Persu Collection Tom Bag Review

I’ve been a fan of Persu Collection’s ultra-functional gym bags since I tried their Jessica bag last year.  I’ve been wanting the Tom bag for ages, so I finally decided to jump on it a few weeks back.

I ended up taking the Tom bag with me for a long weekend trip to southern Utah.  The Tom bag offered plenty of room for everything I needed.  It’s a full-sized duffel, but not oversized.  The size is similar to my lululemon weekend warrior bag.

The Tom comes in black with vegan leather accents and shiny gunmetal hardware.  Persu stuffs their bags with all the features you could possibly want, and the Tom bag is no exception.  Each bag also comes with two extra pouches: a drawstring shoe bag with a divided center, plus a zip bag you can use for shoes, dirty laundry, or whatever else you might need.  I use these bags all the time, even when I’m using other luggage.

The inside of the bag is lined with a grey contrast material.  Note the pattern is the Persu logo on my bag, not the fleur de lis pattern shown in Persu’s photos.  The entire inner lining zips out for washing when needed, which is a handy feature for stains or smelly workout gear.

On one side of the interior, there’s a large padded compartment that you can use for your laptop (it fits my 13″ MacBook Air).  There are also two additional smaller padded pockets for things like a notebook, wallet, or phone.

On the other side of the bag is one large mesh zip pocket.  Either end of the bag also has an elastic-topped pocket made of mesh material.  They’re made to fit water bottles, but are handy for other things.  I used one of them for a tube of sunscreen, for example.

The outside has one subtle zip pocket on one side that’s just large enough for my phone.  Take note that this is the only exterior pocket.

The bottom has a bungee cord for a yoga mat (or something else).  The easiest way to fit a yoga mat is to skip some of the X’s of the bungee as opposed to stringing it through every single loop.  I was able to get my Manduka ProLite mat securely and quickly in the bungee using just the first, middle, and last loop.  All that said, if you don’t like the bungee, it can be removed without damaging the rest of the bag.  You can just untie the end, pull it through the cord stopper, and unlace it off the bag.

So, how does the Tom bag compare to the Jessica bag?  They’re very close in size, but the Tom is just a hair larger.  The Jessica bag has 3 outer pockets versus the Tom’s 1.  The Tom bag is not as structured, which means it doesn’t stand up on its own, but is a little more flexible and easier to stuff, which I prefer for traveling.  The single zip opening of the Tom bag is a little bit easier to get in and out of since the double-zip top of the Jessica bag is flanked by structured panels.

Overall, the Tom bag is a fantastic, versatile option for the gym and far beyond.  This one was definitely money well spent and is a great addition to my bag repertoire.  I foresee using it on lots of trip in the future in addition to the gym.  In terms of functionality and quality, it’s hard to find anything as good as Persu’s bags.  I’ve had my Jessica bag for over a year and have used it regularly, but it still looks as good as the day I got it.  I expect the Tom bag will perform similarly well.  If you’re looking for a new gym duffel, I definitely recommend looking at this one!

You can find the Tom bag on Persu’s website or via Amazon.  If you sign up for their newsletter, you’ll get 15% off your first order.