Soon after I started working with Ashley Leahy to get my eating habits back on track, I realized that relying on shelf-stable tuna packets and protein powders when I travel (which is every week) just wasn’t going to cut it. I turned to Instagram for a little fitspiration on which meal management system to buy. I found a lot of great options that carried a TON of food and would easily keep it cold on a long-haul flight to LA, but the idea of adding another piece of luggage to what I already have to schelp into a hotel room was overwhelming.
As soon as I saw the Renee Tote by Six Pack Bags, I was in love. It was perfect! A tote that carries 4 meals and has a laptop compartment?!? The price tag was less perfect – $159 – for a lunch bag.
But, this was more than a lunch bag. I wouldn’t think twice about paying this much for a nice designer bag to carry my computer and other essentials in, so why was this bugging me so much? After reading blog after blog after blog reviewing the bag and still not being sure if it would work for me, I bit the bullet and ordered it. Worst case, I would pay the restocking fee to return it.
Best. Decision. Ever. I’ve been using this bag for 6 months now and I love it so much, I’ve considered buying a second just to have another color (fortunately for my wallet, I’ve refrained).
The bag easily holds 4 meals, plus a few extras in the space around the containers, like oatmeal and tuna packets. The cooler compartment keeps food cold for around 10 hours, although the ice packs are normally defrosted within 8.
Exterior slim pockets are a great place to store your phone, ID, or boarding pass for easy access. The front zip pockets keep little items in one place. Need some gum? Within reach. Always losing pens? They’ve got a place too.
Above the insulated food compartment, you still have space for a few essentials. In mine, I always have my wallet, a small bag for electronics cords (computer charger, iPhone charger, etc.), my laptop mouse, and some snacks – some that I bring with me and others I pick up at CVS or a gas station when I arrive. It’s not a huge space, but it works. When you add in a water bottle and a few dry snacks, it can get hard to zip (Did I mention the top zipper? A key feature when you slide a bag on it’s side through an x-ray or under the seat in front of you!).
Overall, the bag is well made. I’ve seen a few places where the materials on the leather has started to crack, but it’s barely visible. After 6 months of heavy use, if that’s all I’m dealing with, I’m happy.
The downsides: My laptop gets cold. Not a big deal for my super bulky work Lenovo with a high-quality plastic housing on it, but enough to where I might worry a little about my Macbook. That’s easily fixed with a neoprene case, though. Pretty frequently, things slide into the laptop slot and it can be difficult to get them out. Papers get crunched, Quest bars go missing, and pens fall to the bottom of the bag. Adding other cases, like the green one shown above, to keep little things organized within the bag has been key.
The cases that come with the bag leak. Found that one out the hard way after packing turkey tacos to Washington. I’ve replaced mine with Isobag containers, which click on better, can be ordered off Amazon (two day shipping for the win!), and are a little cheaper. When I’m really lazy, I go full on ziplock baggie to hold my food.
Despite any downsides, I remain crazy about this bag because it doesn’t look like a meal management bag and it helps me stay on-track.Seriously, TSA is always super confused when I tell them what they likely are asking to take a second look at is the insulated compartment accessible through a zipper on the back.
