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Recommend a Tech Toys Bag?
SuperMallen asks: "With the recent purchase of an iPod and iPod-capable car radio, I am realizing that I have reached maximum capacity in terms of what can go in my pants pockets. Given that I want to take both the iPod and my radio face with me wherever I go (along with my cellphone, Bluetooth headset, wallet, keys, and possibly a laptop with mouse, power supply, and whatever reading material I'm carting around), I'm thinking that what I need is a medium sized bag or backpack with pockets dedicated for this sort thing. What does the Slashdot community do for things like this? Any brands or models you have found work for you?"
Find someone with a vagina. It won't hold your geek crap, but suddenly you will notice you won't have such geek-ass problems. Short of that, try a big paper sack.
I picked up one of these so I could take my laptop to school and with me on my sports bike.
It works great. I think that mine is a little larger though.
Those who know, do not speak. Those who speak, do not know. ~Lao Tzu
Drop some of your needs!
Here's an idea - don't carry so much crap around.
Don't think that a small group of dedicated individuals can't change the world. It's the only thing that ever has.
Check out the whatsinmybag tag on Flickr. Lots of ideas for different bags there. Even though the focus is more on the contents, people do talk about and show their bags there as well.
Also there's the whatsinyourbag tag, but it's pretty much the same thing.
Winter's fast approaching. Wear a jacket with a few pockets for the next few months (not as much of a gadget geek here, but I carry darts, cigarettes, wallet, cell phone, etc without issue between my pants and jacket pockets), and do some research on good laptop bags in the meantime.
Timbuk2 and Targus both have bags that have satisfied my needs in the past and currently (laptop messenger and sport deluxe bags, respectively). I still currently use the Targus backpack, as I tend to carry more books around, and it has plenty of pockets and elastic straps to carry all of my random junk, but I'm sure there are fancier models out nowadays.
I have used a Maxpedition Fatboy Versipack daily for about six months, and have grown to really like it.
http://www.maxpedition.com/product/product_vp_fatb oy.htm/
http://www.maxpedition.com/product/catalog_versipa ck.htm/
"I am realizing that I have reached maximum capacity in terms of what can go in my pants pockets."
sound like a personal problem to me.
While not large enough for a laptop, these shoulder holsters are great for the smaller gear: Civilian Labs Holster and e-Holster
Does that car stereo faceplate really need to go everywhere with you? Why not keep it in your glove compartment or your trunk?
Same for the iPod - do you _really_ need to take it everywhere? It's a music player, not a binkie.
The Bluetooth headset can definitely stay in the car. That or just leave it on your ear rather than trying to find pocket space. If you're going to try to walk around like a wannabe Borg, you might as well look the part.
You do _not_ need to bring the mouse everywhere. $5 says your computer has a touchpad or one of those nipple things.
Not saying you have to get rid of all of this stuff, just saying it sounds like you're carrying around more crap than you actually need.
Anyway, if you are going to carry that much weight, I would strongly push you toward getting a small padded case for your laptop and then throw it into a backpack designed for backpacking. Most of the laptop and courier bags out there weren't designed with your body in mind. I switched to an innerframe day pack from REI for days when I'm schlepping myself around the city on my feet or my bike, and my back and shoulders have thanked me a thousand times over.
http://www.boblbee.com/
They have hard shells with special pocketed inserts for all of your goodies. I use my for my laptop and its accessories. Plus the straps and back of the bag are very comfortable. And they fit nicely under the seat in most airplanes.
This is approximately the one I have. I think they discontinued my particular finish.
vk.
http://www.scottevest.com/
Up to 52 hidden pockets and allowances for a personal area network!
It may not be the most stylish coat in the world, but well, it's geeky and it will keep you warm in the winter.
And as you tread the halls of sanity, You feel so glad to be, Unable to go beyond. I have a message, From another time..
I, for one, am a minimalist. I hate taking a bunch of crap with me when I'm not certain to use it. That being said, I'm a grunt, too, so I have to carry a craptastic amount of items that I _might_ want/need. I honestly like the feel of cargo pants made from a khaki material. You can pick them up cheap at a lot of stores. Heck, my last pair I got at JC Penney's on clearance in the fatty kid's section.
If you want to have a "cool" solution, buy an assault pack. If you have a friend in the military, he/she can take you on post to get a really nice high-speed pack for about $140. If you get one from CamelBak (example), it will also have an embedded hydration pack (2 or 3 liters) so that you can stay hydrated. Yes, it's cool to drink water.
Long, cute, or funny Sigs are just another form of over compensation, used by geeks, nerdz, etc.
For all of those that wear fanny packs, this one's commin' atcha!
t he-hipster-pda/) and of course a broad selection of pens. And all in a cute little bag! So, red-blooded american mostly-males: Are you ready to hack gender normativity? Or are you TOO GIRLY to put up with some funny stares and SUFFER, like the 50's housewives whose conformity you ape?
(w/ apologies to Ben Folds)
Seriously, though.
In Germany, where I lived for a spell, it was permissible for us young males to wear a small shoulder bag. Well, hell, I happen to be gay, right, but the straights were doing it too. It was INFINITELY more efficient than this pockets business every guy in America puts up with. (Or at least the guys here in Chicago.) I had my 'handy' (=cell), my keys, my iPod, my headphones, hipster PDA (http://www.43folders.com/2004/09/03/introducing-
Go to that store. Buy something cute. Put the iPod in it. No need to ask slashdot for silly permission or reassurance. GET A PURSE.
- undoware.ca
My first recommendation is to only carry small and where possibile, hybrid gear.
Secondly purge your bag weekly.
Thirdly, a small bag with a well padded single shoulder strap seems to put less pressure on joints, nerves, etc. The older you get the more you will appreciate this. It is counter-intuitive but backpacks easily cause me more discomfort, even with a good belt.
I am currently carrying an Eagle Creek Travel Gear shoulder bag. In it I carry:
Sony Clie UX40 in an aluminum case
crap Cell phone (if work didn't pay for this it would be a Treo 650)
Bandana (almost as good as a towel)
2 pens
business cards
Mini flash light
usb ROM stick
mini tape measure
Leatherman Squirt mini-multi-tool
spare stylus
A small Moleskin notebook
earplugs
Sony noise reducing earbuds(passive)
Motorola HS820 BT headset (crap)
2.5 lb convertible Fujitsu Lappy w/extended battery(I fuckin dig this thing!)
Caselogic neoprene DVD Player Case for the laptop.
On the laptop there is easily 500 ebooks including textbooks for school, reference books for work and fiction for downtime. The whole enchilada weighs only 5.5 lbs!
And as soon as I figure out how to get Outlook to wake my laptop out of standby I'll ebay the PDA.
My sister carries a "healthy back bag" from LL Bean that is even more comfortable. I'll try that next.
Take care of your body before it turns on you!
BillyBob
bamph