Bellroy Venture Ready Pack Review

Introduction

The Bellroy Venture Ready Pack is an everyday bag that straddles the line between refined and rugged. It’s been my daily bag for over a year, and it’s the only one I bring to the office, the gym, the trails, on vacation, this bag can handle it all.

But what makes this bag really extraordinary?

26L of space is nice, but it’s by no means the biggest backpack out there. 955g of weight is quite light, but it’s not the lightest bag. Their 3 colorways look nice, but colors are subjective. A 3 year warranty is good, but there are bags with lifetime warranties. A sticker price of $259 is reasonable, but there are plenty of bags that cost more and less. So if you’re looking at quantifiable specs, this bag doesn’t really stand out.

But once you see, feel, and use it, all the qualitative things like materials, design choices, hidden features really shine. So let’s take a look at this bag.

Exterior

The first thing you’ll notice when you hold this bag is the fabric. Bellroy was looking for a way to give their bags better water resistance and durability without looking so rugged that the bag looked out of place indoors.

So, one of Bellroy’s South Korean mills developed this fabric called Baida. Depending on the color, your bag may be Baida Ripstop or Baida Nylon, this one is Baida Ripstop.

Baida is created by applying heat to make fabric crinkles, which are then topped with what they call “environmentally friendly chemical and face coating treatments” for durability and water resistance.

The Baida shell covers the entire exterior except the backpanels and inside shoulder straps.

When the bag is on your back, you’ll have a water bottle holder on your left with a removable and adjustable strap for something like a tripod. The right side looks empty, but if you look closely, you’ll find a hidden, quick access compartment with a key clip. On the back of the bag, you’ll also see a loop for a bike light or running shoes, and a small top pocket that gets all the little details right.

Interior

Top Pocket

The interior of the top pocket is has two main compartments. On the one side, a mesh panel for a phone or a thick wallet, and lots of open space. On the other side, two compartments for a pen or pencil, and more open space.

I’m not sure if Bellroy did this intentionally, but something nobody talks about is that these compartments are exactly the size of a human hand. They also only open about 30 degrees, so you get just enough space to see everything and grab anything without your stuff falling out, and each compartment fits like a glove.

Main Pocket

The main pocket is a wide open cavity with a 270 degree clamshell opening.

There aren’t any straps, loops or clutter getting in your way here, so you can really make full use of the pocket. But, if you happen to need some structure in your bag, you do have a few pockets that really blend in to the side walls.

The first two are a 16” laptop sleeve and a small sleeve in front for something like a Kindle or a book. They sit flush against the bag when not in use, and have false bottoms and backpanel foam protection so your laptop won’t hit the ground if you drop your bag.

There are also two stretch mesh pockets on the opposite side. The first is about the same size as the exterior top pocket, but it has a zipper crossing over the center so you can open it from the top or the bottom without losing your gear.

The second mesh pocket is larger and is a good place for clothing you don’t want to mix with your other gear. Then there’s a stretch mesh panel that could fit a small water bottle or thermos on the inside.

I haven’t used these mesh compartments much, I usually just fill up the main cavity, the top pocket, and the laptop sleeve, so I’m glad these pockets don’t get in the way. If you need them, they’re there, but if you don’t, they’re nearly invisible.

Loops, Straps, and Handles

We've covered the pockets, but so much of the experience of using a backpack comes from the loops, the straps, and the handles. These are the little details that deserve way more attention than they get.

Main Handle

The main handle of this bag is built solid, it’s angled to grab onto hooks, wide enough to slide your fingers through, and it even tucks away out of view when you’re using the bag.

This is one of the top stress points on a backpack, so it’s nice to see Bellroy built this handle to last. It doesn’t stretch, doesn’t lose its shape over time, and honestly feels like the most likely part of the bag to withstand extreme stress.

Sternum Strap

This bag also has a sternum strap with magnetic clips, I didn’t like them at first, but they’ve grown on me.

They’re great for long walks, they keep my bag higher up on my back, and the shoulder straps don’t move around. But, if you don’t like them, they’re not only adjustable, they can be removed entirely.

And this is a great example of Bellroy’s craftsmanship. It takes a precise combination of materials and really tight tolerances to make sure these straps can slide up and down when you want them to, stay in place when you need them to, and can be removed entirely with just the slide of a finger.

Outer Loop

There is also an outer loop near the bottom of the bag, which I use to tie my running shoes when I’ve filled up the main bag with clothing. It uses the same fabric from the shoulder adjustment straps and the backpack handle, and feels really secure.

Zippers

One of the unique features of this bag is the glossy polyurethane coating around all the exterior zippers. It’s meant to improve water resistance, but it also brings an extra accent color and texture to the bag.

These coated zippers use a size 8 YKK racquet coil zipper, which is YKK’s most durable and abrasion-resistant offering, designed specifically for backpacks and luggage.

The interior zippers use a size 5 racquet coil zipper from YKK, the main difference being that they’re slightly smaller and aren’t coated with polyurethane.

The exterior zipper pulleys are knotted with sealed tips to prevent any fraying over time, while the internal pulleys are thinner.

Now, one downside about these large, polyurethane coated zippers is that they’re a bit harder to open and close. But Bellroy thought of that too, and gave this backpack finger loops to keep the zipper taut.

Finger Loops

There are four finger loops at each corner of the bag, and one more for connecting your adjustable tripod strap. They’re exactly the size of one finger, and they feel sturdy so you can pull them as hard as you need to.

The Intangibles

All of these tiny details in the loops, straps, and handles actually make this bag a joy to use. It’s comfortable enough to wear on long hikes, and it’s designed in a way that makes it easy to find and grab whatever you’re looking for.

But if there’s just one takeaway from this bag, it’s that Bellroy’s attention to detail is second-to-none. There isn’t a single stitch out of place, the pockets are all thoughtfully designed, and there are even secret features like this AirTag pocket hidden in their tag that most people don’t know about.

This bag does a good job of building structured space right into the walls, so they don’t interfere with the bag’s open space. And finally, maybe the most challenging part of designing an everyday bag is that it needs to perform well in all sorts of conditions. It can’t be too rugged, or you won’t take it to the office. It can’t be too minimal, or it won’t have the pockets you need.

There are a million trade-offs to consider and I think Bellroy’s material and design choices helped them avoid the fate of most do-it-all products which so often end up being average at everything.

This bag may not be the best on one particular dimension, but it is really good at a lot of things. So if you’re looking for just one bag that you can count on for anything life throws at you, give this one a shot.