The Search for the Ultimate Men’s Tote Bag: How One New Yorker Finally Found "The One"

To the uninitiated commuter, finding an everyday carryall might seem like a straightforward task. Surely, in an era of endless commerce, a functional bag that can withstand a sudden downpour while gradually acquiring a rich, character-building patina is easy to come by. As a car-free resident of New York City, however, my criteria were non-negotiable. The material needed to weather the elements, the straps had to be long enough to comfortably fit over my shoulders, and they had to be cut wide enough to evenly distribute the weight of the contents inside.

Perhaps most importantly, it had to feature a reliable closure to keep everything secure. I am, by nature, a clumsy and inelegant oaf. I am persistently dropping things. More than once while attempting to deplane, I have experienced the profound humiliation of having the contents of my hand luggage spill out into the aisle, frustrating an entire business-class cabin while I scrambled on my hands and knees to collect my scattered belongings.

I Spent Years Looking for the Perfect Tote. This One Checks All My Boxes.

And yet, after years of searching, I was still coming up short.

The hunt began in earnest back in 2021, as the return-to-office movement gained momentum. For a long time prior to the pandemic, my trusty companion had been a wax-dipped canvas holdall crafted by a now-defunct American accessories brand. I loved that bag deeply. It traveled the world with me, received scads of compliments, and survived demanding stints at three different men’s magazines. So, when one of the handles finally snapped during my very first week of hybrid work, I was utterly crestfallen.

Fortunately, the broader fashion landscape has experienced a notable renaissance in men’s carryalls in recent years. This shift can be attributed to any number of factors: how much busier modern men’s lives have become, the loosening of rigid gender norms, or the simple, practical reality that traditional pockets are entirely inadequate for the necessities of contemporary life. It is the very reason high-profile figures such as LeBron James and Erling Haaland are frequently seen carrying models historically marketed to women. One need only look at A$AP Rocky’s collection of Chanel flap bags, Jacob Elordi’s Bottega Veneta Maxi, or the Hermès Birkins proudly toted by Pharrell Williams, Marc Jacobs, and NFL star Joe Burrow. The trend has become so prevalent that earlier this year, InStyle declared that "the big, bitchy boy bag is here to stay."

With more choices on the market than ever before, I initially turned to trusted friends to help narrow down my impossibly demanding list. One exceptionally good pal, whose taste I trust implicitly, recommended the Hermès Garden Party. However, I worried that its single-snap closure wouldn’t quite provide the level of security I needed for my daily travels. I encountered a similar dilemma when I borrowed my sister’s Louis Vuitton Neverfull—an undeniable classic, to be sure, but a major spill risk given its wide-open construction. Another friend swears by his Lotuff Leather Working Tote, which comes equipped with a beautifully crafted zipper, but I harbored concerns that its roughout-leather interior would shed tiny crumbs of cowhide all over my pristine notebooks.

Shopping, an activity that has historically served as a soothing balm for my anxieties, quickly grew frustrating. I adored the sumptuous, delicious leather of Tom Ford’s North South tote, but the straps were so remarkably long that the bag practically scraped the ground when carried by hand. Canali’s calfskin tote bag presented the exact opposite problem, featuring straps far too short to comfortably reach the top of my shoulder. At Prada, I tested a buttery nappa-leather model equipped with two sets of straps: a short pair for hand-carrying and a longer option designed to go over the arm. Ultimately, I found the process of switching back and forth to be unnecessarily fussy. I came remarkably close to perfection at Tod’s, whose shopping-bag style features a central zippered compartment, but I worried that the belted closure securing the two open sides might still let items slip out during my rushed commutes.

Finally, much like Goldilocks settling into bed No. 3, I found an option that fit just right. At Métier, the British leather-goods maker that opened a gleaming New York City flagship store earlier this year, the Passerby North-South ($2,950) finally won my unwavering loyalty.

Cut from a lightly grained buffalo leather affectionately named Elvis, the bag is brilliantly equipped with dedicated interior pockets carefully sized for a laptop and a case of AirPods. The exterior and interior gussets receive a bit of much-needed structure through thoughtful pockets that close with secure magnets, providing an intuitive place to stash keys and transit cards on a day-to-day basis. Unlike so many of its luxury competitors, it features a durable fabric lining, which is going to be infinitely easier to clean when I inevitably spill something inside it. And to my unfailing delight, a sturdy zipper lets out a satisfying purr every time I pull the hardware closed.

Yet, what truly sealed the deal was a small detail tucked inside: the care card. It proudly proclaims, "We also offer a yearly checkup service to give your Métier special attention to promote its longevity." It is a remarkably confident proclamation from a brand that has only been in existence for nine years, and it was exceptionally great news for someone of my particular clumsiness. I fully intend to hold onto this bag for a very, very long time.