When travelling, safety is very important. I always carry a day backpack wherever I go. Hiking through the mountains, or exploring a new city, I always have a small backpack with me. As an admirer of anti-theft backpacks I got to experience using the Bobby Duffle Bag by XD Design and in this blog you can read how I experienced using it.
A few years back, when I was preparing a road trip to the USA, visiting cities like Las Vegas, San Francisco and LA, I came across an anti-theft backpack. I had never heard of it before, but the term ‘anti-theft’ immediately had my attention.
After doing some research I ended up with the Bobby backpack by XD Design. They had just launched a very successful Kickstarter back in 2016 when I decided I wanted to try their anti-theft backpack myself.
About XD Design
XD Design is a proud Dutch brand, selling their products in over 50 countries worldwide. At XD Design they design smart everyday travel wear to empower the modern nomads to feel safe, stay connected and organized and move responsibly.
Sustainability is engraved into their DNA. With the greatest responsibility for our planet, they use the best materials and packaging available on the market. By buying XD Design products you join them in the way to a sustainable journey and make a positive impact.
Sustainability – responsible travel
To start, each XD Design sustainable backpack is made out of 31 reused water bottles. And with the technology behind the backpack production they reduce the use of water being used to produce the backpacks.
Secondly, XD Design supports JUSTDIGGIT by donating 1 euro of every sustainable backpack sold.
JustDiggit is a non-profit organization that jumpstarts landscape restoration programs with a positive climate impact. JustDiggit makes dry land green again by inspiring and activating farmers in Africa.
Each XD Design sustainable backpack regreens 226 m2 of dry lands and increases water availability in 4.600 L. Wanna give back? Buying an XD Design backpack is a way of doing so!
Bobby Original Backpack XD Design
It’s the backpack that started the journey for XD Design, the Bobby Original backpack. A perfect sized backpack for everyday use. Ideal for students to take their stuff to school, ideal as a day-to-day bag for work but also the great for traveling the world.
As I mentioned before, I was really looking for a backpack to safely store and take my valuables and belongings with me. The anti-theft feature of this backpack is what got me really excited.
The key features of this backpack include hidden zippers and pockets, cut resistant, integrated USB charging port, water repellent, shock proof compartments and it fits a tablet or laptop.
The best thing is, while carrying the Bobby Original on your back that you cannot see the zippers. They are hidden and are impossible to reach without you noticing it. For me, that’s just perfect. It makes me feel very safe when walking through a busy and crowded city, with all my valuables in my backpack, knowing they are actually safe in there.
Best features of the XD Design Bobby Duffle Bag
There are two types of travelers, the suitcase type and the backpack type. I must admit, I’m the suitcase type of traveler. Over the years I invested heavily in good suitcases.
Yes, more than one, as I have one for long-haul flights and big trips, and I have a smaller one for the many city trips we always do. Although I am a real suitcase traveler, it sometimes can be hard or less handy to travel with a suitcase.
For example, when you have your hotel in the middle of the city center, surrounded by cobbled stone streets. These are the moments when I sometimes think, a decent backpack wouldn’t be such a bad thing after all.
After using the XD Design Bobby Original Backpack for almost 5 years now, luckily enough XD Design decided to give me one of their most advanced and best options for those city trips, the Bobby Duffle Bag.
And of course, as mentioned before, the Bobby Duffle Bag from XD Design also is a sustainable and eco-friendly bag made by using recycled pet bottles!
I have to admit, I might have become a more backpack type after using this Bobby Duffle Bag for a while. It’s a big bag, it fits everything you need for a weekend away and has some very clever features that make the bag even more useful!
Anti-Theft
For me, the most important reason for buying XD Design products in the first place, the anti-theft features. The Bobby Duffle Bag has no access on the front, hidden zippers and hidden pockets. When carrying the Duffle on your back there is no way someone would get access, they wouldn’t even find the zippers to start with!
Lockable zippers
Talking about zippers, the Duffle Bag has lockable zippers, which is a real bonus as the Original Bobby doesn’t have this option. The zippers are suitable for an extra lock, which is however not included.
When carrying this bag as a day bag this has no real added value. However, when taking this bag along as carry-on bag on an airplane where you leave it in the overhead bins, it might give you some extra comfort being able to lock your bag properly.
Multiple carrying options
The Bobby Duffle Bag is multi-usable as it has multiple carrying options, which I like as it gives you more options to use the bag. To start you can use it as a regular backpack, as we all know it with two straps.
You can also click off the shoulder straps and hide them on the back, transforming the backpack into a duffle bag, carrying the bag by the handle.
You can also transform it into a crossover bag. Just click off one shoulder strap and hide it on the back, and now you have the crossover bag. Whatever feels best to you, the Bobby Duffle Bag offers it.
Water repellent
Every traveler has to deal with weather conditions. We all love good weather, warm temperatures and sunshine, but we all experience some rainfall every now and then. No worries, the Bobby Duffle Bag is water repellent keeping your essentials dry. Plus, it makes it very easy to clean your bag.
Cut resistant
The outside materials of the Bobby Duffle Bag, and of all XD Design products, are made of cut resistant material. So even if they want to cut through your bag looking for stuff, it won’t happen!
Quick access pocket
The bag has several quick access pockets, which gives it all away, it gives you quick and easy access to some of your belongings. On the back you also have a tablet pocket with zip to store it but have quick access to at the same time.
Bottom shoe pocket
To be honest, I always use shoe bags from previous hotels to pack my shoes without making my clothes dirty. Guess what, XD Design has thought of that as well when they designed the Duffle Bag.
At the bottom of the bag they have a shoe pocket which perfectly fits one pair of shoes. Problem solved!
RFID protected pocket
The quick access pocket on the back is a RFID protected pocket at the same time. It’s safe to store passports, credit cards or driver’s license without being at risk of being scammed.
Top waterproof pocket
I actually really like this feature, as I have never seen anything like it on any other anti-theft bag. The Bobby Duffle Bag has a waterproof pocket at the top. It’s the perfect place to store your wet umbrella after it’s stopped raining or when visiting a museum or shop. Really clever!
Sternum strap
It’s not the main feature I look for when buying a new anti-theft backpack, but it is something I use even more than I realize to be honest. The sternum strap disperses the weight of your backpack, preventing your shoulders from getting too sore, and keeping the shoulder straps in place ensuring that they do not slide off your shoulders.
The shoulder straps also have a card pocket and sunglasses / earphone holder.
Divider & organizational panel
When opening the Bobby Duffle Bag, you’ll find an organizational panel with padded compartments for laptop, tablet and other accessories. The main compartment has detachable internal dividers for different organizing options. It makes packing a lot more fun and your bag a lot more organized.
Internationally approved carry-on size
Last but not least, the Bobby Duffle Bag fits as an internationally approved carry-on size. Very important for travelers that travel light and travel with hand luggage only, this is your new travel essential! For me it means it’s the only bag I need to take with me when going on a short city trip abroad.
XD Design Bobby Duffle Bag Review
I already had the Bobby Original backpack which I am very happy with, but I was lucky enough to be given this bag by XD Design to use and test it extensively.
So, when I got the opportunity to try this addition to the XD Design family, I couldn’t have been more enthusiastic. Taking the bag with me on my travels has been great so far, it fits everything I need and it fits as much as a carry on suitcase. For me, most of the time on city trips I now prefer the Bobby Duffle Bag as it’s so much easier to take with me.
I must admit, I do miss the external side pouch to carry a water bottle or umbrella. I always take re-usable water bottles with me, and an external side pouch is just the perfect place to keep them while traveling.
Funny story on how good the anti-theft features on these bags actually work. During one of my trips I forgot to take a bottle of water out of my backpack before going through customs. As you know, no liquids allowed!
Obviously, my bag was separated to see what was in there. Trained security guards had no idea how to get into the backpack, so I eventually opened it for them. With that in mind, I definitely feel safe travelling the world with the XD Design anti-theft bags.
By buying a XD Design backpack, you’re not only buying a fashionable and safe backpack, you’re also contributing to our environment and a better world, how cool is that!
This blog was written by travel writer and Traveltomtom team member Ashley, check out her Instagram. She received the Bobby Duffle Anti-Theft Travelbag from XD Design to test extensively and to write this review.