Trakke Messages Tote Review

Trakke has quite the recognizable and consistent aesthetic among travel gear brands. Their products are very heritage, usually featuring dry-finish waxed canvas with distinct black traces courtesy of zipper tracks and seams. These qualities usually mesh well with most styles of bags, such as backpacks and messengers, and even translate well when they’ve tried to do the same with packing cubes and pouches. But do you know where it makes even more sense? On a tote bag, of course.

A tote‘s modest simplicity and functionality, coupled with Trakke’s styling, just makes sense, at least on paper. That said, we’re also eager to see what features they’ve sprinkled in to make this tote more than just a sack with large handles. So, without further ado, let’s check out the Trakke Messages Tote and see what it has to offer.

External Components

We’ll start with the main material, a lightweight, dry-finish waxed canvas. It’s a relatively unique choice among totes, which are usually made of polyester or nylon. However, it is worth emphasizing the first qualifier among those terms: lightweight. See, we’re more used to waxed canvas having a thick feel. However, that may not be ideal when you’re aiming for simplicity and, frankly, a non-cumbersome bag to carry daily. With that in mind, a lighter canvas certainly feels like the right choice, though those hoping for a more structured bag similar to the Bellroy Tokyo Tote may want to look elsewhere.

Of course, if you are fully set on waxed canvas (and who can blame you), you’re probably willing to live with how easily it marks up. Mind you, we don’t mean that in the “easily torn to shreds” way, mind you, but in the “bruises like a banana” way. Scuffs, creases, and general patina develop over time, and they stay there, giving it that desirably worn look. Knight’s shining armor? No, but we prefer seeing how much use we’re getting out of our gear, so long as it’s not compromising functionality. However, if you aren’t a fan of that, you’d be pleased to know that there is a ripstop edition that shouldn’t mark up as much as this waxed canvas version.

Also worth noting is the stitched-on logo in place of the hook-and-loop patch on their other gear. While we appreciate the customization of the latter style, we really don’t need extra features like that on a tote. Again, simplicity is a strength of this tote, so we’re happy to see Trakke leaning more towards that.

The tote handles are similarly kept simple, made of relatively thin nylon that flows at converging angles from how they’re stitched onto the bag. Whereas other Trakke bags have handles that are folded and stitched over to make them thicker, these tote handles are kept flat, presumably for two reasons. Firstly, a wider strap more effectively spreads weight. Secondly, keeping them thin makes it easier to roll or fold the bag, thus making it more packable.

Apart from the main tote handles, there are supplementary grab handles near the tote’s edges. These are useful for quickly grabbing the bag, while the tote handles would be too long. Imagine putting the tote onto a table; you’d otherwise be raising your arm ridiculously high if you used the main tote handles.

Fit Notes

The straps’ thinness isn’t without drawbacks. Namely, they aren’t very comfortable on the shoulder once the tote’s fully packed. On the one hand, it’s a reasonable compromise in exchange for the simplicity we’ve been raving about. On the other hand, this wouldn’t be our first choice if we wanted a tote for lengthy periods of carrying. That said, we like how the straps stay in place (i.e., they don’t slip off the shoulder), and they’re large enough that you can still put your arm through even when wearing bulky clothing, such as a down jacket.

Our 5’6″ tester can hold the bag by their side without it touching the ground, though shorter users may otherwise scrape by in a literal sense. Fortunately, there are still the secondary grab handles we mentioned earlier to fall back on.

Inside The Tote Bag

The nylon handle’s extended stitching doubles as borders for the tote’s secondary pockets. There are three in total, all at the front, which nets us two small side pockets and a main one in the center. Small items like lip balm, earphones, spare change, and gum fit into the sides. The one on the right has a built-in key leash on a D-ring, so we suggest putting your keys there. Meanwhile, the center pocket is big enough for your chunkier everyday carry items, such as your wallet, smartphone, and pocket notebook.

The main compartment is fully open, with no zippers, clips, or buckles to seal it. Again, simplicity is the name of the game here and, with it, the caveat of no protection from the elements. Still, the interior is spacious, with more than enough room for an overnight stay’s worth of clothing. In our case, that would mean two packing cubes plus a small toiletry bag. We’re also able to squeeze a 13-inch MacBook with a protective sleeve inside.

It goes without saying that the main compartment lacks fancy organization options. It’s just a big bucket space for you to fill with gear. There are no pockets, dividers, or a sleeve, just an empty compartment. In fact, there’s not even a liner to pad out the interior, nor is there any rigid structuring at the base, so it’s rather Spartan, even for a tote.

All that said, the main strength of a light-on-everything tote like this is packability. Even though Trakke makes no explicit mention that this tote is packable, it rolls into such a small package that they could certainly do so. The only thing missing is a pouch of some sort to stuff the entire tote into, and we kind of wish it had one. Even so, putting this tote away is very easy, so we really enjoyed using it for quick errands where we’d put it into storage immediately afterward.