I have mixed feelings towards Cravar's Work Tote, and I even debated if I wanted to write a review about the bag. If you have read my previous review on Cravar F.C. 13, then you know how much I love Cravar. My experience with this purchase was a little like riding the roller coaster, but in the end, I decided to share my stories with you so that you know what to expect when purchasing the Cravar Work Tote.

My closet would tell you how much I like to collect totes. After falling in love with Cravar F.C. 13, I also wanted to add their Work Tote to my collection. However, Cravar's Work Tote doesn't have the crossbody strap feature that I love. Therefore I requested Cravar to see if they would kindly add a strap and D-rings to the Work Tote. Surprisingly, they granted my wish to add the crossbody feature! It's fantastic when you have companies that are occasionally willing to work with you to enhance your experience! Even with the modification, my order was shipped on time!

Within a week, I received the Work Tote I ordered. When I unboxed the package, it surprised me that the leather on one side of the bag was warped. To this day, I have no idea what was causing the warping. Although the unsightly first impression wouldn't affect the functionality and durability of the bag, the part-time OCD within me struggled with the purchase. After communicating with the representative at Cravar, they somewhat helped me by fixing the problem. Eventually, I found that putting a thick and heavy book in the tote was the most effective way to flatten the uneven surface. I mentioned the issue was only somewhat fixed because the bag's condition hasn't recovered to the level of where I wanted it to be. It could simply be that the nature of vegetable-tanned full-grain leather doesn't match my imagination and expectation of how the tote should look. Based on Cravar's website pictures, the totes appeared to have some structure to them, but in reality, I believe the tote will soften through use and become a little slouchy.

Although the Work Tote has a slight imperfection, I decided to give it a chance and use it when I was on a two-day photoshoot schedule. First of all, the tote is quite big compared to other totes I own. Depending on what you put in, you may not want to fill it to the top. Second, the bag can get heavy when fully stuffed. During my two-day photoshoot, my schedule was hectic, and I didn't have time to slow things down and baby my new tote. At one point, I had to quickly throw it to the back of my car and put my lighting equipment on top of the bag. I finally had time to check on my Cravar Work Tote after I finished the photoshoot. I was worried I would see some significant scratches or damages, but was shocked to find the tote still looks new without any noticeable scuffs!

On the following weekend, I took the tote along on my camping trip. I put my iPad Pro 12.9 in the sleeve with the built-in laptop sleeve and compartments and utilized the pockets while packing. It did get a little heavy from me putting tons of stuff into the bag, but the handles and shoulder strap held up well, and nothing broke or came loose. Also, during camping, I accidentally splashed drops of water on the bag, and once it dried, the water didn't leave marks on it!

I haven't got a chance to use the Work Tote for too long to give you a long-term review, but so far, the tote has performed excellently throughout my "torture" test! One thing I love about bags from Cravar is how durable they are, and they are dependable. wherever I go, I can bring my Cravar bags and never have to worry about damage. After using the Work Tote for a week, I started to fall in love with it. I believe that in just a matter of time, the grooves from warping will smooth out with more usage. Yes, I certainly prefer to have a better first impression without seeing warping, but I heard from Cravar that it is not common for their customers to run into this situation. I trust what they said, but I want to be honest with my review, and hopefully, you don't panic if you encounter similar issues.

In the end, I am happy with my purchase. However, one thing I would probably switch out is the shoulder strap. It is a little long for my height, and I would prefer to have a lobster clasp on the strap for easy removal when I don't need it. There are so many bags I want to get from Cravar, and I love buying from them because they are nearly perfect in every other way and always there when their customers need them!