Bellroy Tokyo Tote review: Carry your 13-inch laptop and more in style

Bellroy's Tokyo Tote is light and slim but has plenty of room inside and organizing pockets for up to a 13-inch laptop or tablet and more. The nylon bag is water-resistant and zips shut to keep out the elements.

Essential bag

Bellroy Tokyo Tote: Features

Bellroy's Tokyo Tote is a nice, sturdy, well-made bag for carrying your tech essentials and more. It's suitable for work, travel, or just running errands, with a 15-liter capacity. It measures 360-by-470-by-130 millimeters, or 14.17-by-18.5-by-5.12 inches.

The lightweight bag is water-resistant, and zips closed at the top to keep elements out. A small front pocket has a special Aquaguard zipper which seals out moisture so you can keep your valuables close at hand and easily accessible.

Inside the main zippered compartment, there are several pockets. The large, padded sleeve is big enough to comfortably hold my 13-inch MacBook Pro; alternatively it could hold a tablet or any laptop up to 13 inches. There are two smaller interior pockets, suitable for holding chargers, a passport, or smartphone. On either side, you'll find two large interior pockets, which fold out to hold water bottles, umbrellas, or even shoes separate from the other contents of your bag. These two large pockets fold away when not in use.

It's available in ten different colorways. My Tokyo Tote is the Marine Blue shade, made of Baida Nylon, which is a high-tech nylon made from 100% recycled industrial materials. The compact weave is crisp, lightweight, and water-resistant. The Marine Blue shade is the only one of the line made from this fabric; the other colors are made from various nylon and canvas fabrics. Baida Nylon has a crinkly texture to it; it's quite flexible but not soft or plush to the touch.

The Tokyo Tote's zipper pulls and the Bellroy label are premium leather accents. Bellroy's leather is environmentally certfied and it's sourced from gold-rated Leather Working Group tanneries. The tote's handles are thick nylon webbing with dots for traction underneath so it won't slip off your shoulder.

Sensible

Bellroy Tokyo Tote: What I like

I find the size and shape of the bag to be quite comfortable. My 13-inch MacBook Pro feels secure in this bag, within the padded sleeve. The pockets are well-placed and just make sense for a bag like this. Most tote bags don't have water-bottle pockets, I appreciate that this bag has two of them. I always carry my reusable water bottle when I'm out and about, and on a rainy day the second one will sure come in handy for an umbrella.

I like the Marine Blue color, which is somewhere between a steel blue and navy, though there are plenty of other colors from which to choose if you don't. The interior is a nice light tan; I like lighter interiors because it's easier to find your stuff in the depths of the bag.

Pricey

Bellroy Tokyo Tote: What I don't like

The only complaint I have is that it's a fairly expensive bag for nylon. I love the premium feel of a high-quality leather, but there are only a few tiny leather accents on this bag. Granted, the nylon is more practical, since it's water-resistant.

Terrific tote

Bellroy Tokyo Tote: Bottom line

This is a top-notch tote bag, if you're in the market for a nylon or canvas laptop bag. The Tokyo Tote is water-resistant with a zipper on top to keep the elements out of the main compartment. Inside the main compartment you'll find a padded sleeve suitable for up to a 13-inch laptop, two small sleeves, and two larger sleeves that fold out to hold water bottles or other larger items. There's a small exterior pocket for easy access that has an Aquaguard zipper to keep your valuables dry.

The thick nylon webbing handles are comfortable and have traction dots to keep the bag firmly on your shoulder. Premium leather accents add a nice touch. The Marine Blue colorway shown here is made from Baida Nylon, which is 100% recycled materials. The other nine colorways are constructed from different nylon and canvas fabrics.

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