One of the newest e-mooks I picked up at my last Hong Kong trip was the Fall 2010 issue of BAPE Kids. This e-mook is of incredible value! It comes with not just one but three fabulous furoku: a matching set of mommy-and-me bags, plus a premium sticker sheet.

The mook itself is pretty standard, and features parents and kids decked out from head to foot in BAPE. The sticker sheet features a variety of fun designs, and is printed out on to waterproof, heavy-stock sticker paper.

The bags however are outstanding — you get two of them: a medium-sized zippered tote with large side pockets, and a small Velcro sling bag with adjustable straps. The two bags are made from the same heavy-duty canvas material in yellow and studded with Baby Milo prints. The bags are meant for mother-and-child, but they are perfectly fine to use as everyday bags by the young-at-heart.

The medium tote has a surprisingly large capacity; you can store a DSLR plus its padded case inside, and still have room for your wallet, travel documents and passport holder, and a small vanity case. The pockets are also roomy — capable of holding a 500-ml bottle of water, or your mobile phones and keys. I use mine to hold wet wipes and a bottle of hand sanitizer — very important on out-of-town trips!

The small sling bag on the other hand is perfect for short walkabouts. You can store a small point-and-shoot camera in its case, your wallet, and a small personal beauty kit for touch-ups; my flatmate (who not surprisingly has declared the sling bag as her own) goes as far as stuff a small hand towel in it for good measure. It’s very roomy for its size. You can adjust the straps to use it as an over-the-shoulder bag, or a messenger-style sling.

At about HKD 180 or PhP 1000, this e-mook incredible value for money! A Bathing Ape is a fairly exclusive brand — they run less than thirty stores and shops worldwide, so their stuff is pretty rare and can get quite pricey. They also have great street cred, and are the target of numerous knock-offs and copycats. It’s great to be able to carry around authentic BAPE merchandise without having to pay an arm and a leg for them.

But beyond the exclusivity of the brand name, the quality of the materials and the workmanship coupled with the cute and eye-catching design makes this e-mook is a real steal. If you see one, grab it! I guarantee you’ll love it as much as I did.