Hence, the quest for the CALPAK dupe. I mean, come on, it’s basically an insulated bag, right? How hard can it be to find something similar that doesn’t require me to sell a kidney? So, I dove into the depths of the internet. And you know what? It’s a jungle out there. So many “dupes” that are just… not. Like, seriously, some of these alleged dupes look like they’d fall apart after one trip to the office. And don’t even get me started on the insulation. I need my leftovers to stay cold, not turn into a science experiment by lunchtime.
I saw a few on, like, Amazon and Target that looked kinda promising. Some had that similar sleek aesthetic, that kinda minimalist vibe that CALPAK’s going for. But then I’d read the reviews and it’d be all, “Zipper broke after two weeks!” or “Doesn’t fit a standard bento box!” *facepalm*
The struggle is real, people.
Honestly, I haven’t found THE perfect CALPAK lunch bag dupe yet. Still searching. I’m starting to think maybe I should just bite the bullet and save up for the real deal, just for the sake of my sanity. Or maybe I’ll just keep using my trusty, albeit less chic, reusable grocery bag. It gets the job done, even if it doesn’t scream “I have my life together!” quite as loudly.
Plus, let’s be honest, sometimes the best things in life are a little bit janky. Maybe I’m being overly precious about my lunch-carrying situation. It’s just a bag, right? (But a cute bag is always a win, isn’t it?).
