[Pen/Pencil Review] The Milloo Minos No2 Backpack

This week’s pen blog isn’t a pen, but it came from an online pen store. For quite a while I’ve been looking for a great bag for work. I love leather. I thought I was probably looking for a messenger bag, but then during Thanksgiving weekend, this bag made itself known. It’s the Milloo backpack from Tokyo Pen Shop. A backpack. I wasn’t looking for a backpack, so what was it about this backpack that made me take notice? The video in the product description – and Kimberly, one of the owners, talked about how she’d been on the search for a perfect leather backpack and found this one.

I picked the Milloo Minos No2 dark brown backpack. The Milloo line is handcrafted in Athens, Greece. It soft cow leather, not hard, with sturdy feeling straps and handles. It’s got a great, slouchy feel but also sturdy. The bag is HUGE. It’s approximately 1’5″ tall and 1’4″ wide. When I put it fully, it covers my whole back but comfortably.

It holds A LOT. Like a lot. I got one of the last (if not the last) neutral lining bags, they also had a floral lining. There’s a slightly padded computer pocket with a leather strap. I can get my 15” Dell in the pocket, but it’s taller than the strap – but not taller than the bag. I have several letter size notebooks in there now, a pen bag (actually the zipper bubble wrap bag Tokyo Pen Shop sent a couple of pens in), a “tech” bag with charger cables. A camera is in the leather phone sleeve. There’s a zippered accessory pocket that I have some stuff in. There’s also two side, exterior zipper pockets. The zippers are all metal and sturdy.


The only “knock” or thing I would change is the top zipper. I kinda wish it zipped open a little wider, but I can get everything I need in there relatively easily. I think I’m going to love this bag. The straps are comfortable, the top handles make it easy to grab and go. I will put a coat of Leather Love on it (a beeswax leather conditioner I got from Naturecraft at a renaissance festival to keep it soft and waterproof).

The Numbers.

1. How does it work? – 1 – It’s an amazing bag. Soft, comfortable, beautiful, easy to carry.
2. Look and feel – 1 – It’s gorgeous! It’s functional. It holds all my stuff while looking gorgeous and solid.
3. Material – 1 – It’s cow leather from Greece with solid metal zippers.
4. Overall Design – 0.5 – It’s functional. It’s beautiful. It’s huge. It could be one of the best bags of all time. I would like the top zipper to open a bit wider, but it’s still amazing.
5. Price Point – 1 – This bag is $185 – which is a lot, but still quite affordable for a leather backpack, especially one this size. I’ve seen smaller leather bags go for a lot more than this. It’s totally worth it – especially since it came from a small business. Please check out Tokyo Pen Shop.

4.5 out of 5 bronze pencils.

Tags: backpack, leather, Milloo Minos backpack, Tokyo Pen Shop