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. After several weeks of testing both the City Crescent 12L crossbody and City Backpack 15L while vanlifing through France, I'm convinced this simple feature changes everything about everyday carry.
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. This is the kind of thoughtful design that makes you wonder why every bag doesn't have it.
The BagLev hook: tiny addition, huge impact
The BagLev hook is a small, nonslip piece of hardware integrated into the bag's structure. On the City Crescent, it's attached to a short fabric strap that allows it to rotate, making it easy to position the bag at any angle. On the City Backpack, the hook is tucked into a pocket at the top of the bag and lacks that rotating fabric, which limits its usefulness. In both cases, the hook is designed to slip over tabletops, chair backs, ledges, or any edge thicker than a few millimeters. The hook is also removable, so you could attach it to other bags with similar fabric loops, though I suspect most people will leave it permanently in place.
The hook might sound gimmicky, but once you start using it, you'll find yourself reaching for it constantly. In cafes, I'd hang the City Crescent on the edge of a table, keeping it within arm's reach and off the sticky floor. In the forest, I'd hook it onto a fallen branch. At home, it hangs on the back of my desk chair, no longer resting on the floor or the kitchen counter. It's transformed how I treat my bags, making my other, hookless bags feel dirty and less capable by comparison.
Peak Design City Crescent (12L): the perfect urban companion
The City Crescent is a highly versatile crossbody bag designed for casual use, not for photographers. It's lightweight at just 530 grams (1.16 pounds), with a clean, not-too-slouchy silhouette constructed from Peak Design's Mono Shell 660D fabric. This material is rain-shedding and easy to wipe clean, which is a boon when you choose the nearly white "Moon" colorway. After weeks of use, a damp cloth was all it took to remove the dirt that did accumulate.
The bag's organization is where it truly shines. On the front of the bag, there's a zippered pocket that easily fits a 24-ounce water bottle or compact umbrella, and it's accessible even while wearing the bag. On one side, there's a zippered pocket that faces away from the body—perfect for a phone. On the other side, a self-closing magnetic pocket sits against your hip for quick access to sunglasses or earbuds. Inside, there's a large main compartment with a zippered stow pocket for a wallet, two stretchy interior pockets for gadgets, and a hidden AirTag pocket near the back. The main compartment can even fit a 14-inch MacBook Pro, though you'll want a sleeve because there's no padding.
Speaking of the shoulder strap, it's wide and adjustable but not padded. I found it comfortable even with a full load of laptop, water bottle, and assorted gear, but if you're planning to haul heavy electronics regularly, the backpack is a better choice. The City Crescent also has a key tether, which doubles as the spot I stow the BagLev hook when not in use. I stopped tucking the hook into its pocket early on; instead, I let it dangle behind me, where it's out of the way and ready to deploy at any moment.
Peak Design City Backpack (15L): better for laptop commuters
If you're carrying a laptop on a daily basis, the City Backpack is the more responsible option. It weighs just 750 grams (1.6 pounds) and features padded shoulder straps that do a decent job of supporting a fully loaded bag. The straps lack pockets or attachment loops, and there's no sternum strap for stabilization, but I found it comfortable under a variety of loads and it didn't sway excessively when cycling or walking around town.
The backpack's main compartment is well organized, with a deep internal laptop sleeve that leaves your computer suspended in the air, protected by padding on both sides. It easily fits my 14-inch MacBook Pro, though the padding comes right up to the top edge, meaning larger laptops might lose some protection. There's also a tablet sleeve, a zippered top pocket with an integrated key lanyard, and multiple stretchy, semi-transparent pouches inside for phones, e-readers, power banks, and cables. On the padded backside, there's a sleeve that slips over a roller bag's handle for easy airport travel.
The backpack also has two stretchy, zippered side pockets, each capable of holding a 24-ounce water bottle. I quickly discovered they were perfect for a bottle of wine and a baguette during my vanlife adventures. The side pockets are accessible by sliding the bag off one shoulder and swinging the base forward—a move I've been practicing with Peak Design's side-access backpacks for a decade already.
However, the BagLev hook on the backpack is less handy. Because it doesn't rotate, I had trouble hanging the bag off tabletops with short overhangs. The hook also lacks the extra fabric that gives the Crescent's hook more freedom of motion. It's an odd oversight for a company that prides itself on design. Fortunately, the backpack has an integrated grab handle that can slip through many chair designs to assist the hook, but it's not as seamless as the Crescent's implementation.
Design and materials: built for urban life
Both bags share the same Mono Shell 660D fabric, which feels durable yet lightweight. The fabric has a subtle texture that looks good in both casual and professional settings, and it sheds water easily. The zippers are chunky and easy to grab, and there are thoughtful touches like key tethers, AirTag pockets, and reflective loops that add to the overall quality. These are not camera bags, despite Peak Design's heritage; they're everyday carry bags for the casual urbanite.
The City Line fits neatly between Peak Design's lightweight Outdoor line and its more rugged Travel and Everyday collections. The balance of features, weight, durability, and price puts these bags squarely in the everyday-carry sweet spot. At $119.95 for the City Crescent and $179.95 for the City Backpack, they're not cheap, but they're competitive with other premium bags from brands like Bellroy and Able Carry.
Alternatives and the bag-hook lifestyle
If you're not ready to commit to a full bag just to get a hook, there are cheaper ways to join the bag-hook lifestyle. I've come across a few interesting tabletop hooks that are portable and inexpensive, like a $3.54 hook from Walmart, a $4.24 hook from Etsy, and several sub-$10 bag hangers from Lihit Lab. These don't integrate as elegantly, but they'll keep your current bag off the ground. The BagLev hook can also be removed and attached to other bags that have similar fabric loops, so you can upgrade an existing bag if it's compatible.
After testing Peak Design's City Line, I'm a bag-hook convert. The convenience of hooking my bag onto any available surface beats setting it on a dirty floor, hanging it off the back of a chair where it will inevitably slide down, or holding it on a sweaty lap during a hot summer day. It's a small innovation that makes a big difference in how I use my bags every single day.
Which one should you buy? If you want a versatile crossbody for light carrying, the City Crescent is the winner. Its rotating hook is more flexible, and the quick-access pockets are brilliantly designed. If you carry a laptop daily, the City Backpack offers better protection and organization, despite the hook limitation. Both bags have earned their place in my rotation, but if I'm heading out without a laptop, the City Crescent is the first thing I grab. I'm hooked.
Source:The Verge News