By Mary Webb
Lilypond’s Switchgrass Carryall Backpack is a versatile hand bag and backpack will take you from the farmer’s market to the bike trail and anywhere in between! We trotted around California last month and I took the Switchgrass for an evening stroll along the Sundial bridge, for the annual Sundial Music Festival as well as a day trip to the Mendocino Coast botanical garden in Fort Bragg. While the Switchgrass is available in the color of sea grass and sea breeze; we chose the vibrant color ways of orange peel and fire dance, just the right colors to play off the moonlight at the sundial bridge and the dahlias at the botanical garden.
It was about a three mile amble from the car to the Sundial Music Festival. With one deep interior zipped pocket, containing a hooked ring for keys, I was able to keep my car keys in an assured location. Not only were they locked on the hook, but zipped up tight! There are 4 additional sewn in interior pockets that were the perfect location to store my bottled water. While temperatures can escalate along the river, it was nice to know that I had some bottles safely stowed to quench my thirst. The dual-roped handles on the bag warded off sweat and were comfortable on my grip, and the 3″ handle strap height allowed sufficient room between my hand and the bag. There were several items for sale at the festival that caught my eye and filled up the Switchgrass! The bag became quite heavy with t-shirts, mugs and jewelry to name a few. I was glad to have the versatility of the backpack to help shoulder some of the load. Adjustable straps were not only functional, but adorned in the Lilypond jacquard webbing. This jacquard webbing is delightfully decorative around the top of tote, providing a stylish motif to the exterior.
Heading out to the coastal garden was a delightful experience in the Switchgrass bag. We perused the perennial garden and took a stroll out along the garden path to the coastal waters; with our light jackets stored inside the denier nylon fabric bag, I enjoyed the look and silky feel of the water-marked interior in a pleasant contrasting green. The open mouth design made it easy to pull items in and out of the bag, and I liked the 2 magnetic closures that kept belongings at bay. The Switchgrass comes with an exterior zippered pocket. I used this pocket to store my maps because a girl needs to know where she’s going. The nylon fabrics make cleaning a breeze in the Switchgrass, simply wipe down with a damp cloth. I had to do this more than once in the garden as I brushed up against a dusty rail or two, attempting a closer glimpse of the gorgeous Dahlias!
Keep the Switchgrass hanging near your front door ladies. For $79, this hand bag is perfect to grab when you are out shopping with a few friends around San Francisco and you need a little extra carrying room; especially when the sales in Union Square may be too hard to resist! This writer will be bike riding to the market more often with the Switchgrass. While this backpack isn’t meant to carry heavy camping gear, it’s perfect for a baguette, tomatoes and some fresh Mozzarella!
Specifications:
12″W x 14″H x 8″D