Arden Cove Crissy Full Crossbody Review: A Stylish Anti-Theft Travel Purse
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In the spring of 2023, I was looking to upgrade my travel purse. For years, I had sacrificed style for function, settling for plain Jane purses that offered anti-theft protection to give me peace of mind on my trips. Then, one day, I’d finally had enough: I was tired of sporting frumpy purses, anti-theft protection or not. The travel purses’ lack of style was cramping my style.
So, I did what anyone else in my shoes would do: I turned to the internet. I scoured travel blogs, web forums, and social media posts, looking for any leads on a fashionable travel purse. Eventually, I stumbled upon Arden Cove, and it was love at first click. Their Crissy Full Crossbody purse was not only chic but also had all of the safety features I could’ve hoped for. Without a second thought (and with some leftover Christmas money), I added it to my cart and checked out, and three years later, I can safely say it’s one of the best purchases I’ve ever made.
The Company
Arden Cove was founded in 2016 by sisters Karin and Carmen, who set out to create the travel purse of their dreams. Both had used travel purses in the past and been disappointed by their touristy, far-from-stylish appearance and non-durable, non-waterproof materials. With their flagship purse, the Crissy Full Crossbody, they created a fashion-forward handbag that was not only slash- but also water-resistant with a range of safety features.
You can read the company’s full origin story over on their website.
Crissy Full Crossbody: The Basics
Here’s the lowdown on Arden Cove’s best-selling purse.
Measurements
Height: 6.5 in (16.5 cm)
Width: 3.5 in (8.9 cm) on the bottom; 2 in (5 cm) on the top, excluding the front pocket
Length: 8.5 in (21.6 cm)
Strap length: variable*
*The strap length varies based on the type of strap (faux leather strap, faux leather wide strap, jacquard, or slash-resistant chain). Please consult the Crissy Full Crossbody Purse’s product page for additional information.
Weight and Capacity
Weight: 1.2 lbs (544 g)
Capacity: 1.9 L*
*This is an approximation.
Compartments
Front wallet pocket featuring 8 card slots and 1 bill pocket
Main compartment with 2 wall pockets and 1 zippered pocket
Safety Features
RFID-blocking, built-in wallet
Slash-resistant
Anti-theft strap (either reinforced with a steel cable or made of a metal chain)
Zipper and strap locking clasps
Water-resistant nylon and zippers
How to Purchase
The best way to purchase the Crissy Full Crossbody purse is directly through Arden Cove’s website.
Crissy Full Crossbody: My Review and Overall Thoughts
TLDR: A travel purse with style and function.
The Crissy Full Crossbody purse has everything you could want in a travel purse and then some. From its slash-resistant material and straps* to its locking clasps and RFID-blocking wallet, it is designed to keep pickpockets at bay.
Safety features aside, it is also practical. It is crafted out of rubber-backed, water-resistant nylon and features water-resistant zippers as well. The end result? Your belongings stay dry when an unexpected rainstorm hits. Take it from someone who has been caught in a sudden downpour without an umbrella, having to dry out your purse and all of its contents in your hotel room is not a fun time (especially when said hotel room does not have a hair dryer).
Another nice aspect of the Crissy Full Crossbody is its bottom, namely its four metal feet. These feet ensure that the purse itself never touches the floor, which, if you’ve ever accidentally set your purse down on a sticky floor and then had to spend far too much time cleaning it, you can appreciate just how useful this feature is.
This purse also makes excellent use of every square inch of its space. It might be compact, but it holds a surprising amount and keeps everything organized. I especially love the front compartment; it contains eight credit card slots and a bill pocket, rendering a wallet obsolete.
Lastly, this purse is well made. Having owned and used it nearly every day for the last three years, I can personally attest to its quality construction. My Crissy Full Crossbody has held up beautifully and is still going strong; the only signs of its age are the slightly dulled metal clasps and a few scuffs here and there.
*Please note that the regular jacquard strap is not slash-resistant.
Everything inside my Crissy Full Crossbody.
Cell phone | Ray-Ban sunglasses | Vera Bradley ID case | Alda Pure lip balm | Keys | VerMints Travel-Size Tin | Nathan & Sons Underbrush Gum | Uni-Ball One Pen | Hair tie | Band-Aid | Cooper Street Snacks Granola Bake | Nature’s Bakery Fig Bar
The Not-So-Good
There’s no way around it: the Crissy Full Crossbody is on the smaller side. Yes, it is thoughtfully designed and well-organized, but if you’re the type of person who carries around a lot of things in their purse, this might not be the bag for you. Then again, having a smaller purse does force you to downsize and be more intentional with what you carry, which, overall, is a good thing (your shoulders will certainly thank you for the lighter load).
Overall
Pleasing to the eyes and abounding with features, the Crissy Full Crossbody is the gold standard of travel purses, as far as I’m concerned. It only took one trip with it for me to fall in love and begin using it as my everyday purse — that’s right, it’s my travel purse and my daily pocketbook.
-Julia
Ready to purchase one for yourself?
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