I'd actively not recommend the UJUAL bag to 99% of people. I still use mine almost every day. Both of those things are true, and the rest of this post is me explaining how.
Quick context on me, because it matters for any review: I'm a CS student at UC Santa Cruz. Most days I'm hauling a laptop, a charger, a notebook, sometimes gym clothes, and whatever book I'm halfway through. I have a regular backpack with what I lovingly call fifty compartmentsfor that. The UJUAL is a different tool. If you're shopping for a primary school or work backpack, this isn't one. If you're shopping for a secondary, going-to-the-library, going-out-for-a-couple-hours bag — keep reading.
What the UJUAL bag actually is
UJUAL (the brand spells it U J U A L) makes a hybrid briefcase-meets-backpack. The body is compact and light — closer to a slim laptop sleeve than a 25L pack. Closure is a row of magnets running along both sides; you don't pull a zipper, you peel it open and the magnets snap it back shut. It comes with a small accessory pouch and a detachable handle, so you can carry it as a backpack, sling it briefcase-style, or grab it by the top handle. It's the kind of bag that's clearly designed to be looked at, not just used.
For exact specs — the model, color, capacity, materials — check the UJUAL site. I'm focused on real-world use here, not the spec sheet.
Walkthrough on YouTube: watch the full review.
Read the video transcript
You must be wondering why this is the best bag that you've never heard of. I'm going to give you six or seven reasons. The bag is by UJUAL — U-J-U-A-L. It's kind of like a cross between a briefcase and a regular backpack, and this is kind of how all my stuff is positioned. I'll show you what it looks like when it's closed.
Pretty basic. Nothing's in it right now, but it's pretty compact and also pretty light. You must be wondering — this is a CS channel, what are you doing reviewing bags? But it's pretty good.
In terms of my accessories, most of my stationaries I don't keep inside the bag directly. It comes with a lot of extra stuff. For example, this little pouch — you can use it practically for anything. I have an iPod that I sometimes put in here, and you can put a power bank if it's small enough, or chargers, whatever it may be. I use this as the handle. Technically you could just hold it, but it's kind of uncomfortable, so it comes with a handle.
This big guy is where I keep the important stuff — pencils, pens, anything else. This actually can fit my MacBook charger, believe it or not, so that's actually pretty helpful. And it's pretty neat. Basically how it works is they're magnets that run across the sides, and once you open it, you can kind of hear it. That's basically how it works.
Nothing too fancy. And honestly, I would not recommend this to 99% of people, just because a regular backpack that you probably use every single day is probably better than this. The only real reason I really do use this is, besides aesthetics, it's just nice to bring around if I'm going to the library, going somewhere super quick, and I don't feel like hauling my 50-compartment backpack. Then this is pretty chill.
This was actually originally supposed to be an EDC. So let's actually get back to the EDC. This is basically my EDC.
I'll start off with the book. This is Stoner by John Williams. Highly, highly recommend you read it. I actually finished it already, so I kind of need to replace it. Only reason I still have it around is there's some notes I still need to take. Highly, highly recommend.
This is just simple wired earbuds that I use for my Mac. Nothing too fancy.
Moving on to this thing — it kind of looks like a phone, but it's not. This is the XTE Inc. e-reader. It's pretty nice. I use it only for reading, so you really can't do anything else. You can upload books and other things. I won't show how to do that here, but there are plenty of videos on YouTube. For those wondering what I'm reading — this is actually Crime and Punishment. I've only gone to chapter 2 so far, but it's pretty good.
Moving on to my iPod. I don't know if you can see it — it's kind of banged up a little bit, but I've got a ton of music on this and I'm also still adding a bunch more. Honestly, I don't remember the exact specs on this since it was custom made. But it's really great for music, and it pairs perfectly with the wired earbuds.
Just a simple school notebook, just for taking quick notes and other stuff. I have a much larger one. I usually just take all of this stuff in my regular backpack, but if I'm heading to the library and I don't need much, then I just take this bag.
And then we got the M2 MacBook Air. I usually use this for school, watching videos, computer science stuff, coding. But yeah, that's basically my EDC.
What I actually like about it
The magnetic closure is genuinely satisfying.You hear it click shut. There's no zipper to snag, no flap that flips the wrong way in wind. After a few weeks you stop thinking about it, which is usually the highest compliment you can pay a piece of hardware.
The main compartment fits my MacBook charger.That sounds trivial; it isn't. A lot of slim bags this size make you choose between the laptop and the brick. The UJUAL has just enough depth that the 70W charger goes in flat alongside a notebook. For a coffee-shop coding session that's the entire kit.
The included accessory pouch is doing real work.I keep an iPod, wired earbuds, and a small power bank in it. It clips out separately, which means when I switch back to my regular backpack the pouch comes with me. That kind of cross-bag continuity is the thing I'd miss most if I lost it.
The detachable handle is the bag's best feature. Without it, the top edge is uncomfortable to grip — too thin, too flat. With the handle clipped on, it converts to a briefcase carry that feels intentional. I use the handle in places where slinging a backpack feels off — walking into a meeting, a bookstore, a nice-ish dinner.
It's genuinely compact and light.When I'm headed to the library for a couple of hours, I don't want to haul a full pack just to carry a laptop and a book. The UJUAL is the bag for exactly that trip.
What's actually annoying (and why I don't recommend it to most people)
It's not a daily driver.Most people buying a bag are shopping for the bag they take to school or work every day. For that use case, a regular backpack with proper compartments and proper straps wins. Period. If you only have room in your life for one bag, this shouldn't be it.
Capacity is limited and unforgiving.The form factor is the form factor. There's no expansion, no extra outer pocket for a water bottle, no hidden mesh. If your day involves a laptop plus gym clothes plus a lunch plus a textbook, the UJUAL is going to make you leave something on your desk. That's by design — it's why it looks the way it does — but it's a real cost.
A lot of what you're paying for is aesthetics. I think it's fine to pay for aesthetics. I just think most reviews aren't honest about it. If you remove the magnetic closure trick and the briefcase-handle option, you're left with a slim laptop bag at a price that asks more of you than slim laptop bags usually do. The reason to buy it is that you specifically want this bag, not because it out-performs a normal backpack.
Who should actually buy this
Get the UJUAL bag if:
- You already own a primary backpack and want a second, smaller bag for short trips.
- You care how the bag looks and you're not going to pretend otherwise.
- You move between casual and slightly-more-formal contexts and want one bag that works in both.
- You like the magnetic-closure / detachable-handle gimmick enough that it'll make you smile every time you use it.
Skip the UJUAL bag if:
- You're looking for one bag to do everything.
- Your daily kit is bigger than a laptop, charger, notebook, and small accessories.
- You need outer pockets, a water-bottle sleeve, or expandable capacity.
- You don't care about aesthetics — you'd be paying for a feature you don't value.
FAQ
Does the UJUAL bag fit a MacBook?
Yes — I carry an M2 MacBook Air in mine daily, and the main compartment also takes the MacBook charger flat. It'll comfortably fit any 13" laptop and most 14" laptops. If you're on a 16" MacBook Pro, double-check the dimensions on UJUAL's site against your machine before buying.
Is the UJUAL bag waterproof?
It's water-resistant, not waterproof. It shrugs off light rain on a walk to class. I wouldn't hike in a downpour with a laptop in it — but that's true of almost every bag in this category.
UJUAL bag vs a regular backpack — which should I get?
A regular backpack, almost always, if you're only buying one bag. Better straps, more compartments, more capacity, better in rain, cheaper. The UJUAL only wins when you want a compact second bag with a distinctive look — and even then, it wins on style and form factor, not on raw utility.
How much does the UJUAL bag cost?
Pricing moves around on UJUAL's site — current pricing is on the official site. It sits in the "premium accessory bag" range rather than the budget end. Whether it's worth it depends entirely on whether you fall into the "Get it if" list above.
How long does the UJUAL bag last?
Mine has been holding up well over months of light, near-daily use — the magnetic closure still snaps tight and there's no visible wear on the body. I'll update this post if anything changes.
What lives inside it
For the curious: a paperback of Stoner by John Williams (highly recommend), an XTE Inc. e-reader I'm reading Crime and Punishment on, a custom iPod loaded with most of my music, wired earbuds for the Mac, a small school notebook, and the M2 MacBook Air. Full EDC writeup coming in the next post.
Bottom line. The UJUAL bag is a good bag for a narrow use case and a bad bag if you ask it to be everything. I bought mine knowing it would be a second bag, and on those terms it's earned its spot. If you're here trying to decide whether it should be your only bag — the honest answer is no.