We're In Our Big Tote Era

More room to stuff your problems into

I used to be rich in tote bags that I once moved out of an apartment using almost all the canvas totes that I’d been from various publishers, magazines, food companies, and brands. At one point I’d wager I’d accumulated at least 50, almost all given to me just for existing. I didn’t pay for them because that’s sort of a rule of mine. I’m not going to pay you to let me advertise your brand. Give me a good tote bag, however, and I’ll gladly be a walking billboard for your literary journal that will only put out a single issue before your parents cut off your credit card.

But the good days couldn’t last forever, and maybe it’s the death of media, lack of new ideas, or just changing trends, but the tote bags I tend to see the most are pretty easy to come by and nearly ubiquitous. They’re usually from The New Yorker, The Strand, or Brooklinen for the most part, and often times it looks like they’re packed way too tight with a laptop, some books, cans of Zyn, notebooks, and whatever else the kids carry around with them. Those tote bags aren’t usually made for the long-haul, and the way the straps dig into your shoulder if it’s too heavy will probably come back to haunt you as your body ages. I love a good, inexpensive tote, but I don’t use them much unless I’m staying in my neighborhood.

If I’m going into the city and schlepping my computer with me, I’m bringing it in a thicker canvas bag. I’ve been seeing more people doing that again these days, the classic L.L. Bean Boat & Tote is especially noticeable on the sidewalks. Obviously as a Beanhead, that makes me happy. I’ve got about a dozen of those things, some I’ve bought new and others I got second-hand driving around New England in the summertime. But as a sucker for variety, I like having other options as well. The Boat & Tote is a personal favorite since I’ve been using them for as long as I can remember, but there are a few I like swapping them out with. The Hudson Sutler Sconset tote is a personal favorite because I’m a big fan of their duffel bags, and like looking as if I’ve got a complete set when I go on short trips or if I know I’m going to stop at the gym after I’m done working.

I think good totes fall under one of two categories:

1. A good everyday tote.

2. A good weekender tote.

For the everyday, when it’s not a Boat & Tote, I usually either carry my stuff in an Orvis tote I picked up at one of their shops, or a Steele tote. Steele just started producing these things after over a century of making the classic canvas laundry baskets you might see in hotels, and they’re designed beautifully. The key to a good everyday tote is that it has a zipper. That’s crucial. It’s great to have a thick tote that will protect your stuff if it starts raining all of a sudden, but there isn’t much point if there isn’t a zipper on top. Besides that important detail, the Steele is sort of like the SUV of tote bags—except unlike most SUVs which are unnecessary in the city, the Steele tote has plenty of purpose. You can fit your laptop and books inside of it and there’s still plenty of room, including space on the outside for your water bottle because you’re a cool, conscious person.

My Wm. J. Mills & Co. Classic Jitney Cargo has gone with me on countless trips to Long Island, Connecticut, and the Jersey Shore and shows no signs of wearing down. These things are absolute beasts that are made by the same 5th generation Long Island family that also produces canvas awnings and boat sails. I can cram two books, a bathing suit, a few changes of undies, some shirts, shorts, and a pair of boat shoes in mine and still have room for my Macbook if I want to bring it along.