So here’s a confession: I like bags. Like, I really like bags. It’s taken a lot of self-restraint to keep the number bags I own to what it is, and even then it’s still too many for me to realistically use. When I first saw the Gouache Harvey Bag, I fell in love because it looked like the perfect size for a day bag.
Gouche is a local brand that makes water resistant bags for cameras. They’ve long since expanded their line to include camera straps, pouches, knap sacks and lunch bags but everything is still made with their signature treated leather and waxed canvas.
From their website:
“Gouache started with our Camera Bags through a local crowdsourcing site THE SPARK PROJECT. We saw the need for good stylish camera bag at a reasonable price and so we decided to explore the opportunity and make these bags ourselves. We had a vision of working hand-in-hand with local artisans and bag makers to create stylish specialty bags that can stand out in the market. Through the support of the SPARK PROJECT team and our generous backers, we were able to raise enough funds to start the production of the first batch of GOUACHE bags.
From the concept of the camera bags, Gouache now carries several product lines designed to complement the urban lifestyle.”
The Harvey Bag is a bigger version of their Holga Bag but smaller than their City Bag, all obviously designed to hold in a compact mirrorless camera and a couple of lenses. When I bought this I didn’t own a mirrorless camera just yet, but I’ve always had a soft spot for messenger-type bags and it looked sturdy enough for my travel needs. Hey, if it’s meant to lug around heavy cameras and lenses, it could probably stand to carry my daily needs when I’m out exploring a new city, right?
I actually had a hard time choosing the color – it came in Khaki, Brown, Fatigue Green and Asphalt – because they all looked so good. I ended up choosing the Khaki because I thought that it would be the easiest to pair with outfits.
Being designed to protect delicate cameras, the inside is fully lined with water repellant padding, which made it perfect since I always carry a bottle of water when I was out and about. One less thing to worry about as the condensation from my usually cold bottle wouldn’t mess around with my passport and my wallet. There are three compartments but the dividers can be removed or adjusted as they’re attached by velcros. I usually just used all three compartments; one for my water bottle, one for my wallet, hand sanitizer, wet wipes and my Nikon P310, and one for my scarf (you never know when it’d get chilly) and my sun glasses. There’s also a sleeve on the inside that can fit an iPad Mini, but I just used it to store my passport and flight papers.
There’s a sleeve on the outside that I really like because it lays really snugly around the back of the bag. I used this compartment to store my Passmo card when I was in Japan, along with the items I usually reach for the most – my lip balm and my phone. All my items felt really secure; they probably wouldn’t have budged even if I turned the bag upside down and since the sleeve sat on the back of the bag, all my items were close to my body at all times.
The snap in the front feels really sturdy, the leather and metal accents giving the bag an added luxurious edge. It’s not that difficult to clasp and unclasp but you’d certainly feel it if somebody else was trying to open your bag to swipe the items inside.
I particularly like the metal hooks they used to attach the straps. I always carry around a cap with me when I’m travelling and I just hook it in there when I’m not using it, saving it from being misshapen because I crammed it inside the bag.
The best part of the bag, of course, is that it’s made of waxed canvas. I took this bag with me when I went to Japan last year and it actually rained a couple of days while I was there. It was very refreshing to not worry that much about the contents of your bag, knowing full well that there’s a layer of waxed material between your gadgets and the rain. I’m not sure how it would hold up under a torrential downpour but I don’t think I’d risk it.
All in all I’m very much satisfied with the Gouache Harvey Bag and highly recommend it to any traveler who’s looking for a small day bag. It’s a bit pricey but it is incredibly sturdy and can hold in a lot of stuff securely while being water resistant. What more can you ask for?
Check more products from the Gouache Company Facebook page.
