Choosing the right hand luggage bag for travel can be surprisingly challenging. At first, you might think it’s as simple as picking a bag that fits airline size limits and holds your essentials. But in reality, there’s much more to consider.
When I travel, I usually check my main luggage, so my hand luggage needs to meet specific requirements:
1. A safe compartment for my DSLR camera and lenses.
2. A secure spot for my laptop and charger.
3. Space for water and snacks.
4. Room for my iPad, Kindle, and headphones.
5. Enough space for a top or scarf.
6. Separate pockets for documents.
7. Easy to carry.
8. Not too big, so I can use it as a day bag at my destination.
9. Stylish enough to match all my outfits.
10. Durable, since it will endure a lot of handling.
Finding a bag that ticks all these boxes has been tough. Backpacks often lack durability and fall apart under the weight of my gear. Handbags are too small, and small wheeled cases are cumbersome when I already have another suitcase. Camera bags, while practical, aren’t stylish and practically advertise the expensive camera inside.
For the last six months, I’ve been using the Valencia camera bag from Aide de Camp. The company was founded by Michele Ng, who noticed the difficulty of finding practical yet stylish bags. Michele saw fashion bloggers struggling with this issue and experienced it herself, often wrapping her DSLR in a scarf and putting it in her regular handbag.
The Valencia bag suits my needs perfectly, especially for travel. Here’s what I love about it:
The Outside
Made from water-resistant nylon, it’s easy to clean. It also features leather straps, a leather bottom, and 14-karat gold-plated hardware, giving it a luxurious and durable finish. There are exterior pockets for documents and your phone, and one pocket can unzip at the bottom to create a strap that attaches the bag to your suitcase handle, keeping it stable as you wheel it around.
The Inside
Inside the bag is a removable camera bag with sturdy cushioning to protect your camera and lenses. The cushioning attaches with Velcro, allowing for adjustments based on your camera size. There are plenty of additional pockets and zippers for better organization. Cleaning is a breeze, even after a messy incident like spilling porridge. The bag is spacious enough to hold everything I need, without being so large that I overfill it. It also features long handles for easy carrying and comes with an over-the-shoulder strap, ideal for using the smaller camera bag separately.
The smaller bag is great for day trips and suitable even for night outings. If you accumulate too much stuff, you can use the two bags separately. The larger bag is roomy enough for a weekend trip or as a stylish laptop bag for work. A friend of mine, who is a new mom, pointed out that the Valencia would make an excellent nappy/camera bag, as stylish nappy bags are hard to come by.
Though I love the larger bag, I do find the smaller camera bag a bit less stylish—more like a “mom bag.” However, it’s still far better than a standard camera bag, so I can’t really complain.
Disclaimer
I received this bag for review, but all thoughts and opinions are my own. I review many products but only feature the ones I genuinely love. I’ve been using this bag since February and remain as fond of it now as when I first got it.
More Info
The Valencia bag costs £213.63. While it is pricey, I’ve come to value quality over quantity. I’d rather have one reliable bag than multiple ones that break easily.