Overland Equipment Cambridge Tote : An All-Around Bag Even a Die-Hard Backpack Lady Can Fall For

I am not a tote woman. Nor am I a briefcase woman. Messenger bags? Bleh. If I can't carry it on my back, I'm not interested.

Three reasons for this: I'm not very strong. If it's not attached to my body I'll set it down, forget about it, walk away, and never see it again. I need to be able to run for my life at any moment without worrying about the valuables in my bag. If I gotta dash, they're coming with me.

That said, I have completely fallen in love with .....a TOTE bag. From the moment I saw a picture of it, I knew I had to have it. (I also knew I had to figure out a way to add more photo spaces to this review page w/o my designer's help; please forgive my less than elegant design). I wanted to be that cute woman standing in the tall grass, and I wanted to stuff that tote full of all my essentials and then strap it to my back.

Overland's Cambridge Tote is an attractive but not fussy nylon tote that's lightly padded and has a heavier duty nylon panel along the bottom of the bag. I know it's a serious bag for serious ladies because it zips closed and has a strong snap enclosure, too. I like that.

I also like the adjustable double strap handles. Those aren't going to wear out, and I can cinch them into small handles to keep the bag close (and therefore, easier to manage). Some people might want to lengthen the straps so they can sling the bag over a shoulder, but that's not my choice - for ergonomic reasons.

Another strappy thing I like about this tote - depending on what I want to carry, I can cinch the sides of the bag together for a slimmer profile or loosen the side straps to allow for more stuff.

Now, for the pockets, the wonderful, versatile pockets, pouches, and other places to put all of my fancy gear. Since I rarely take my computer out of the house unless I'm traveling, I don't really use this tote as a briefcase, but it's the perfect alternative because it holds everything.

First, there's a fleece-backed neoprene pouch for my PowerBook, although I have yet to use the Cambridge to tote it. I like the loose sleeve because I most often use this as an overnight bag, as my "I'm gone all day and need all my stuff with me" bag, or a shopping bag. In these cases, I just press the sleeve up against the inside of the bag and toss in a change of clothes and my adorable Liberty of London toiletries bag or a bundle of food (I stash my own plastic bags in the tote so if I stop at the store - I have double protection in case anything leaks. I don't want it soiling my bag), along with my stainless steel water bottle.

The rest of the inside: a generous and easily accessible pouch for my cords (or, in my case, a stash of nutrition bars), a small sleeve pocket for my cell phone or iPod, and two mesh pockets. I use the zippered mesh pocket for pens, lip balms, a tiny flashlight, and those tiny little flash drives, and I use the velcro-sealable mesh pocket for my business cards.

On the outside of the tote, there are two flat stealth pockets running to the bottom of the bag. They're covered by a protective flap that stays in place using magnets! Magnets! I love that. There's also a visible flat pocket on the surface of the bag, as well as a plastic loop. I use the loop to keep my keys handy; I just attach them with a carabineer. The outer pocket usually ends up filled with garbage, mostly nutrition bar wrappers.

I use the stealth pockets for secret maps, stashes of precious jewels, and most often, receipts. (I hope i remember to clean out this bag at tax time.) I also toss in a small notebook and pen for those moments I need to suddenly record a flash of brilliance.

*Please note - I've listed shopping links to the most recent version of this bag - which is the coolest version. Accept no substitutes or older models.

Bottom Line: This is one of the most versatile and attractive bags I've ever had the pleasure of using. It's subtly stylish and equally up to the task of carting home treats from the farmers' market. It's for work, it's for play, it's perfect for a day away. It's also super tough, so I know I'll be using it for a long, long, long time.--E.D. (Oct 09)

BUY ONLINE : $90 at amazon.com. Save 10% -- Shop at eBags!

Manufacturer's Site: www.overlandequipment.com

Share on Facebook