necessarily looks like a purse (the majority of purses* are designed to be worn over the shoulder, and thus the strap attachment points are usually either at the top or else on the sides as opposed to the back, since the latter introduces substantial cant under portage given a typical purse loadout) however I do think the overall profile can feel slightly feminine, especially depending on colourway (I believe I call that out in the video at around the 04:42 mark and also in the "not for" section).
* obvious caveat that there are a near infinite variety of "purses" out there so I'm sure there must be a few that have strap attachment at the back but this is quite the minority
What was the name of the North Face pouch, thanks