CODE OF BELL ANNEX CASE: REVIEW
FOREWORD
Code of Bell is a small LA-based innovative brand that redefined what an expandable bag can be. With their first successful Kickstarter campaign launched in November 2017, Code of Bell introduced the X-Pak, their vision of a well-organized, comfortable and expandable sling that could be a valid alternative to a backpack.
The second campaign for a smaller, yet still expandable, sling called X-Pod, was also a success. This established the brand in the carry scene and put Code of Bell on many people's radar.
Recently the company expanded its product portfolio with a number of offerings under the “Annex” line, one of which is the hero of today’s review. Meet the Annex Case: a traveler’s wallet, an all-in-one organizer and just an awesome little thing to accompany you wherever you go.
Can this product carry the torch of the innovative products made by Code of Bell? Is this wallet actually useful or just another overhyped product whose concept falls apart during real-life use?
Read on to find out!
WHO IT SUITS
Anyone who wants to leave behind their sling or backpack and commute with a bare minimum of things.
Those who wish to keep their passport, phone, money and some extras in one compact and functional solution.
People who enjoy multi-purpose and functional products made out of excellent materials.
Techwear enthusiasts and fans are likely to fall in love with the Annex Case at first sight.
WHO IT DOESN’T
Folks with the largest phones out there (especially with a case attached) might find the Annex Case to fit their phone and not much else.
Those who look for a heritage and timeless look might find the Annex Case out of place in their belongings as the product won’t fit with all styles.
Depending on your essentials the 0.5L offered by the Annex Case might not be enough, especially if you never leave the house without a spare mask and hand sanitizer. All those things together probably won’t fit.
If you don’t carry cash or cards and rely on your phone for all payments/transactions, the Annex Case could be overkill.
ABOUT THE BAG
PRICE: $99
DIMENSIONS: 8 x 4.3 x 0.8 / 205 x 110 x 20
WEIGHT: 228 gramm
CAPACITY: 0.5L
COLOR OPTIONS: Black, MultiCamBlack
The Annex Case is essentially a wallet that can fit your phone. It’s a simple concept that I found incredibly useful in my day-to-day routines and during my travels.
The case came in a soft black, subtly branded bag and my initial impressions during unpacking were strictly positive. It was stylish, high quality and minimalist, these are all things I personally appreciate.
I took the Annex Case on my 4 week trip to Turkey and from the moment I left the apartment on January 9th till the beginning of February this travel wallet has been with me. During that period it was carrying 3 passports, cash, coins, a bunch of cards, an extra sim card and my Airpods Pro in the front pocket on a daily basis.
When I did not need to carry the passports, they were replaced by my iPhone 11 which fit like a charm. When I needed to grab my backpack or a larger sling, the Annex Case was simply thrown into one of the pockets and kept me company throughout my trip. After using it extensively all these weeks, it's hard to imagine my life without it.
At 228 grams the Annex Case never felt like a burden, always seemed to enhance the built-in organization of the bags I carried and when I carried nothing but the Annex Case, it was quite capable at storing my essentials.
COMFORT
Being lightweight and having a compact footprint, the Annex Case is as comfortable as a travel wallet with a strap can be.
Moreover, you can attach the straps to one of the 4 loops on the back and customize the orientation in which to wear the Annex Case: vertical or horizontal. The strap itself is 25mm wide (without padding considering the size of the case) and the length of the strap was more than enough to accommodate my larger frame and extra layers of clothes during cold days. Overall, I found the strap to be just right, appreciated the quality of the webbing and the plastic quick release buckle.
There are also multiple carry modes: worn cross-body style, single shoulder or by hand (with strap detached), all of which made sense in particular scenarios.
DESIGN & FEATURES
The Annex Case is an embodiment of simple, practical design. With the clamshell opening, a useful front pocket and the rectangular shape the Annex Case comfortably stores ID’s, cash, coins, cards and some extras like an extra sim card, headphones, etc.
My MCB version also spiced things up a bit making the case look clean, yet not boring.
The reflective strip on the front is a subtle but efficient way to enhance the look of the case, comes in very handy in low light conditions (mainly when I was searching for the case in a dark room) and, of course, is meant to highlight the owner in dark streets to ensure safety and good visibility.
The 0.5L capacity was more than enough for my daily essentials and even with my phone inside (iPhone 11 with a bumper case) the main compartment closed without a problem.
As with all Code of Bell products the inner liner is a bright orange nylon that has become a signature feature of CoB products. This is also brilliant for visibility inside (as well as extra points for style).
The team at CoB also thought about the safety of your cards by making the main compartment RFID protected.
I also want to shout out to the CoB team for creating a gender neutral product, I can see someone buying an Annex Case for the girlfriend or wife.
MATERIALS & ORGANIZATION
The front panel of my Black Camo version of the Annex Liner is made up of Dimension Polyant XPac X50, which essentially has a camouflage cordura face that’s matte (unlike VX21 Black version which has a bit of shine to it) and offers excellent durability and weather resistance.
The rear of the bag is made out of ballistic nylon. Coupled with YKK Aquaguard zippers you do not have to worry about the weatherability of this little case, just make sure the zippers are closed tightly leaving no gaps if you plan to face a downpour.
The case retains its shape well thanks to small sheets of plastic used to reinforce the rectangular structure, which makes the Annex Case good at protecting your precious phone in case you drop the case on the ground.
All zippers are YKK and the zipper pulls are hypalon with an embossed Code of Bell logo. I appreciated the low key branding on the case.
The Annex Case has two compartments: a main compartment and a front compartment with a bit of dimension. This allows you to store car keys, gum, headphones, etc... My AirPods Pro fit snuggly thanks to the pocket being dome-shaped.
For such a compact product, the main compartment of the Annex Case offers a surprising amount of organization:
Cash slot
Two zippered pockets
Three card slots, in which I was able to easily fit around 9 cards total without an issue. (3 cards per slot fit just fine)
Mini pocket
Overall the organization has not left me wanting more, everything that I needed to bring had its own place.
WHAT’S HOT
Excellent materials and build.
Simple yet functional design.
The gorgeous bright orange inner liner is excellent for visibility and adds character to the product.
Multiple modes of carry allow this wallet to be worn standalone (crossbody sling, sacoche, shoulder bag) and also felt totally useful when thrown in a bag with not much built-in organization.
Thoughtful organization and plenty of pockets to be a full-featured wallet.
Minimal branding is personally very appreciated, the Annex Case does not scream for attention and just gets the job done.
WHAT’S NOT
At 0.5L it could be limiting for some people, especially if you need to bring a spare face mask, hand sanitizer, etc...
VERDICT
The Annex Case is a clear departure from previous Code of Bell products and an attempt to try something new and different. Despite not being expandable, one of the main features CoB products are fabled for, the Annex Case is a very strong offering for those who wish to travel/commute minimally and value multiple carry modes of their wallet.
Built like a tank, with a clean and modern design, the Annex Case might be the last wallet you ever have to buy, assuming its technical look fits your style.
There are not a lot of products like the Annex Case. Black Ember’s TKS comes to mind but it’s much bigger and noticeably heavier to be considered a wallet. This Annex Case could be a sleeper hit if more people are exposed to this concept of a wearable travel wallet. In the end I was left feeling impressed by the Annex Case and commend CoB for being trailblazers with this bold product. I can highly recommend it to anyone seeking a wallet with a distinct technical look and feel, excellent build and useful functionality.
Disclaimer
Annex Case was provided by Code of Bell as a sample for review purposes, the content of this review was not shared with Code of Bell before publishing.
My goal is to share an honest, unbiased review that is not tailored to keep the brand happy.