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Lo & Sons makes some of the best travel bags we've ever tried, including our favorite crossbody bag — plus, its weekender bags are 50% off right now
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When it comes to finding an amazing tote or the best work bag for women, functionality is key. A good travel bag anticipates your needs and makes everything easy to find, even in the chaos of a busy check-out line. For this, we look to Lo & Sons — a brand making stylish, travel-friendly bags optimized for busy people on the move.
Founder and CEO Helen Lo originally launched Lo & Sons with the mission of creating a travel bag that alleviated the back pain she developed in her mid-60s. This sparked her collection of ergonomically designed, easily-portable bags with lots of organizational features.
Below we've detailed which Lo & Sons bags we liked best over the course of our team's respective travels, ranging from weekday commutes to baggage claim.
The top 3 best Lo & Sons bags we tested:
"The vertical side pocket means I never have to swing it off my shoulder to root around for my phone," says associate style editor Gabrielle Chase about this four-in-one bag.
This updated version of the brand's debut product is a smartly designed shoulder bag with a suitcase-handle sleeve for easy transportation.
You can walk wearing this nylon laptop backpack and seamlessly convert it into its tote form without breaking your stride.
This four-in-one bag has changed what I consider useful in a handbag. First off, I'm not usually the purse-carrying type — if I can stuff everything I need in my pockets just to have free hands, I will. But because the Aoyama is so lightweight and easily accessible, I no longer dread being anchored down by a bag. My favorite part is its vertical zippered side pocket, where I can pull out my phone without taking the bag off my shoulder.
Its removable, adjustable strap allows you to convert the bag into a crossbody bag, clutch, or a shoulder bag at whatever length you prefer. The exterior's leather is buttery soft and easy to clean, and the interior compartments have helped me stay organized when traveling. It's much more spacious than it appears, and the netted pockets let me see what's inside more easily. Besides being a stylish accessory, I love this bag for its intuitive design. — Gabrielle Chase, associate style editor
Editor's note: This review was of the first O.G. Overnight Bag. You can now purchase the updated O.G. 2, which features similar specs.
The O.G. Overnight Bag quickly became my go-to personal item on flights back. Its suitcase-handle sleeve is a game-changer; I could rest assured that when I placed my personal item atop my carry-on it wouldn't fall off. Inside the bag are some even cooler features, like a padded laptop sleeve, a separate shoe compartment, and tons of pockets for organizing everything from my pens to my earbuds. The O.G. also comes with a messenger strap for easy and comfortable carrying across your body or over your shoulder, and it's made of durable and water-resistant nylon, so there's no need to worry about it being ruined by coffee spills or bad weather. — Ellen Hoffman, former Insider Reviews executive editor
With all of all the smart features, I've found I'm able to fit just about everything I need for a weekend away in this one bag, unless it's winter (sweaters and coats are just too bulky). Even though the bag is so structured, it's really lightweight, making it really easy to carry, even when loaded with clothing and toiletries. While pricey, I think it's worth the $295 investment. — Remi Rosmarin, freelance reporter, Insider Reviews
Read more in our original Lo & Sons O.G. Overnight Bag review.
The Lo & Sons Rowledge Backpack marries style and function for one of the company's most in-demand bags to date (at its debut there was a waitlist). It does have a hefty price tag, but it has a lot going for it to justify the cost: It comes in two sizes and converts three ways so it can serve you whether you're in work mode, travel mode, or weekend mode. It has a laptop sleeve, key leash, and many other useful compartments, like exterior side pockets that can be unzipped to store your water bottle, or zipped up for a sleek, virtually invisible, look. I use it to commute to work so that I could ditch my gym bag. — Francesca Rea, former Insider Reviews senior story producer
Read more in our full Lo & Sons Rowledge Backpack review.
I took the Catalina Deluxe Weekender Large Travel Bag on a couple of short road trips a while ago. Packing a bag is easier than lugging a suitcase around, but I usually travel with the weekender version of this this striped nylon Baggu tote. It's weightless and holds a lot, but it lacks structure and organization.
By comparison, Lo & Son's Catalina weekender is made out of thick canvas — it's heavy duty, but can be folded when not in use. I have yet to max out the large bag on a weekend trip, even with packing sweaters and bulkier items. If I were traveling to a warm-weather destination, the bag could easily fit a week's worth of clothes. The bottom compartment comes in handy for separating out shoes and heavier pieces of clothing, but I did find the zipper hard to maneuver when the bag was empty, since the weight of the canvas bag weighs it down. Overall, this is a well-made travel bag and one that I will definitely continue to use. — Lauren Lyons Cole, former director of personal finance
Small but functional, the Waverley 2 is perfect for taking on the go while running errands, exploring new cities, or toting around during the day. It's big enough to fit a phone, wallet, and other small essentials, plus the interior has three small card pockets that can help save some space if your wallet takes up too much room.
The best part of this bag, though, is the exterior — it can be worn four different ways! Adjust the straps to wear it as a crossbody, a belt bag, a shoulder bag, or a wristlet. I've worn this bag on days when I'm just walking around the city. The size is small enough to bear holding for long walks, but big enough to hold all the essentials for a casual weekend day. The light grey color is unlike any bag I've owned before, but it has a minimalist chic look that I'm excited to incorporate more for spring. — Remi Rosmarin, freelance reporter, Insider Reviews
I've had a DSLR camera for six years. During that time, I've probably taken it on vacation with me once or twice — and at least one of those times, it didn't make it out of my suitcase. The problem is that it's clunky, no lightweight or attractive travel purse fits it, and wearing it around my neck is not appealing. It also becomes a risk in museums, when I worry every time I lean over if it will swing into a neoclassical treasure like a cannonball.
Lo & Son's Claremont camera bag is a game-changer. It's attractive, lightweight, and built specifically to house and protect my DSLR as well as the other tourist essentials, like my passport and money in the easily accessed back pocket. Its organization is helpful but not overwhelming — meaning that I can convert it to a crossbody bag, or make full use of the SD memory card pockets and the soft and protective divider. — Mara Leighton, former senior digital culture reporter
Editor's note: This review was of the original Hanover Deluxe backpack. You can now purchase the redesigned Hanover Deluxe 2, which features similar specs.
I was honestly shocked how much I was able to fit inside this backpack. There two side pockets and one exterior pocket, plus the main compartment has a removable insert designed to organize all your stuff. I was able to fit well over 20 items, including multiple outfits, a pair of shoes, laptop, Kindle, and random electronics and toiletries, with ease. On top of that, the memory-foam shoulder straps are very comfortable, so much so that I almost forgot I was carrying 15-20 pounds on my back. I'm not sure I'll ever use another travel backpack if I'm being honest. — Francesca Rea, former Insider Reviews senior story producer
Read more in our original Lo & Sons Hanover Deluxe Backpack review.
The Pearl leather crossbody looks small, but holds everything I need to go out during the day. The main compartment located in the middle of the bag is perfect for items I need to access quickly, like my phone and wallet. Its smaller zippered pockets on the outside are optimal places for loose cash. It also includes this neat little leash to hook onto my keys. I hate digging for my house key in the bottom of my purse (especially when it's raining!), so this was perfect. The leather feels high-quality and I can tell it won't scratch easily. — Megan Foster, former Insider Reviews intern
If you're someone who travels on a regular basis, you know how the right bag can impact the smoothness of your trip. While testing Lo & Sons' bags in real hustle-and-bustle settings, we liked how easy they make it to reach a phone or wallet in one simple, fluid motion. Their padded compartments and switchable straps also create a more comfortable, customizable experience than your average tote.
Shop all Lo & Sons bags here.
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Disclosure: Written and researched by the Insider Reviews team. We highlight products and services you might find interesting. If you buy them, we may get a small share of the revenue from the sale from our partners. We may receive products free of charge from manufacturers to test. This does not drive our decision as to whether or not a product is featured or recommended. We operate independently from our advertising team. We welcome your feedback. Email us at reviews@businessinsider.com.