I’m one of those people who is always in search of the perfect bag. I have particular requirements in terms of size, pockets, durability, and functionality. And it needs to be able to get wet. Though I live in the high desert of northern Arizona, when it rains here, it really rains. The last thing I want to do is ruin a perfectly good leather bag or soak through some flimsy fabric.
That’s one reason why the Langy Cross-body bag caught my eye. Though it’s designed for light photography needs, it also works very well as a purse or everyday carry. It’s roomy, has compartments, and will protect your stuff. Period. At about 12″ x 11″ x 3″, it’s big enough to hold what you need but small enough to fit anywhere.
The Cross-body is an ideal rugged bag for your everyday commute or for travel. With the optional removable padded insert, it is also a camera bag that can hold a camera body, up to three lenses, and some personal items.
The exterior of the main bag is made with a water-resistant XPU-coated fabric. The zippers aren’t waterproof and thus can’t be 100% guaranteed to protect your bag’s contents, but it sounds like the bag would work for all but the most die-hard of outdoor enthusiasts, and Langly has made a concerted effort to design the bag to keep zipper exposure to a minimum.
The exterior feels really smooth and exudes quality and durability. The adjustable shoulder strap is heavy and is of the thickness and seeming quality of a seatbelt (it might even be made from the same material). It has a removable shoulder strap pad that can be used where it is most useful to you. The shoulder strap has a sturdy buckle near the middle of it, giving you options for how to put it on and take it off and how to wear it, especially if you are on the taller side of things. The strap connects to the bag with beefy D-rings.
The bag has six exterior pockets, plus a couple of spots for pens, including two side pockets, a back slip pocket, and a front slip pocket with extras inside. There is also a zippered pocket on the front which is a bit hard to get to, so it would be perfect to hold anything valuable you’re carrying. The top of the bag zips across the length of the bag and then folds down slightly, held in place with two sturdy adjustable straps that go over the top of the bag.
The interior of the bag has a roomy main area with a small, secured padded section for a Kindle or small tablet (or even a book!) and two smaller pockets on the opposite side. The main compartment is large enough to hold the camera insert, which itself has a main compartment and adjustable spots for two extra lenses. You can use this insert inside the larger bag, or just take it out to use the Cross-body as an everyday carry. You can also use the insert in a different bag. It’s up to you.
The camera insert is handy if you carry a DSLR with you, but it doesn’t quite have the quality of the Cross-body bag itself, and it’s a little awkward to take out and put back in. You would probably want to put the insert in the bag and leave just it there, removing what you need from the insert as you use it.
According to the Langly folks, the bags were “inspired by the lives of freelance photographers and nomadic professionals” who need to protect their gear but also look good doing it. Their bags come with a one year warranty for failure of workmanship and craftsmanship as well as for failure of materials and production defects. See their website for more details.
The Langly Cross-body bag is definitely a quality product, and it will protect your stuff as you go on all of your adventures, be they to the mountains, work, a playdate, or a shopping trip. The bag comes in slate (it looks black) with a bright orange insert and coyote (a tan color) with a black insert. The price is at the upper end of most bags I’ve seen of this size, at $145, but it’s a very small price to pay to keep your everyday carry items safe or protect your expensive photographic gear.
You can buy the Langly Cross-body bag (and their other fine products) on their website at langly.co.
Note: I received a sample for review purposes.
