Mous has built an enviable reputation for creating some of the toughest phone cases in the world, combining a blend of sleek designs with industry-leading damage and drop protection. Now the UK company has moved into the fast lane with a new partnership alongside Mercedes-AMG.
And with Mous’ enviable reputation for durability and AMG’s race-bred engineering, these products will definitely be podium-toppers.
The main products are a phone case (of course), a day backpack and duffel bag, all of which boast subtle but distinctive AMG design cues and are instant attention-grabbers.
Putting the Day Backpack to the test
We had the opportunity to test drive the Mous x Mercedes-AMG F1 Team Day Backpack, costing £144.99 and our first adventure together was a 5,000-mile trip to China in order to attend the Beijing Motor Show, and also explore some of the country’s amazing sites.
So, a little about this striking backpack then. It is made from water-resistant materials and has the durability to survive drops, spills and other mishaps. The laptop section is not only padded to protect the valuable tech, but the compartment has an elevated base that keeps the laptop 30mm above ground, so providing a protective buffer for the device.
A sturdy zip runs down the front of the backpack, but is concealed when it is closed – a metal popper at the top prevents the zip opening by mistake and there are side magnets to help the backpack’s folded side panels stay in place. The top is securely fastened with a G-hook so everything is safe and out of sight on the move.
There is a discreet zip-up side pocket, along with a passport compartment located at the back panel, along with a water bottle holder. And, of course, there is the distinctive Mercedes-AMG PETONAS F1 Team logo, teal trims and accents, alongside the Mous badging. This bag is most definitely the perfect companion for life on the move.
The straps are padded, but not just for comfort as they can be adjusted to adapt to bodies of all shapes and sizes – and the top handle is also padded to make picking up your backpack a breeze.
We clocked up almost 27,000 steps at the Beijing Motor Show and the backpack proved to be the ultimate travel partner. Comfortable to wear and thoughtfully designed with easily accessible compartments, it took the days punishing demands in its stride, and we even introduced it to some of its distant AMG cousins.
I think Mous summed up this backpack perfectly when they said:
“Our Day Backpack gets it – no one's day and no two days are the same. Whether you're filling it to its 20-litre capacity or just tossing a few essentials into one of its nine compartments, the flexible top lid and G-hook fastening offer enough versatility for whatever your day holds. The main compartment is packed with just the right organisational features for a neat, personalised setup.
“Our Day Backpack epitomises versatility, a true crowd-pleaser that effortlessly adapts to your unique day. Meticulously designed with just the right number of pockets and optimal storage capacity, it’s a genuine multi-functional solution for work, travel and everything that falls in between.”
And the sheer determination to get every detail just right was emphasised by Mous co-founder and Chief Brand and People Officer Lucy Hutchinson, who explained:
"The Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS F1 Team don't accept 'good enough' and neither do we. But working with a team that travels to 24 races a year, in some of the most demanding conditions on the planet, pushed us further than we'd ever gone before. Every gram of weight, every material, every zipper was interrogated. The result is the most performance-engineered backpack we've ever built and honestly, the collaboration we didn't know we needed."
There are also a couple of other backpacks to choose from and these are slightly more expensive, costing between £194.99 and £279.99.
Race-inspired protection for your phone
But with such a strong and enviable reputation for developing virtually indestructible phone cases, it will come as little surprise to learn there are some dazzling AMG-inspired phone covers on offer too. My current Mous cover (not Mercedes-AMG) has kept my iPhone safe despite at least a dozen drops and one into shallow water!
And once again, thanks to this high-end partnership, there are cases delivering Mous-grade protection alongside race-inspired design. But most importantly is the highly protective case with AiroShock impact technology and durable materials to protect the phone from extreme drops and shocks. It also has raised edges that protect the camera lenses and the screen from scratches and front-on impacts.
Priced from £30.99 to £34.99 there are numerous race-themed designs to choose from, and these covers are compatible with a range of Apple and Samsung products.
Premium luggage built for life on the move
Finally, there is the 105-litre wheeled duffel, costing £439.99, that screams ‘business class’ when you first lay eyes on it. Everyone knows travel luggage gets battered and bruised, but this duffel case has been tested to the extreme with 10,000 shock cycles, 100km testing of the wheels and drop testing. The latter involves loading the case with 28kg weights and dropping it consecutively 26 times from a height of 1.2 metres.
So, fair to say this duffel is certainly built for an active lifestyle with durability tested to the limit. Featuring ballistic nylon, that sounds like it will survive an explosion, the case measures 773mm in height, is 386mm wide and has a depth of 391mm. It weighs just 6kg, has a capacity of 105 litres and will be suitable for most checked-baggage requirements.
The water resistant product features padded grab handles, tough zips and high-end, customisable combination locks. The AMG Formula One team needed luggage built to their exact specifications that would survive the gruelling demand of the F1 circuit and they turned to Mous to deliver the goods. The result is this seemingly indestructible clamshell case.
Ultimately, this partnership sees a collaboration between two exceptionally premium brands that are renowned for their outstanding craftsmanship and engineering excellence. Unsurprisingly, the resulting products exude quality with meticulous attention to detail and first-class durability. But despite occupying a position at the premium end of the market, the pricing remains refreshingly attainable.