What kind of travel bag do you like to use to tote around your gear? Some people prefer using a backpack to tote their stuff. That's a fine bag for every day, but when I'm about to travel to a place well-known for pickpockets, I don't want to tote my travel gear behind my back; I want it securely under my arm. With that in mind, below are my top choices for a travel tote bag to accompany you safely on all your journeys.
After researching which travel tote bag to buy, I decided on the 14.5" x 11.5" x 5" Tote Safe model for several reasons: It's made with a slash-proof bottom (did you know that criminal "cutpurses" have been around for centuries?) and has straps that fit comfortably over my shoulder. The inside of this travel tote bag is smartly designed as well. There's a contrasting fabric in a light shade (so you can actually see your stuff), credit card vents, and a place for a passport with a Velcro strap to secure it.
Smaller than the Tote Safe Travel Bag above, this 9.5 x 13.5 x 4" model has longer, adjustable-length straps. It has the same slash-proof shoulder straps, wire-reinforced side and bottom panels, and tamper-proof zippers. This bag, good for city as well as vacation travel, is organized inside with dedicated pockets to tote a digital camera and phone. Available in red, black, and deep taupe, it's smartly designed to keep the gear you tote, and hopefully you as well, safe.
Just how much stuff do you plan to tote in your travel bag? If the answer is, "as much as I can carry," this lightweight, 17 x 14 x 4½" tote bag may be for you. It's very roomy, able to carry a laptop and anything else you choose to pile into it. I also like that it has an outside zipper that opens to allow you to slide it over the handle of your luggage so you can carry it attached to your suitcase. Like the PacSafe bags above, the inside is well-organized.
Don't have a lot of stuff to tote around, but want a bag that gives you a sense of security. This small (11" x 11.75") square envelope has a long strap so you can sling it across your chest. Safety features include slashproof panel and strap.
If you like to travel with a self-sufficient quantity of food, reading material, and small electronics to entertain yourself while you are in the air (or delayed for hours on the ground), this is the big bag (16.5" x 8.5" x 12.2" ) to tote your goodies on the plane. For street use, though, it's a bit too unwieldy to tote around as an every day bag.
They say a picture is worth a thousand words. Is there a message you'd like to send to the world as you travel? Then choose this Photo Tote Bag. You'll need to provide a photo, and in four weeks' time, you'll have a tote personalized for you only, with your picture on it. It's a perfect bag to travel to a destination wedding with (especially if it features your engagement picture). This unique tote bag measures 12 x 16 x 4" and can be used wherever travel takes you.
Vera Bradley makes quilted bags in sophisticated black microfiber as well as a rainbow of paisley colors. Her stylish and lightweight 10" x 16" x 5.5" city tote bag looks smart for local travel and find it's perfect as a small carryon to tote. Keep valuables inside the zippered interior pocket and travel documents you need to access quickly in the outside pocket.
Handmade by victims of the tsunami, this intricately embroidered tote bag measures a generous 15" x 10" x 4" and comes in dark blue and cream. Long double straps make it easy to carry. A middle compartment protects valuables and metal feet keep the bottom from wear.
