As a beauty and travel editor based in the north of England, I’m constantly on the move, whether it’s for holidays or weekly commutes to the office in London. After testing out countless handbags, travel bags and suitcases, I believe I’ve finally discovered one that is not only practical but also stylish – and it’s part of a huge Black Friday sale.
My main criteria for an everyday travel bag that can handle a three-hour train journey followed by a busy day (or two) of meetings are that it needs to accommodate a lot of items – heavy laptop, chargers, water, book, snacks – yet still be comfortable to wear and easy to carry – and I think I’ve found just that in the Antler Chelsea Backpack. Even better, it fits neatly under any airline’s seats – and even better yet, it currently has 30% off.
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(Image: Antler)
Pros
- Fits a lot in
- Comfortable to wear
- Looks simple and chic
- Has lots of different compartments for various essentials
- Can be slotted over a suitcase handle
Cons
- Very big laptops won’t fit in the laptop sleeve
- Unlikely to fit more in than for a night or two away
The Chelsea Backpack comes in three colours and usually retails at £140, but shoppers can snag it for £98 in Antler’s Black Friday sale – that’s a saving of £42.
I adore how everything stays neatly organised inside, rather than all rolling around together in my usual tote-style bag: water bottle, laptop, keys and small essentials such as charging cables all have their own compartments, making it easy to find what I’m looking for on a packed Avanti West Coast train. It easily fits in all my daily essentials, and even a change of clothes if I’m staying overnight (not loads, but there’s enough room for a spare top/underwear/toiletries, and it neatly compresses down).
(Image: Laura Mulley)
Antler’s Chelsea bag is also incredibly comfortable to carry on both shoulders – much more so than a one-shoulder bag – and handily slips neatly over the handle of a suitcase, if you’re travelling with more bags. Of course, knowing that it’ll fit under the seats of even the strictest airlines is also a huge plus, making it a great carry-on bag for holidays.
In fact, the only slight downside is the price – at just under £100, it’s not the cheapest backpack – but for something so practical and for someone who travels as much as me, it’s been a game-changer.
If you like the look of this but want something a little cheaper, Antler also sells the Essential Backpack, now £80.50 in the sale; it’s a very similar design but with slightly fewer features.
Meanwhile our fashion editor Lauren swears by the Nere Bondi Suitcase for her travels, with prices now starting from £69.30 in its own Black Friday sale.
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