COTE&CIEL ISAR M: REVIEW
Disclaimer
The Isar backpack was provided by Cote&Ciel as a sample for review purposes, the content of this review was not shared with Cote&Ciel before publishing.
My goal is to share an honest, unbiased review that is not tailored to keep the brand happy.
FOREWORD
Let’s be honest, the bag market has become extremely saturated. The sheer amount of different options released each year is overwhelming - ranging from well-established brands to small workshops and Kickstarter campaigns. In all this abundance of options, it’s not easy to stand out and offer a unique design and features. Just think about the replicated designs of Jansport or Herschel, it’s easy to just take a classic design, slap a new brand name, offer a few interesting color or fabric options, and call it a day.
What’s difficult is to forget everything you know and start from a clean slate.
Cote&Ciel is a relatively young company founded in Paris by an energetic passionate young team ambitious enough to disrupt the status quo.
Is it hard to find a fashionable bag these days? Not really, with luxury brands like Birkin, Gucci, Louis Vuitton, Chanel, etc producing hand-made masterpieces that cost a fortune.
What about technical bags? Mission Workshop, Black Ember, Peak Design, etc offer some of the most innovative technical fabrics and processes to create their products.
Finding the bag that would be a fashion statement while also being functional and offering innovative sustainable fabrics - well that’s a challenge that Cote&Ciel was ambitious to tackle.
Read on to find out what resulted in this ambition.
ABOUT THE BAG
Few key features of the bag:
PRICE RRP $255
CAPACITY 21L
WEIGHT ~1.1kg
LAPTOP COMPATIBLE up to 16inch
Isar is one of the first bags made by Cote&Ciel and has become a flagship for the brand. The bag has been re-released since 2008 in all kinds of new colors and fabrics (Leather, Denim, MemoryTech, Eco Yarn, etc), a testament of Cote&Ciel constantly revisiting the bag in search of further improvements in both form and function. The bag has a unique standout design, primarily thanks to the large folded front compartment that has become a signature feature and made the Cote&Ciel brand instantly recognizable.
My review model is Isar in size M (the model also has sizes S and L offered in some fabrics), a relatively large backpack tailored for everyday carry but also capable for short weekend trips. I was fortunate to try the same model in two colors - Midnight Blue and Olive. Both look incredible and reminiscent of nature - the main inspiration for Cote&Ciel.
Both Midnight Blue and Olive version are made from signature MemoryTech fabric which is very light, yet durable. At the same time, it is very pleasant to the touch, has a bit of scabrous quality to it. A word of warning, if you are a tactile person it might be difficult to get your hands off the bag :) A big advantage of the MemoryTech fabric is excellent water resistance. I tried to get the bag wet and failed miserably - water is repelled and nothing seeping in the fabric.
The straps, back part of the Isar are made of Cordura which is very durable and water-resistant thanks to DWR coating. Simply put the combination of materials used on the bag is reliable and can withstand the elements without any problem.
With darker colors (Midnight Blue for instance) the fabric does attract dust more prominently, but a quick splash of water or a touch of wet towel gets the bag as good as new.
For reference, my measurements are:
Height 176 cm (5’8 ft)
Weight 89 kg (195 lbs)
My EDC:
MacBook Pro 16
Cables/Chargers/Dongles
Nalgene 32 oz
Lunch box
Packable Jacket
Kindle Voyage
Wallet
Keys
Sunglasses
QUALITY & COMFORT
The materials feel high quality, MemoryTech fabric is unlike anything I have tried before and I enjoyed how light and foldable it is.
The bag features high-quality metal hardware - from subtly branded zipper pulls to a massive compression strap (which is probably overkill but from the design and aesthetics feels right at home). All the hardware on my model has a black finish which is a very nice stealthy touch I appreciate :) In my use of the bag I had no peeling or scratching of the finish which is confidence-inspiring. The trade-off of the high-quality metal hardware - the jingle you get when shaking the bag.
Also, expanding the bag was not as fast as I had hoped, mainly due to the thick seat-belt like strap not sliding easily through a massive metal buckle. Perhaps this would improve with time either by breaking in the fabric of the strap or developing better motoric :)
The combination of in-house made fabric and excellent hardware highlights a very high quality of the bag.
There are no plastic parts anywhere to be found in the bag. A small branded leather tag is also a nice touch.
I was a bit worried at first that Isar would be a classic case of form over function and that with cool looks it would sacrifice in comfort and usability. I was glad to be wrong. Wearing the bag is a pleasant experience, it sits tightly on my back and offers excellent maneuverability when rushing through the crowded streets or public transport.
The straps have an average thickness and just enough padding to not want more.
The back panel is flat and also has a decent amount of padding, enough to not feel the laptop stored against the back. I am yet to experience the bag in hot summer conditions and see how the back panel works with perspiration. There is no mesh or air channels to help air circulation which can lead to a sweaty back, definitely something to keep an eye out.
I was a bit underwhelmed by not finding a sternum strap but quickly got over it. I use the sternum strap not so much for the load distribution but more to fix the bag on my back and mitigate the risk of straps realignment. Since the bag sits tightly on me and the straps contour around my shoulders the desire to have a sternum strap was quickly gone. Some iterations of Isar have webbing on the straps that could be used to attach a sternum strap, but such webbing is missing in my model. If you need to have a sternum strap - pay attention to which Isar you are getting.
The top grab handle is reliable, thick, and nicely padded.
ORGANIZATION
Isar consists of two main parts, you can consider one as conservative and the second as innovative.
The conservative part is the tech organization area placed closer to the back of the bag. Two zippers (quite convenient since you can close the compartment to either left or right side, or even keep both zippers pulls in the middle for quick opening) open up a relatively spacious area which has:
Suspended, nicely padded laptop sleeve. My newer MacBook Pro 16 fits like a glove
Two fairly large mesh pockets excellent for smaller things. The mesh is tight and can securely store small items you don’t want falling out (AirPods, keys, gum, etc). Mesh is excellent in making the contents of the pockets visible.
One zippered compartment. Good for phone, glasses, passport, etc. The zipper provided some security for your valuables.
The opening is also very nice and wide, not a full clamshell but more than a half-zip.
The innovative part is the aforementioned large folded front compartment. When empty it gives the bag a uniquely stylish silhouette and lays flat making a 21L bag look and feel very compact. The compartment is accessed from a big side zip and allows you to pack Isar to the brim duffle style. The massive compression strap allows to quickly expand the bag offering a lot of capacity to store your things (packing cubes, jacket, water bottle - whatever your heart desires). Inside the front compartment is also a fairly large zippered pocket that can be used for wallet, snacks, whatnot. The big advantage of the from the compartment is that it can accommodate weirdly shaped objects thanks to its flexibility and properties of the MemoryTech fabric.
The simplicity of the bag is misleading as it offers excellent expandability, good internal organization, and surprising comfort even when fully packed.
I appreciate the minimalistic approach of Isar however one missed opportunity in my books is using all-black color for the inner lining. Both the tech compartment and duffle areas are all black inside which can make finding things difficult in poor lighting conditions. The black liner, however, is not used across the board and there are other models of Isar (made from other fabrics) that have a grey interior which I find more useful.
WHAT’S HOT
Unique, iconic design
Serious expandability thanks to the folding front compartment
Can fit weirdly shaped items
Silky smooth zippers with excellent metal hardware
Subtle tasteful branding
A good amount of organization in the tech compartment
Comfortable to carry
Solid build quality and choice of materials
WHAT’S NOT
The inner lining is all black which makes it difficult to see the content of the bag during some conditions
The back panel has no mesh or proper air channel (deep stitching is not sufficient) which can result in a sweaty back during hot days. This is an assumption to be tested later on
Expanding the bag via the metal buckle takes more effort than expected
Zipper pulls jingle (expected with metal hardware, can be silenced by adding paracord pulls)
Certain colors (like Midnight Blue in MemoryTech fabric) are dust magnets, something to keep in mind
Can look strange when fully packed, the shape extends outwards
Nature-inspired colors look brilliant on Cote&Ciel bags.
WRAP-UP
Overall, despite few minor gripes mentioned above, Cote&Ciel Isar has been a joy to use and I have to say it’s quirky unusual looks started to grow on me the more I used it.
I have to admit, the iconic design is polarising and not for everyone, but it won’t leave you indifferent and can complement a more creative, expressive personality. Looks aside, the flexibility of Isar allows it to be an excellent EDC as well as a companion for short trips thanks to the expandable front compartment.
Moreover, the bag will keep your things safe, will be comfortable to wear, and will turn more than a few heads in the process.
If you are looking for a minimalist yet sophisticated bag that is also tech-friendly - consider Isar as your trusty companion.
