The Mission Workshop Drift Tote: now in waxed canvas

When you and I think laptop bags, we most commonly think of messenger-style bags or backpacks. And yeah, backpacks have become the standard in many ways. They’re convenient, they spread the load onto both shoulders, and stay snugly in place as you commute to the office, be it on mass transit, the shoe leather express, or on two wheels. One potential drawback to those laptop backpacks is that they can be trickier to put to other purposes on the weekend. That’s a problem the Mission Workshop Drift Tote has a solution for.

What is it?

At it’s core, the Mission Workshop Drift Tote is a tote bag. It has a zippered top, into which you can toss just about anything that will fit in the 28L interior. In a nod to modern commuter carry, you do of course have some internal organization and storage to help keep smaller things in place. You do also have dedicated pocket for a laptop (up to a 16″ screen), as well as another one for a tablet or eReader.

This means you can easily get this setup for your commute into the office, bringing everything you need for the day (including tucking your lunch back right on inside there). Then, come the weekend, you can take out all the work stuff and haul along whatever it is you need for that adventure.

What else we like about it

Specifically, we like the new waxed canvas options available for the Mission Workshop Drift Tote. Canvas is a tough material to begin with; when it’s waxed, you then pick up a very healthy water resistance. Additionally, as you use the bag, the material will pick up creases and patina that start to look a bit like leather. Then again, when it’s time to rewax the canvas, you’re getting back to an almost new look.

With this format, and the material, this is also a great way to bring along a laptop on vacation that doesn’t scream “I’m working remote!”. And just as with the transition to the weekend, it would be easy to leave the laptop behind in the rental unit while you head on out some exploratory adventure.

How to get one

We should also note that the Mission Workshop Drift Tote has those large handles, but there’s also a detachable shoulder strap as well, so you’ve got options for carrying the bag. If you’re going for the waxed canvas, those bags will set you back $335, while the other two material options have prices both higher and lower than the waxed canvas. For us, it’s the waxy one that’s the clear winner, but we say pick what works for you. missionworkshop.com

Features:

Body Fabric: Available in HT500 high-tenacity nylon, MultiCam® Black Camo Cordura®, and Dimension Polyant X-Pac fabric (VX Version)
Includes adjustable shoulder strap

Dedicated padded pocket for up to 16″ laptop (accessible from exterior of bag)
Zippered tricot-lined smartphone pocket
Large zippered organizational pocket with interior zippered mesh compartments for small accessories, notebook, business cards, pens, etc.

Zippered external flat pocket for iPad, Kindle, or small books
Flat interior pocket for documents, magazines, notes, etc.Luggage handle pass-through
Available in Black, Gray, Brown, Navy, Yellow, Olive, Orange and Black Camo colorways

Made in small batches in the USA
MSRP: $335 for Waxed Canvas, $305 for Standard, $345 for VX versions