Beautiful Bag & Matching Wallet!
This is my third Ethnotek bag. I decided that I needed to get another bag for everyday use because I was frustrated with the straps of the Cyclo Sling bag not staying in place. I love the small size of the Cyclo Sling, but after a year of using it and constantly having to adjust the straps (the buckles don’t hold it in place, which I later saw on other reviews), I decided to get the Bagan Shoulder bag. This is a very roomy bag, probably bigger than I need, but I’m happy to report that I’m not having the same issue with the strap. I was happy to purchase this in a bundle with a matching wallet, which was great because it really was time for a new wallet. The wallet is significantly smaller than the very large one I had been using for years, but I was very pleased to find out that it carries all that the former one did in a much smaller profile. I bought the bag in the Vietnam 5, knowing that I would end up with some variation on the pattern in the photo. I know Ethnotek thinks that it’s cool that all the Vietnam 5 bags are slightly different, but as an artist who is very particular about color and pattern, it is not something I love when buying Ethnotek bags. However, of all the available patterns, I prefer the Vietnam 5 & 6 colors & patterns the best, so decided to take a risk with this bag. I don’t love the variation in the pattern I got as much as the one in the online image, but it IS a beautiful, deep, indigo pattern with other color accents mixed in and is very nice. When I got one of the laptop bags in the Vietnam 5, it was really close to the online image, which I was very happy about. I was delighted that the matching wallet was a color and pattern I really love, so that was a plus. Things I love about the Bagan Shoulder bag are that even though it’s a much bigger bag that I need, it’s not heavy, so using it when having just a wallet inside and a few other essentials doesn’t feel like overkill because of the nicely designed organization pockets and the lay flat nature of the bag. There are two open pockets on the outside of one side of the bag, perfect for throwing my keys in when bringing groceries to the house and easily retrievable from there when needing to unlock the door. The zippered pocket on the other side has a nice, organizational panel for pens, phone, whatever. Inside is a spacious compartment with a zippered mesh pocket. I think it’s a really nicely designed bag, it’s comfortable, beautiful, and very functional. I know there will be occasions that I need to bring more along with me, so having extra space will be nice. Not getting the exact pattern that I fell in love with online isn’t a deal breaker for me, but folks should really be aware of this when purchasing either Vietnam 5 or 6.
