Bellroy Lite Totepack Review

You can make the case that Bellroy isn’t short of unique products in its lineup and has almost everything covered. Daypacks, travel backpacks, duffels, messengers, slings, and even wallets—you name it, they probably have it. In fact, some might say the lineup is oversaturated, as you can often find variants of the same type of bag.

Take, for example, the Bellroy Lite Totepack. Having tested the Tokyo Totepack, Laneway Totepack, and Duo Totepack, we’re very curious to see what makes this one different. Of course, you can already get a hint based on the “Lite” in the name. So, without further ado, let’s check out this bag’s finer details.

External Components

It all starts with the fabric, suitably chosen to keep the bag light. It’s called Dura Lite Nylon and has a similar feel and look to the typical ripstop fabric we’re all familiar with. For the uninitiated, ripstop fabric is a thin fabric that’s usually the go-to whenever a brand wants to make a light bag. Ripstop fabric has a reinforcing grid pattern to make it a bit tougher, and that seems to be the same thought behind Dura Lite’s design. The grid pattern isn’t that obvious, which preserves the classy aesthetic Bellroy has a knack for. That said, there’s also a Dura Lite Ripstop version with a more prominent pattern.

We put any reservations about durability to rest after two weeks of testing with no visible damage. There are no loose threads to report, with only one or two scuffs to make note of. Even then, most of the scuffs we saw were easily cleaned up with some dry wiping or using a wet wipe in the worst cases. The more glaring flaw of a thin and light fabric like this has to do with the bag’s shape; it’s simply more prone to lumpiness. In other words, the bag’s overall structure is at the mercy of the gear you put inside, so if you put something odd-shaped, like a packed lunch, any unoccupied space around it feels noticeably hollow.

That said, the Bellroy Lite Totepack does a remarkably good job standing up, so long as you’ve packed something flat at the bottom. This shouldn’t be taken for granted since there are backpacks out there that tend to tilt over, regardless of whether they’ve been packed flat.

The Bellroy Lite Totepack is a bit short on exterior features, which makes sense, given the focus on lightness. For context, the Tokyo Totepack has a buckled opening, while the Duo Totepack has magnetic snap fasteners, allowing you to expand and compress its main compartment as needed. The lack of fancy bells and whistles isn’t necessarily bad, though. We’re just glad to see Bellroy use reverse coil AquaGuard-style zippers for the main compartment and front pocket. Both have upwards-facing openings, so we’re glad to see Bellroy take the necessary precautions to limit water and debris from seeping in.

The tote handles are simple, featuring no padding for additional comfort or rubber lining, as we’ve seen with Bellroy’s other offerings. If any concessions are made to improve the tote handles, it’s the noticeably scratchy texture. In lieu of any rubber lining, we suspect Bellroy chose a scratchy type of nylon for the handles to make them grip better. For context, we typically see them use smoother, more seatbelt-like material for their straps and handles, so this is a notable change.

Two simple shoulder straps make up the harness system. There’s decent padding, but nothing overkill for a backpack in the 18-liter range like this. Among other omissions, the most notable is a sternum strap, so you’ve no choice but a casual fit. Fortunately, the straps mount at the top to thin strips of nylon that allow them to move around more freely along with your body, so at least a casual fit still means a comfortable one.

The harness system does have two tricks up its sleeve. First, both straps can be stowed behind a compartment within the back panel, letting you carry the bag purely as a tote without worrying about dangling straps. Second, the straps’ adjusters are captive at their ends, so there are no dangling bits at the end, no matter how much you adjust them. Then again, they still gain a loop from all the slack they gain, which looks unsightly.

Fit Notes

In backpack mode, letting the bag hang low and leaning into that casual carry vibe is the most comfortable setup in testing. Again, the loops the adjusters form when you have tons of slack are a bit distracting, but they’re not deal-breakers by any means. Overall, this bag does well with a very relaxed fit, but there are simply no provisions if you’re looking for a very tight one when you want to do something more active.

For tote-style carrying, the handles are sufficiently big that you can comfortably put your arm through them without feeling constrained. Tucking the shoulder straps is a bit of a hassle, but the good news is that they’re not that distracting if you leave them out and hanging. In fact, carrying the bag by the tote handles became such a no-brainer that it became our default method for most of the testing period.

Inside The Backpack

Since we’ve rarely tucked the shoulder straps in the back panel, we could technically use it for storing items, too. In that sense, it counts as a secondary compartment, perfectly suitable for stashing flat items like flyers and pamphlets; the stuff you’d usually get while shopping around. The keyword there is “flat,” though, as anything oddly shaped will affect carry comfort in backpack mode.

At the front of the bag are functionally two pockets—and we say “functionally” because, despite having one opening, there are two separate drop pockets underneath. Access to the left one can be a bit tricky, as the single AquaGuard-style zipper feels resistant towards the end of its track. It’s a bit of a shame since there’s a lot of space you could otherwise use in this left pocket since it’s so deep. You can also use a built-in key leash, so keeping track of them isn’t a hassle. But, again, access feels too cumbersome, and we end up detaching our keys a lot of the time anyway.

Access to the right pocket isn’t as bad since the zipper opens fairly smoothly over its side. However, the depth is still an issue, only slightly mitigated by a shallow liner pocket. You can put your smartphone, wireless earbuds, or minimalist wallet in there so it’s much easier to reach and doesn’t just fall straight into the depths. Ease of access really is the main issue here, and it’s slightly exacerbated once the main compartment is fully packed. Because of the gusseted design, these twin pockets have independent capacities, but the main compartment still eats into their respective volumes.

Fortunately, opening the zipper to the main compartment isn’t as finicky as it was with the front pockets, though it still feels somewhat resistant toward the end. That said, if you don’t feel like working the zipper, you still can use the built-in strap to cinch the opening. It’s a handy alternative for those who plan to use the bag as an open-top tote (i.e., those who will be carrying items taller than the bag itself) or if you simply plan on overpacking to the point where you can’t close the zipper.

The Lite Totepack’s interior is comparatively simple compared to Bellroy’s other tote-backpack hybrids. Unlike the Laneway or Tokyo Totepack, the Lite Totepack is notably missing a laptop sleeve. That opens up a bunch of extra space you can otherwise use for stowing more gear. In turn, this also makes it much easier to use as a travel tote for grocery shopping or hauling bulky gear.

Still, Bellroy didn’t leave you without any means of organizing. Off to the sides are large drop pockets, ideal for storing large insulated bottles or even wine. Don’t need them? You can also push the pockets flush against the interior liner so they’re out of sight and out of the way. With most of the 18-liter space afforded to you this way, you also have more than enough room to pack for overnight trips. You can still bring a laptop on those trips, too, if you’re willing to use a separate laptop sleeve for protection (or just go bare metal if you’re daring enough).

The only thing we’re kind of missing in this interior is a smaller pocket near the opening for small accessories. With the tricky access to the front pockets, we wish there were an alternative within the main compartment. But, alas, there are none.

Overall, we think the Bellroy Lite Totepack is missing many of the provisions that would otherwise make it a solid everyday pack, such as a built-in laptop sleeve, more accessible secondary pockets, and generally better organization. But for those looking for a tote pack that’s more barebones and suitable for the grunt work of hauling groceries and large gear, then it’s a viable option, especially for a $130 Bellroy bag.