Bellroy Laneway Belt Bag Review

Upon first glance, the Bellroy Laneway Belt Bag doesn’t look much like a Bellroy bag. It’s missing some of the premium materials and features we see on other bags from the brand, doesn’t have a center gusset, and lacks AquaGuard zippers. But does every Bellroy sling have to look the same? No. And, if you look closely, you’ll still see hallmarks of the brand’s signature style on this bag, from a design that lies flat against your body when worn crossbody to incorporated strap adjustment that eliminates dangling and durable, recycled materials.

So, do we miss the Baida nylon or dual zipper heads that meet in the middle? Frankly, we don’t, and we were excited to try something that felt a bit like Bellroy tip-toeing in another direction. Since we’re here for all the side trips and meanderings from one of our most-tested brands, let’s see how this branch of the family tree is shaping up.

External Components

The 2L Bellroy Laneway Belt Bag is made with recycled nylon, a durable material that works well for this type of sling. It’s weather resistant in case you get stuck in a light rain, though there are no waterproof zippers or coating on the material to protect it in a downpour. It’s not the softest fabric, and it makes a bit of noise when you scratch it, kind of like a school backpack, yet we don’t mind.

We’re testing the Sea Kelp colorway, a grayish green that actually looks like underwater seaweed with a purply-brown strap. The marine colorway we have is apt, though, because the bag material is, specifically, Mipan Ocean Regen fabrics, which are half recycled fishing nets and half recycled post-industrial nylon.

At the time of this review, you can also opt for Ink (black) or Fawn (taupe). All three colorways are leather-free, which is not something you can say about every Bellroy bag. Instead of having the logo on a leather tab, it’s printed on a rubbery patch in the bottom right corner of the sling. While it’s off-brand if you’re used to Bellroy’s other offerings, we don’t mind it as it matches the bag’s casual aesthetic.

Surprisingly, this bag has no carry handle, yet we don’t miss it much, and we just grab the satiny webbing belt to pull the sling off and move it from place to place. You can also undo the magnetic buckle on the strap to get it on and off. Woojin makes that hardware, and we haven’t had any issues with it popping out of place. On the contrary, sometimes it’s a bit hard to push open, but that may be more our dexterity issues and less a problem with the magnets, which are quite attractive.

As for the rest of the hardware, there is a metal adjuster on the strap and YKK reverse coil zippers. Everything works as it should, with both zippers and the strap adjuster staying in place. The zippers have cords woven through the pulls with rounded metal tabs on the end. That addition makes them easier to grab and open, and we appreciate the inclusion.

You may not expect much of a harness system with such a small bag but, in addition to the strap, there’s also a quilted, padded back panel to blunt the feeling of the gear inside when you’re wearing it. It’s got a nice amount of cushion, which makes the bag quite comfortable, yet almost feels a bit overkill for a bag of this size.

Fit Notes

As we mentioned above, this is a really casual bag. That makes it great for amusement parks, museums, and generally exploring a new city since you can keep your hands free while carrying everything you need. It has a bit of a trapezoidal shape that tapers toward the bottom and front, so it doesn’t protrude too much, even when full.

We find it comfortable to wear as a crossbody, and that’s how our tester always wore it. Despite its “Belt Bag” moniker, the strap doesn’t get small enough for petite users to strap around their middle without it hanging really low, so she couldn’t test it as an actual waist pack. However, the strap attaches to triangular strap loops on each side, so it lays flat against your chest crossbody as well as it wraps around your waist when worn as a belt bag.

Inside The Sling

Against the back panel is a zippered pocket for items you want either concealed or protected. We say that because it will naturally lie against your body since it’s against the back panel, keeping someone from getting inside without you knowing. As for the protective aspect, this pocket is padded on both the back panel and the panel that separates it from the main compartment. Unfortunately, this extra cushion takes up a bit of space you could otherwise use, but it’s nice to ensure your phone or something else with a screen is protected. Otherwise, it’s just an open pocket that we’ve been dumping lip balm, tissues, and other small gear inside.

The main compartment zipper opens across the top. While it does share capacity with the rear pocket, it also has additional space of its own; this is where the sling protrudes slightly to accommodate your gear. There are two slip pockets against the back of this compartment. They’re made with liner material and don’t stretch, but they’re large enough to hold a minimalist wallet, AirPods, or a few travel-size bottles filled with hand lotion and sanitizer.

Halfway down the right side of the bag, in front of the right-hand pocket, is a metal gatekeeper key clip on a long corded leash. While we appreciate the inclusion, we have a few issues with the execution. The black cord tends to lie against the side and on the bottom of the bag, and since it’s so thin and dark, it’s hard to find and pull out when you need it. When you manage to snag it with your finger, it’s so long that it often ends up buried underneath other gear. We wish this leash were shorter and attached closer to the top of the bag to make it easier to grab daily. However, it functions properly, and the long leash makes it easy to reach doors while wearing the bag, so that’s convenient.

You can store extra gear in front of the pockets. We mostly use this space for sunglasses, as they rest nicely on top of our keys, but a phone fits as well if you’re not storing it in the rear pocket.

That pretty much sums up how you use this bag. A few organizational features work well for various gear, and you can pick and choose what works best for you. We found ourselves changing where we put things almost daily to find the best arrangement, though we realized there really isn’t a best arrangement, just one that works right for the gear you’re carrying on a certain day. Sometimes a phone is most convenient in the back pocket, sometimes it’s not. The same goes for a wallet and keys; they work equally well in the rear pocket or the main compartment.

So, if you’re looking for a flexible bag to use every day and on a trip, the Laneway Belt Bag might be adaptable enough to get the job done, as long as you don’t carry a ton of gear.