Last Updated on 18/06/2023
There’s a brand new fashionable carry-on luggage accessory in town – read my Travel Hack Tote Bag review and see how it compares to my beloved Travel Hack Backpack!
When it comes to affordable luxury carry-on luggage, the Cabin Max Travel Hack collaboration nails it every time. Keep reading to find out more about The Travel Hack Tote Bag and how it differs from the popular Travel Hack Backpack.
**Please note, It’s worth checking out these products directly on the Cabin Max website for additional colours, free shipping, if you are looking to purchase outside the U.K or if the products are showing as out of stock on Amazon.
The Travel Hack Tote Bag or The Travel Hack Backpack – Which one is the best under-seat travel bag?
For those of you who read my Travel Hack Backpack review or know me personally, I’m forever taking my Travel Hack Backpack with me, whether it’s a coffee shop date or a quick getaway to avoid paying luggage fees – my trusty Travel Hack Backpack has been a godsend to me and has completely transformed the way I travel. No more mountains of luggage (filled with shoes) and getting stung at the airport for additional fees! I can fit everything I need for a long weekend in my Travel Hack Backpack and I love the addition of the packing cube, which complements the backpack perfectly (plus it helps me squeeze even more items in!)
With this in mind, you will not believe how excited I was when I saw the latest addition The Travel Hack Tote Bag had been released, and further excitement when Monica from The Travel Hack sent me The Travel Hack Tote Bag to review on The Life of a Social Butterfly (Ad/PR Product)
If you’re wondering how The Travel Hack Tote Bag compares to The Travel Hack Backpack, you’ll be pleased to know I’ve compared the two Cabin Max under-seat travel bags later in the post!
What’s Special about the Cabin Max Travel Hack Tote Bag
Combining practical luggage and travelling expertise, the Cabin Max Travel Hack Collection comes from a collaboration between Cabin Max hand luggage experts and Travel Hack Blogger Monica Stott. The result – a stylish and affordable hand luggage set, which rivals high-end travel bags.
Similarly to the Cabin Max backpack, The Travel Hack Tote Bag is designed to fit underneath the plane seat in front of you and meets most airlines’ cabin luggage requirements, making it ideal to avoid any unnecessary baggage fees or cabin restrictions.
Monica Stott is a well-renowned and established Travel Blogger who has put her years of experience frequently flying to the test by creating a classic, yet feminine carry-on luggage set that is perfect for everyday use, as well as beneficial for avoiding unnecessary carry-on fees.
I’ve followed Monica for a long time, I’ve been inspired by her trips and her success in the industry – I even took Monica’s Blogger Course (which is great for bloggers whatever your niche in getting started, building a brand, using affiliates and getting paid to write about the things you love).
Find out more about The Blogger Course
Monica’s experience has enabled her to consider travellers’ needs to make travel simpler, stress-free and super stylish. From the handbag compartment on the Cabin Max Travel Hack Cabin Case, the classic feminine design of The Travel Hack Backpack (with handy lippy/passport compartment, to the latest addition The Travel Hack Tote Bag, which is an under-seat cabin bag that combines the look of a ladies handbag to a travel tote bag.
Fashionable Women’s Travel Tote Bag for Everday Use
The Travel Hack Tote Bag is exactly the type of travel bag I was looking for many years ago when all I could find were ugly hiking bags with numerous straps and sports bags that did not suit my style.
Hands down The Travel Hack Tote Bag is the best travel tote bag for women who also want a classic stylish bag that can be used as an everyday handbag. The classic black quilted design, faux leather panelling and rose gold zips enable the bag to be used as an oversized handbag, as the design does not limit the bag for travel use only.
The Cabin Max Travel Hack Tote Bag has quickly become my work bag on days when I’m in the office, as the compact laptop compartment keeps my laptop safe and out of view when I’m travelling to and from the office. But, I was most excited to make use of all the handy compartments for my recent holiday in The Canary Islands!
Inside the tote bag is lined in a shade of millennial pink (the same as the Travel Hack Backpack) and has deep compartments, which are not only great for travel to put in toiletries and find essentials (such as your passport) with ease, it’s also great for people like me, who pile up their handbag with everything and can never find anything!
The two separate mesh zipped sections give me somewhere to stow away my makeup bag/hairbrush as well as my work pass, keys and phone (things I can never normally find when I’ve used other bags!) A further mesh section is great for holding a water bottle. There’s also a hidden zipped section that is ideal for my hair straighteners, small gifts, jewellery or other intimate items.
The padded panelled section on the other side is great for laptop storage, as well as a notepad, pen or an iPad when I’m on the go, but alternatively, if you have kids, this section would also be great for nappies, wipes and other essentials. The Travel Hack Tote Bag also comes with a detachable longer strap to enable the bag to be carried over the shoulder as a crossbody bag, which is ideal if you’ve filled it to the brim and find it heavy to carry, or you want to keep your hands free.
The Travel Hack Tote Bag has the look and feel of a high-end travel bag without the hefty price tag and below I have detailed some of my favourite features:
The Travel Hack Underseat Tote Bag Best Bits
1) Under-seat travel bag = No more cabin baggage fees!
Perfectly sized at 45cm x 36cm x 20cm, as I mentioned earlier in the post, The Travel Hack Tote Bag is designed similarly to a more stylish under-seat duffel bag and can fit under a plane seat (even on more restricted airlines such as Easyjet and Ryanair – which you can see demonstrated below on my recent flight to Fuerteventura.
2) Super stylish womens’ carry on travel bag
The Travel Hack Tote Bag is literally the best carry-on bag for women who like to travel stylishly. No more garish sports bags or travel backpacks that look like you’re going for a full-on hike, The Travel Hack Tote Bag is a classier way to travel and has a luxury carry-on luggage look to rival high-end travel bags, at an affordable price. I’ve not stopped looking at the faux leather quilted black design since my tote bag arrived. The rose gold zips complement the bag and are a safer precaution when travelling, with discreet and deep pockets too.
3) Fashionable travel tote bag for everyday use
Whilst the tote bag was designed primarily with travel in mind as an affordable luxury ladies’ carry-on bag, its classic black design means it is also perfect for everyday use; making it even more cost-effective. Whether you want to use it as a work bag to travel to the office, or as a girls’ weekend bag – there’s no need to wait until your next flight to make the most out of this tote bag!
4) Super spacious and did I mention the pockets?!
Never forget the essentials again! These handy pocket compartments on The Travel Hack Tote Bag are an absolute godsend! Padded and shower-proof (ideal for keeping everything safe and dry). – The three discreet external side pockets are ideal for items you want to be able to find quickly whether it’s a passport, work pass, or your headphones (unbeknown to me on first using the tote bag, one zipped pocket section on the back of the bag also doubles as a way to slide your tote bag over your suitcase handle). – Mesh pocket sections are great for toiletries and items such as a hairbrush, shower cap and bits and bobs you don’t want to forget! The side mesh section is great to hold my metallic water bottle. – Padded side panel fits my laptop, notebooks, and pens you name it (but as I mentioned earlier in the post is great for other items too).
5) Use it as a tote bag or women’s shoulder travel bag
The Travel Hack Tote Bag is so versatile with so many uses! From a cabin bag, ladies’ handbag to a crossbody bag, the long detachable strap means you can wear the bag in multiple ways depending on whether you want to have your hands free or use it as a normal handbag. Us girls do like having options!
6) Affordable luxury carry on luggage
Travelling with luggage has never been as affordable than with The Travel Hack luggage set, not only reducing unnecessary baggage fees, as well as be used an everyday bag, the look and design of The Travel Hack Tote Bag rivals high-end travel bags for under £50!
As with all things, there are a couple of aspects that I struggled with (more to do with me than the tote bag!)
– The back external pocket
Upon using The Travel Hack Tote Bag for the first time, I didn’t realise the back pocket doubles as a way to slide your tote bag over your suitcase handle (I thought it was the same as the other padded pockets on my the Tote bag/Travel Hack Backpack). Don’t get me wrong, the sliding-over-the-suitcase aspect is great…but, I hadn’t realised its function when I slid my phone and keys in this section only to find them on the floor. Fail!
– No studs on the bottom of the bag
Again, this could just be me, but for bags that can’t be hung on a hook on a door (or for when I’m not using the longer strap), I’d prefer the bag to have studs to keep it off the ground when I’m using facilities inside the airport for example. The bag is padded enough to keep things dry, but ya know just in case!
– Not compatible with my Travel Hack Packing Cube
Like I mentioned earlier in the post, I’d never used a packing cube until I used one with my Travel Hack Backpack and now I don’t know how I got by without it! I’m an absolute convert and I love using packing cubes to separate items. I did try using my Travel Hack packing cube with the tote bag (it fits) but as it’s designed to fit The Travel Hack Backpack (with a square shape) it gets a bit squashed. There’s just something about being able to separate items that I never knew I needed (before using the backpack). Cough cough…here’s hoping Cabin Max/Travel Hack will release a rectangular slimline packing cube to fit in my Travel Hack Tote Bag…
The Travel Hack Bag – which one to choose?
If you’re anything like me, you’re probably five seconds away from buying a Travel Hack Tote Bag (I’m seriously thinking about buying another one in case the price goes up!)
*Please note, if you are considering buying one of these bags, it’s worth noting they do often sell out and the price of the backpack has increased since the first release, therefore don’t miss out!
But if you’re undecided about which Travel Hack bag to choose between the tote bag and the backpack – let me help you!
Similarities:
- Both The Travel Hack Tote Bag and Travel Hack Backpack are carry-on size and both Travel Hack bags can fit under a plane seat, therefore are both cost-effective to avoid baggage fees.
- Both travel hack bags are priced under £40.
- Both bags come with a 3-Year Cabin Max Manufacturers Fault Guarantee
- Both Travel Hack bags have lots of spacious pockets, for a laptop, a water bottle, toiletries, you name it.
- Both bags can be used for travel and everyday use.
- Both Travel Hack Bags can stow away items for a long weekend (2-3 days)
Differences:
- Whilst the Travel Hack Backpack is more compact, I’d say The Travel Hack Tote Bag can fit a couple of days more clothes for a longer getaway (including bulkier items such as shoes and jumpers).
- The Travel Hack Tote Bag has a 30L capacity, whereas the backpack has a 20L capacity (as you can see I was right…)
- The Travel Hack Tote Bag does feel much heavier to carry than The Travel Hack Backpack (but this could have something to do with the amount of stuff I rammed in it…)
- The Travel Hack Tote Bag does seem like the more luxurious product out of the two bags with a more high-end travel bag feel.
- The Travel Hack Backpack fits more easily under a plane seat than The Travel Hack Tote Bag (which is ideally placed in the plane over-head lockers). Therefore, you may wish to consider the requirements for the airline carrier you travel on to help you decide on which bag is ideal for your trip.
- The Travel Hack Backpack has a custom packing cube (which can be purchased separately), whereas the tote bag does not have a custom packing cube to separate items of clothing.
- The Travel Hack Tote Bag is more of a stylish girls’ getaway bag with a handbag look to it, whereas The Travel Hack Backpack (you guessed it) is better for those who prefer using backpacks for travel.
As you can see from the above, when comparing The Travel Tote Bag to The Travel Hack Backpack, all it comes down to is your own preferences (how you like to travel, what functions you prefer and what you will be using the bag for).
I must admit, I love both Travel Hack products – I adore the high-end travel ladies handbag look of the tote bag (from what I’ve seen it’s something of a unique product), but I also love the portability and lightweight style of the backpack. So, in this respect, let’s just say – I’m glad I have both!
Still can’t decide? There’s always The Travel Hack Suitcase (also cabin size) to consider!
What Travel Hack Bag are you angling for?
Review – The Travel Hack Tote Bag
Growing up I was always amazed at how many things Mary Poppins could fit in her handbag and The Travel Hack Tote Bag has become the Mary Poppins Bag I’d dreamed of. I haven’t tried fitting a lampshade in there yet, but I honestly think I could if I wanted to as I can fit so many items in The Travel Hack Tote Bag that my only concern is after minimising my luggage using the Travel Hack Backpack, the tote bag will turn me back into a travel hoarder once more!
I’ll have to update you on that front, once I’ve booked more travel getaways!
I hope you enjoyed reading my Travel Hack Tote Bag review and I hope it has helped you make an informed decision about which Womens’ carry-on travel bag is best for you!
Let me know in the comments whether you will buy The Travel Hack Tote Bag or backpack (I’m intrigued about what your preference is). Don’t forget to check out other Cabin Max Travel Hack products on the Cabin Max website!
Jaz
xoxo
