This little beauty is PERFECT, and I mean PERFECT. In the main compartment, I configured the divider to perfectly fit my Sony TRV-22 camcorder to take up two thirds of the space available, and there is room underneath the divider to store four DV tapes. I store another DV tape in the hide-and-go-home pocket in the lid, where I can get to it at a moment’s notice. Alongside the camcorder, stuffed side by side are my Garmin GPS60cs and my Kestrel 4000 weather device. I have put a small piece of padding over top of these to make a holding place for my Sony digital voice recorder. As the GPSr and the weather gauge will be accessed infrequently, they can stay tucked underneath.

On the left side pocket is my digital camera, two extra CF cards, one extra Memory Stick Pro Duo card for the voice recorder and the spare battery for the digital camera.

In the front pocket are 6 AA batteries, 8 AAA batteries, the spare camcorder battery, a pen and a Pro-83 scanner from Radio Shack with its antenna removed and sitting next to it in the mesh pocket.

In the right pocket sits my Treo 650, bluetooth headset, retractable stereo earbuds and spare battery. I was going to bring a GB SP on this trip, but I think the Treo has everything I need to keep me entertained during down time, like the occasional 4-hour drive late at night from the chase location to the hotel we are going to stay at.

I am using the amazing shoulder strap from my Roadwired Photo/Video Convertible bag, and I found a cheap 2″ wide nylon gun belt with clasps at the local sporting goods store that turns the Podzilla into a very comfy beltpack. It will sit at my right side as I photograph amazing storms, ready to divulge the gadget I need at a moment’s notice.

In another bag in with my clothing will go the Jornada 720 and wifi card that I will use once I reach a place with a steady horizontal surface for typing. I decided to leave the laptop at home this year. If I had an OQO, I might bring it along, but anything bigger would just get in the way.

Mark

As part of my never-ending quest for the ultimate bag, I recently bought a bright yellow Podzilla, in part based on the review here. In general I like it–it carries more of my gear than anything else I’ve yet had (at least, in this small a package). Right now it’s stuffed with my Garmin iQue 3600 PDA/GPS, an Oregon Scientific NOAA weather radio (will probably someday be replaced with a shortwave/HAM scanner of some kind), a Kokak DC4800 digital camer, aSpeedtech Weatherwatch Pro, a Kestrel 4000 hand-held weather station, a GB-SP and some game cards, two USB drives, a Victorinox Cybertool knife, my clip-on sunglasses in case, and a whole slew of rechargers and USB cables. Sometimes I put my cell phone in one of the out-side net pockets, but I usually carry the phone in my pants pocket.

With all this gear in there the case feels *very* stuffed–the velcro closure for the main lid won’t work at all (I have to use the main “clip” closure). I’m a bit disappointed that I don’t have any space left over for a book; I suspect I would if I didn’t have all the cables in the main compartment.

When I first got it I was a bit sad that none of the pockets seemed specifically designed for most of my gear–at first blush they all seemed more oriented towards camera gear than anything else. But after a week or two of using it, it’s grown on me–the pockets I’ve found for the different items seem to be working out much better than I thought. I don’t know that I really *need* to be carrying all this gear–I should probably search out a smaller case for the things I use on a daily basis–but it sure is neat to have all this stuff in one bag, and one that’s very ruggedly constructed!

Still and all, I’m still searching for my “ultimate bag”–right now I have my Podzilla and my big laptop backpack (in which I often don’t have my laptop, which is a 17″ monster). I guess I’m looking for a bag that could carry my gear (in specific pockets, not in one big jumble), one larger book (think computer books), one or two paper-back sized books (guide books or novels), and maybe a 81/2″x11″ notebook. Such a case would let me cut down to one daily bag.

It holds my Sony Clie UX50, Gameboy Advance, and Fuji Finepix S5000 and of course accessories.

I don’t care for the strap, its not long enough to put over my head. Plus mine came all snagged and its very sharp on one edge.

I’m hoping I can find one in a store that will be long enough. I don’t really need a padded strap. As I don’t want it looking like a camera bag.

My sister bought me The Pod for my birthday, but it was too small. I sent it back to eBags and to get an exchange certificate. I am thinking seriously about the Podzilla — and here you are with a review of it. The picture of you and the Podzilla helps enormously.

As far as shoulder straps go, I have yet to purchase a bag where the strap was sufficiently padded. I always swap them with my favorite strap. I can’t remember where I bought it from, but it was called the Ultimate Travel Strap, or something like that.

I’m off to buy the Podzilla. Thanks again for the comprehensive review.

Skay

http://www.the-gadgeteer.com/roadwired-pod-review.html

There’s a picture of me holding it in my hand, but since I no longer have this bag, I can’t take a picture of myself wearing it. Sorry…

Can you tell me if a Fuji Finepix S5000 will fit into the smaller bag?

If one were to carry this almost daily and use it along with a purse, which would you suggest?

Skay

Nah, just kidding. I know what you mean. While LV may not be my style, I don’t want to be chained into Docker’s Mobile Pants and an eVest to carry all my good stuff. You gotta have style, and I personally don’t really want to come off looking like a photojournalist, club kid, suburban commando, european fancy boy, hobo, diaper bag daddy or whatever…

There is no perfect gear bag/carrying system- even if you got one that held everthing it would be too casual for some situations, too formal for others. Too hot, too big, too small, too “tactical” looking… Being a gadgeteer is really more about collecting bags than anything else…

There are a couple of Louis Vuitton bags that I have that are pretty good for gear, but they haven’t got anywhere near the organizational capabilities of this bag.

I sure wish Louis Vuitton would just go ahead and make a gear bag for me and while they are at it – custom cases for all my PDAs.

Judie :0)

A good gear bag is hard to find! Always a lot of trade-offs. I carry a (totally stuffed) New Sun Liberty Pouch for my small gear, but it usually goes inside a soft leather Cole Haan attache for work or a backpack on the weekend. I have been considering replacing it though. For more neat mini bags check out Triple Aught Design (not affiliated, just a VERY satisfied customer).

http://www.tadgear.com/x-treme%20gear/gear%20organizers%20main/gear_organizers.htm

I am looking at their Maxpedition bags and other stuff from New Sun. I would love to see a “mini gear bag shootout” with a whole bunch of this stuff, and a whole bunch of pics- with gear and normal sized people modeling. I have even considered writing it up myself because this stuff is so hard to shop for online. You can never tell how big it REALLY is, what it can REALLY hold, and so on…:wow:

Judie :0)

Here you go.

Judie :0)

I have one suggestion to make when reviewing bags, which I have made a couple of times in the past. It would be very helpful to us readers if you could feature a complete picture of a human being carrying/wearing/toting the bag being reviewed. It’s really hard to get any sense of a bag’s size/style/look/etc. without one!

Thanks for listening and keep up the great work!

http://www.the-gadgeteer.com/roadwired-podzilla-review.html

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