I Thought Phone Lanyards Were Ugly—Until I Tried the Bandolier Bodie

PHONE lanyards are gruesome. Something about a phone attached to a string putting from your hip makes me recoil. In case your phone is just not at all times in your hands, it belongs in your pocket or purse—I don’t kind the rules. However I also hate carrying a rating or purse all the arrangement in which thru the build, and adjusting the shoulder strap when it inevitably slides off. I’m the friend who will ask you to retailer my lip gloss and keys in your rating, and if on my own, I will shove everything in my jacket pockets—phone, pockets, keys, and AirPods.

What if there were a smarter amalgamation of the two? A crossbody strap to your phone that changed into all all over again precious than correct toting your smartphone, with storage for the different necessities? Enter the Bandolier Bodie Crossbody. Now my pockets might almost definitely per chance moreover be empty without weighing me down, and I don’t desire an annoyingly effectively-organized purse or backpack.

The Bodie is a case and a crossbody strap combo, nonetheless the case has an built-in cardholder on the back. More importantly, there might be a mini pouch attached to the strap that can keep your keys, earbuds, and chapstick. It looks 1,000,000 times greater than the overwhelming majority of crossbody straps I’ve detect, and it helps that the invent is Taylor Swift–well-liked.

Sleek and Favorite

The Bodie is most efficient effectively matched with fresh iPhone models: the iPhone 15, iPhone 15 Pro, iPhone 15 Pro Max, and the total iPhone 16 lineup (excluding the iPhone 16e). Or no longer it’s readily within the market in gloomy with either gold or silver accents, or in Pastel Matcha with silver accents. The firm goes thru some stock disorders nonetheless promises that the Bodie will be more constantly readily within the market by the pause of Would possibly per chance well merely or early June. I went with the gloomy/gold for my iPhone 16 Pro because it gave the impression simpler to compare with my outfits.

The back of the case is manufactured from vegan leather-primarily primarily based completely, while the perimeters are silicone. With raised edges around the expose and digicam, it’s an spectacular level of protection. The buttons are good and clicky, and it has correct cutouts for the ports and the Camera Preserve watch over button (on iPhone 16 models). Despite the built-in pockets on the back, it’s barely slim.

I fancy that the pockets suits as much as five playing cards. I test rather plenty of MagSafe wallets, which in general most efficient fit as much as a pair playing cards. This feels fancy plenty. I’m in a position to lift my debit card, credit rating card, driver’s license, and money without it feeling fancy a tight squeeze. The snap enclosure ensures that everything remains internal safely. Or no longer it’s miles simple to launch and shut, and likewise that it’s seemingly you’ll almost definitely be ready to pull your playing cards out without struggling on the register.

The case’s bottom has two hooks that join to the clasps on the crossbody strap. Undo the hooks whilst you will need to use your phone fancy customary. The downside? The built-in pockets obstructs the MagSafe magnets and disables the iPhone’s wi-fi charging capabilities and compatibility with MagSafe accessories—you would must snatch the case off whilst you happen to need these beneficial properties back. I are inclined to eradicate the case when I receive dwelling and pa it back on when heading out.

The pockets must unruffled’ve been removable, nonetheless Bandolier does sell a MagSafe-effectively matched Mila crossbody. It has a built-in bifold pockets that folds out, permitting you to pop a wi-fi charger on the back of the iPhone or a MagSafe accent. However the Mila’s pockets does not accommodate as many playing cards, and it does not hang the a very remarkable Necessities Pouch.

This mini zip pouch sits within the guts of the strap on the Bodie, making your objects effortlessly accessible. You may almost definitely per chance transfer it additional up or down, or clip it to the head. Or no longer it’s removable, too. I will every so normally snatch it off the strap and throw it in my tote as a replacement of transferring the total objects internal between baggage. Or no longer it’s miniature, so that that it’s seemingly you’ll almost definitely be ready to’t fit much internal, nonetheless it unquestionably’s been at hand for carrying my car keys, chapstick, and AirPods.

Now not just like the thin lanyards on most crossbody phone cases, the Bodie’s strap feels an much like one on a pleasant purse. Constituted of nylon, it’s thick and sturdy, turning in a fetch keep even with a a miniature weighty iPhone putting from it. Or no longer it’s adjustable, so that that it’s seemingly you’ll almost definitely be ready to swap up the size reckoning on what you are carrying or how colossal you are.

On days I must keep something extra, fancy lipstick or a miniature tube of liquid blush, I reach for Bandolier’s Avery AirPods Clip-On pouch to position my AirPods in, which comfortably attaches to the strap’s clips. Bandolier sells it individually, nonetheless it unquestionably fits the Bodie completely, complete with the same pebble vegan leather-primarily primarily based completely texture and gold accents.

I changed into as soon as unruffled anxious carrying the Bodie out for the first time, with my iPhone awkwardly dangling from the aspect of my hip. It correct did not in fact feel natural. That feeling swiftly disappeared when I seen how good it changed into as soon as to be free from a full crossbody rating, the sensation of an demanding strap sliding off my shoulder, or being weighed down by the total stuff in my pockets. I changed into as soon as hands-free, while unruffled having easy accessibility to my phone and necessities.

The compliments also helped. The key day I introduced it out, a stranger at a retailer straight talked about how good it looked, asked me many of questions, after which looked it up merely in front of me on Bandolier’s web web suppose (a pleasant confidence enhance). Since it looks plenty fancy a worn crossbody rating, seriously whilst you are carrying it with the phone screen going thru inward, it’s laborious to direct it’s a phone lanyard—the most efficient of every worlds.

The minor invent primary points subject. Between the thick strap, buckles, clasps, gold accents, and vegan leather-primarily primarily based completely scrutinize, the Bodie mimics a worn crossbody, and it’s tough to direct that it’s a phone case that doubles as a pockets. The modularity, with the flexibility to accessorize with diverse pieces, capability that it’s seemingly you’ll almost definitely be ready to conceal it a ways more.

If the worth on Bandolier’s Bodie is a jump terror, effectively, I don’t blame you. Spending $150 on a glorified phone case is laborious to abdominal. Nonetheless it’s a adorable, classy, and handy accent, and the everyday shines thru. Or no longer it’s a vogue accent more than a tech accent. Taylor Swift would below no circumstances steer me unsuitable.