Nearly two months ago, Moshi, the west coast maker of premium backpacks and bags, headphones, mobile device cases, and other digital lifestyle products, introduced their Summer 2017 Travel Collection. If you’re familiar with this website, then you know that we’re fans of this lifestyle brand. With Summer in full swing across America, what better opportunity than now to review their latest offerings. So without further delay, let’s take a closer look at the first of two recently released products in this Moshi Costa travel bag review.
• Modern look, lightweight design
• Durable fabrics and weather-resistant materials
• Crush-resistant front pocket
• Ample padding where needed
• Designed for both men and women
• Four color schemes available
• Price may be deemed high by some
Moshi Costa Travel Bag Review
Per the press release: “Moshi has announced two new bags, Vacanza and Costa, as part of its Summer Collection tailored for the modern traveler. Whether it’s for business or a short trip to the beach, the new collection combines Moshi’s minimalist style and thoughtful functionality to add a level of ease and sophistication to your journey.”
As Moshi is a premium product brand, I felt the need to compare their Costa work/travel bag against those from Grafea, Kelly Moore, ONA Bags, just to name a few. Visit a large department store like Nordstrom or Lord & Taylor, or any of the above-stated brands’ websites or Amazon for that matter, and you’ll see that the Costa stands tall against these smaller, upscale brands. It turns out that this work/travel satchel is well-priced against the competition.
One Handsome Urban Work/Weekend Travel Bag
As I’ve stated on numerous occasions when referencing Moshi backpacks and bags, when I say this travel satchel looks great, it’s not an overstatement.
If you’ve spent some time looking at Moshi’s bags and backpacks, then you’ll have noticed that the exterior of the Costa is made from the same high-resilience polyester materials with the same weather-resistant surface treatment that appear on Moshi’s 2017 bags and backpacks. The similarities don’t end there. The Bahama Blue color that graces the Urbana briefcase also appears on this product.
Starting with its front side, the Costa travel bag comes with a crush-resistant compartment. It has two faux-adjustable straps with magnetic latches, and is sized at 12″ x 6″ x 1.5″. There’s a sleeve for business and identification cards and one pen within. Like you, as someone who travels around with a pair of glasses, sunglasses, and numerous mobile devices such as a phone and in-ear headphones, I often worry about their condition when stored. Now you can worry less.
Note: This is not the first Moshi product with a crush-resistant feature. The Arcus backpack and Avanti headphones come with a crush-resistant case. It’s some strong protection. There’s also the now-standard square ‘moshi’ logo on the compartment.
On the rear, there’s a trolley strap making airport travel less adventurous as well as three hidden pockets. These pockets are unnoticeable until you feel around the surface. My recommendation would be not to put anything beyond slips of paper so as not to change the shape of the pockets.
What you won’t see on this satchel beyond the 19″ top zipper are any additional zippers. Plus, there are no water bottle holders. They’re just not needed on the Costa. Both metal zipper handles have an embossed surface for better grip.
On the underside, there’s a thicker, more durable padded surface to protect contents against drops. To protect the high-resilience polyester material from getting dirty, scuffed, or worse, the bag’s underside has two rubber feet.
Closing out the exterior are the satchel’s vegan leather handles as well as the long, durable, adjustable, and removable shoulder strap with a well-padded, sliding, and removable shoulder cushion. This shoulder protection is identical to that on the Aerio and Urbana bags. What you may not notice is the proprietary ViscoStrap™. This viscoelastic strap was designed to mitigate shoulder strain by as much as 30%. As someone who uses shoulder and messenger bags regularly, it’s good to have a product which can alleviate some of that strain.
As stated in the past Moshi reviews, “The zippers and straps are of high-quality, and the stitching is put together well.” This work/travel bag comes in four color patterns: Sandstone Beige, Slate Black, Bahama Blue, and Granite Gray. I’ve seen all four colors, and they’re equally attractive.
What’s On The Inside
The inside of the Costa is broken down into three compartments. The first is a thickly padded laptop compartment which protects your 15″ laptop in case of drops. Should the bag get upside down with the zipper open, you need not worry about the laptop sliding out. The Velcro strap holds it in place. There are also three pockets with padding on one side.
The second is a 10″ zippered section which can hold your smallest iPad or Android tablet. This pocket is padded only on one side. I would have preferred both sides being padded, but it may not be necessary. If you choose to, use this zippered pocket to store identification cards, wallet, passport, etc. as there is no true discrete pocket in the travel bag.
The third and final compartment is 5.5″ wide at the bottom and deep. It’s able to hold clothing, footwear, over-ear headphones, and a meal. It was surprising how much we could place in the bag while still maintaining its stylish appearance. There’s even an adjustment strap on one side.
The lining of this Moshi bag is luxurious, and it’s throughout their 2017 lineup. It’s exactly like what you see on similar, stylish bags 2-3x higher in price, for example, from the likes of Tumi. What’s different this time around is the lining color has changed. On the Spring 2017 bags we’ve reviewed, the lining was tan-colored. With the Costa, the color is a light-to-medium gray, yet lighter than its Granite Gray exterior.
You even get a large storage bag for the Costa. In our sample, the color is medium-gray. If you’re not using the satchel for an extended period, store it, and prevent it from getting accidentally damaged around your home. Moreover, cover the Costa when storing it in an airplane’s storage bin.
It’s these little things that set the premium brands apart from the lesser rivals.
This bag weighs 37 oz and has dimensions of 20.08″ x 5.91″ x 11.81″. For you Metric System users, the weight is 1.05 kilograms, and its dimensions are 51 x 15 x 30 cm.
Conclusion
Let’s say it’s a Friday, and as an example, you’re about to take a train ride to Portland, ME or Hyannis, MA from Boston. Follow that up with a ferry ride to some island. Ask yourself this question, would this be the ideal weekend getaway travel bag for you?
The Moshi Costa work/travel bag delivers much with its stylish and spacious design. If you’re an urban professional or quick getaway traveler who likes to accessorize with a great-looking product, then I believe you’ll be quite pleased with the Costa. When compared to work/travel bags from other premium brands, I believe the $150 price tag is enticing. Feel free to compare this bag to those from more expensive or established brands. Only then will you know you’ve come to the right decision.
Both colors (patterns) of the Costa work/travel satchel are available for purchase on either Amazon (see link below), B&H, or the Moshi website.
Based on everything above, Moshi’s Costa is one handsome work or travel accessory and hands down a must for this Summer, and for many to come. If you’re into larger weekender bags, then I would direct you to Moshi’s Vacanza.
What do you think of this Moshi Costa travel bag review? Do you agree or disagree that this is one of the best carry-on travel bags for men or women since its introduction in May 2017? Let us know in the comment section below or via social media. We’re eager to hear your thoughts.
Don’t hesitate to head over to the Moshi press page to see their latest product announcements. To learn more about service and support, click here for their Support page. There’s a one-year limited warranty on all Moshi products. There’s also an extended warranty via product registration. We highly advise you take advantage of this.
FTC Disclosure: Moshi provided Beantown LLC with one (1) Costa travel satchel sample for review purposes. This writer’s opinion is 100% his own and not a paid product ambassador.
All photographs are the copyrighted property of Moshi © 2017.