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OROS Discovery jackets review

Like flipping a switch on a lamp, it’s turned from summer in the 90’s to what already feels like winter in the 30’s here in Southern Indiana. When the leaves start turning and the mornings get crisp, it’s time to grab a jacket. OROS apparel sent me some jackets and outerwear to check out that use the same technology that protects astronauts in space to keep you warm on earth without weighing you down. Let’s take a look.

What is it?

OROS jackets use a thin breathable insulating aerogel material called SolarCore which uses the same technology that NASA uses to keep astronauts warm and toasty in outer space.

OROS sent me two jackets and a pullover shirt let’s take a closer look at each one.

OROS Women’s Essential Quarter Zip

When OROS sent me the samples in September, it was still in the 80’s – 90’s here in Columbus, Indiana. It took a few weeks for the weather to cooperate enough so that I actually wanted to try on the gear for more than a few minutes at a time.

The lightest item that they sent me was the Women’s Essential Quarter Zip which is more like a shirt than a jacket and is perfect for 60-degree weather, drafty office buildings, or even on flights. That is is how I tested the Essential Quarter Zip a week ago. It was the only long-sleeved clothing that I took with me on a vacation to Sanibel Island Florida.

I always get a little chilled waiting at the airport gate and also on the plane, so this shirt was a perfect remedy for that. You can see that Jeanne is wearing a bulkier hoodie and I am wearing the Essential Quarter Zip which is much lighter but still kept me warm.

Just looking at the shirt, you wouldn’t notice that there’s anything special about it. It looks like an ordinary gray knit shirt. But it has a special layer of the SolarCore material between the front and the back panels of the shirt, and even around the neck. Note that the sleeves and side rib areas of the shirt do not have SolarCore.

The shirt feels heavenly to wear. The sleeves are silky smooth and feel like they are lined with microfleece inside even though they really aren’t.

The Essential is made of 88% polyester and 12% spandex. It only comes in the gray color that you see here in sizes XS to 2XL. Their sizing might run slightly large. I was sent a Medium and I think I would have been better served by a Small.

The shirt has a quarter zip nylon locking zipper at the neck and the collar has a flap that covers the top of the zipper to prevent it from rubbing your neck or chin if you like to wear it completely zipped up.

In the image above you can see the OROS logo on the left shoulder. There’s also a second logo on the back right hip.

Another feature of the Essential Quarter Zip is the thumb hole in each sleeve cuff that makes it easy to keep the sleeves from sliding up your arms if you put another layer over the Essential.

I wondered how the SolarCore material would stand up to being washed, so I ran the shirt through the washer and dryer. I’m happy to report that it came out looking and feeling no different than when I first unboxed it.

The OROS Essential Quarter Zip saved me when we came home from Florida and got off the plane in Indianapolis to 35 degrees and rain. I hadn’t been smart enough to bring a coat with me would have frozen if it hadn’t been for this shirt.

Price: $120.00

OROS Women’s Discovery Fleece

The next heaviest jacket that OROS sent me is their Discovery Fleece which is available sizes XS up to 2XL and in Charcoal, Green, and Reflecting Pond colors. No, I didn’t name that color which is blue 😉 I was sent the Charcoal version.

The Discovery Fleece is made of 100% polyester with a 100% nylon lining.

The jacket has a stand-up collar and a nylon zipper with a large easy to grab zipper pull.

There are two pockets on either hip that have small zipper pulls.

The image above shows one of my favorite features of this jacket. Can you guess what it is? It’s the longer waistband in the back. It really helps keep your lower back warmer.

Like the Essential Quarter Zip, the Discovery Fleece also has SolarCore on the front and back. The sleeves and side rib area of the jacket do not have SolarCore which keeps the jacket lightweight and comfortable.

I really like the OROS Discovery Fleece multi-season jacket. It has a nice understated look, is very comfortable, and will keep me warm in the spring and fall temps.

Price: $150.00

OROS Women’s Discovery Jacket

The Discovery Jacket is the heaviest jacket of the trio. It is designed to be versatile and to withstand various cold, wind, rain weather conditions. The jacket is available in black, green (what you see here), and gray. It’s made of 90% polyester/10% spandex and has a 100% nylon lining.

The exterior of the jacket has a water repellant coating and there’s a hood to keep your non-water repellant coated head dry. Note that the hood is not removable and does not have drawstrings.

The jacket has a tall collar that’s lined in a silky short pile “fur”.

The sleeves have an extended knit cuff that keeps the wind from blowing up your arms. This jacket also has a longer hem at the bottom like the Discovery Fleece jacket.

OROS put an inspirational quote inside the lining of the jacket that says:

Only those who risk going too far can possibly find out how far they can go.

Although I didn’t show an image, this same quote is printed inside the Discovery Fleece jacket too.

In addition to the zippered pocket at each hip, there’s a zippered chest pocket inside the jacket that is large enough to hold a phone, sunglasses, wallet, etc.

The OROS Discovery Jacket not only looks nice, but it’s comfortable to wear, moves well, and really keeps you warm with the SolarCore thermal material.

Price: $215.00

Final thoughts

I’d never heard of the OROS brand before being offered the chance to review the Essential Quarter Zip pullover, Discovery Fleece, and Discovery Jackets. Now I can say that they are quality made outerwear that will make you look and feel good while wearing them.

I’ll update this review in a month or two after we’ve had temps in the 20’s and lower.

Source: The samples for this review was provided by OROS. Please visit their site for more info.

 

Product Information

Price: See above
Manufacturer: OROS
Pros:
  • Very comfortable
  • SolarCore insulating material does a good job of holding in heat while remaining thin
Cons:
  • Essential Quarter Zip is expensive

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OROS Discovery jackets review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on November 3, 2017 at 12:00 pm.

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Chamberlain MyQ Wi-Fi hub and Home Bridge Review

If your home is anything like mine, we don’t use our front door much. More times than not, we come and go through the garage door, even when not using a vehicle. Inevitably, the door gets left open, creating an ideal habitat for many friendly (and not so friendly) woodland creatures. This doesn’t happen much since installing the Chamberlin MyQ Wi-Fi Hub and Home Bridge. 

I’ve owned and happily used Chamberlain’s MyQ Wi-Fi Hub happily for several years. Without a doubt, it’s one of my most frequently used home automation gadgets.  It’s allowed me to open, close and check the status of my garage door anywhere I have an internet connection, even half a planet away. I’ve used it to allow access to pet-sitters, repair people, meter readers, and open the door more than once when the battery in my vehicle opener was depleted.  I’ve found it absolutely indispensable, particularly when I accept a ride in someone else’s car.

The first part of my system was the chamberlain Smart Garage Hub with MyQ Smart Phone Control. For about two years, it has flawlessly controlled my Genie door opener. It beeps and flashes a warning when about to close and the integrated area light stays on for a short time after the door opens or closes.

The device was easy to set up. After creating an account, I found my Wi-Fi signal in the garage was sufficient so I placed in near the opener, mostly to centrally locate the light. Also included are the power supply and a wireless, battery-powered position sensor that attached with sticky tape and rides on the door to tell the base unit if the door is closed open. Before you ask, no, it’s not intelligent enough to know the exact position of the door so you can leave the door open a little for your cat to get in but does provide information that the door is open, closed, or in motion.

The app walks through the setup process which connects to the device using Wi-Fi, adds the security credentials of my home network, and finally programs the MyQ to use the correct frequency to control my existing garage door opener. It’s compatible with many different opener manufacturers, but you should definitely check compatibility before you buy. Chamberlain also makes garage door openers with MyQ built in, so the Wi-Fi Hub isn’t needed.

The app sends push notifications letting me know when the door operates. Initially, I thought this might be annoying, but it’s added a large degree of comfort knowing when a family member arrives or leaves home. The app also has an Apple Watch component allowing door operation and status checking without needing to dig the phone out of my pocket, which, at least in my state is illegal when driving.

Initially, the app had the functionality to open or close the door on a schedule. I found this feature particularly useful for ensuring my door was closed daily at bedtime, particularly because my daughters were notorious for leaving it open, resulting in a family of chipmunks living in comfort and the subsequent purchase of a Have-A-Heart animal trap to evict the little boogers. Unfortunately, Chamberlain stopped this capability (although the app still has the scheduling portion intact a year later) due to a communications issue with the door position sensor when the battery was low.

Adding the Home Bridge was as simple as a procedure as adding the Smart Garage Hub – connect to Wi-Fi and add to the app, but there is another step added to push a button on the Garage Hub to get the components to play nicely together. Another few pokes of the screen added the capabilities to Apple’s Home Kit. This means I can ask Siri to open or close my garage door or check status – Very nice! Now I can close the garage door without even having to pick up my phone. However, I was disappointed that the scheduling features require Apple TV which I don’t have at the time of this writing, but I might request from Santa this Christmas.  As an alternative, for $1 a month or $10 a year, Chamberlain’s app will integrate with IFTTT, adding countless home automation possibilities. Since I really wanted the timer functions to protect my tools and to prevent our local skunk from calling my garage home, I opted to take the yearly subscription and successfully got the timer working. I’ve since added another IFTTT applet to turn on my hallway WEMO light when the door opens meaning no more walking into a dark house. My wife is going to love this!

In the two years, I’ve used the MyQ Hub and the week with the Home Bridge, I’ve found the Siri integration fun and useful. I would love to see integration with Alexa and a fix to the app’s timer scheduling functions (alleviating the need for IFTTT or the purchase another piece of hardware). Chamberlain’s MyQ hub and Home Bridge are some of my favorite and most frequently used devices. I look forward to product improvements and many more years of use.  When my venerable Genie screw-drive garage door opener inevitably is put out to pasture, I will likely be looking at a Chamberlain with MyQ to fill the gap.

Source: The sample for this review was provided by Chamberlain. Please visit their site for more info and you can order from Amazon.

 

Product Information

Price: MyQ Wi-Fi Hub $99.99, Home Bridge, $49.99
Manufacturer: Chamberlain
Retailer: Amazon
Pros:
  • Reliable and Convenient
  • Lots of integration options
Cons:
  • None

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Chamberlain MyQ Wi-Fi hub and Home Bridge Review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on November 3, 2017 at 10:00 am.

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Power Practical Luminoodle Color Bias Lighting review

Every once in a while, a gadget comes along that, at first glance at least, appears to be basically superfluous and unnecessary…but cool and fun, nonetheless. That was exactly what I thought when I first saw the Power Practical Luminoodle Color Bias Lighting. Heck, just the name “Luminoodle” had my attention. Truth be told, I’d actually been seeing these LED strips for a while and thought I might like to try one, so when Julie offered the Luminoodle to review, I was gleefully all over it. Let’s check it out! Gadget on!

Specs

  • LED rating: 50,000 hours
  • Light output: 450 Lumens
  • USB input: 5 Watts (5 Volts, 1 Amp)
  • 3M adhesive backing
  • 15 colors
  • Warranty: 1 year

Options

  • Small (1 meter) – $19.99
  • Medium (2 meters) – $24.99 (reviewed here)
  • Large (3 meters) – $29.99

Packaging

The Luminoodle arrived in a slim plastic zip-closure pouch with a tear-off opening.The back of the pouch depicted a brief explanation of installation configurations for the product inside.

Contents

  • 2-meter Luminoodle on a spool
  • Wireless remote
  • Luminoodle instruction booklet
  • Remote instruction booklet

Features & Functions

The Luminoodle wireless remote has multiple buttons used to control its various functions. The Luminoodle is powered by plugging it into a standard USB port.  Bonus: this is a reversible USB plug!The Luminoodle can be controlled with a simple in-line remote that includes three buttons, as shown above.  Above is a closeup of a segment of the Luminoodle’s ribbon cable.  The Luminoodle’s color illumination is driven by sets of RGB (Red Green Blue) LEDs.  NOTE: If for some reason you need to trim off the excess length of cable, the Luminoodle can be cut at any of the points where the “+GRB” copper connectors are located, as seen on the right side of the image above.As shown above, the Luminoodle utilizes some high-strength 3D tape to attach to the back of a TV, computer monitor or any other surface.


The wireless remote is powered by a single CR 2025 3V lithium battery.  The battery is simple to change; it fits into a small tray that slides into the bottom of the remote.The wireless remote is quite small and thin and very lightweight.Almost immediately upon opening the pouch, I just had to power up the Luminoodle.  Without even removing it from the spool, I plugged the Luminoodle into an iPad power adapter and cycled through its four primary colors: white (above) and red, blue and green (all below).  I literally giggled to myself—it was already pretty fun, and I hadn’t even installed it yet.



I began the installation process by turning my TV around so that I could access its rear.  My TV measures 55 inches diagonally, and the Luminoodle I was sent was 2 meters in length, so I figured it would wrap around most of the back of my TV, but probably not in a full loop.  Next, I carefully dusted the back of the TV to help the adhesive backing adhere better.  Then I used some masking tape to mock up where I would ultimately place the Luminoodle (see above image).  After a few adjustments to make it as symmetrical as I could, I was satisfied.

Once I was happy with the Luminoodle’s placement, I began peeling the red backing from the 3M tape, exposing its adhesive side, as shown above.  I quickly realized that this particular tape was actually a double-stick type and very grippy, which I saw as a good thing—I wouldn’t have to worry about the Luminoodle spontaneously falling off of my TV.  Also, it took me a few minutes to be able to peel the backing off without pulling the tape itself off of the ribbon cable, but once I got it started, it was fine.

The only challenging part about attaching the Luminoodle was the corners.  Because the Luminoodle is basically a flat ribbon cable, it was impossible to get it to form a curve shape.  Therefore, I had to improvise by putting a small fold or crimp in each of the two corners, as seen in the images above and below.  NOTE: In re-reviewing the instructions, maybe I didn’t do this correctly, but it seemed to work for me.

I am still a bit concerned that these corner crimps may result in a short-circuit over time, but considering that the Luminoodle on either side of the crimps is stationary and well-fixed as a result of the 3M adhesive tape, I don’t expect this to become an issue.
Above is a photo of the fully-installed Luminoodle.  This 2-meter long Luminoodle model ended up covering around 2/3 of the perimeter of the rear of my 55-inch diagonal TV, which I was happy with.  For TVs of different sizes, Luminoodle offers different lengths.

Above, another view of the installed Luminoodle.  I should note that taking the time to mock up the location with the masking tape actually made the final installation go very quickly.

Above, a photo of the Luminoodle’s reversible USB power connector plugged into the USB port on the back of my TV.  Because it is USB-powered, the Luminoodle can be plugged into not only a TV, as I’ve done here, but a USB port on a monitor, computer or even a wall USB adapter as I showed up above.  However, plugging the Luminoodle into a TV, monitor or computer allows it to power on and off whenever you use these devices.

Above, one more shot of the installed Luminoodle before I spun it back around.  Even BB-8 is anxious to see the Luminoodle in action.

Above and in the next several pics are a teaser to give an idea of just how much illumination the Luminoodle can output.







The Luminoodle has 14 different color modes plus white, warm white and cool white, and I’ve attempted to show a pic of each of them here (though I may have missed a few!).  In addition to being able to change colors, Luminoodle also has 10 dimmer levels, and I’ve shown the brightest of them here because the lowest level didn’t come through well on photos.  And finally, the Luminoodle also has 4 modes.  You can manually switch from color to color, you can have Luminoodle slowly cycle from color to color (or “Crossfade,” the mode I like best while watching TV), or you can have Luminoodle pulsate rapidly from color to color like a strobe light (party mode!), either in a single or all colors, and you can even control the speed.  The Power Practical folks tout Luminoodle’s ability to help reduce eye strain and dryness by providing a gentle ambient backlighting.  To me, this is at least a plausible concept but I have to say that I wasn’t really able to prove it either way.


Conclusion

OK, the Power Practical Luminoodle Color Bias Lighting is just plain fun.  It was easier to install than I expected (and even installation was kind of fun), and the wireless remote made it even more fun to cycle through its many colors, brightness levels, and modes.  I’m not completely sure about the claim of making my TV’s picture’s darks darker to reduce eye strain and dryness.  Maybe Luminoodle can help with that, maybe not.  All I know is, Luminoodle is easy to install and fun to use.

Source: The sample for this review was provided by Power Practical. Please visit powerpractical.com for more info and Amazon to order.

 

Product Information

Price: $19.99 (1 meter), $24.99 (2 meters), $29.99 (3 meters)
Manufacturer: Power Practical
Retailer: Amazon
Requirements:
  • A USB port to power the Luminoodle itself
  • A single CR 2025 3V lithium battery to power the wireless remote
Pros:
  • FUN
  • Easy to install
  • Lots of colors and modes
Cons:
  • Can only be installed once

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Power Practical Luminoodle Color Bias Lighting review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on November 2, 2017 at 10:00 am.

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Jaybird RUN True wireless sport headphones review

I find minimalistic running to be the best kind of running. Thankfully the days of the big, clunky, bright yellow Sony Sports Walkman are long behind us. We have come so far that headphone ports are even being phased out (like it or not), as are many types of cables and cords. I prefer running without wires or anything that weighs me down or jiggles around to distract me from pounding pavement, preferring truly wireless earbuds and music streaming from my smartwatch. In this case, Jaybird is joining the (quickly getting crowded) cordless earbud market, with their recently released RUN True Wireless Sport headphones. 

Note: Photos may be tapped or clicked for a larger image.

I have reviewed more than a few Jaybird Bluetooth earbuds over the years, all with decent, comfortable design and solid sound quality that continues to evolve and improve with each generation. The RUN True Wireless Sport headphones are Jaybird’s first completely cordless earbuds. Like previous Jaybird headsets, the RUN’s are noise-isolating earphones, designed to fit tightly/snugly in your ears blocking out a majority of the ambient sound.

The new RUN True wireless sport headphones feature all of the sport-centric features that you would expect from Jaybird, most importantly a sweat-proof/water-resistant minimalistic design. The RUN earbuds follow Jaybird’s familiar wing-tip design.

The earbuds are made of a black plastic with silver accents around the rim with Jaybird’s logo on the main face of each. The RUN’s have a double hydrophobic coating to prevent sweat or rain from killing them.

In the Box:

  • Jaybird RUN True Wireless Sport Headphones
  • Charging Case
  • Round Silicone Ear Tips S/M
  • Oval Silicone Ear Tips S/M
  • Secure-Fit Ear Fins 1/2/3/4
  • USB 2.0 Charging Cable
  • Carry Pouch

The Jaybird earbud case is not only for storage, loss prevention, and safe transport but is designed to charge the RUN True Sport headphones as well. The case has a microUSB port in the back for connecting to power. There are three LED’s on the front of the case that glow on and off while charging and solid green when fully charged. The center LED shows the status of the case’s internal battery and the side ones show the individual headphones. The case itself is a bit “plasticy” and not the best quality. The latch mechanism occasionally failed, popping open in my bag or pocket activating the earbuds which unbeknownst to me connected to my smartphone.

The RUN earbuds are inserted into their respective spots within the case where the five inductive charging points make contact.

By themselves, the earbuds are rated for four hours of playback on a single charge. The carrying case provides an additional eight hours or two more charging cycles for a total of 12 hours of playback before the trio has to be recharged. While I do not spend hours at a time marathon training, the RUN’s never died on me during a workout. They easily made it through an hour on the elliptical machine or 4-mile run. But in a pinch, a 5-minute charge gives an hour of play time.

Connectivity:

You can use the right earbud by itself or the pair depending on how situationally aware of the outside world you need/want to be. The main face (where the Jaybird logo is) of each earbud has a programmable button that by default: plays/pauses music (right ear) and activates Siri or Google Assistant (left ear). But you can change that to volume controls via the smartphone app.

The right/main earbud connects to your smartphone and the left/slave earbud connects to the right. After a few connectivity issues, I came to find out the two earbuds do not use Near-Field Magnetic Induction (like other well-known wireless earbuds do) to communicate, just Bluetooth.  This is what I believe to be the cause of them having trouble staying connected and in sync with each other. We live out in the sticks where interference shouldn’t be an issue as compared to the big city. The connection problems come and go randomly (fixable by turning the buds off & on) but overall the earbuds work as advertised.

Comfort and fit:

For the most part, the RUN True earbuds are comfortable with a relatively secure, wiggle-free fit. Jaybird includes a multitude of tips and wings to ensure the earbuds fit your ear without feeling loose or ever having to worry about them falling out during an epic workout. I’ve have tried various combinations of wings and tips and found the medium for both stays in my ears best. That said, they sit in my ears pretty well while running stairs, on my elliptical machine, walking around etc. Though I do need to adjust and reseat them every now and then while on the treadmill or out for a run due to sweat and up & down motion while running.

Sound Quality:

With a solid, sealed fit…the overall sound quality of the RUN’s is very good.

Jaybird engineers the RUN True wireless earbuds to work hand in hand with their MySound app, available on both iOS and Android. As with previous Jaybird headphones, the app allows you to customise the equalizer balance of the RUN earbuds, tweaking the sound profile to your liking. The app includes a multitude of preprogrammed sound curves and the ability to create personalized ones of your own. It is easy; you simply use your finger to tweak the equalizer curve, dragging the bass, mid, and treble settings however you prefer. Whichever profile you select or create is saved directly to the earbuds and stays set until you change it.

The RUN True wireless earbuds worked well with all the devices I paired them with, this included: iOS, Android, Tizen, and macOS.

In addition to Jet (black), the RUN True wireless earbuds are also available in Drift (white).

As the Jaybird website touts, the RUN True wireless earbuds are designed and built by runners for runners and in theory, I agree. Their form factor is ideal for minimalistic running without anything to distract you from the Zen of pounding pavement. They are comfortable and well fitted, stay securely in your ears, and are hardened against sweat and rain. The only real issue I have with them is the intermittent connectivity problems that can hopefully be fixed with future firmware updates…though no guarantees.

Source:  The samples for this review were provided by Jaybird. Please visit their site for more information and visit Amazon to order.

 

Product Information

Price: $179.99
Manufacturer: Jaybird
Retailer: Amazon
Pros:
  • Comfortable, secure fit
  • Good sound quality
  • Customizable sound profiles
  • Programmable buttons
Cons:
  • Just OK build quality
  • Connection issues
  • Phone conversations only in right earbud

Filed in categories: Reviews

Tagged:

Jaybird RUN True wireless sport headphones review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on November 1, 2017 at 1:14 pm.

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Bellroy Duo Totepack review

Hailing from Australia, the folks at Bellroy have built a reputation for their sophisticated, minimalist wallet & accessory designs. This fall, they’re introducing their first work bags and backpacks. We’ve got our hands on the Duo Totepack, and it’s a beauty. Let’s check it out!

Walkaround

The Bellroy Duo Totepack is a bit of a chameleon. It’s a tote, but it carries with the style of a briefcase. It’s also got the organization of a vertical messenger bag and converts to a backpack. The shape of the bag is contemporary, clean, and focused. As we’ll see in the walkaround, however, there are all sorts of organization & functionality hidden in this stealthy package. 

The Duo Toteppack measures 15” by 13” by 3” and is gently contoured so that it widens as you reach the bottom of the bag. It’s a simple, elegant shape is also expandable. The tote-style main opening is wider than the bag, but those extra flaps tuck & button down under leather loops on the side of the bag when you don’t need them. There are also a pair of slide/lock buttons on the side panels that, when released, open up the body of the bag to its full 15 liter capacity. 

  

You have two carry options with the Duo Totepack. A pair of wide leather-wrapped handles at the top of the bag enable briefcase-style carry. You’ll also find backpack straps that disappear into the rear pocket when not in use. These straps are built for daily use with metal hardware, light padding, and finishing that matches the style & substance of the rest of the bag.

Overall the bag makes a very modern design statement that’s at home in both business and casual environments. As a stylish accessory, you’ll be hard-pressed to find a better looking bag for urban adventures.

Organization & Layout

The Bellroy Duo Totepack features excellent organization, with an impressive amount of attention to functionality and practical usability. There are a total of 12 (yes, twelve!) compartments & pockets in this bag designed to satisfy all of your organization needs. Here’s how it all breaks down.

First up, there’s a 12” by 13” compartment on the front face of the bag, which includes two 5” by 5” drop-pockets (one is padded & elastic) and a pen slot for quick grab items.

Next is the main compartment. A 3” deep main area includes a padded laptop slot for up to a 15” MacBook Pro, a rear pocket that will fit an iPad Pro in a case, and a semi-rigid document divider with a magnet seal that snaps to the laptop pocket. There are also two 6-1/2” by 6” zipped pockets for accessories and 7” by 6” elastic pocket at the base of the bag for a water bottle or power brick.

  

  

  

Behind the main compartment, you’ll find an 8” by 6-1/2” quick access pocket accessed from the top of the bag for your phone, keys, headphone, etc. 

Finally, the rear pocket not only stores the backpack straps but is also padded and can hold an tablet or a notebook. It also has a button snap for additional security.

This sounds like a lot of pockets, but Bellroy has done an excellent job of sorting out the layout of the Duo Totepack. Every pocket is wide and deep to accommodate a variety of items; even the pen slot will hold two pens. Positioning on all the pockets is also excellent, with easy access from the top of the bag even if you’re fully loaded with gear. The whole layout is flexible and very easy to use.

Construction and Materials

In addition to innovative design, Bellroy is also known for the quality of their products. The Duo Totepack scores big here with top-shelf materials, construction, and finishing.

The primary material is fantastic. It’s got the toughness and weather-resistance of a Cordura, but the tight weave pattern is more sophisticated and has a nice hand feel. It’s described as moss green, but there’s a subtle dark heather to the pattern that reads more to me like a dark grey in close-up shots (there’s also a black variant available). Whatever you call it, it’s beautiful. Leather accents are all soft & supple. The interior fabrics are just as good with a rich texture and durability that’s a step-up from typical vinyl interiors.

There’s also no skimping on hardware, which is all metal. Every clip, ring or button feel durable without being bulky. Even those slide/lock buttons on the side include Fidlock-style clips to secure the snaps in place. YKK zippers are standard inside and out with Aquaguard zips on the externals. It’s all high-quality stuff, and in alignment with the character of the bag.

The assembly details are really impressive. I’ve seen a lot of bags that do nice finishing work on seams and corners, but Bellroy takes this a step further with reinforced edges on wear points, beveled corners on open pockets, and little “zipper garages” to finish the zips. As you go about using the bag, you find all kinds of thoughtful finishing points that speak to the quality in detail. 

In Use

The Bellroy Duo Totepack is a great bag for the professional or creative type that looking for something that stands apart from the sea of briefcases and messengers you find on the daily commute. Not only does it make a unique design statement, but it has excellent functional usability that switches easily from business to casual situations.

The Duo Totepack has become my go-to work bag. I’ll load it up with my 13” MacBook Pro, my iPad, a notebook, device chargers, a power brick, headphones, and all the trimmings. There’s just enough room for all of that plus space for a light lunch. The organization is dialed in so well that I find myself using this bag throughout the day as a sling bag to manage my stuff as I run from meeting to meeting. The minimalist profile also works well for this, as I don’t look like a Sherpa lugging a massive pack around the office. I really like the easy grip and handling of generous briefcase-style handles. And if you need to go hands-free, you can swap to backpack mode in a few seconds. The bag also slims down just as well when I am traveling light with an iPad and a notebook. It’s also really light,  so you don’t feel like your hauling a lot of extra weight along with your gear.

I should also point out that the backpacks straps are well designed for extended use. Some  convertible bags skimp on the backpack straps to save space and weight. These straps, while thin, are substantial and more than comfortable enough for a bag this size. I use the backpack straps all day long, and they’re very good. 

When you turn on your out-of-office notifications, the Bellroy Duo Totepack makes for a great urban adventurer. Because the design leverages all soft materials and no framing, it will adapt to non-rectilinear items if you’re packing for a day trips around town (snacks, sweaters, a camera, etc.). I’d also expect it to work very well as an under-the-seat carry on item. Its slim profile makes moving through crowds a breeze. It also looks great dressed down with a pair of jeans for running about.

Speaking of style… be prepared for comments & compliments. I’ve received more compliments on this bag than perhaps anyone else I have tested. The Bellroy Duo Totepack makes a unique design statement that gets noticed.

Caveats and Considerations

There’s a whole lot to like the Duo Totepack, and Bellroy has clearly attempted to perfect every detail in this bag. But there are some things that you should consider before picking one up.

First off, this bag is really designed for urban landscapes. Its tough, but it lacks the framing or beefy backpack straps that stabilize a bag on extended outdoor hikes. It’s slim form is really designed for tech and accessories, with no big open compartments to accommodate outdoor gear. I wouldn’t hesitate to take it for travel, but one-baggers or outdoor enthusiasts would do better with more mission-specific bags

Speaking of capacity: at 15 liters with a slim profile, this is not the choice for hauling your life on your back. Your laptop and accessories will take up the majority of the space in the bag, leaving some room for extras… but not a lot. I was actually surprised at how much it can hold if you ditch the tech gear, as the form has a lot of give & flexibility. If you need room for work gear, gym gear, and your groceries on the ride home, however, you’ll need something a bit bigger.

The length of the padding on the backpack straps could be a bit longer relative to the strap length. I am a bigger guy, so those pads ride a lot higher than I am used to in my packs. They are still comfortable in my opinion but may take some getting used to if you have a larger frame.

Finally, there’s the $295 retail price. Competitors like Tumi, Killspencer and Cote & Ciel play in this designer bag space; I found the Bellroy Duo Totepack’s pricing to be well in line with these sorts of bag makers. Based on the quality of construction and innovative design, I believe that it’s priced fairly for what you’re getting… but it’s still a $300 bag. If that’s too steep for you, Bellroy does offer other products in their new bag lineup that are not as feature-rich but share the design language and materials found here for under $200. 

Conclusions and Pricing

The Duo Totepack is a unique bag that makes a strong creative statement. Elegant forms, innovative design, and a very usable layout make this a bag an excellent and flexible day-to-day companion for work and play. The superb construction and meticulous finishing show extraordinary attention to detail. Well done, Bellroy. I’m looking forward to seeing what you come up with next!

The Bellroy Duo Totepack retails for $289. Check out the Bellroy Duo Totepack and the rest of the new bag lineup at Bellroy’s web site.

Source: The sample for this review was provided by Bellroy. For more info visit their site.

 

Product Information

Price: $289.00
Manufacturer: Bellroy
Pros:
  • Innovative & modern design
  • Excellent layout with lots of good usability
  • Beautiful, high-quality materials
  • Excellent craftsmanship & finishing
  • Works equally well in both carry modes
Cons:
  • 15L capacity & slim profile may not work for everyone's carry needs
  • Expensive, but worth it if you're ready for a splurge

Filed in categories: Reviews

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Bellroy Duo Totepack review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on November 1, 2017 at 10:00 am.

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