Psst—update on yesterday’s post: When I came home from “town” yesterday, I found all of this on my kitchen island (and no, he hadn’t already read my post).
Confession: I have, at various points in my life, tossed (okay, not tossed…more like placed) my fancy DSLR camera in my regular purse where it was forced to cohabit with mismatched baby socks, Lego Hobbit characters, BODYCOMBAT choreography notes, and a half-eaten granola bar.
{Shhhh, don’t tell my husband. (oh wait, he reads my blog)}.
Yeah. Not the best place or “roommates” for an expensive, sensitive piece of technology.
I’ve wanted a bag that would do a better job of protecting my camera for ages, but I just never made the plunge because I also needed something that could accommodate all of my other mama-junk too, and I never landed on the perfect bag at the right price.
Which is why I got really excited when Jo Totes offered to let me try one of their bags. I chose the Missy in mint because, hello, “mint” is really code for aqua, and we all know how obsessed I am with all things blue-green. Plus, I loved the idea of those handy front pockets for getting at things I need all the time like keys and my phone.
I’ve been carrying Missy around with me for about a week now, and I’m happy to announce that she and I are getting along just swell.
She’s really roomy and can easily hold my camera, my laptop (ultra-thin), a notebook, wipes, a few diapers, my wristlet, my workout notes, and baby snacks. I even added my (thick) study Bible this morning, and she still zipped right up.
And just like I hoped, those front pockets are perfect for easy access to my most-used items.
I love that there are two ways to carry her—either by the handles or with a nicely padded crossbody strap. I’m also a fan of the fact that the interior has not one but two zippered compartments. There’s even one more zippered pocket on the back, which means that there are puh-lenty of places to stuff my constant stash of extra…everything. Oh, and I just placed my camera in the bottom, but it comes with extra padding/compartments for blocking off your camera from everything around it.
Everything about this bag seems high quality. The material is very sturdy faux leather and wipes clean easily. The hardware is a nice burnished brash that’s not too bright, and the zippers all slide easily without catching. At least at this point, it seems like it’ll be my go-to camera/laptop bag for years to come.
If I have one complaint about this bag, it’s the weight. It’s literally a bit of a “drag” to haul everywhere. But honestly, I expected that. I mean, it has to weigh more than most bags because of the extra padding provided to protect your technology (something my everyday purse sorely lacks…ahem). Also, it’s kind of the price you have to pay for carrying around a bag that holds a big, heavy camera + a laptop + the mama kitchen sink.
{that crossbody strap works wonders for evenly distributing the weight of a big bag}
The only other thing that would be a nice bonus would be a pattern on the inside for an extra playful touch. But again, that’s just a small, aesthetic detail, and the outside of the bag is so pretty that I don’t mind that the inside is plain.
Bottom line: if you’re on the hunt for a camera bag that can double as a Mama-purse or even a diaper bag, look no further than this JoTotes bag. At an average of $100/bag, their products are definitely an investment, but if you’ve got expensive technology that needs protecting, it might be a worthy splurge for you.
Disclaimer: I was given the bag to review, but all opinions and general“Yay for my new camera bag!”ness are mine.
Looking into getting this bag and came across your review. How great you look with it is swaying me to go for it! 🙂 I too am a photographer momma with fun shorter hair who loves all things in the blue/green family.
Anna
annatrayer.WordPress.com
Oh well, yay! I hope you love it!
I throw my camera around in a plain old bag just as you do (or did). I just can’t get behind carrying an extra heavy bag on top of my extra heavy camera. Maybe b/c my main mode of transport is walking rather than driving but it kills my back. I’m waiting for an ultralight + cute camera bag 🙂 If you find one, let me know!
I have a Jo Totes Rose bag (in raspberry) that I love but I agree that it can get heavy mainly from the fact it can hold my laptop, DSLR, spare lens, and other essentials. Why wouldn’t it be heavy with all that?! LOL I have had my bag for almost 2 years and it still looks fabulous like the day I got it! I would love to have one of their smaller size bags for when I just need the essentials! Since I’ve owned my bag for a couple years, I wanted to speak out about the quality of the bag! Definitely a worthwhile purchase!
Oooh I love that bag so much! I currently carry a separate bag with my camera in it, but I know that if I combined bags I would take way more pictures! Thanks for sharing your thoughts 🙂
The bag looks great – I know what a pain it is trying to lug around the DSLR. But, I love your outfit, too! Looks adorable. Stumbled upon your blog from WIWW – and I will definitely be following you on bloglovin’. Happy Wednesday!!!
Totally agree, EM!