CODEOFBELL ANNEX KIT 2-Way Multi-Purpose Organizer Review

The CODEOFBELL ANNEX KIT has a lot of extras inside and out, and we’re here to help you make heads or tails of them. Are all the features meant to lure potential buyers’ eyes but not functional? Or will everything have a practical use in the end? Well, we’ll get into that and more. Let’s dive in!

External Components

The ANNEX KIT is crafted from ECOPAK™ EPX, a 100% recycled laminated waterproof material, recycled nylon, and CORDURA® fabrics. There’s a lot going on here, so we’ll simplify things. All of the materials on the pack feel durable, though the front expansion section and body feel more water resistant. No part of the bag feels cheap, and the materials have held up well in testing over two weeks.

In addition to high-quality materials, the hardware is top-notch. The zippers are from YKK, which we’ve concluded are the best in the business over our last decade of testing bags. This pack utilizes PU-coated AquaGuard zippers, which add extra water resistance to the bag. They’re a little harder to open and close than a regular model, but they work well.

The strap utilizes a FIDLOCK fastener, which is easy to open and close thanks to a quick-slide design and magnets that help fasten it quickly. It takes some getting used to, and some users might not like how it slides open, but we’ve enjoyed using it.

Other plastic hardware is from Woojin, one of the best brands in the business for fasteners and adjusters. We don’t have much to say here—these things work well and feel durable enough to handle the bumps and knocks of travel.

The sides of the pack feature compression straps, which are handy for cinching down the large expansion pocket on the front. Even when you don’t have much gear stowed here, you can make the pack more compressed and less floppy. Generally, it keeps things organized, and we dig that, although adding features like this makes the pack look busier, which may deter some users.

Two bungee attachments on the front of the pack are handy for attaching extra gear, like a packable jacket or wet socks. To expand the front pocket properly, you must remove these, though it’s easy and quick.

The bag’s top handle is padded and comfortable to hold. This is handy because you can remove the shoulder strap and use the ANNEX KIT as a pouch. A comfortable handle makes carrying it around or removing it from your daypack easier.

A daisy chain along the back panel is handy for attaching the bag to other gear or adding extras when using the bag as a pouch. Similar attachment loops on the bottom are crafted from a Hypalon-like material. You can fit a ton of gear inside, and the exterior’s modularity is handy whether you use it as a sling or pouch.

Fit Notes

There’s some padding on the back panel, though it isn’t super thick. Still, it’s pretty comfortable to wear. It doesn’t breathe super well, as there’s no mesh or air channels, so it may get a bit sweaty on hot days. That said, what’s life without a little perspiration?

As mentioned, the strap is removable. You can also add your own if you want something more or less minimalistic or comfortable.

The included strap has no padding or mesh and can dig in if you load the bag with heavy gear. Still, for the most part, it remains comfortable. We dig the ability to remove it and add our own, though we didn’t do that in testing, which is a testament to its comfort.

There’s a stabilizer strap, which helps make things more structured. This is especially helpful on a bike ride or when your brisk walk to make the Staten Island Ferry turns into a sprint to make sure you make it on time, as you see tourists with cameras loading onto the boat from a distance.

The ANNEX kit is generally comfortable but isn’t ideal for use all day when filled with heavy gear. When fully loaded, it performs well for a few hours, and you can mix and match parts from other bags if you want to wear it for longer than that or just don’t load it as heavy.

Inside The Kit

The back pocket is small but handy. It doesn’t have any organization, but a phone fits here. The pocket sits flat against your body, making it more challenging for a pickpocket to sneak their hands in. It’s an ideal space for a passport, phone, or other important documents.

The middle compartment is likely to be dubbed the main compartment, but we’ll just call it the middle one for now. There’s a ton of organization here, reminding us of a clutch-style purse or travel wallet. We’ll go from the back to the front to describe what’s going on here.

First, there’s a phone-sized liner pocket with padding, which is a safe place to stow phone-sized items you want to keep from breaking. On the outside of the pocket, there are two mesh pockets that work well for smaller gear, like headphones, adapters, or a charging cable.

There’s an accordion-style divider you can fold in or use to stow gear with organization on the front side that resembles the inside of a wallet. In the large open area, you can stow larger items, like bigger headphones, and there are three card slots on either side of the back wall. The accordion folds in completely if you don’t stow gear inside the central area, though it’ll fold out if there isn’t anything on the other side to stop it.

On top of the accordion divider, there’s a zippered pocket. It works well for small gear you don’t want to get lost. In testing, we used it for change, which worked well. The zipper opening is quite long, so you can easily see the change inside to get the right amount to pay the meter or get a gumball. The outer wall of the divider has three elastic loops. You can stow cables or items large enough to stretch the elastic here, but we typically use cables.

Beyond the accordion-style divider is the largest open space inside this compartment. It isn’t massive, but even bigger over-ear headphones will work here. On the frontmost wall, there’s a zippered mesh compartment that works for locking down more small or sensitive gear and an elastic loop for a pen or stylus above it. This pocket can be challenging to pack initially, but everything finds a home after spending an afternoon on the town. The ANNEX KIT has a lot of bells and whistles, but most things have a practical use.

The front pocket is the expandable one we mentioned earlier. It folds out and expands the bag from 2.5 liters to 4 when fully unraveled. There’s one liner pocket on the back wall and a key leash, which are handy, but the real belle of the ball is the open space. You can stow a packable jacket here, an extra set of warm clothing for after the beach, a packable towel, or other similar-sized items. There’s a zipper on the bottom of the expansion area that you can use as another access point into the bag, though you can’t access it unless the expansion is in use. It’s odd, but we appreciate the extra space and way into the compartment.

For a casual gear fan, the CODEOFBELL ANNEX KIT is likely overkill. That said, every feature has a point, and there aren’t additions just for the sake of adding extras to the bag. The expansion is handy for people who spend all day away from home and might pick up a few things along the way, even if the design is a little awkward when fully expanded. We’re happy with the ANNEX KIT, but it takes some getting used to!