A few weeks ago, Apera was kind enough to send me their Tech Pack to review. I had heard amazing things about this company and their bags from a variety of Chicago Running Bloggers, so I was very curious to see what it was like for myself. I’ve been using it for a few weeks now, getting use to it and seeing if it met my needs.
I had been struggling with finding a way to carry all my stuff with me to work every day. I had been using a duffel bag to hold my workout clothes, shoes, planner, laptop and work papers, among other things. My bag didn’t have dividers and it was not working out well. Not to mention the strap was killing my shoulder and the corners of my laptop would be banging into my thigh as I walked into work. Ow!
But this bag is amazing. After browsing their site, I knew I wanted to try this one out. So incredibly versatile!
First off, the color is fantastic. (It also comes in white and black.) And although lots of people at work are walking in with either duffel bags for working out at the company gym or rollaway laptop bags, I am secretly using both…but in one bag- which I love!
There are tons of zippered pockets on this bag. The top pocket isn’t very deep and is perfect for holding a snack or your cell phone so it doesn’t get buried. And the entire bag is made with material that has antimicrobial protection to prevent the growth of odors. Smart! And if the bag gets dirty, you can just wipe it clean with soap and water. There are also lots of vented compartments.
On the business side of things, it has a separate, padded section for my laptop and other papers. I carry my planner with me every day (review here in case you are interested), and they are nice and safe! This alone was the reason I selected this bag. Having this compartment (and TONS of space for workout gear on top of that) is so great. Not only do I use this bag during the typical workweek, I would definitely use it for a business trip. (And Apera thought of that too- the back side of the bag has a flap where you can thread through your suitcase handle!)
There are also two side pockets, where I store an umbrella and water bottle. (There have been lots of times I’ve been stuck walking in heels a half mile to my car in the pouring rain. No fun.)
The straps are super squishy and comfortable. I don’t even feel the weight of all my stuff versus the duffel bag I had. I ended up removing the clip that goes across your chest in the front (I never use it), but it’s an option if you want it! My only criticism is that the straps need to be secured…they will loosen up to the ends from my walk to the car to the office. The set and forget technique where you thread the strap through the buckle doesn’t work because they ends of the straps are reinforced and are too thick to fit in the buckle. But luckily, my husband worked some magic and found an alternative to keep the straps from loosening.
And where do shoes go, you may ask?! Well there are two separate zippered compartments for them! They hold my gym shoes until I need to change into them, and then they hold my heels. There is also another small zippered compartment in the middle where I store headbands and hair ties for easy access.
And last but not least, the main compartment literally holds the mother load. Plenty of room for shower stuff and lots of workout clothes. I will have no problem including layers and bulkier items once it gets colder outside, too.
I can’t believe that this bag holds all this stuff and doesn’t even look bulky at all. Totally streamlined and super cute. I’m a huge fan! :-)
What’s even more amazing is that the folks at Apera Bags are letting me giveaway one of their Sprint Packs! Perfect for a quick trip to the gym, dog park or wherever really. (And the winner will also get a 25% off coupon in case they decide to purchase a bag of their own!) Use the Rafflecopter widget to enter below. US only, please.
And if you want a chance to win yet another bag from Apera, they hold their our own giveaway each month on their website! Up for grabs this month is a free Apera bag to one winner—your bag of choice, any style and color! All anyone needs to do is sign up for their email newsletter. Then, at the conclusion of each month, they’ll randomly draw a name from those subscribers in the email newsletter database to select our winner. So go enter now!
What do you use to carry your workout and work stuff? Any questions on this Apera Tech Pack review that I can answer for you?
Linking up with Olives n’ Wine.
Disclosure: I received the Apera Tech Pack in exchange for an honest blog review. All opinions are my own…this bag is legit!
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