Product review - Bioworld Han Solo Hoth handbag

 

I've got three Bioworld bags: the Deathstar one that was released as part of the Rogue One merch series, the Han Solo Hoth handbag (and I'm not sure what series this is from, but I know there's a few other bits and pieces in the line) and the Millennium Falcon Operations Manual purse from the Solo line. 
This post is about the kisslock bag.

But first a tiny bit about the Deathstar one, because it is still available but it's just too simple to merrit a post of it's own.

 

The Deathstar bag is the one I got first. 
Bert bought it for me last December in Shop for Geek, and I *think* it was €35, but I'm not that sure anymore. Basically it's a round bag, in an interesting shade of pewter coloured fake leather with a gorgeous deathstar design on the front. 

The back is plain with a metal Star Wars tag, just like the one on the kisslock bag. It's got a zipper closure and that's it. If you have a slightly bigger than normal phone (like I do with my Sony XPERIA L1) then you can absolutely forget about getting it in there. 

I use it all the time to put my inhaler and mp4 player in when I'm on the go, and I love it. It's an amazing bag, but don't expect to fit a lot in there. 
If you're just carrying a small purse, a small phone and some basics like keys, you should be fine, but else, nope, this is not the bag you are looking for (unless you are content to use it as a secondary bag like I do).

 

And now that we got that past us: the kisslock bag. 
I'm not sure when exactly this was released in Europe (or in the US for that matter) but I do know that I've had my eye on it for months and months. Initially when I saw it on Think Geek, I really wanted it. 
A few months later, Shop for Geek had it on their site, and I asked to have it come to the local shop. Thankfully, Shop for Geek allows you to see the item first and then decide. And initially I decided against it.
Whilst I did love the look of it, I had seen the review on amazon.com, where some people had a bag that literally came apart quite quickly. 
So I just didn't feel comfortable paying €70 for it. 
But, our local Shop for Geek is closing (boooo) and they ended up giving me a hefty discount, making it €50 instead of €70. I still feel that €50 is a serious risk, considering that I might be out of luck and it might fall apart horribly in just a short while, but I also knew I wouldn't find it cheaper and it was now or never. In the end I got it for myself as an early birthday present. You can still find it in Europe fairly easily (not sure about the US) so here's a review.

 

Front. You can't take off the travel label by the way. Not unless you're willing to cut it off. 

 

Back 

Design wise it's beautiful. 
It has a lovely classic, retro look to it, and the blue and brown combo works really well. 
The metal tags aren't the most amazing quality, so be careful or you will scuff them. 
The handbag handles are very sturdy and practical, I can't say anything bad about those. 
The shoulder strap is long enough to comfortably wear it crossbody, but you can't change the length. Which isn't very practical. 
Whilst the strap itself is nicely made, I'm not sure about how sturdy the attachment points on the bag are. I have read reviews where one or both broke off, so make sure to not put a lot of weight in it. 
The kisslock itself seems sturdy enough, but again, I've seen reviews where it had broken, so I wouldn't open and close it more than strictly necessary.



 

Inside it's pretty roomy, however, you need to make sure not to pack bulky pieces, or the bag will fall open. Over and over and over again 'till you repack it with items it will accept. 
There are two side compartments/pockets inside the bag, but when I tried packing my inhaler in one such pocket, you guessed it, the bag fell open. So I put my inhaler loose in it and then it was fine. 

 

My conclusion is that it's gorgeous bag, mostly really well made. 
The fake leather is very good quality, but the hardware is only so-so. Which I personally find unacceptable for a bag in that price range. 
Basically, if you, like me, can't resist it and only plan to use it for special occasions, you at least now know what you're in for. 
 If you're looking for a trustworthy, good quality bag that will last you absolute ages: this is not the one you want to invest in. Just no. 
I give it 2,5/5. I would give it 3/5 but I don't trust it not to fall apart. 

To be 100% honest, my advice would be to NOT buy a Bioworld bag (or clothing because their sizing is utterly insane) unless you can see it in person and check it out yourself. Or you can read a lot of reviews online. Because the only thing they seem to make that isn't hit or miss is snapbacks (baseball caps I guess). 

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