I'm reviewing this bag I want to talk about it for something other than yoga, in case there's someone out there looking for the perfect hiking bag, like I was.

To hike with my dog, I need to carry a lot of water, but it's annoying to have it roll around in the bottom of a bag. With the Aurorae, I can fit a 1 liter bottle on each side (where you see the yoga mat and the water bottle in the photo) and secure it with a strap. That's great, because the weight of the water is evenly spread out. (On the side of the bag where you see the yoga mat, you could actually put a much bigger bottle of water - maybe close to 2 liters. and the weight isn't only held by the mesh, since the lower strap goes around the bottle.) Because it's a one-strap cross body bag, and the water is on the side, I barely need to move the bag to get the water bottle and give the dog a drink (her bowl flattens and hangs from a key chain, which I also hang from the bag). I can also keep my phone or a small bottle of bug spray or a granola bar in the pocket on the strap, so I don't need to move the bag at all to get at that.

The inside of the bag isn't huge, but it's a practical size for hiking. For me, it'll fit another small water bottle, bug spray, and a few snacks or a book/kindle. Or, you could skip that stuff and put a rolled up sheet or very thin blanket to sit on (which you could also put where the yoga mat goes, if you don't need to bring as much water as I do).

Overall, I think this is a great, versatile hiking bag. I just got it, so I can't say anything about how it holds up - but it seems sturdy. Also, I like the way it looks.

I ordered two of these (for the wife and I) for our hot yoga gear (Mats, toes, straps, towels, change of clothes etc). I do hot yoga everyday and feel like I've put this bag through it's paces -

PROs
1. lots of different pockets for items (including a phone holder, larger pockets - one with vent/water drain holes etc)
2. vertical mat holder, with multiple buckles - important since getting between cars and in and out of doors is easier in that position, multiple buckles give it added support
3. water bottle holder for multiple size bottles.

CONs
1. The mat holder mesh is suspect. I have a large pro style mat, my wife has a standard size mat. Both bags already have slight tears in the mesh (where it meets the top seam (more like popped seams)). For my large mat it can be challenging to get the mat in and out of the mesh. Don't get me wrong it fits just fine, but getting it in and out is challenging - and like I said there are slight tears already.
2. The pockets could be a tad larger. I carry my work clothes in this bag and if I put my shoes in it's WAY tight. Fully loaded with small hand towel, yogitoe, mat, water bottle, strap, work clothes - I still need to hand carry my shower towel and shoes (which I just leave in my car). So it's not bad, but it's not huge.

I knew this was a messenger style sling bag, and it's comfortable, works etc. however I think I would like it more if it was a standard backpack with two straps (but this is a minor nitpick and my opinion). Overall I'm happy with the bag and will continue to use it - but I do want to reach out to the company about the mesh issues. I also wish it was just a tad bigger - but again I'm very happy with it.

This is a very efficient bag. I've used mine for about a month now. On the side of the pack is a mesh pocket which holds a 3mm mat. When I bought a thicker mat for my screaming joints, at 5 millimeters, it does fit, but may require very tight rolling at the end of class. If one is in a hury, the mat can be rolled and simply pressed against the bag and secured with the two adjustable straps that would ordinarily hold the bag in the mesh and at the top. There is a zip compartment in the upper middle of the bag for keys or a phone. Yes, there is a mesh pocket on the strap for a phone, but one reviewer did not like this as it is not secured, and her phone fell out. I do not bring my phone to class.
The large zipper compartment within the pack is large enough for a yoga blanket, a small towel, and a thin jacket; I've put all of those in there and was able to zip it. There is also a slim zipper pocket behind the large pocket for a folded towel or strap. I use my blanket more than I use blocks, but one might fit a block in the larger pocket. I think I would roll my blanket into the snapped space if I brought yoga block to class, but I don't, so I cannot say both would fit. There's a small mesh pocket on the right side (facing front) of the pack for a water bottle. There is also a space where a nylon panel snaps to the pack where one might also store a jacket. The strap has loops which I don't usually use but would hold anything small and even more if you have one of those metal devices that clips on (can't seem to spell that correctly, carabiner??) Everyone else in my class uses a bag from a trendy, expensive retailer with the initials LL. That bag does have a full length zip and a mesh outer pocket. I'm happy with this one, which is much less expensive and efficiently planned.

I purchased this bag because I was sick of showing up to yoga with a bag and a mat and a water bottle and having a tough time signing in because I was awkwardly carrying so many things. I have a Gaiam Premium yoga mat and it fits just fine, even if I do a poor job of rolling it up after class. I have a Rubbermaid 32 oz. chug bottle, and that fits well in the bottle holder on the other side. On a typical day I take a Gaiam no-slip yoga mat towel, which is a little more bulky than a standard towel due to it's rubbery back, and a small hand towel. Both of those fit in the zippered component closest to my back with room to spare. That leaves the compartment in front for a change of clothes if I want. (To be fair, I've never put a pair of jean and a sweater in there, more like yoga pants and a t-shirt.) I've never tried to put shoes in there, but I had no difficulties putting in a pair of sandals. There's a zippered pocket on the front flap that I find to be perfect for my wallet since it's long and flat. The zippered pocket on the very front is great for keys or a phone.

I ordered a green bag and a black bag and both were true to the colors in the pictures. The green has somewhat of a shimmer to it, but not to the extent that it becomes too girly. It's a well-constructed bag, and after three months of consistent use both of them still look like new.

It took me a few wears to get used to the bag. Every other sling bag I've owned goes over my left shoulder, but this one goes over the right. It's not necessarily a bad thing, it just takes a little adjustment.

Now that it's getting warmer I'm hoping to be able to bike to yoga with this bag. I don't have any concerns about my mat or water bottle falling out, everything seems very secure.

I live in the Washington, D.C. area and use public transportation to get to class in the city. I've only used this bag once so far, but I'm already falling in love with it! I have "The best yoga mat ever" by Tumondo (which btw, is also an outstanding product). The mat fits perfectly in this bag and isn't too heavy. I got the navy to match my navy mat and I think it's really pretty! I love the sleek fit of the design too. I rode the metro and bus at relatively busy times and had no problems (Except once when I had the bag lazily slung over my shoulder instead of across my body. Whoops!) Part of me wishes the backpack portion of the bag had a little more room and was a little wider. I'm currently in graduate school and go to class right after yoga, so I need to carry everything with me. I was able to fit a three subject spiral notebook easily, but had difficulty fitting a large binder. A small binder may work. Regardless, you would not be able to fit many objects this size; only one or two. One yoga block fits comfortably; 2 is tight. One block has to lay horizontally at the bottom and the other vertically on top. It's the perfect size for just a workout bag, and great in the city. It does have the added benefit of forcing me to limit what I bring with me, so I don't bring more than I need, which I always do. This also helps the bag stay light even with the heaviness of my natural rubber mat. I was comfortable leaving for work at 8 am, then to yoga, to class, and finally home at 9:45 pm. By the end of the day I got lazy and stopped taking the bag off, but that wasn't even bad on the metro. The mesh pocket on the strap is perfect for carrying a metro card. I keep mine in a case with a key chain ring attached, which is perfect because there are loops on the strap, so I can attach the entire thing to my backpack with a clip. Secure and out of my way, but in easy access - awesome! The bag also has a large buckle on the strap near the bottom. I didn't notice this when I bought it, but I did read about it in a review while I was anxiously awaiting my purchase. I've decided this is a really handy feature to have. It saves you from having to pull the strap over your head if you don't want to mess up your hair. It's also an easy and quick way to take the bag off if you need to. I do wish there was some way to make the design to be worn on either shoulder, but I think that might be difficult to do without losing some of that secure fit. Finally, the price makes this bag really stand out. I looked at the Manduka bag as well. Even though I liked the style and size of that one better, the price difference spoke for itself. Hey, graduate school isn't cheap!