GRAMS28: Just About The Sleekest Travel Bags To Have Ever Been Created

If you’re an avid jetsetter, digital nomad, or business traveler in the market for a new travel bag, you should know about GRAMS28.

Recently, the brand has launched a variety of bags, uniting timeless, understated designs with the functionality that modern lifestyles require.

One of their most popular sling bags is called the 154 City Pack. Not only is it aesthetically pleasing, but it’s also super functional. As you continue reading, you’ll see why!

Another bag that was recently launched in February 2024 is the 171 Laptop Sling, featuring the same iconic design of the 154 but crafted specifically for people who need to carry their tech in something larger. Specifically, it fits laptops!

If you’re in the market for a travel bag upgrade, these high-quality bags are very much so worth considering! We’ll cover both the 154 City Pack and the 171 Laptop Sling, breaking down which bag is best for your travel needs.

I received this product from GRAMS28 in order to do this review. You’ll get nothing but honest thoughts here! All opinions expressed here are my own. This post may also contain affiliate links.

Table of Contents

About GRAMS28 Bags

If you’ve never heard of GRAMS28, they are a lifestyle and accessories brand that was born out of the desire to push for better design and value around luxury goods.

GRAMS28’s products (bags, slings, folios, and other lifestyle gear) all have timeless and sophisticated designs, all while remaining useful and practical. They’re the perfect balance between aesthetics, function, and quality.

What’s unique about GRAMS28 is that every product features a unique code on it (it’s guaranteed to be 1 of 1!). The code signifies information including what country and tannery it came from, what material it’s made out of, and what number in the product series your bag is.

GRAMS28 154 City Pack

The brand’s flagship sling bag, the 154 City Pack, is a stylish and practical bag that can be dressed up or down based on the situation. Whether you’re a business traveler or a leisure traveler, this is a leather investment piece that can be used for so many occasions.

What can you fit inside the City Pack?

What Fits Inside The GRAMS28 City Pack — City Pack dimensions: 27 W x 21 H x 7 D cm (10.5” W x 8.25” H x 2.75″ D )

We field-tested the 154 City Pack ourselves. There were so many situations where this bag came in handy!

First off, we think this bag is perfect for both men and women because of how simple and sleek it looks.

But the size/capacity of this bag is really the star here. It’s slightly larger than your average sling, but without looking bulky. And yet, it fits SO much stuff.

It fits everything we would need for a day of exploring — a camera, phone, passport, wallet, keys, sunglasses, and even toiletries you need to survive out there — with the exception of our 24-oz water bottle. (You’d probably be able to fit a mini-sized water bottle in there though.)

Given that that bag can handle the very-specific requirements of travel/exploration, it can definitely be your trusty sidekick for less demanding situations like running errands or just being your everyday satchel.

And for people who like traveling around with their iPad, yes, you can even fit an iPad in there.

Our Nikon DSLR camera is by no means considered compact, and we were shocked that it actually fit so well inside the City Pack, on top of everything else we needed.

Other combinations of things you could fit inside the bag include: a compact cameras, 11″ iPad Pro with Magic Keyboard, a phone, wallet, AirPods, AirTag, and other small essentials.

How does the inside of the City Pack stand up?

Honestly, we thought we’d love the outside of the City Pack most, but it was actually the interior of the bag that wowed us even more. Even at first touch, we already knew how well-constructed the interior of the bag was.

The fabric used to make up the lining and the pockets were leagues above what you’d find from a generic bag on Amazon. Even the zippers were impressive!

On the outside of the bag, you’ll find a front zip pocket with a heavy lip over the zipper (which is great for deterring pickpocketing thieves). On the back of the bag is another zippered slot, perfect for things you want to keep close to you, like money and passports.

Inside the bag, you’ll find no fewer than six different compartments/pockets in all shapes and sizes. There’s even one that has a magnetic closure that’s perfectly sized to fit a pair of glasses or sunglasses.

There are also pockets within pockets. It’s honestly a compartmentalizer’s dream bag. Unlike other “minimalist bags” that lack any pockets at all for a true minimalist effect, the City Pack is actually super functional with its pocket features!

How’s the leather quality?

Nothing but good remarks here! Sourced from the Gruppo Mastrotto tannery, an environmentally-conscious leather tannery, Gruppo Mastrotto is carbon neutral and their leather is certified biobased by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA).

I can smell the bag as I’m holding the City Pack and writing this — it’s such a rich leather smell, which tells me that the quality is top-notch.

GRAMS28 171 Laptop Sling

The 171 Laptop Sling was created for people who love everything about the City Pack, but just needed a little more space within the bag for their everyday needs. From home to work or from function to meeting, the 171 is made to be a trusty companion across all occasions.

What can you fit inside the Laptop Sling?

The Laptop Sling fits quite a bit more compared to the City Pack. It was specifically made to fit a laptop, so let’s start there.

If you’re a content creator, digital nomad, remote worker, or someone who needs to transport a laptop around either at work or for travel, this crossbody bag may just be the perfect thing for you, assuming your laptop is sized similarly to a 14″ MacBook Pro.

On top of fitting a whole laptop in there, the bag also fit all our other essentials like a laptop charger, external battery, wallet, passport, phone, headphones, sunglasses, DSLR/mirrorless camera, and other tiny essentials.

At the time of testing, we didn’t have a water bottle that was small enough to fit inside of the bag, but a Memo A6 water bottle (or something similar in size) will fit in there seamlessly.

We were shocked by how everything fit. We were even more shocked when we closed up the bag — it didn’t look blobby or bulky at all, which meant we could still look put together even while carrying a ton of tech with us.

What Can You Fit Inside GRAMS28 Laptop Sling — GRAMS28 171 Laptop Sling zipped up with everything inside.

GRAMS28 171 Laptop Sling zipped up with everything inside.

How does the inside of the Laptop Sling stand up?

The main compartment is designed with a padded tech sleeve with a velcro closure, perfectly fitting a 14″ MacBook Pro. The padded sleeve is so thick on both sides that you don’t even need to pre-pack your laptop in a separate sleeve. This feature really stood out as a winner for us.

Multiple pockets are available to accommodate larger items like a phone or charger. Similar to the City Pack, there are pockets within pockets here too. There’s a secure front pocket for thin items and a discreet back pocket for valuables that you want to keep close to your body.

You’ll also find two interior side mesh pockets store tech essentials and loose items such as cables, pens, and a multi-tool. (I would have never thought to add these pockets to a bag, so good job, and thanks for the thoughtfulness, GRAMS28!)

Another thoughtful feature we were glad to see was the built-in trolley sleeve that was made to slide over the handlebars of your suitcase. This makes the Laptop Sling so travel-friendly and easy on the body on travel days.

How’s the leather quality?

Again, GRAMS28 doesn’t disappoint on the quality front. The 173 Vertical Sling is crafted from top-quality full-grain Italian leather, gold-rated by the Leather Working Group (LWG).

The Bottom Line: Which GRAMS28 Bag Is Better For Travel?

Ultimately, both bags we’ve covered today are great for travel — point blank. The bag that’s best for YOUR travel needs will depend on what you’ll be traveling with.

For your average traveler, we recommend the 154 City Pack. With your bulkiest item being your camera, water bottle, and maybe some snacks, this bag will carry all your essentials — and you’ll look so cool while exploring the city.

For those of you who are constantly carrying a laptop with you, the 171 Laptop Sling was made for you in mind. It fits a 14-inch laptop, and then some.

For us, the 154 City Pack is perfect for our travel needs. The 171 Laptop Sling, on the other hand, will be our go-to bag when we have cafe work days locally.

You can check out all the other bags available on GRAMS28 here.

What are your thoughts on these two GRAMS28 bags? Let us know in the comments!