I last reviewed a Gaston Luga bag – The “Gaston Luga Classic” – back in 2019. Very well-designed with pleather accents and metal buckles, pairs perfectly with the Master & Dynamic MW65. But it was a tad small for me, the shoulder sling is too thin, the access into the main compartment is too much hassle and the opening is rather constricted.
Fast forward to 2023, this Sweden lifestyle brand continues to blaze through the world of bags and accessories. I recall the very day that I saw the collaboration product announced by Nikon, I received an email from GL, as if they have waited for the right time to engage me for a partnership. Readers can enjoy 15% discount on any bags when they check-out the items with promo code CHESTER15 from the official website https://gastonluga.com/sg/ . Enjoy free shipping with your orders.
I must say that GL has done a great job over the years. They even snagged this collab with Nikon, one of the world’s most famous camera brands. It works in my favour, to be honest. I have been a Nikon camera user for decades, which makes getting this backpack a no-brainer.
The GL X Nikon backpack is made of eco-friendly recyclable polyester with TPU coating. The material is waterproof up to 16000mm. The Scandinavian minimalist design is suitable for daily use, work and travel, and it is easy to match with different styles.
But what totally attracts me is its versatility. It is a camera bag, it is a regular backpack. It can be either, it can be both. It works both ways perfectly.
From the front, it looks just like a stylish urban backpack. You can unbuckle and unzip from the top to access the main compartment. But the rear features a U-shaped zipper that can open the main compartment fully. The laptop compartment can hold up to 14-inch.
The padded camera compartment is removable, and it comes with velcro partitions just like a camera bag which you can configure and arrange your camera equipment or any other fragile items, like my audiophile headphones.
I currently use it as my daily work bag, and so I keep the sides velcro with a button that secures the attachment. In this way, I am able to unzip the rear partially while keeping the main compartment intact. The button is really well-thought so that the velcro will not come undone even under intense pressure.
I also keep the camera compartment inside for more padding to protect my stuff stored inside. I also like that it acts like a separate compartment so I can fit more things.
I also love the two front zippers pockets located towards the sizes. This is where I store my true wireless earbuds and tissues for quick access. They are large enough to fit a couple of smartphones.
On both sides of the backpack, there are open pocket where you can fit a bottle or mini umbrella, but only if you do not have the camera compartment else it would make the walls of the backpack rather stiff. I like that these side pockets are deep so that your items won’t fall out casually.
The base of the backpack even have studs, which elevates the backpack slightly in the perceived premium status. In fact, the entire backpack is plastered with the “GL X Nikon” branding all over, including the buckles, the zipper loop. Speaking of the buckle, it is made of metal.
There is also a luggage strap so that you can slip the GL X Nikon backpack over your travel luggage.
Another favourite detail is that the backpack loop holder at the top is thick which makes it comfortable to hold it with my hands.
The backpack feels very comfortable to carry on my shoulders. Somehow it feels lighter than carrying my current backpack, I believe it has got to do with the design that keeps the backpack compact and the contents do not drag behind me.
Conclusion
It’s such a joy to review products that I enjoy using, which makes it easy to pen my positive experience. I picked the GL X Nikon Black backpack as my choice for review because it’s a practical backpack with a removable interior which allows versatile configuration. It really works well both as a camera bag and as a daily bag. I highly recommend this GL X Nikon bag even if you do not own any cameras. Get your own GL bag at SGD 269 with 15% discount using promo code CHESTER15 when you order from the Gaston Luga website.
Disclaimer: Gaston Luga sponsored the backpack in exchange for my instagram posts. This blog article is not sponsored.
