**Apera sent me this bag complimentary to review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.**
I think every athlete wants the perfect bag to carry their necessities in, whether it be a runner, a yogi, a cross fitter, a swimmer, or another sport. I hadn’t heard of them until I saw some of my fellow blogger friends writing up reviews. I was intrigued and super excited when Stacy contacted me and offered to send me a bag to review!
Never heard of Apera before? They launched in 2012 and the designers were looking to come up with a bag that would allow the user to be better organized and, what may surprise you, more healthy. What do I mean by that?
Most gym bags today are unhealthy – meaning they don’t protect the athlete or their belongings inside from odor and bacteria. Apera bags are made from a groundbreaking antimicrobial product that helps to resist the growth of bacterial odor both on the inside and outside of the bag.
They have ample ventilated compartments and the linings are wipeable, allowing for easy cleaning after that trail run or cross fit competition. There is also a washable insert for your wet clothes to keep them separate from the rest of the bag. All of these factors help keep your bag clean!
I also love that they support the Special Olympics. For every three bags they sell, Apera donates one of their Sprint Pack bags to a Special Olympic athlete, which I know means the world to these extraordinary people.
I chose the Tech Pack bag.
When I first received the bag I was impressed by how much room was in it! One of the best things about the bag is the two pockets in the front for your shoes. For a girl who has big feet, even my size 12 Brooks running shoes fit in it!
Most any runner will tell you that you don’t want to check your running shoes with your suitcase on a flight, just in case it gets lost. This bag is fantastic for that as it has the extra compartments for your shoes so you can easily carry them on with you! If you’re going on a short weekend trip or just hitting the gym after work, it keeps them away from your clothes and the rest of the bag. The pockets are also ventilated so it doesn’t trap the smell inside.
It also comes with a padded pocket at the top of the bag, perfect for any delicate items that you wouldn’t want to get banged up, like glasses, your cell phone, or an iPod. I also like to keep my Shuffle and headphones here for easy access. And, although orange isn’t my favorite color, it’s nice to have a light colored fabric so it makes looking for items a little easier. :)
There is so much room in the second large pocket for clothing. My husband and I were able to pack both of our clothes and toiletries in the bag for an overnight trip to the North Georgia Mountains. You can also see the zipper compartment inside the bag, which is perfect for phone chargers, keys, business cards and other smaller items that you may not need immediate access to.
While I haven’t had the opportunity to use the washable insert yet, I know it will be perfect to put my socks, unmentionables, and other accessories I use for running that tend to get drenched in sweat after a run. It’s plenty big enough for a swimsuit as well.
I love that the bag is a backpack, but if you do get tired of carrying it on your back, there’s the option on sliding it onto your suitcase handle. You can also see how the straps are ventilated as well and how nicely padded the back of the pack is, making it more comfortable.
It comes with a large pocket on both sides, perfect for a water bottle. I also used it as somewhere to carry my yoga mat!
What drew me to this bag was that it also had a separate pocket for a laptop and/or Ipad, which makes it fantastic for traveling, whether you’re flying on a plane or in a car.
There’s another small pocket in the front where I store my Nuun, a small hairbrush, and headbands for the gym. The bag also has a small strap you can buckle across your chest for added stability.
There’s a video posted on the Tech Pack’s page that you can check out as well!
I absolutely LOVE this bag, and while the price point may seem a little high ($124) it is definitely worth it for the quality of the product. It has already gotten a good bit of use from me and I know it will get more as the year goes on and I keep training for my fall races.
Right now Apera is having some fantastic deals going on! First off, their anniversary sale! Now through July 31st, you can get 20% off all bags (excluding all blue bags and Duffel Pack colors) using the coupon code SUMMER2014 at check out.
All of their blue bags AND Duffel Packs are on sale for 40% off as well (discount is taken automatically).
As if that wasn’t enough, Apera is also giving you the chance to WIN a bag! Just by subscribing to their newsletter you’ll automatically be entered to win. July’s giveaway will be an Apera Sprint Pack.
I highly recommend that you check them out. They have many other styles of bags, both backpack style as well as a sling bag style. There’s definitely something for everyone! Thank you, Apera, for giving me the chance to check out your bag and for introducing me to something I’ll be using for years to come.
Until next time,
Great review! The booksack sure holds a lot of stuff!! I've heard of these bags but never tried one out...I'm going to have to look into this. Thanks! :)
ReplyDeleteThey are fantastic! Definitely check them out...they have lots of styles to choose from and some good sales going on right now :)
DeleteAwesome review! I have heard great things about Apera bags. Although I would really like to have one, I don't really have a need for an athletic bag right now (I workout outside, in my apartment, or at my apartment gym). If I ever do though, they are definitely the route I am going for a gym bag!
ReplyDeleteThey're also great to take when you travel to and from races, especially if you have somewhere to go afterward ;)
DeleteI have their Tech Pack too and love it!
ReplyDeleteStopping in with some SPA love! These bags look cool. I could always use another gym bag.
ReplyDelete