Reviews You Can Rely On

Egoelife Canvas Review

This small bag is nothing fancy, but it's comfortable and easy to use, and is perfect for anyone that just needs a casual, non-technical day bag
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egoelife canvas messenger bag review
Credit: Amazon
Price:  $24 List
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Manufacturer:   Egoelife
By Penney Garrett ⋅ Senior Review Editor  ⋅  Jan 15, 2020
57
OVERALL
SCORE
  • Comfort - 25% 6.0
  • Packing & Organization - 25% 7.0
  • Electronics - 15% 2.0
  • Ease of Use - 15% 8.0
  • Wear & Tear - 10% 3.0
  • Volume to Weight Ratio - 10% 6.0

Our Verdict

The Egoelife Canvas is a humble canvas bag that's surprisingly comfortable and easy to organize. It holds more than it seems it should but is compact enough to look and feel unobtrusive. It isn't ideal for electronics because there's no dedicated sleeve and zero weather-proofing, but we did fit up to a 13" laptop in the main compartment and a large power cord in one of the front pockets. While not incredibly durable, if you need something for books or casual everyday use, the ample pockets and user-friendly layout of this highly affordable bag will be sufficient.
REASONS TO BUY
Cheap
Comfortable
Easy to use and organize
REASONS TO AVOID
No weather-protection
No laptop sleeve
Not very durable

Our Analysis and Test Results

The Egoelife is a simple book bag. About as unpretentious as it gets, it's ideal for a student or professional without a lot of electronics.

Performance Comparison


egoelife canvas messenger bag review - casual and comfortable, the unassuming egoelife is super cheap and...
Casual and comfortable, the unassuming Egoelife is super cheap and perfectly adequate for simple use scenarios.
Credit: Penney Garrett

Comfort


At first glance, we didn't expect much from this small and flimsy canvas bag, but it's surprisingly comfortable! Despite having zero shoulder strap padding, it distributes weight very effectively, even when packed heavy. It's also the perfect size to sit squarely in the small of the back without poking anywhere. It does not have a crossbody strap, but for simple bike rides, it stays in place, probably due to the non-slippy nature of the canvas.

egoelife canvas messenger bag review - even packed to the gills with a laptop and book, the egoelife laid...
Even packed to the gills with a laptop and book, the Egoelife laid comfortably on our back.
Credit: Penney Garrett

Packing & Organization


This is another category where we ended up pleasantly surprised. For how light and flimsy the Egoelife is, organization feels intuitive and well laid out. There's a zippered pocket on the outside front and back, and the two large pockets under the flap are ample. The interior has another small zip pocket and two thin drop pockets. The drop pockets don't feel useful for much because the lining is thin and baggy, but there are quite a few good options. There aren't any pen/pencil sleeves, so a separate pouch for small items might be a wise addition.

egoelife canvas messenger bag review - despite being small and not optimized for electronics, the egoelife...
Despite being small and not optimized for electronics, the Egoelife has useful pockets that work for most any assortment of belongings.
Credit: Penney Garrett

Electronics


You can absolutely put electronics in the Egoelife; we fit a 13" Macbook, but this isn't an optimal bag for such things. There's no laptop sleeve or padding, and the material is not weather-resistant in the slightest. If you need to bring your gadgets along every once in a while, you will be fine (the pockets work well for cords and such), but if you plan to have a computer with you every single day, this isn't the most optimal option.

egoelife canvas messenger bag review - we fit a 13" laptop in the egoelife but there's no dedicated sleeve...
We fit a 13" laptop in the Egoelife but there's no dedicated sleeve and the corners stay visibly exposed.
Credit: Penney Garrett

Ease of Use


No doubt about it, this bag is easy to use. There's nothing complicated or technical, just the basics here.

egoelife canvas messenger bag review - it doesn't get much simpler than this bag.
It doesn't get much simpler than this bag.
Credit: Penney Garrett

Wear & Tear


The Egoelife is just a simple canvas bag with a fabric liner. The canvas is decently thick, but it doesn't have any coating or treatment to keep water out or stains from soaking in. With casual use, this bag will no doubt last for many years, but if you're hard on your gear or in inclement weather often, this isn't the bag for you.

egoelife canvas messenger bag review - our water tests showed that this bag doesn't keep much out.
Our water tests showed that this bag doesn't keep much out.
Credit: Penney Garrett

Volume to Weight Ratio


This bag weighs 1.43 pounds, and we measured the volume to be about 10 liters. This is a decent volume to weight ratio, but not stellar. That being said, the interior packs well, so even with less capacity than other bags in our review, we didn't feel overly constrained.

egoelife canvas messenger bag review - despite not being very large, we rarely had an issue fitting all the...
Despite not being very large, we rarely had an issue fitting all the things needed for a day out and about with this bag. As long as you only need the essentials and don't have to also pack lunch and a change of clothes, you should be golden.
Credit: Penney Garrett

Value


This is the current cheapest bag in our review by a long shot. No, it doesn't have fancy features, weatherproofing, or a ton of space, but for simple and casual day to day use, it's great, and the cost is hard to beat.

Conclusion


The Egoelife isn't fancy, but it doesn't claim to be. If your needs are simple and non-technical, there's no reason why this ridiculously cheap bookbag can't cover all your bases. The pockets are useful, it's comfortable, and it's as easy to use as can be. Just don't expect it to keep your electronics very safe or be able to weather a storm.

egoelife canvas messenger bag review - simple days and simple pleasures are well paired with the egoelife.
Simple days and simple pleasures are well paired with the Egoelife.
Credit: Penney Garrett

Penney Garrett