Overseen by Mickey Drexler—the retail king who led GAP and J.Crew through its peak years across the 1990s and 2000s—Alex Mill does all the fundamental things right (see: our guide to the best chinos).
Take their classic catch-all tote: The garment-washed canvas is charming, nostalgic, and super strong against urban surfaces, while the option to alternate between short or long straps is highly practical. We love that the snap buttons add security, and can cleverly be used to make the bag smaller, should you not be carrying as much. For a fee, Alex Mill will even paint your initials onto it, but otherwise the bag comes in six colors, and good luck choosing between the classic white, military olive and eye-popping red.
Best Outdoor Tote Bag: Topo Designs Mountain Utility Tote
Size: 20.5” x 13.5” | Carrying Capacity: 33L | Materials: Recycled ripstop nylon | Colors: Six, including Pond Blue/Spice and Clay/Hemp
When you need space, look no further Topo Designs’ Mountain Utility Tote. GQ associate commerce director Michael Nolledo uses the Mountain Utility Tote for camping trips and beach days, saying “the main compartment can hold a ton of gear, and the interior and exterior pockets come in handy when you need easy access to items.” He also likes that the bag stands taut and has a wide opening for easy packing.
Sized at 33 liters, the Mountain Utility Tote boasts the largest capacity of any on this list, and is truly souped-up along with that: you get a removable padded shoulder strap, cinchable top closure, interior and exterior zip pockets, gear loops and a carabiner clip. It comes in six colorways—including a quieter black—and its 100 percent nylon construction gives you two reasons to feel good. First, it lightens your load. Second, that nylon is entirely recycled, which is good for everybody.
Best Leather Tote Bag: Frank Clegg Tall Leather Tote
Size: 14.5” x 14.5” | Carrying Capacity: 19L | Materials: Tumbled leather | Colors: 8 leathers, including Chocolate and Burgundy
Unlike canvas or nylon totes, a leather one will pass muster in both corporate offices and Milanese restaurants. Yes, this one comes with a high price. But let me tell you what that gets you: A lifetime guarantee on the item, leather that gets better with every decade, and a design from the same fifty-year-old, family-run American company Barack Obama chose to make his Presidential briefcase. It can be made to order in eight different finishes, and with or without a zipper and pockets. Go to town.
Best Gym Tote Bag: Aer Gym Tote Bag
Size: 15.4” x 14.2” | Carrying Capacity: 19.5L | Materials: Cordura ballistic nylon | Colors: Black
Aer thought of everything a gym rat could possibly want from their tote bag. There’s a ventilated separate base compartment for shoes, musty clothes or a wet towel, and plenty of space in the main compartment for workout clothes and toiletries. (The whole interior can also be wiped down easily to prevent any smells from sticking around.) But even beyond the gym, this is just a great tote—there’s a laptop pocket, a luggage handle for slipping it on to your suitcase, and the whole thing is made from 1680D ballistic nylon which, while heavier, is considerably tougher than other nylons and most cottons.
Best Packable Tote Bag: Montbell Pocketable Light Tote
Size: 15.7” x 14.2” | Carrying Capacity: 21L | Materials: Ripstop nylon | Colors: Khaki green, black, navy, red
