How To Clean Ll Bean Boat And Tote
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The 6 Best Tote Bags to Match Any Style
A good tote is for the schlep. One day your tote bag holds your laptop and a couple of books, and the next it holds three bunches of celery and a melon from the farmers market. No matter its size or composition, a tote should be easy to pack and unpack, helpful whether you're heading to a coffee shop or an office, and attractive and versatile enough for you to drag it to dinner afterward. With eight Wirecutter staffers giving opinions on our top 10 bags, we found the six tote bags we loved that covered a variety of looks, carrying needs, and budgets. And best of all: They made great schlepping partners.
Who should get a tote bag
"If I was Sarah Snook on Succession, I would have this bag," said Anna Perling, a staff writer on the Wirecutter kitchen team, during testing. She was contemplating the $200 Leatherology Belmont Structured Tote while referring to the impossibly chic-yet-corporate wardrobe of character Shiv Roy on HBO's satirical comedy-drama about the owners of a global media empire.
It was an offhand comment about how an accessory can make you feel more deeply yourself, or help you dress up in the armor of someone else. Maybe we aren't all Siobhan "Shiv" Roy on Succession—but maybe, with the right tote bag, we could look like we are.
Add a tote to your wardrobe if you need a fashionable way to cram all of your supplies into a bag for work, the gym, or the beach and want to be able to grab them easily. Whether you get one tote bag or two, a tote is an accessory that should make you feel prepared, no matter where you are. With the variety of materials and styles available, there may not be a single best tote for everybody, but we did find a range of wonderful ones.
Casual, unstructured canvas tote: Baggu Duck Bag
Our pick
What we'd use it for:
If your greatest wish is for a simple but good-looking, soft and unstructured, versatile canvas bag that lets you carry it multiple ways and will last for years, we recommend the Baggu Duck Bag.
Why it's great:
It's hard to pin the Baggu Duck Bag's excellence on a single feature, but that's where its genius lies: Its practical simplicity makes it a more universal choice than any other tote bag we tested. Almost the entire Wirecutter staff has used the Duck Bag before, and during our testing we received a lot of positive feedback about its style.
The Duck Bag is 11 inches wide by nearly 16 inches tall, and its flexible seams mean it can accommodate a large volume of contents. "I can stick my whole yoga mat in there," one tester told us. And its shoulder strap extends to 40 inches, double the strap length of most totes we tested. You can adjust it to use the bag over your shoulder or carry it on your back, or you can use the short handles to carry it like a briefcase.
"It's a good, unisex tote bag," said Sarah Kobos, senior photo editor, during testing. Overall, the Duck Bag was the most well-liked canvas bag we tested because of its utilitarian shape and understated appearance.
The Baggu felt sturdy over weeks of testing and didn't pick up much dirt—and in our experience, the bags have lasted extremely well. Lesley Stockton, our food stylist and senior staff writer on the kitchen team, has owned a Duck Bag for 10 years and has used it for everything from lugging knife rolls and heavy clogs to hauling a giant food processor across New York City. Besides the expected amount of wear and tear, the bag has remained intact without developing any major rips or thin spots. In contrast to the care instructions for our other picks, Baggu recommends machine washing the Duck Bag and line drying it, though you can also wash it by hand.
The Baggu Duck Bag comes with a one-year warranty against defects in material and workmanship, which is common for tote bags, and 65 percent of the 100 percent cotton canvas construction comes from recycled sources.
Pockets and organization:
The Duck Bag's large main compartment snaps together, and the zippered pouch sewn into its inside is good for your keys, sunglasses, and wallet. "Throw some tampons in there," said a tester. "No one ever has to know because you don't ever have to see it!"
Photo: Sarah Kobos
Flaws but not dealbreakers:
Staff writer Kaitlyn Wells, who is 5-foot-3, noted that the Baggu hit her body in the wrong place when she was carrying her laptop inside of it. A few of our testers who stood around Kaitlyn's height also noted this issue, but they found that extending its straps and turning the bag into a crossbody bag helped resolve the problem. We also discovered that items you put into the Duck Bag can poke you through the fabric when you have it slung over your back. In addition, the Baggu is an unconstructed tote, which means that it's floppy when it's empty, and it can't stand on its own until it's filled with stuff.
Size: 11 by 15¾ by 4¾ inches
Weight: 13 ounces
Strap length: 40 inches
Closure type: snap button
Colors: indigo, nutmeg, eucalyptus, punch red, kelp, leopard, washed black, natural canvas, natural grid, sailor stripe, black
Structured tote made from heavier canvas: L.L.Bean Boat and Tote
Also great
What we'd use it for:
The L.L.Bean Boat and Tote is a structured and ridiculously sturdy tote bag, well suited to handling the abuse of regular trips to the beach or the grocery store. The Boat and Tote allows you more customizability than any other tote bag we found in size and handle length.
Why it's great:
Textbook tote bags are textbook for a reason, and the L.L.Bean Boat and Tote is no different. You've probably seen this bag before—if not in your city's hip neighborhood, seated next to cool 20-somethings, then maybe at the beach, where parents are secretly packing negronis in their thermos.
The L.L.Bean Boat and Tote looks timeless. Its structured design means it sits upright, and its open top lets you easily reach in and grab something. Even when it's not full, the bag sits mostly upright, ready to go when you're grabbing it from the backseat or hurrying to get off the bus. The Boat and Tote is the answer.
The medium Boat and Tote bag is 13 by 12 inches, so it's slightly wider than it is tall. It also has an open top, so you don't have the same privacy that the Baggu affords to you (though for $10 more you can get a zip-top version). It's ideal for grocery shopping; its openness allows you to take stock of the things on your list that you've grabbed and then beeline for what's left.
Whereas the Duck Bag comes in one size, the Boat and Tote offers a range of options: It comes in small, medium, large, and extra-large, and two handle lengths. The standard 6-inch handles allow for better control, while the 11-inch handles accommodate carrying larger objects or slinging the bag comfortably over your shoulder.
The tote is made of heavy-duty cotton canvas and overlapped seams double-stitched with nylon. Thanks to its colored bottom, we didn't spot any blemishes over the few weeks we tested it. The Baggu Duck Bag is canvas, too, and can tolerate machine washing, but L.L.Bean recommends spot-cleaning this tote. It's especially structured, which makes it difficult to fold up and put away in a dresser. L.L.Bean claims that the bag's straps are rated to hold up to 500 pounds; as I am unable to hold more than 150 pounds without crying, we were not able to test this claim.
The people in my life who love the Boat and Tote are adamant that it is the best tote bag you can buy, to the point of annoyance. Admittedly, it is that good. Although L.L.Bean no longer offers a lifetime warranty, its guarantee is solid: You can return the tote within one year of purchase, and after that, L.L.Bean will consider returns due to defective materials.
Flaws but not dealbreakers:
As we mentioned above, the L.L.Bean's sturdy, upright construction may qualify as a flaw to some people, since you won't be able to fold it up to stick it in a drawer. It also doesn't have any pockets, which may be annoying. As a result, it leans on your ability to organize (though we can help with that).
Size: 13 by 12 by 6 inches
Weight: 1 pound 8 ounces
Strap length: 6 inches
Closure type: none (optional zippered version for $10 more)
Colors: black, blue, dark green, fossil brown, red, regatta blue, aqua, green camouflage
Sophisticated and structured tote bag: Filson Rugged Twill Tote Bag
Upgrade pick
What we'd use it for:
If you've been searching for a lightweight, well-constructed tote that will suit any occasion, whether you're working at the office or planning to take your bag along on a romantic lakeside weekend away, grab the more refined Filson Rugged Twill Tote Bag.
Why it's great:
Although inexpensive canvas totes are great to have for a quick grocery trip, turn to the Filson Rugged Twill Tote Bag when you want the catch-all qualities of a canvas tote and need to look like you've got it all together, too. Its simple but elevated design means that it can come with you to a prix fixe dinner out but also for a day of running errands and doing chores.
The Filson Rugged Twill Tote Bag is 14 inches wide by 14 inches tall, wider than our other canvas picks. It has four, expansive outer pockets: two large ones on its longer sides and smaller pockets suited to water bottles or umbrellas at its shorter ends. One of its bigger outside pockets also contains a key-clip lanyard. The bag's sleek handles, made from bridle leather, give it a touch more sophistication than its competition offers, too. Editor Tim Barribeau described the look as "farmers market goth."
Our staff panel ranked the Rugged Twill Tote Bag second among all the tote bags we tried, even above more refined leather options. "I feel like I could take this tote bag anywhere," said one tester. Another appreciated the Rugged Twill Tote Bag for its side pockets, comparing it favorably to the Bellroy Tokyo Tote, saying, "The Bellroy and the Filson are artsy PTA moms, but the Filson signifies a coolness that the Bellroy doesn't. She reads Sally Rooney; she does pottery."
The Filson Rugged Twill Tote Bag is made from 100 percent cotton abrasion-resistant and water-repellent twill. The canvas is stiff enough that the bag can stand up on its own, and the inner seams are bound to protect them from fraying. It has a reinforced base, too. Filson recommends cleaning the bag by wiping it or brushing it.
The bag is well built and feels like it could last for years. If you're not convinced by the bag's added charisma vis-Ã -vis its outer pockets and leather handles, the Filson Rugged Twill Tote Bag comes with a lifetime warranty (the only bag to do so among our recommendations).
Pockets and organization:
You get a main compartment with four side pockets; two are about the same width as the bag and can fit a 13-inch MacBook Pro, and the other two are about the size of a stylish water bottle.
Flaws but not dealbreakers:
The handles on the Filson Tote were stiff at first, but they softened over a few weeks. Some of our testers expressed wishes for an inside pocket, too.
Size: 14 by 14 by 5¼ inches
Weight: 1 pound 12 ounces
Strap length: 29½ inches
Closure type: none
Colors: navy, otter green, tan
Smooth, unstructured leather tote bag: Leatherology Uptown Vertical Tote
Our pick
What we'd use it for:
The Leatherology Uptown Vertical Tote is an attractive, versatile, and unstructured leather bag whose bohemian elegance makes it easier to dress up than similarly drapey canvas bags.
Why it's great:
This leather tote is one of a more expensive breed of bag that allows for a sophisticated take on the everyday canvas tote. In many ways it's an elevated version of the similarly unstructured Baggu bag. It could come along on a picnic, sure, but we think a simple, sleek tote like the Uptown Vertical Tote will do its best work when you're headed to a spot where you need to impress, such as at a job interview, or if you need to carry a few things to a Valentine's Day dinner after work.
The Uptown Vertical Tote is 14¾ inches wide by 15½ inches tall. "It's the perfect length," said one tester. "I could fit my laptop in here without anyone knowing." It has three inner pockets; on one side it has two deep, open pockets with a gorgeous leather trim along their top, while on the other side it has a shorter, wider zippered pocket for storing a wallet or keys. Its shoulder straps put it at an ideal height underneath my arms, and other testers—of varying heights—liked them, too.
When it came time for staff votes, the Uptown Vertical Tote handily beat every other leather tote bag option we tested—people loved this bag. It landed near the top slot on everyone's list.
One staff writer, Anna Perling, couldn't stop spouting effusive compliments when she finally got her hands on the tote. A snippet: "My favorite; I love her so much. She feels buttery-soft! Beautiful texture." Our photographer agreed: "I want to touch this one forever. It feels so supple." (The amount of emphasis necessary to convey all of our testers' general excitement over this bag is perhaps surprising but well deserved.)
The Leatherology Uptown Vertical Tote is a joy to touch in part because it's made from full-grain leather. It has a black cotton-twill lining that works as a protective barrier against any spills or messes that might plague it. Leatherology recommends simply wiping the bag clean if you get its exterior dirty.
The Leatherology Uptown Vertical Tote comes with a one-year warranty, which is standard among the tote bags we tested.
Pockets and organization:
Inside the Leatherology Uptown Vertical Tote, you'll find two open pockets and one zippered pocket. (A surprising amount of organization for a leather tote.) While its two open pockets start around a quarter of the way down and extend to the bottom, its zippered pocket starts about a quarter of the way down and extends about halfway.
Flaws but not dealbreakers:
Like the Baggu Duck Bag, the Leatherology Uptown Vertical Tote is an unstructured bag, which means that when you place it on the ground, it collapses onto the floor. Although some Wirecutter testers liked that it didn't button or zip on the outside, other testers wished they had a way to close the bag at its top. One tester said, "I would like a button so that if you drop it, your belongings don't go flying everywhere."
Size: 14¾ by 15½ by 3½ inches
Weight: 2 pounds 4 ounces
Strap length: 9½ inches
Closure type: none
Colors: black onyx, Bordeaux, navy, cognac, scarlet, charcoal, rose
A luxurious structured leather bag: Cuyana Classic Structured Leather Tote
Also great
What we'd use it for:
The Cuyana Classic Structured Leather Tote is a sturdy, open-top leather bag that's big enough to carry everything you could need for a long day, but it's so elegant that no one will know if you're secretly packing your kid's lunch box, three apples in various stages of decay, and a change of clothes for dinner under your arm.
Why it's great:
The Classic Structured Leather Tote is a beautiful, humongous leather bag that retails for about $200. The soft, pebbled texture of the Italian leather gives it a classic look, and its structure gives it a certain dignity, but it's not too fancy to use every day. It's less practical than the other totes we recommend due to its size (it's more than 6 inches wider than the medium version of the L.L.Bean). As for organization, you should be able to throw a bunch of your work and play things inside—it has a slim zippered pocket for the really important stuff—and bring it on your journey.
Measuring 19½ inches wide by 13¼ inches tall, the Classic Structured Leather Tote is plenty roomy. It has one zipped pocket and one open pocket, though neither is particularly deep—just enough for the fundamentals, such as a small wallet, phone, or notebook. "I like the length and width of its straps," noted one tester. We found that the broadness of the straps, too, made it so that they didn't dig into our shoulders.
One tester's journey of reactions was humorously representative of others: "This bag is huge.... No, actually, it's gorgeous. I'll take it." Many of our panelists appreciated the Italian leather on the outside of the bag and found it striking upon first glance. One of our photo editors liked its structure, which kept the bag upright without being stiff. "You can still fold it up," he explained. "It's that perfect mix of structured yet unstructured."
The Cuyana tote seems well made and long-lasting. It has a two-year warranty, longer than the coverage on any other tote bag we recommend aside from the Filson, which is covered for its lifetime.
Pockets and organization:
The appeal of a big, open-top, structured tote is the ability to throw a lot of stuff in it and carry it everywhere. It's not a bag for someone who wants to be hyper-organized (Cuyana makes a bag organizer sized exactly for this tote, if you do). This Cuyana bag does have one moderately sized pocket sewn into the interior with a zippered section and a slip, which made it easy to stick keys or a wallet inside.
Flaws but not dealbreakers:
The Cuyana has an internal leather strap on either end, meant to hold the bag together, but the design mystified us. When the straps are tied together, the bag's size becomes more limited. So why would you use the ties? We couldn't answer this question during testing; we received lots of "Why?" and "What are these?" reactions from our panelists.
Size: 19½ by 13¼ by 6 inches
Weight: 2 pounds 2 ounces
Strap length: 8⅞ inches
Closure type: two straps to tie together, one on either side of the tote
Colors: black/blush, black/caramel, burgundy/blush, cappuccino, caramel/blush, chocolate/blush, cognac/blush, ecru, perla/blush, stone/blush, textured black
Vegan leather tote bag with lots of pockets and structure: Universal Thread Hayden Tote Handbag
Budget pick
What we'd use it for:
Why it's great:
The Universal Thread Hayden Tote Handbag is a vegan leather bag, and it's a great leather-style option if you avoid leather goods or want the leather look but don't have the money to spend on real leather made from cowhide. It has more pockets than many of the totes we tested: If the Cuyana Classic Structured Leather Tote is the most impractical pocket design, the Hayden may be the most organizationally practical—and reasonably priced—leather-style tote we tested. Its size allows it to sit comfortably on the shoulder, and it can fit a variety of goods underneath its top zipper, too.
The Hayden Tote Handbag is 11¼ inches wide and 13½ inches tall. Both of its leather-style brethren in this guide are much wider and taller, but they typically cost at least five times as much. It has one open pocket on the outside and three interior pockets hidden below a top zipper, an added-security feature that we liked.
In a funny turn, our photo editor identified the bag without intending to, saying, "This is the kind of bag you would get at Target." In fact, this is literally the kind of bag you would get at Target: Universal Thread is Target's lifestyle brand.
On one hand, many Wirecutter testers immediately identified it as being cheaper than the other leather and leather-style options on the table. ("I freaking hate this bag.") On the other hand, many other testers found it at the very least "fine," and we think that if you're spending $30, "fine" is an okay way to feel.
The Universal Thread Hayden Tote Handbag's exterior is made from polyurethane, and its inside is lined with polyester. It doesn't feel outstandingly constructed; its straps didn't seem strong during testing, and its stitching threatened to come loose more than once. Although it may last a only year or so, it generally costs a sixth the price of leather totes we liked. Target offers a one-year warranty for its Universal Thread items.
Pockets and organization:
The Universal Thread Hayden Tote Handbag has lots of pockets and organization: one slip on the outside and three inner pockets (one zippered). The cherry on top is its zip closure, which keeps everything inside protected—the bag remains open on the sides, though, so it isn't weather resistant.
Flaws but not dealbreakers:
The Universal Thread Hayden Tote Handbag isn't the cutest we tested: Its one outside pocket was the most divisive feature on any of the bags we tested. People hated it. A pocket on the exterior of a bag is a nice perk, though, and you can easily turn the bag so that the pocket is toward your body and hidden out of sight, both because it's kind of eyesore and because your possessions are safer that way.
Many Wirecutter testers took issue with the Hayden's zipper top, which doesn't cover all the way across. That's true—if it starts raining, water can easily sneak past the zipper top and into your bag—but the added security is nice.
We tested the Hayden in light brown, which proved to be a pleasant and multipurpose color. Many of the other versions of the bag are aggressively unpleasant to look at—but as long as you stick to brown or black, you should be fine.
Testers noted that its straps weren't strong, its stitching threatened to come loose, and it might wear out after a year of use. Thankfully, Target has a one-year warranty that should cover those problems, and these are passable issues for a budget pick.
Size: 11¼ by 13½ by 5¼ inches
Weight: 1 pound 8 ounces
Strap length: 23¼ inches
Closure type: zipper
Colors: black, light brown, deep olive, tan, black/white, beige, peach, dark brown, rust, cognac, brown
Why you should trust me
I've spent hundreds of hours researching and testing for various Wirecutter guides over the past three years, including those for laptop backpacks and touchscreen winter gloves, so I'm well equipped to take on a guide that integrates utility with style. I looked at reviews from outlets such as The Strategist and Business Insider while browsing best-seller listings for popular online retailers like Amazon and well-worn favorites from Baggu to Linjer.
How we picked and tested
We put together a list of more than 40 tote bags from manufacturers that were well known and respected (such as Baggu, Cuyana, Filson, and L.L.Bean) and from smaller brands with outstanding editorial and customer reviews (like Leatherology, Linjer, and Steele Canvas), along with a handful of highly rated totes sold on Amazon.
We looked at totes that were large enough to hold a 12-inch laptop along with a book, a notebook, an umbrella, pens, a USB battery pack, a pair of headphones, and some charging cables. We didn't universally look for total enclosures, laptop slots, or waterproofing, as we did for our guides to laptop totes and purse organizers. We then narrowed our list of bags down to 20 totes based on specifications, aesthetics, materials, and a variety of prices.
When we received the bags, we spent a few weeks testing the contenders before finally assembling a panel of nine Wirecutter employees—all with different bag uses and situations in mind as well as a variety of aesthetic sensibilities—to test the final 10 totes and see if we couldn't come to some happy conclusions together. Our testers rated the bags on look, feel, size, weight, usefulness, material, and durability.
The competition
Tote bags we liked
In testing, I loved the Linjer Soft Tote for its smooth texture and sturdy straps, but it costs nearly $400—at least double what our other leather-style tote bags cost—and we couldn't justify its price. Some testers also took issue with its rounded straps, though I personally liked them. The more expensive leather tote bags we recommend here were just as good as the Soft Tote was in our tests, so we passed.
Although I had high hopes for the Steele Canvas Steeletex Beach Tote going into testing (it's cute, it's black, and it's even utilitarian), our Wirecutter panel did not like the look or feel of it, preferring the L.L.Bean overall. Testers were confounded by this bag's nylon material and the brass grommets on its bottom (which were meant to help shake out unwanted sand from the beach). I think the Steele Canvas looks chic, and though it may not be as useful as the L.L.Bean, it deserves credit for being a great beach bag.
Tote bags we didn't like
Though I truly thought the Baggu Giant Pocket Tote would be a hit when we ordered it, this tote was hilariously big and baggy and had not even a wisp of structure, so it crumpled as soon as we emptied it. The Giant Pocket denim tote looked as if a pair of very large jeans had been torn apart, restitched, and sold under a guise of usefulness. It was not useful.
We found it hard to fit anything inside the Bellroy Classic Tote, as its interior was too cramped and tight with pockets. With so much interior organization, it was just too difficult to use.
The exterior material of the Bellroy Tokyo Tote was too thick—it didn't feel breathable at all—and the bag was too thin in width. It seemed like it would be good for carting a laptop but not as a general-use tote bag, and at the time of our testing it cost nearly as much as the Filson.
The Dalix Heavy Duty Cotton Canvas Tote had notably weak stitching, despite being one of the most popular tote bags sold on Amazon. It was structurally similar to the L.L.Bean Boat and Tote, at just a third of the price. But if you want something that will last for a while, we recommend saving up for the L.L.Bean instead. One of our writers and testers told us, "I know that L.L.Bean has really high quality standards, and a great warranty policy. I can tell, touching the Dalix, that it's not as nice."
We found that the Herschel Terrace Tote was too big and baggy for everyday use: Multiple times we smacked into people on the subway with it, and the material made what could've felt like a thinnish bag look puffy, bloated, and uncomfortable.
Multiple testers described the Leatherology Belmont Structured Tote as "matronly." Many people said that they liked it but that it was not for them. When you have a group of people saying that, you begin to realize that the Belmont may not be for anybody. And it usually costs $200. Although it's a nice tote, it didn't fit for any situation we could find.
Like the Belmont, the Leatherology Zippered Downtown Tote is quite expensive, and it faced more criticism in our initial rounds of testing than the other leather bags. It was ugly to look at, according to testers, and its pebbled material was a mark against it rather than for it.
Although we expected the Nisolo Canvas Tote to be smaller compared with its competition, it was much too narrow and thin to use every day, like the Madewell bag. The Baggu, which we found infinitely more useful, was half its price; the Filson, while double its price, was sturdier and offered an improved warranty, too.
The Nodykka Tote Bag is an affordable vegan leather tote bag from Amazon, but absolutely no one in our initial tests liked it. The straps were too thin and flimsy for some testers, and the feel of the bag itself was too wobbly for others.
The Patagonia Market Tote felt too much like a free printed tote, even though it offered a small inside pocket for added storage. It was cute but not comparable to its competition, and not worth its $30 asking price. But if this is something you're looking for, it's otherwise fine.
About your guide
Justin Krajeski is a staff writer reporting on everyday carry at Wirecutter. He previously wrote about tech at Wirecutter. He carries things every day. He's very well versed in carrying.
How To Clean Ll Bean Boat And Tote
Source: https://www.nytimes.com/wirecutter/reviews/our-favorite-tote-bags/
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