Ladies are all the time going someplace. To the workplace. To the subsequent assembly. To high school drop-off. To the airport. To a different model of ourselves.
We feature lots alongside the way in which. A laptop computer. A passport. Chargers that in some way multiply. Lip balm. Sun shades. Notes for the subsequent assembly.
So I’m choosy concerning the bag that carries all of it. I’ve a kind. Sure, I mentioned it.
Properly-traveled. Properly-organized. Exceptionally handsome. Nonetheless sharp at 7 p.m. on a Thursday.
I met KAAI in Brussels in 2020, midway by a three-year stopover between Singapore and Dubai. I fell for the Belgian model’s work baggage instantly. I’m Belgian, so maybe I’m biased. Then once more, town that gave trend the Antwerp Six is aware of a factor or two about design.
Kaai is Dutch for quay: the place ships arrive and depart, the place you’re briefly between right here and some place else. For six years, KAAI has been my quay. A well-known place to begin from, wherever I’m headed subsequent.
I like my Pyramid. Structured. Regular. Unshakable.
The Voyager is its extra relaxed youthful sister: softer across the edges, wider on the high, and, like all KAAI baggage, happiest on the transfer.
She is aware of the place the passport is. The pen. The keys you swore you misplaced. And she or he nonetheless appears to be like composed after a packed commute and a full day of conferences.
The romance is within the voyage. The truth is within the particulars. A superb bag has to deal with each.
On this KAAI Voyager evaluate, I’ll inform you how she dealt with mine.
Why are you able to belief Luxe Digital? Luxe Digital’s founder, Belgian entrepreneur Florine Eppe Beauloye, first found KAAI in 2020 throughout a three-year stint in Brussels, between life in Singapore and Dubai. Since then, we’ve put many KAAI baggage to the check, from the Pyramid to the Horizon. Think about us devoted KAAI regulars.
For extra on how we check merchandise, see our HAPPY philosophy for purchasing luxuries.
Unboxing: The artwork of first impressions
I’ll admit it upfront: in terms of work baggage, I’m #TeamStructured.
Slouchy totes that collapse the second you set them down? Swipe left.
So the Voyager had me earlier than she was even out of the field.
First impression: she appears to be like precisely like my sort. Clear strains. A large, assured base. Polished, however by no means making an attempt too onerous.
Then got here the element that tells you every little thing about KAAI.
Every metallic foot arrives in its personal little silicone cowl, protected earlier than it has even touched a flooring. Would anybody discover if these covers weren’t there? In all probability not.
KAAI considered it anyway.
She arrives nestled in a branded mud bag, prepared for storage. Though, let’s be sincere, I don’t anticipate she’ll spend a lot time in it. That is the sort of work bag you attain for much extra typically than you place away.
That’s consideration to element. And on a primary date, consideration is every little thing.
Her profile
Identify: KAAI Voyager
Group: #TeamStructured
Occupation: Excessive flyer
Highest quality: Grace underneath stress
Love language: Group
Inexperienced flags: Gentle suede. A full-length zip. These tiny silicone foot covers.
Purple flag: She gained’t make room for a big laptop computer.
Superb date: Workplace → dinner → enterprise lounge
Relationship standing: It’s getting severe.
Supplies & craftsmanship: Gentle on the floor, severe beneath
Seems to be acquired her a second date. Substance is what retains her round.
The Voyager is produced from 100% Italian suede, and it feels each bit nearly as good because it appears to be like. However the element that will get me each time is what occurs whenever you open her up: KAAI’s signature blue micro-suede lining. Velvety, heat and ridiculously satisfying to the touch.
The remaining is simply as thought of. Gold-tone {hardware}. A full-width metallic zip. A strengthened base on metallic toes, so she holds her form and stands upright on her personal.
And since good design ought to have a conscience, KAAI sources its leathers from Leather-based Working Group (LWG) licensed tanneries, that are assessed towards environmental requirements for leather-based manufacturing.
Gentle on the floor. Severe beneath.
That’s a mixture I can get behind.
Aesthetic & design: Softness, power and construction
The branding is splendidly delicate, and it’s one thing I’ve all the time beloved about KAAI baggage. Only a refined silhouette, timeless design and an magnificence that feels utterly easy. There’s no have to shout when the standard speaks this clearly — you see it within the supplies, really feel it within the particulars and spot it in the way in which every little thing comes collectively.
What drew me in was the quiet confidence of the design, and the contrasts that give it character.
Velvety suede towards croc-effect leather-based on the handles and base. Matte towards gloss. Gentle towards structured.
And isn’t that the attraction of a multifaceted lady? Power and softness. Polish and practicality. Figuring out when to carry your floor and when to flow.
The Voyager has that very same tender energy. It doesn’t select between stunning and succesful. Neither ought to we.
KAAI designs its baggage in Antwerp, Belgium, and its collections have lengthy performed with Artwork Deco geometry. The Pyramid wears it most brazenly. The Voyager carries a quieter model: a large base, a beneficiant opening and thought of proportions that aren’t chasing no matter is trending this season.
Structured, however by no means stiff. Very a lot #TeamStructured, with out the rigidity.
There’s a transparent household resemblance to the Pyramid, however the Voyager is the extra relaxed youthful sister. The Pyramid has the stronger geometry. The Voyager softens the strains and opens up on the high. Much less architectural. Extra easygoing.
That’s what I like most about her.
The magnificence doesn’t announce itself. It simply reveals up. Every single day.
Colours & sizes: What’s your order?
Mine is Suede Espresso, a deep, heat brown that sits someplace between an energizing espresso shot and an indulgent mocha. Wealthy sufficient to have presence, tender sufficient to work with nearly every little thing.
And it’s a primary for me.
After years of carrying KAAI in clean leather-based, that is my first KAAI in suede. I wasn’t certain I’d make the change, however the texture adjustments the entire temper of the bag. A little bit softer. A little bit extra tactile. A little bit extra laid-back.
If espresso isn’t your order, the full-size Voyager additionally is available in Grained Black, Grained Darkish Burgundy, Suede City Sage and Gentle Croco Black.
Then there’s the Mini Voyager: the identical structured silhouette, scaled down, with a bit of extra versatility inbuilt. High handles for carrying it your approach, plus a removable crossbody strap whenever you need your fingers free. The Mini is available in a fair broader palette, together with Suede Merlot and Eel Deep Teal.
Whether or not your wardrobe speaks espresso, merlot, black or one thing extra adventurous, there’s a Voyager in your order.
Performance: Every part as a replacement, in any time zone
Being on the transfer sounds romantic.
The truth? Free charging cables. A water bottle that has in some way leaked. And a bag that collapses the second you set it down.
The Voyager’s reply begins on the high.
The broad opening is its most sensible characteristic, and the one I’d miss most. Unzip it and every little thing is correct in entrance of you: laptop computer, charger, telephone, pocket book, lip balm. No digging. No excavating. No tipping the whole contents of your bag onto a café desk searching for your keys.
Much less rummaging. Extra readability.
Inside, KAAI’s signature compartments give all of the small issues a house, whereas the full-width metallic zip retains every little thing the place it belongs whenever you’re on the transfer.
The main points that make the distinction:
- A full-width padded laptop computer sleeve (with a Velcro flap closure) for gadgets as much as 13.4” broad.
- An elastic inside sleeve that retains a water bottle or umbrella standing upright.
- A beneficiant zipped outer pocket for no matter you attain for many. Mine holds my telephone and passport once I’m touring, two issues I don’t need buried three layers deep.
- A removable key strap. As a result of the important thing to a peaceable arrival house is figuring out precisely the place your keys are.
- Steel toes on a strengthened base. She stands upright wherever I put her down, with out touching the ground.
The handles slip comfortably over the shoulder. They don’t pull or sag when the bag is full. One factor to know: at 3.3 lb empty, she’s not featherlight. Totally packed for a protracted day, you’ll really feel the burden by night.
And right here’s what I’d desire a buddy to inform me: my massive laptop computer doesn’t match the devoted sleeve. If you happen to carry a 15” or 16” laptop computer, it’ll have to go in the principle compartment, or keep dwelling.
That’s the trade-off. The Voyager isn’t weightless, and he or she isn’t designed round an enormous laptop computer.
What she does provide you with is one thing I worth extra with each journey: much less friction.
From work to weekend.
From conferences to me-time.
From the departure lounge to the dinner reservation.
Every part as a replacement. Wherever you’re going subsequent.
Care & upkeep: A little bit repairs retains the romance alive
Going suede means giving up one thing I like about KAAI’s clean leather-based baggage: that low-maintenance, scratch-resistant, waterproof end.
In actual life, which means a espresso spill wipes away, an overhead bin is much less of a risk, and a sudden downpour doesn’t damage your day.
With the Voyager in suede, I’ve traded a few of that toughness for softness.
It’s not as delicate because it sounds. The suede comes pre-treated with a water-repellent end, so she’s able to go straight out of the mud bag. To maintain that safety working, KAAI recommends refreshing the suede each 6 to 9 months.
My recommendation?
In case your days contain a number of rain or a toddler armed with a juice field, go for the grained leather-based model.
If you happen to’re keen to provide suede a couple of minutes of consideration twice a 12 months, the softness is value it.
Some relationships simply want a bit of upkeep.
Value: An extended-term love affair
The Voyager in Suede Espresso is $895. The grained leather-based variations are $795, and Gentle Croco Black is $1,095.
That’s luxury-bag territory. I gained’t faux in any other case.
However that is the place my years with KAAI are available in.
My sister and I’ve each had our KAAI Pyramids for six years and counting. They’ve traveled, labored, been carried, put down, picked up and usually lived actual lives with us. So when KAAI talks about making baggage that final, I’ve one thing extra helpful than a promise to go on: expertise.
Then there’s what’s really within the Voyager. Italian suede from LWG-certified tanneries. A full-width metallic zip. A padded laptop computer sleeve. Steel toes. Compartments that imply your keys by no means disappear into the underside of the bag.
You’re not paying for a emblem. You’re paying for the main points you utilize on daily basis, and in a piece bag, these particulars add up.
So I give it some thought in price per put on. Carry it 5 days every week for 5 years and that’s round 1,250 days, or about 70 cents a day. Lower than your morning Italian espresso, and each bit as energizing. Mine simply occurs to return in suede.
Versatile. Superbly made. Constructed to final.
For me, that’s the place the worth is.
Verify value: Value: An extended-term love affair at KAAIat KAAI · Aggressive costs
The place to purchase the KAAI Voyager
The KAAI Voyager, together with the remainder of the gathering, is on the market to buy instantly from KAAI.
For the story behind the model, learn our KAAI model profile.
Verify value: The place to purchase the KAAI Voyager at KAAIat KAAI · Quick, dependable supply
Who’s the Voyager greatest for
Voyager (n.): a traveler heading someplace far, and sometimes unknown.
The Voyager is for the girl who’s all the time going someplace.
She could be heading to a gathering, a flight, a faculty run and a consumer dinner, all in the identical day. She carries her workplace on her shoulder: laptop computer, charger, pocket book, telephone, passport and a dozen small necessities she refuses to depart dwelling with out.
She desires one bag that strikes together with her, from boarding gate to boardroom, from Monday morning to Friday departure, with out trying prefer it’s been by both.
If you happen to’re #TeamStructured, you might have simply discovered your match.
However right here’s who I wouldn’t suggest it for:
You carry a 15” or 16” laptop computer. The devoted sleeve gained’t take it. It’ll slot in the principle compartment, but when a correct laptop computer sleeve is non-negotiable, have a look at the Pyramid or Horizon under.
You need zero climate anxiousness. In case your days contain numerous rain, select the Pyramid, whose handled leather-based shrugs off water, or the grained leather-based Voyager.
You wish to go utterly hands-free. The total-size Voyager is a top-handle and shoulder bag, not a crossbody. The Mini Voyager comes with a removable crossbody strap.
Briefly: she’s for the girl who likes her days busy, her bag organized and her model structured.
If that sounds such as you, you already know she’s your sort.
Ultimate ideas: Prepared for the journey forward
Voyage, voyage… The track dreamed of going far. The Voyager is about making the journey itself a bit of simpler: arriving together with your laptop computer, passport, charger, lip balm and every little thing else you in some way want alongside the way in which.
KAAI shares its identify with the marina, the place the place a voyage begins. KAAI has been a well-known place to begin between wherever I’ve been and wherever I’m going subsequent.
Possibly that’s the purpose of being a voyager.
You don’t all the time have to know precisely the place you’re going.
You simply must be able to go.
Alternate options to the KAAI Voyager
KAAI Pyramid
If you happen to love the KAAI method to group however want one thing extra architectural, the Pyramid is the pure various, on the similar $895. Its handled clean leather-based resists scratches, water and UV, and it takes bigger laptops than the Voyager. I’ve carried mine for years, and I nonetheless love its structured silhouette, intelligent compartments and distinctive geometric form.
Learn our KAAI Pyramid evaluate for extra particulars.
KAAI Horizon
In case your laptop computer is huge and your journey plans even larger, the Horizon is your reply. It suits as much as a 16” laptop computer, contains a baggage strap for rolling suitcases, and is available in suede espresso too, for $995.
Learn our KAAI Horizon evaluate for extra particulars.
Cuyana Simple Tote
For one thing altogether extra relaxed, the Cuyana Simple Tote takes a unique method. It’s light-weight, uncomplicated and designed as a straightforward on a regular basis carryall somewhat than a structured organizer. If you happen to are inclined to throw every little thing into one spacious compartment and go, or just want a softer silhouette, it’s a compelling various. The Basic and Tall sizes take as much as a 16” laptop computer. The catch is group. For the sort of compartments the Voyager has as normal, you’ll want so as to add Cuyana’s tote insert, offered individually ($118).
Learn our Cuyana Simple Tote evaluate for extra particulars.
