Commuter Carry

[l33tminion]

One of the things I'm known for, evidently, is wearing a backpack everywhere. I've got a fair number of items I like to keep with me (a book, gym notebook, scratch notebook, lifting gloves, mug, climbing gear (on days when I'm climbing), shoes (on days when the walk requires boots), various small miscellaneous items). I have a black Eastsport backpack with several advantages (plain, cheap, carries a lot of stuff comfortably) and disadvantages (unfashionable, more unwieldy than a shoulder bag on a bus or train).

I bought a Rothco Khaki Medic Bag a while ago, which seems too flimsy to be useful. It has a belt-buckle catch that doesn't provide easy access when fastened and looks bad when left loose. I never really made use of it, and it will probably end up in the donation bin at some point.

And I recently bought a Rickshaw Mini Commuter Bag based on a BoingBoing review. I'm torn on that one. I really like the color, and it seems like a really practical bag, but it reminds me too much of those plastic-lined lunchboxes and the shape is not as appealing as I'd thought. Maybe I should have gone for the Zero Messenger. I'll see if they take returns...

I've never been a fan of big briefcases / messenger bags, though, I worry that a big over-the-shoulder bag would look even more unwieldy than my backpack. Eh, it's mostly irrelevant, just dancing around the problem that there's no fashionable way to carry a lot of stuff (except maybe "leave it in the car" and I don't have that option). Advice is welcome, especially if you know where I could buy a Bag of Holding.

Comments

[infryq]

You might take a look at something with a messenger bag flap that closes with a twist lock, toggle, kiss clasp, or magnetic fastener. All of those (with the exception of the cheaper types of magnetic fastener) are secure and can be opened and closed with one hand. Making the get in/ get out operations of a shoulder bag into smooth one-handed movements takes some muscle memory development, but now that I have it I find shoulder bags to be way easier to carry than backpacks (mine's definitely on the shapeless sackpurse end of things, otherwise I'd recommend it).

[tenshikurai9.livejournal.com]

I'm no help. My bag usually has so much, I'd hurt myself if I carried the weight on one shoulder.

[l33tminion]

Don't get me wrong, I still love backpacks. Not getting rid of my backpack.