All the other team members are showing off their wares, so suppose I’d better join the herd. 🙂 Problem is I actually have more than one EDC bag depending on things like day of the week, mode of transport, and destination. Things just seem to move in and out of different bags. I’ve just grabbed what’s in my currently most-packed work bag, as it’s probably the most representative.
My most used bag is a Limited Edition Timbuk2 Medium Classic Messenger made of old school canvas. This bag’s been around the world with me and hasn’t skipped a beat. Canvas isn’t as durable as nylon but that’s what adds to the appeal, as the canvas becomes more and more worn. Going from the top left, today the bag contains (click on the pic for a bigger version):
- A set of cuff-links – I often go to work with my sleeves rolled up, but if I’ve got to go see a client I like to roll them down and cuff them up 🙂
- Spotlight Shifter 1.0 flashlight
- 5g packet of yellow Sugru
- Packet of tissues
- Promini 4000+ 4000 mAH battery backup
- Lee Oskar Harp (Key of D)
- Set of foam earplugs ?!? (Think they might be a leftover from my last overseas trip)
- Nexus 7 ( currently running Cyanogen Mod 10.1 ) in Poetic Slimline case
- Plantronics Voyager Legend headset
- Polarized Oakley Whisker sunglasses
- Reading glasses – “My eyes are dim I cannot see, I have not bought my specs with me…”
- River T6 MP3 player and Sony in-ear headphones (mostly used for radio on my walks to and from work)
- Waterfield Tablet Travel case with assorted AC adapters, cables, memory sticks and readers
- Moleskine with Quiver Pen Holder (with Gadgeteer personalization) and Fisher Bullet Space Pen
- X-Mini Max speakers – successor to the old X-mini MAX 2, smaller, lighter and better sounding
For other EDC with or without a bag:
- Samsung Galaxy S3 (dual boot; modified Touchwiz ROM and CM 10.1)
- Chinese Spigen Neo Hybrid S3 counterfeited case (I don’t condone counterfeiting but Spigen dropped this line of cases for some reason)
- Leatherman Squirt PS4
- All-Ett Executive Wallet – Been using various models of this since finding them on The Gadgeteer in 2007. A great front pocket wallet.
- 1980’s Seiko Kinetics watch – I went for many years using my phone for the time, but got back into watches and now feel naked not wearing one. (Found for $3 in an opp shop with broken crystal. New crystal was $40 , so a very nice “vintage” watch for $43 total 🙂 )
- E-cigarette – Smok Natural, Smok RSST and 3mg dark chocolate e-juice ( or should that be e-cigar looking at the size of that thing? 9 months off the smokes and counting 🙂 Pre-ecigarette this would have been a brass Zippo lighter 🙂 )
You can see there’s quite a bit of stuff there that I’ve actually reviewed here on the Gadgeteer, some that I bought because of reviews here, and some that I bought and it just coincidentally happens to appear on The Gadgeteer. That’s gotta be a good thing. 🙂
On weekends you’ll find me with more camera gear (Panasonic G3, Gorillapod, GoPro Hero2), and if I’m cycling, my load is completely different. As I say, my EDC bags are in a state of constant flux. I’m pretty sure though that I actually carry too much gear and really should do a “spring clean” of my bags once and a while. 🙂
Hope you enjoy this insight into my EDC.
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The canvas looks really good, Ian! My Timbuk2 is an all Nylon model. I also meant to ask this to Julie but since you carry one also I shall also fire away! How does the messenger style affect your back/shoulders? When mine is loaded with gear I tend to find carrying it for a long time results in shoulder pains/ lower back issues. So for that reason I started carrying my gear in a Jansport laptop friendly Backpack. My back thanks me but it definitely cramps my style!
@jake I don’t carry my bag that long or far. Basically to and from my car into the office where I work, which is approximately 500 – 1000 ft one way depending on how lucky I am finding a good parking spot in the morning 🙂 I haven’t had any back/shoulder pain so far.
Jake, in my personal experience there is 3 things that minimize your shoulder and back hurting using a messenger:
1. Wear the bag high on your back not like a sling bag down at waist height. That way you’re not leaning forward all the time to compensate for the weight of your bag.
2. Use the stabilising strap that comes with most messengers. This holds the bag close to the body and you don’t have to compensate for horizontal shifting of the bag.
3. Don’t over pack your bag (at least with heavy stuff) 🙂
I like messengers (especially when travelling) because of ease of access to my gear (e.g.water, camera) without having to stop like you would with a backpack and even carrying camera gear, water bottles etc I can do a whole day without getting issues UNLESS I get over ambitious and pack too much weight.
Hope this helps 🙂
@Julie- You’re lucky! While I have the luxury of a car in the mornings and evenings, I am mobile during the day so I have to schlep a lot of gear around!
@Ian- Thanks very much for the tips! I do tend to keep the bag high on me around my mid back so that should be okay but the stabilizing strap is still in the baggie that it came in! I may have to use it!
I agree on the travel note completely. When I travel it is vacation so it’s typically my iPad and DSLR with a couple of lenses nowadays. Cables and anything I don’t mind if I lose for a couple of days goes straight in the hold!
On the day to day I do carry an ultraportable laptop (Toshiba Portégé R700) and a binder of papers and other items which is where the weight takes it’s toll…
@jake I walk quite a bit during the work day, but I don’t carry my bag with me when I do.
@Ian how long have you played the harmonica?