Accessory Grrl: The Perfect Messenger/Laptop Bag
I am a huge bag-a-holic. HUGE. Other women who share this label with me often have an addiction to purses, mostly designer and cute. I have no use for such things. Give me a messenger or backpack any day. I even love luggage. It’s seriously a hardship for me to walk by any bag section that contains these items without stopping to peruse even though I really do not need any more bags. No really. Take a look at this roundup of laptop bags for women I did a few years ago, and then this roundup of luggage. With few exceptions, every one of those bags arrived at my apartment so that I could test them. Unlike with tech samples you get to keep fashion samples. At one point I had something like 37 laptop bags in my possession, 95% of them free samples, co-existing with the few backpacks and other assorted bags I also had (and were also mostly free). I won’t even go into the luggage-pocolypse.
These days I have fewer bags. Many of the laptop bags I received did not fit my 17″ laptop, so I sold or gave them away. And even I don’t need more than 3 pieces of luggage at a time.
I have a very clear idea about what makes a perfect bag for different occasions. Before I got my netbook, my bag needs were covered. Before.
You see where this is going.
Many of my existing bags were just fine for carrying around the netbook and it’s accessories. But I found that though I had plenty of bigger bags and a few good small bags (this one from Waterfield is my favorite) I had no medium bag. One that comfortably carried all of the accessories without tempting me to carry a bunch of stuff and thus weigh myself down. I am ruled by how much space I have,I admit. And the small bag was really too small since I could barely fit my netbook, Cool Lift, mobile, keys, wallet and power cord in it without the zipper complaining. I also much prefer messengers to backpacks when the load is light — that way I have ready access to keys, wallet, etc. So I went in search of the perfect medium-sized bag.
Other than a good size, many compartments and a padded laptop area, I didn’t have too many requirements. But you can’t imagine how hard it was for me to find the right bag. I went to a bunch of stores, sighed over this LeSportsac bag and this Crumpler bag (both of which are stupidly expensive) and finally resigned to looking on eBags. I like eBags in general, but it’s hard to tell whether a bag is too big or too small by pictures — I have to touch it.
I bit the bullet and bought the ful Parkway, which is designed for 13″ laptops. I figured it wouldn’t be too big or too small. If it wasn’t right, I could always return it. Plus, it wasn’t too expensive. Coupled with a gift certificate I got for my birthday I only had to pay $10 + shipping. It’s $40 on eBags today, $50 otherwise. It’s also on Amazon.
I haven’t had the bag for long, obviously, but I’m deeming it perfect. It fits everything I’d want to carry with me on a daily basis with room for a few extra things but not enough room for a bunch of crap I don’t need. The strap is long enough to wear messenger-style and it has a lot of pockets, nooks and crannies. I enjoy compartmentalizing.
I know there are some other bag-a-holics out there. Guys, your addiction counts, too! You know you love some messengers. Have you found the perfect bag or are you still looking? Can you beat my record of 37 at one time? And if you have a netbook, what do you carry it in?
Tags: accessories, bags, laptop bags, linkedin, messenger bags, netbook accessories
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13 Responses to “Accessory Grrl: The Perfect Messenger/Laptop Bag”
Tom Bihn just started making the best knitting bag I’ve ever seen. DO. WANT.
I think I’m getting there, with the bags. The other week I decided that my laptop bag wasn’t working for me and what I really needed was a backpack (in part because I hope to start commuting by motorcycle, at least occasionally, in the future). Finding one that holds a 17″ Macbook was a bit of a challenge, but I found one at REI.
I live in Seattle, so the flagship store is my REI. It’s huge, of course, and its luggage section is a sight to behold. I wound up with a new hiking pack, too; I got a Camelbak when they were relatively new, but now they’re built into substantially-sized daypacks.
I don’t think that I have 37, but I am amassing quite a lot. This is partly because I’m a librarian and go to conferences. ALA’s conference bags are always gargantuan. (They’re also typically unspeakably ugly, but they do hold up well. I use them for groceries.)
I have a complete weakness for luggage, too, and especially messenger-style bags. And I don’t even own a laptop (or work as a courier) as an excuse. So you know I was a fool when it came time to buy diaper bags, where messenger-style is apparently all the rage.
oh that’s right! Diaper bags are defintiely trying to look more messengery of late. Crumpler even makes diaper bags.
My clunky ooooold laptop fits sooo perfectly into the bright yellow cafepress messenger bag. I too love bags, but end up only using 1 or 2 until they fall apart. Love me some messenger bags. Had three going for a while there — one for the craptop, one for work stuff, and one for something else, just kept them loaded with their respective accesories and I was ready to go!
Between backpacks, laptop bags, utilitarian purses, and messenger bags, I probably have 30 myself, and I didn’t get any of them free for reviewing.
I got mostof them at thrift shops, though, so it’s not like i paid much.
I’ve recently discovered that a 9 in netbook fits in certain vinyl padded lunchboxes!
I’m only a slight bag-a-holic. I try to keep it to a dull roar.
These days I carry a Crumpler Dreadful Embarassment for my laptop (IBM ThinkPad Z61t), and I have an REI Julie tote that serves as a work/play bag which scores points for it being so light due to PET recycled materials. Various and sundry bags from conferences and jobs and three Coach bags – I hate the ones they make now.
I no longer use my Timbuk 2 bag for regularly (too heavy) – it now serves as my disaster information bag. I’m going to give a smaller Timbuk 2 bag (and possibly my Tom Bihn Cafe Bag) to the Salvation Army, that way I won’t feel guilty about buying a Small Zero Messenger from Rickshaw Bagworks in San Francisco. I visited their factory a few weeks ago and picked up one of their Moleskine Folios, which they made for me in about 15 minutes on the spot. Let’s hear it for instant gratification!
I love bags. I just obsessively researched small backpacks as purse replacements the last two weeks and settled on the Eagle Creek Travel Bug – which doesn’t fit my netbook, but that’s deliberate. I have the Crumpler Considerable Embarrassment, which I found on sale after they changed the color scheme. And several Victorinox laptop cases, rolling laptop bags, and suitcases. I’m currently seriously tempted by the Briggs and Riley Transcend backpack, too. The messenger bags have been causing me hip problems…
I could care less about purses. However, I too am obsessed with accessory bags and–in my case–tiny purse-like wallets.
For computer and travel needs, I need a backpack, but preferably one with another handle so I can carry by hand if necessary. Right now I’m using a Lowepro Backpack Factor (in green) which is almost but not quite perfect for my needs. For the purse like wallet, I have a Sherpani Shoulder Wallet (also in green) which I adore.
I’m a total bag-a-holic too. I spend months looking for the perfect “bag system” as I call it. Last week, I ordered a new Wenger backpack ($48 from Amazon) that I am totally loving so far. Of course, I needed to also buy a new tiny bag to fit inside for when I go out to lunch at work. Still waiting for that one to arrive.
I will not even admit to how many bags I’ve bought and to how many hours I’ve put in researching them. Can’t get enough!!!
Accessory Grrl: The Perfect Messenger/Laptop Bag…
I am a huge bag-a-holic. HUGE. Other women who share this label with me often have an addiction to purses, mostly designer and cute. I have no use for such things. Give me a messenger or backpack any day. I even love luggage…….
I’ve always liked the messenger style bag for laptops. can’t say a lot of thought goes into the purchase though ;)!
[...] sitting. After trying to find a good solution I finally came up with the perfect combination. My ful messenger bag and the Cool-Lift. The ful is square and flat, so it makes a good, steady surface. The Cool-Lift [...]