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Avoiding the Bat-Belt Syndrome?
sangfroid asks: "As my personal technology products have increased, I've started to look more and more like a Batman wannabe. I now carry an iPod, a PDA, a Cell Phone, a Leatherman and a GameBoy (for the subway, really -grin-). Cargo Pants are out because of work and I don't particularly want to carry a back-purse everywhere I go. Is there a solution that doesn't require me to give up all my technology? A PDA/Phone might help but the holy grail would be a HD-based PDA/Phone/Music Player. How do you deal with all these devices without looking like a gargoyle? Is the answer better technology or no technology?"
You say that cargo pants are out but Levis makes a docker pants with hidden cargo pockets. There are 2 pockets, 2 back pockets, 2 hidden thigh pockets that zip on the side and a third pocket hidden in the right front regular pocket. They are pretty decent pants. I've been wearing them for months and I still surprise some of my coworkers when they see me pull my pda out of one of the thigh pockets.
In Republican America phones tap you.
Dockers makes cargo pants -- Mobile Pants -- built from hidden pockets. They look more or less like standard business khaki's, but have hidden cargo pockets in the outer seam.
If that doesn't work, buckle down and get a man purse. I got mine this past summer, and my notebooks, camera, ipod, palm pilot, headphones, and cell phone have never been easier to carry around. You will look better for it.
mine works great.
sure, you can't wear it into an airport, but that's okay. i carry a flashlight, a pager, a palmpilot, a leatherman, a phone, and on a carabiner i carry a usb memory plug, a pill case, and a cross compacting pen. and, i don't have to do anything but slip it on in the mornings.
http://www.eholster.com
stored on computers from birth to the grave
Personally, I think that there already is a total combo device... they're called laptops.
His iPod, gameboy, and PDA can be replaced by a laptop, but he'd have to keep his cell phone. I think that would work well; a laptop is far too clunky to be used as a phone, and a phone is far to small to be used as a PDA/mp3 player/gaming system.
http://www.utilikilts.com/
(But I'll post their URL!)
Example 1: An old biddy got her shawl stuck in an escalator at the local shopping centre. My wife kept her upright while I hacked the end of the shawl off. Hope they get their asses sued for the faulty emergency stop button...
Example 2: My dad was first on the scene to a motorbike smash. Some nurses were also riding by and the three of them managed to keep the rider alive until hospital by cutting his leathers off him so that my dad could hold together the poor bastards main abdominal (iliac is it?) artery.
Example 3: I got bitten pretty badly while feeding the goannas at Taronga Zoo (it was my job) and had to slice up my shirt so I could get to first aid without too much blood loss. Should have seen the looks I got from the tourists - half naked, dripping blood everywhere, and cursing myself for not paying attention.
Example 4: A flatmates car caught fire in the middle of a main road. She ran across to the adjacent hospital and tried to grab a visible fire extinguisher. Unfortunately it had been cable tied (?!?) to the wall, fortunately she had a pocket knife in the car.
I could go on all day...
The only other tools I have ever saved a life with are my mobile phone and car. So how useful is your iPod again? PDA?
And fuck all your McGyver comments. I don't: whittle skeleton keys out of paddlepop sticks; build nuclear reactors from bleach, alfoil, and chewing gum; or make any crappy american TV.
Q.
PS. No I've never been a fscking scout or cub. I believe my dad went to one cub's meeting, but he burst out laughing at the whole "Dib dib dib. I will honour my Queen. Dob dob dob." bullshit and was asked never to return. :)
Insert Signature Here
I've been carrying a purse for the last couple of years. It's gray canvas, about the size of Programming Perl, and used to be my wife's. It holds my wallet, PDA, camera, keys, pen, plus whatever other small crap that I need that I used to shove in my pockets, thus having to empty/reload every day. I love it.
I think in the whole time I've had maybe two people make some sort of comment about "a guy with a purse." I just say "yep" and that pretty much is it.
My point? (Do I have to have one?) Don't sweat the the word "purse". Just go to the department store or whatever, browse the nearly infinite supply of purses, and pick one that will suit. You'll like it.
Then get used to carrying it. You'll look better, honest.
I agree with the need to carry a bag, but we can do better than a purse.
This bag is tough and manly, and more importantly, has lots of pockets. There's one for a laptop too.
My God, it's Full of Source!
OUTSIDE_IP=$(dig +short my.ip @outsideip.net)
Some things I've come across:
- Timbuk2: Supposedly top quality custom made bike messenger bags that come in four sizes (S,M,L,XL). They have a newer Shortcut bag that looks particularly interesting. Certainly not cheap.
- Manhattan Portage: These seem a little too hip and trendy for me, but they are certainly popular with the NYC crowd... especially the Model 1414 and various DJ bags. Not horribly priced, but not cheap.
- Maxpedition: I don't know much about this place. There are some people that recommend their Thermite Versipacks.
- e-Holster: Heh. No.
- SCOTTeVEST: Some people actually say these are cool. But it doesn't meet my design criteria of not wanting to wear a vest/jacket/etc all the time. What about summer?!
- Kelty supposedly has some smaller bags that people have used as well.
I haven't bought one yet for myself but I do plan to purchase a bag soon. Having a small bag to grab and go... with cell phone, PDA, small digital camera, GPS, pocket knife, etc. would be perfect.BTW, if anyone else has a bag that they are currently using, please share some info!
-- null
try the nearest military surplus store. Every surplus store I've ever been in sells them, and most have a variety of old military cans and/or civilian knockoffs. Another thing to consider is plastic cases by Pelican. Equally bombproof, and a little more sophisticated looking, not to mention foam lined so things don't rattle. Try www.pelicancases4less.com
I have a girlfriend whose name doesn't end in