Eastpak does Technology

As you guys may be well aware now, I am a big Eastpak fan. Although, granted, I didn't know much about the company and their products before I became acquainted with the brand, it's been a real pleasure to get to know how they make their bags with a design precision for every situation and lifestyle.

For my second Eastpak product review post, I will be having a look at the brand's spring/summer Core Series collection, and specifically the Floid rucksack and the Talor tablet bag. At first glance, the idea of having a series of bags specifically designed with technology and urban living in mind seems genius. I struggle on a daily basis of having to lug various items (like my laptop) around and not having the suitable storage that can both make the trip comfortable as well as safe for my pieces of technology. 

The Floid rucksack solves this problem perfectly, and, although I am by no means a "rucksack person" I have to say that I am somewhat drawn into this particular piece due to its design and functionality. 

The Floid looks like your typical rucksack from the outside—mine is black in colour with several straps and zips. Upon closer inspection though, and if you pick it up, you will notice that it's quite sturdy in its design and surprisingly lightweight. Holding 16 L of storage space and with an impressive 30 year warranty, you definitely get the feeling that you get a lot more than what you bargained for with the Floid. 

Now, onto the specifics: this particular rucksack has a foam padded body and ergonomic shoulder straps—basically they are very soft and provide the type of comfort and support you need when lugging around a rucksack of this size (I walked around with it for a day and can testify to this fact!).

What I love most about this rucksack though, has to be the plethora of compartments and pockets which make organization a cinch, especially if you are carrying around various chargers, USBs, etc. The front pocket is even padded so that whatever goes in this most vulnerable part of the bag doesn't get knocked or damaged.

Perhaps one of the most innovative features of this backpack though, has to be the laptop sleeve, which is integrated into the rucksack itself. It is, of course, padded and can fit laptops up to 15" in size. So no need to worry anymore about lugging around your laptop separately—all you need to do is pop it into its own padded compartment in the rucksack and then use the main one for all your other bits and bobs. 

Additionally, just like the carry on luggage that I reviewed earlier in the year, the Floid features compression straps that are very useful for reducing the overall size of the bag and making it a more snug fit. Prices for this particular model are £60 on the Eastpak website—in my opinion, a worthy investment for anyone who has to do the daily grind with their technology in tow!

The second item on my review list is the Talor tablet bag. First of all, and since this is a fashion blog, I  have to mention that I absolutely love the color of this piece. The grey ash blend of the pouch makes it really versatile, sleek and easy to carry around. It's very professional looking and can easily be taken with you no matter where you go.

I tried the Talor out with an iPad, although it can fit in other tablets, or even small computers. The first thing to notice is its neoprene interior. Marking a contrast from the exterior, the inside is fully lined and padded with this material, ensuring your technology won't get damaged if you decide to carry this around as a bag on your daily grind (it has a strap at the top that enables you to do so). And, with its multitude of pockets and compartments, this is definitely a great little accessory to have should you need to travel light with only your tablet and a few notes and other items in tow. The front and inside pockets, as well as the velcro-closed back pocket, allow for the storage of any extra items.

Again, this brilliant piece from Eastpak comes with 30 years warranty and a decent £25 price tag from their website. If you own a tablet or small computer that always gets knocked around when you carry it inside your bag, then this is a definite must-have. And, for all us ladies who need all our extra essentials as well as our tablet and its case, the good news is that this Eastpak case is so small and snug that it can even go inside your handbag if you don't fancy carrying it around on its own.

Overall I am very impressed with Eastpak's Core Series. Technology and travel play a great part in our commuters' lives today, and finding solutions that significantly challenge the difficulties that many people face with their technology and its mobility is a definite step in the right direction for me. Check out Eastpak's website for more information!

*Please note that this is a sponsored post with gifted items. However, all opinions expressed are my own

Eastpak: Do you want to sleep or do you want to live?

You may remember a blog post not so long ago about one of my favourite brands, Eastpak, who make some really amazing bags suitable for every lifestyle and person. You may also remember their innovative campaign, centered around the tagline "When was the last time you did something for the first time?" 

As the campaign continues, Eastpak want to know, "Do you want to sleep or do you want to live?"A suitable tagline, perhaps, given our increasingly hectic schedules and lives dedicated to order and planning. Recently, I have found that there is nothing more rewarding than kicking back with friends on a spontaneous night out, just spending time with and talking to people from all walks of life who are so different and varied, each with their own story to tell. No matter how busy my schedule or plans, as well as the temptation of simply giving in to the tiredness and heading to bed, there can be no doubt that embracing those new and exciting experiences will result in more memories, more fun and, simply—a better way to enjoy life!

So, it's time to live a little, and when that moment comes, where will you be? What will you be doing? Eastpak believe that the best way to embrace new experiences in our lives is through live music, and I couldn't agree more. Nothing beats the thrill and energy of watching a great artist or band performing before your very eyes. 

In this spirit, Eastpak have provided two options—if you hit 'sleep,' their interactive campaign will take you to a series of clips that will help get you off to, well, sleep. If you hit 'live,' however, you will be presented with a banging list of the best live music happenings in your area (according to your location), as well as directions and a place where you can get hold of tickets.

When the moment strikes next, what will you be doing—sleeping or living? Check out the campaign here to see where your next big adventure could take you.

Eastpak Carry-On Luggage Review

Anyone who knows me will know that I am a seasoned traveller. I don't think there is a month that goes by without me going somewhere, mostly to see friends and family, which is always nice. So, when I had the chance to review a piece from Eastpak's latest SS12 collection of carry-on luggage, I was really thrilled to be able to talk about something which I use more and more in my day-to-day life. I've had my fair share of hand luggage dramas, struggling to fit my bag (most times) into the annoying restrictions, so I was interested to see what Eastpak had to offer, and whether this would improve upon my experience.

So, let's start with the basics. The bag has a cute colourful exterior and looks quite sturdy from the outside. It has plastic wheels and a fold-out carry handle, as well as another handle on the side meaning you can either wheel or carry the bag along. It also has the possibility of attaching a padlock to it, should you want a bit of extra security. As you can see, I took it for a test spin and found it to be quite comfortable and easy to wheel around. The two most important factors for me where: a) does the carry handle fold in and out easily and b) is the bag lightweight (given that most carry-on weight restrictions are 10 kg or less). I have to say, it passes both tests and is probably the most lightweight carry-on I have ever had. Even though it's not hard-cased (like my other carry-on from Primark) I think that the construction of this bag reduces the overall initial weight, meaning I can cram a lot more luggage in, which is great for me.

The problem I have with most other carry-ons is that they usually have only one or two pockets located in the suitcase/bag themselves. As most of you who have travelled low-budget before know, you're only allowed one piece of hand-baggage, meaning no handbag to keep passports, tickets, wallet, etc in. Meaning that I would usually have to unzip the whole suitcase/bag and start looking for these essentials when I need them. Eastpak solves this problem however, with a useful front pocket which can hold all these things in, without needing to go into the bag itself.

Another simple, but genius feature, is the compression straps which are located on the side of the bag–if your luggage is too big to fit into the metal tray at the airport, just tighten the straps and voilá. This is definitely a feature that I can see myself using a lot!

Now, onto the inside. What I really like about this bag is that it has lots of compartments–perfect for someone like me who, the moment she steps out of the door, has to immediately panic check if she's taken everything essential! So, if you're an organisation freak, you'll love this bag. It really has a compartment for every type of thing you might take on holiday, so you can also save yourself the hassle of having to wrap everything in plastic bags in order to keep stuff clean and separate. Like a true fashion addict, my only concern is how many pairs of shoes I would be able to fit into the bag, since I often travel for weekends just with a carry-on. Something tells me though, that this bag can fit a deceptively large amount in, and this is something that I will definitely be testing during my next getaway.

So, what about the price I hear you ask? There are various types of carry-ons available on the Eastpak site, and prices start at £40, which I think is quite decent given the reputation of the brand, the quality of the items and the many little features which makes them perfect for travelling.

Overall, I really like this product and I think it's solved a lot of problems that many carry-ons pose, and which I myself have had in the past. I am jetting off to Bulgaria next week, so cannot wait to try this out in a real travel situation, and see how much I can cram into it without going over the weight limit (oh the joys of a traveller!).

If you want to check out more of Eastpak's travel range, head over to their site by clicking here. They do a whole host of luggage and carry-on options, depending on your needs and tastes. I can definitely see this becoming one of my favourite brands for travel bags!

*Please note that this is a sponsored post with a gifted item. However, all opinions expressed are my own

Eastpak: When was the last time you did something for the first time?

You will no doubt have heard of Eastpak, the lifestyle brand that designs all sorts of brilliant and innovative bags for urban living, and has been going strong since 1976. This May 21st sees their newest campaign released, which is an intriguing look into the new and exciting experiences which shape life in the city. I really think it's a great idea which is not only inspiring, but gets you thinking as well.

The 360˚ campaign, developed by communications agency Satisfaction, aims to remind us all of those little things we've always dreamed of doing, but have maybe never had enough time for, and ultimately to help enhance our lives and city living through the little, simple experiences that really matter. 

John Israel of Satisfaction sums up this sentiment perfectly when he says that, "By living out a new experience we share a part of ourselves with the people around us. Finding new sensations helps us find new things out about ourselves. Looking at something differently broadens the mind, just as much as seeing something for the first time. It's all in the action, the taking of that first step".

Definitely a philosophy to live by, which is why, in the spirit of the campaign, I am sharing my 'When was the last time you did something for the first time?' story.

This story begins with the fashion roots of this blog, when I decided that it was time for me to really dedicate myself to blogging and picture-taking–if you're going to do something, you might as well do it right! So, about a month ago, I took the plunge and bought my first professional DSLR camera–the last time I did something for the first time. It may not seem like a big deal for some, but it was something that I had dreamed about doing for a long time–not just to enhance the pictures on this blog, but also to capture all those beautiful moments that the world has to offer, moments which sometimes slip away too quickly and need a perfect image to jolt our memory of how captivating they really were. This 'first' has inspired me to get more creative and to see and capture as much of life's moments as I can. It has certainly grown beyond the boundaries of the blog and provided me with a new and fresh perspective on the world. 

So what about you? When was the last time you did something for the first time? Don't forget to head on over to the Eastpak campaign site here, where you can see more of the thought-provoking campaign images and share your experiences on the wall. Who knows, maybe you'll be inspired to try something new out too...