The Brompton Tote bag is a stylish, practical and suitable for daily use. It comes with a reflective shower cap rain cover that is very handy for wet weather. This is one of the girlier looking bags that is more subtle for the corporate environment.
What fits in the Brompton Tote bag?
- 1 Kleen Kanteen water bottle
- A change of clothes
- A5 Moleskin diary
- Work pass
- Keys
- Overnight oats jar (500ml)
- Pyrex glass lunch box (500ml)
- Couple of pens
- Reflective rain cover
- Banana and apple (for snacks!)
The Pros:
- Fits everything I need for a work day in the office. A change of clothes, all my food and my diary.
- It is easy to pack as I put the glass containers down the bottom first and then fit everything around them
- The front pocket allows me to store my work pass for quick access. I am able to whip out my pass in a matter of seconds instead of scrambling through the main section.
- Solid make – the fabric feels very sturdy and the slightly water proof finish allows you to wipe the bag down if there is light rain.
The Cons:
- It is not expandable. Other Brompton bags offer an expandable option, where the roll top provides extra space when required. The Brompton Tote is more rigid in this sense where all the space you see is all the space you’re going to get. Anything more, you’ll be spilling over the allotted bag space and requires tucking in the strap to secure the items when you are riding.
- Quite expensive. At £75 for this bag it seems a little dear for what it is. However, because it mounts perfectly every time I ride, it’s paid off for me not having a sweaty back when I get off the bike.
Conclusion:
If you are looking for a more feminine looking Brompton bag, this is the bag to go for. It has enough space and has forced me to really think about what I really need to bring to work everyday. Perhaps a minimalist bag in disguise! I love the subtle grey colour and the strap that ticks in neatly on the side whilst I ride.
28th July, 2019 – Bag Update on Wear and Tear
It’s been roughly a year and a half since owning the bag. Here’s some photos to show you how well its held up. One thing to note is the white shoulder strap is getting a bit grey/dirty. I probably could wash it but I can’t be bothered. The material of the bag overall feel slightly water resistant and I haven’t wiped it down yet. So overall, a low maintenance bag that still looks good over time.
7 Comments
I’m interested in how it looks after a few months wear. Do you have any updates?
Hey Matthew,
It’s been over a year and a half since using the bag (See the post for an update on the bag’ s wear and tear). It’s been through heavy rain, thrown around everyday and still in pretty good fighting shape. Still happy with the size and the material, don’t think I’ll need to buy a new Brompton bag any time soon.
Thanks, Julieanne
Thanks very much! It’s so useful to find out how bags are holding up after a longer period of time. I agree it still looks great!
Matt
Thank you for this review! I can’t seem to find where to this bag. Do you have a brand or store name maybe?
Oh I see now that it is a Brompton bag. Sorry for bothering 😉
Hi Julieanne,
The bag you have – is this the color grey?
‘Tote Bag Grey’
The grey on the brompton website seems to be a bit darker than your pictures.
Hi there, I have just got one in black and have started using it, but must say that as they are advertising it as 9liter capacity , I am rather annoyed to have to see it must be 9 pints insted. 6litre or at the max 7 with a bit of crunch but no way near 9 litre,.
So if it weren’t xmas tomorrow I really would send it back and I definitely will look at any Brompton bag in the shop before ordering it again.
I definitely will never trust their description again. Btw. The black is mussing the top zip and the shoulder strap. That the leather strap here is made from cloth is ok but adds to the dont trust the video at the description.
Well it will work but I ll need an additional bag for the rest. (90€ for 6 l? That’s only 66% of advertised space.
thanks for your review, Andrew