
Dagne Dover has beautiful bags.
Fabric is significant for highly sensitive people (HSP), which can be an issue when getting the right bag. Lululemon is hugely popular, yet the fabric feels awful whenever I touch their bags. The same applies to Longchamp; their nylon totes make me cringe.
Nothing is entirely 100%, but I have found a few bags that have come close; Dagne Dover’s Landon Carryall is one of them. I have traveled extensively and tried many bags, but they would only last one or two trips. If I had known I was highly sensitive years ago, I would have understood what was behind my being so fussy and on this never-ending search for the bag (and many other things) that felt right.
PROS
- Has the cool | edgy factor
- Fabric | Shape | Lightweight
- Stylish for Gym | Work | Travel
CONS
- Initial smell of neoprene
- Zips clink if not positioned correctly
- It's expensive at $155 for the medium size
Dagne Dover Medium Landon Carryall
Everything matters when buying a bag, from texture to weight, the interior's structure, and material. I like to shop alone for bags because I feel the fabric, try it on, and see if it has easy access. I am embarrassed at how much I do this before I buy a bag, so I prefer to go alone. Well, that and I don't like shopping with other people.
Made from neoprene, a very cool and edgy fabric usually used for scuba gear. Its physical and chemical properties make it heat, chemical, oil, and ozone resistant, extremely light, and waterproof. It feels soft with a lot of flexibility, so it can stretch to help accommodate whatever is in your bag.
The bag comes in four sizes, S-M-L-XL, and the photo below shows you the size and capacity for the medium. The medium is a perfect size for me as I am 5'4″; the large or XL would be a good fit for someone taller. It comes in various colors that will suit both men and women.
Organization
This bag has an intuitive organization that can take the stress out of traveling. You can easily find what you need quickly.
The interior includes:
- A laptop sleeve.
- Two mesh pockets (water bottle size).
- A large zippered pocket.
- Detachable key leash.
- Shoe bag.
- Small mesh pouch.
There is a phone pocket outside where I store my gym lock for easy access. The bag feels very slim for the number of items you can pack. I like the shape and structure; the neoprene feels excellent, and the color storm is lovely.
Smell – An Issue for Highly Sensitive People?
One major flaw or issue is that the initial smell of neoprene can be bad. Reviewing reviews before I purchased the carryall, a few people mentioned this issue.
Of course, being a highly sensitive person, it's probably a much more pungent smell to me than to other reviewers, and I bet the handful of people who mentioned the smell were HSP themselves.
One person wrote that after washing the bag, the smell went away, so I thought, everything else about this bag seems to be spot on, so I will try to clean it and see what happens. It came out of the washer in excellent condition; however, it still smelled bad when it dried, so I put it back in for another wash.
After the second wash, the smell was gone. They mention that you should hand wash the bag, but I figured it would be fine on the gentle cycle. It dry's quickly and efficiently and keeps its' shape.
I am so glad I washed it because it is my favorite bag. I use it daily as a gym bag and on a recent European trip as my carry-on. Due to the boxy shape, the bag sat perfectly on my suitcase even without a travel sleeve. Other bags I had used in the past never stayed in place and would constantly fall off.
You can see everything you have packed when you open it, which is invaluable when traveling. Plus, the medium bag fits perfectly under the seat in front of you, with room for your feet. It helps make traveling more organized and comfortable.
A massive pro in the material is that I have bashed it into my gym locker five days a week for the past eight months. I took it on my trip to Europe, where it went through airports and cars, leaving it on the ground everywhere, showing zero sign of any damage. It still looks like I just purchased it. That is highly impressive.
I think I love neoprene, and I would recommend trying this bag; it’s one of my favorites.
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