From supermarket cashier to full-time travel blogger, Christine (@christineabroad) calls the world her “office” after having visited over 55 countries and counting. With a passion for responsible travel and paradise beaches, the Swedish content creator aims to inspire people to explore the world by sharing her hidden gems, practical tips, and destination guides. This is her take on the perfect travel pack.

‍

Since I started traveling the world, I’ve been searching for a bag that’s lightweight, organized, and stylish. A while ago I found the perfect one — the ISM backpack. Without a doubt, it is one of the best backpacks I’ve ever used during my travels.

‍

‍

THE ISM BACKPACK

ISM is a brand that offers comfortable and stylish backpacks. They are made of high-quality materials that are durable and water-resistant. The bag itself has a padded back with adjustable straps (that don’t dangle), and a leather flap on the side to easily charge my phone on the go.

The front of the backpack is made of full-grain leather and nylon, while the inside comes in a beautiful royal blue or burgundy fabric. The zippers and hardware are offered in a gold or black accent color.

There are several pockets that help me stay organized: a separate laptop compartment with two padded sleeves, a zippered pocket in the main area, a zippered pocket in the front, and two square pockets on the inside.

‍

‍

  

THE ISM ACCESSORIES

In addition to the bags, ISM also sells a matching power bank and water bottle that fit perfectly inside. Designed with vegan leather and an aluminum case, the power bank can charge my phone up to 3 times and iPad up to 2 times (6,000 mAh).

The slim and minimally designed water bottle is made of stainless steel and can hold up to 60 cl (20 oz). Both accessories come in either navy or black and are always in my backpack.

‍

A BAG THAT CARRIES IT ALL

When I was searching for a new backpack, there were some things on my list that needed to be met. First, staying organized is a must while traveling. I love that the ISM backpack has several pockets to keep me organized, including the pocket in the front, main area, and laptop compartment.

Another feature I needed was the separate laptop compartment. This external case makes it so easy to go through airport security because I no longer have to fuss through my stuff just to get to my laptop out.

‍

‍

Last but not least I wanted a durable, comfortable, minimalistic, and stylish bag to travel with. This backpack exceeded my expectations – it’s simply beautiful and goes with every outfit. I’ve used both backpacks for the last couple of months and they still look brand new – the quality is amazing!

THE PROS AND CONS

Pros: It’s stylish, comfortable, and durable. It keeps me organized with its various pockets, especially the separate laptop compartment. It is a good size, lightweight, and backed by ISM’s lifetime warranty.

Cons: I don’t really have any complaints about the ISM backpack. The only thing is that the smaller size isn’t wide enough to carry a big DSLR camera, BUT the larger one solves for this!

‍

‍

The ISM backpack may not be the cheapest bag in the market, but you absolutely get what you paid for. I’ve purchased backpacks in the past that were much cheaper but did not last as long as this one. Also, I think it’s awesome that the large bag costs the same as the small one (235 USD) and fits up to a 15” laptop. You can see how much thought and effort they’ve put into this backpack — it’s a combination that’s hard to beat.

DO I RECOMMEND IT?

Yes, I highly recommend the ISM bundle to anyone that is looking for a comfortable, organized, durable, and stylish backpack to travel with. From traveling, hiking, to day-to-day trips — the ISM bag works for every occasion.

So if you haven’t noticed, I never do things just because “every other blogger is doing them.” I just do me. Hence why I’ve steered clear of the obligatory “What’s In My Bag” blog post for so long. But nowadays I get this question quite a lot, so, you ask and you shall receive.

Here’s the deal, I’m a hands-free kinda gal. I like to be mobile, light, and ready for action — and that’s why I love backpacks. Sadly, the struggle is real when it comes to finding the perfect backpack. And let’s be picky because as I learned in business school, WE DESERVE TO GET OUR NEEDS MET.

HERE’S MY LIST OF BACKPACK REQUIREMENTS:

Chic AF — This is not 2003 and I am not rocking a Jansport. I want leather. I want gold hardware. This is an accessory people. It needs to have beautiful DETAILS.

Functional — I want my backpack to keep me organized. It should have enough pockets to keep from turning into a black hole, but only the RIGHT pockets. I don’t want tons of useless extra pockets I’m never going to use. My backpack must keep my precious baby (my laptop) safe — my whole world is in there. It has to be comfortable, lightweight, and durable. I tend to throw my backpack around; I’m not a dainty flower.

Priced right — Personally, I’m all about investing money back into my business, so I can’t justify spending more than $300 on a backpack.

The problem is that most laptop-functional backpacks are (I’m sorry but…) hideous. Like, I do not want rubber material on or anywhere near my backpack.

Don’t worry though, I got us covered. Ever since I got my ISM backpack I pretty much haven’t taken it off — dorky, but true.

‍

‍

HERE’S WHY I LOVE IT (YES, IT MEETS ALL MY REQUIREMENTS):

Chic AF — This backpack is beautiful. It’s made with full-grain leather and no silver hardware, you get to choose black or gold! Just my style.

Functional — This backpack is pocket perfection with just a few strategically placed compartments, nothing extra. There’s a totally separate PADDED & WATERPROOF laptop compartment to protect my tech gear! (Is it weird how excited I get about that?). It’s also super sturdy and well-made (thrown-across-the-floor-tested by yours truly), and the padded straps make it super comfortable to wear and provide back support (no one likes a hunchback).

Priced right — How is a full-grain leather backpack only $235, you ask? Unlike many other luxury brands, ISM cuts out the middle-women and sells directly to the consumer.

‍

So basically ISM is my backpack soulmate… Cute right? I treat it as such and thus refuse to fill it up with gum wrappers and old receipts. I used to fill my bag with unnecessary things. These days, I clean out my backpack at the end of every day because an unorganized bag stresses me out, and stress just doesn’t go with my outfit (or lifestyle, for that matter). For so long I thought I needed to be more organized, but now I know I just need to own less stuff by decluttering and donating things I no longer use.

I keep the contents of my ISM backpack lean, so everything in there is legit AF (if I do say so myself).

HERE’S WHAT’S IN MY BACKPACK:

Tech Essentials

Laptop + Case — I went for the 15-inch Macbook Pro because the extra 2 inches prevents me from hunching over my laptop at cafes. It’s also super powerful and can handle the 100 programs and 1000 tabs I have going at once.

Airpods — Ok so, I’ll admit it, I used to be anti-Airpods. I mean, they’re not the cutest look. But I’ve changed my tune because the functionality is just THERE. But I don’t use earplugs when I’m somewhere I could potentially meet people, like coffee shops. I keep my head up, smile, and stay open because you never know who you might meet!

Chargers — Along with my laptop charger, I also carry the ISM power bank and it fits perfectly with the backpack. Although I love the vegan leather, what I love even more is the fact that it’s a literal powerhouse. It can charge your phone up to THREE TIMES (so necessary).

Non-Tech Essentials

Wallet & Keys — I love my tiny Gigi New York wallet because I can slip it in my pocket if I need to and I get to have my initials on it.

Sunglasses — Somehow I can never have enough of these – but I keep it to just one pair at a time in my backpack. My current faves are from Raen Mason. I love the round frames and super lightweight feel.

Water Bottle — People. Please stop buying plastic water bottles. I’m serious. It’s so, so bad for our planet.

Leather Jacket — On the rare days it gets cold in LA, I have to throw one of my fave leather jackets over my crop top.

As lean as I try to keep my backpack, of course, I still have a bunch of odds and ends. I keep them in separate pouches so they don’t get lost in the abyss. Here’s what’s in the pouches:

Office Pouch: I’ve got a notebook & chic pen because I’m constantly taking notes. I do it on my phone too, but some things just need to be done on paper. I’ve also got black post-its and metallic Sharpies because I like to leave people unique notes so they always know it’s from me! And of course, business cards — I never leave home without em! You never know who you might meet.

Personal Pouch: In here I have chapstick, gum, tampons, and midol. I used to always have 100 tampons in my bag EXCEPT for when I got my period — so now I just keep them in this pouch so I can easily find them. I also have hair tools and face wipes for after workouts and while traveling. I also have crystals and peppermint essential oil to keep me calm and grounded.

‍

Anna Wood (@brainsoverblonde), Female Empoweress and founder of Brains Over Blonde, is a career and lifestyle consultant who empowers women to claim their mind, body, and confidence to achieve their full potential. The Stanford MBA graduate, Google alumnus, entrepreneur, content creator, and Feminist, provides women the tools and strategies to help them live purpose-driven lives. This is her take on the girlboss work bag.

‍

‍

I rise sometime between 6 and 6:30 often after having heard the radio news. My breakfast, a dish of corn flakes, is on the kitchen table. Coffee is made automatically by the stove timer. I breakfast alone. At the moment, I am reading a bit of very morning of Bergen and Cornelia Evans’ Contemporary American Usage. A couple of pages every day, straight through. The morning papers arrive, thrown against the wall or door of the kitchen where I breakfast. I read the Globe, often saving the Times till later.

At seven or so I go down to my study, a walnut-paneled room in our basement. My work desk is a long Scandinavian-modern table, with a set of shelves I made myself for holding the works of BFS, notebooks and outlines of the book I am working on, dictionaries, word-books, etc. On my left the big Webster’s International on a stand, on my right an open-top file containing all current and future manuscript materials. As I sit down I turn on a special desk light. This starts a clock, which totalizes my time at my desk. Every twelve hours recorded on it, I plot a point on a cumulative curve, the slope of which shows my overall productivity. To the right of my desk is an electric organ, on which a few minutes each day I play Bach Chorales etc.

Later in the morning, I go to my office. These days I leave just before 10 so that Debbie can ride with me to her summer school class. Later, in my cooler weather, I will be walking — about 1 3/4 miles. In my office I open and answer mail, see people if necessary. Get away as soon as possible, usually in time for lunch at home. Afternoons are not profitably spent, working in the garden, swimming in our pool. Summers we often have friends in for a swim and drinks from 5 to 7 or possibly 8. Then dinner. LIght reading. Little or no work. In bed by 9:30 or 10:00. I usually wake up for an hour or so during the night. I have a clip-board, paper pad and pencil (with a small flashlight attached to the board) for making notes at night. I am not an insomniac. I enjoy that nightly hour and make good use of it. I sleep alone.

– B. F. Skinner (1963 Journal Entry)

B.F. Skinner: B.F. Skinner, “My Day,” August 9, 1963. Skinner Basement Archives; Daniel W. Bjork, B.F. Skinner: A Life (New York: Basic Books, 1993)

Raised in Saskatchewan, Canada, Tiff Janzen (@tiffintech) grew up on her family’s farm while also taking on modeling contracts around the world. After a career in fashion, she was introduced to the world of code and made the transition into the tech world as a full stack developer. This is how she gets it done.  

‍

‍

‍

I’m constantly on the go and as someone who used to carry what felt like 20 bags at a time, I’ve gone through lots of different backpacks to try and find the one bag that can fit it all.

I used to invest a lot of money in luxury backpacks thinking that was my only solution. But when Justin, the founder of ISM, reached out to me and told me about his story and the ISM backpack, I had to give it a try. After using the bag for a while now, it pretty much became another limb to me! It’s super sleek and it holds everything I need for my day.

Here’s what’s in my ISM Backpack.

‍

‍

15-INCH MACBOOK

Meet my 15-inch Macbook (it’s my baby). One thing I love about this backpack is the waterproof laptop compartment. I’m someone that gets caught in the rain without an umbrella, so having my laptop in a waterproof case is amazing.

The laptop compartment also has another compartment within it which is nice. Right now I have a piece of paper that I need to stay crisp, so I put it in the second sleeve, which is nice because it always stays fresh and straight.

‍

‍

MOLESKIN NOTEBOOK

I carry a Moleskin with me wherever I go. I love writing down different ideas or updating my todo list. There’s something about physically writing down your thoughts that you can’t do digitally with Google Calendar. Because I live in Toronto, my toque (what we call a ‘beanie’ in Canada) is very much needed, I’m all about the grays and black tones.

‍

‍

‍

ISM PHONE CHARGER

Next up are all of my chargers. I have a laptop charger and the ISM phone charger. I’ve tried a lot of different external chargers and a lot of them last for a few months and then completely glitch out. Not the ISM one! This one comes with a really nice leather case and a super chic cord. It’s been highly reliable and I don’t know how I’ve gone so long without one.

‍

‍

ISM WATER BOTTLE

Also packed up for the day are my wallet and sunglasses (they should be in a case, but they’re not).

A water bottle is a must-have and I always carry around my ISM Water Bottle. I really like that it’s narrow so I can easily pack it in my bag wherever I go.

‍

‍

ROUNDING IT UP

A few other small items to round up my daily essentials are my work pass (so I can get into work), a really loved and well-used ILIA product for my cheek and lips, pen, and hair tie. When I’m coding I always need to have my hair up so it definitely comes in handy. If I’m out vlogging or creating content, I’ll also bring my camera. This bag can hold a lot more in the different compartments, but this is what’s in my backpack today.