GoKawiilis a deputy editor and Verge co-founder with a passion for human-centric cities, e-bikes, and life as a digital nomad. He’s been a tech journalist for 20 years.
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It’s just a hook, sewn into a bag, but I really, really like it. Peak Design is so proud of its clever integration that the San Francisco-based maker of camera gear gave it a name: BagLev, for its ability to keep its new City Line of bags levitated above the dirty ground.
How many of us are guilty of coming home and tossing a bag onto the kitchen table or counter to unload it? We pretend it’s not a thing, despite the carryall having come into contact with unknown filth picked up from the floors of subways and dive bars, sidewalks, and parks. BagLev lets you hang your bag off a chair, ledge, tabletop, or counter as you go about your day, keeping it mostly free of urban gunge.
The BagLev hook deployed at a cafe.
I’ve been testing Peak Design’s innovative little nonslip hook in a pair of bags while vanlifing through France. After a few weeks, it’s the 12-liter City Crescent ($119.95) crossbody bag I grab to casually explore villages, opting for the 15L City Backpack ($179.95) when heading out with my laptop for some truly remote work. In either case, the BagLev hook keeps Peak Design’s lightweight and water-resistant fabric clean when hanging above cafe and forest floors. And what dirt does collect on the nearly white “Moon” fabric has been easily wiped away with a damp cloth.
As silly as it might sound, Peak Design’s BagLev hook that comes with every new City Line bag is so useful that it’s changed my expectation of an everyday carry, making my other, hookless bags suddenly feel dirty and less capable.
While Peak Design might be best known for its camera bags, its new City Line targets the casual urbanite, not photogs. The backpack and crossbody bag both make compelling arguments to be your daily carry even if we ignore the inclusion of the BagLev hook. They offer clean, not-too-slouchy silhouettes constructed of a lightweight, rain-shedding Mono Shell 660D fabric that looks equally at home in trendy coffee joints or casual business settings. Each bag features thoughtful flourishes like zippers with large, easy-to-grab pulls, a key tether, and a place to hide a tracker like an Apple AirTag or new Pixel Tag. But it’s the hook that’s the hook, and the reason you might want to buy these bags.
This end pocket on the City Crescent easily fits a water bottle. That same pocket can also be accessed from the zippered main compartment. This quick access pocket seals with magnets, making it useful for frequently needed items like glasses or a phone. The shoulder strap is easy to adjust but lacks padding.
I like to carry the highly versatile City Crescent crossbody bag with the BagLev dangling behind me. I don’t bother putting it back into its zippered pocket anymore, because that’s where I store my keys. In this orientation, I have access to a zippered pocket on the front leading edge where I can pull out a 24 ounce (0.75 liter) water bottle or compact umbrella when cycling or walking. Unzipping the main compartment gives me access to that same water bottle pocket. I like putting my phone in the zippered side pocket pointing away from my body, and the opposing side pocket — with its self-closing magnetized opening — up against my hip where I can quickly access my glasses. This, folks, is intelligent design, and why Peak Design is a well-regarded brand.
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