I just received this bag today (I ordered mine 3 days ago), the shipping was super-fast! I bought the Large tote, which is a little too big for me, but the bag is so beautiful (also monogrammed) that I decided to keep it for when I travel. I just finished ordering in the Medium size!!! Initially, I thought to exchange it, I was worried I couldn't do it because it was monogrammed. I called LLBean and the lady said that they WOULD accept it back and send me one smaller (monogrammed as well). They treated me so well, that I decided to keep the Large and buy a medium. My only advice would be to be very careful with the size. As for the quality of the bag, all I can say is that it is the best!
We're just back from visiting family in Alaska. For this trip, I purchased and packed an X-Large, long-handled, zippered bag which we used for transporting our toiletries and clothes from the "hotel" (that is, the camper) to the shower in the house. On the return flight, this bag served as an extra suitcase. The bag came through the airlines intact, but covered with a layer of black grease. All our other tote bags were purchased from the discount bin with amusing names, our favorite being "Utopia". But this new bag was our first full-price bag with our name monogrammed on it. I was so disappointed in the airlines. While L. L. Bean recommends spot cleaning, I put my soiled bag in the tub last night, got out a stiff brush with which I used to scrub tire whitewalls, and covered the bag with liquid laundry detergent. I scrubbed everything, including the soiled handles. After rinsing the bag, I put it in front of a fan for several hours to dry. It came out perfect! So perfect that even the red handles and trim did not bleed. As predicted from my internet searches, the bag is a little less stiff, which I actually prefer. My advice would be to use a lot less laundry detergent than you think you need, as I went way overboard and spent a lot of time rinsing. "Utopia" has been around for a long time, carrying everything from computer monitors to shoes, so I'm going to wash it next.
I love the size, durability and the ability to personalize each bag. I purchased the XL with the short handles. I really wish that it had pockets like other competitors. You can fit anything in this bag you want.
Small and XL need softer color options please. These are great gifts for kids and babies and the bold dark colors don't interest me. LOVE the bags though.
