urban/suburban gear bag?

[bulgron]

I'm trying to find a decent man bag for use in an urban/suburban environment. I'm looking for something that doesn't make me look like a metrosexual effete twinkle-toes (so patent leather is out ), but also doesn't have aggressive military styling. It doesn't need to be particularly large. Here's what I need/want to carry around town:

- Wallet
- Cellphone (Treo, so it's a bigger one than normal)
- Bluetooth headset for the Treo.
- Keys
- Sunglasses
- Small flashlight (Surefire Aviator A2)
- Small tin with a few bandages, tweezers, a couple of aspirin, spare batteries for the flashlight, etc.
- Walkman-style AM/FM radio (mostly for getting information if there's a power-outage/earthquake)
- Leatherman Charge (the sebenza rides in my pocket)
- Notebook (5.5" x 3.75") and pen
- Garmin eTrex GPS unit (always good for finding alternative routes)
- 10 feet or so of cordage (usually 550 para cord)
- 5 - 10 feet of 1" gaffer's tape
- Whistle
- One or two powerbars or similar quick energy source.
- A bottle of water
- Sometimes, but not always, a paperback (I often read eBooks on the Treo rather than carry a paperback with me).

So far I've tried the smallest messenger bag that I could find, but I didn't like the lack of organization for the gear; it mostly all just clumps together in the bag, leaving me to rummage through it looking for items like, well, like my wife does with her purse. I also tried a Maxpedition Jumbo versipack. I REALLY like the waterbottle holder on it, and all the organizational capabilities that it offers, but the bag itself seems to be, I don't know, too aggressive somehow. It doesn't blend into the environment like I want it to. Plus I don't like that I can only wear it on my right side.

At the moment I'm carrying only a small subset of what I've listed above in a small fannypack. But it isn't big enough for all the gear that I'd like to have with me, plus it doesn't have a shoulder strap which I find to be inconvenient.

So I'm wondering if any of you urban/suburban survival-minded folks out there have a bag that you like to carry. If you do, please share info on the bag. I've done a lot of googling for bags, but so far nothing has jumped out at me as a the right mix of style, size, and features.

Thanks.

 

[Georgia Guy]

Let me get this straight. This is a bag that you are going to carry on your person at all times or is this something you are going to have in your car?

 

[bulgron]

Let me get this straight. This is a bag that you are going to carry on your person at all times or is this something you are going to have in your car?

On me all the time, or as close to all the time as is practical.

To get around town, I alternate between bicycling, riding the bus/light rail, driving, and walking. If I'm on my bike, hopefully the bag can be such that it can be strapped to the rack on the back of the bike.

I don't think the gear list I've put together is too much for a personal bag. By volume (except for the water), it isn't very much at all.

 

[aberg]

bulgron,
You might try the mountainsmith line of lumbar packs. They come in I believe 3 sizes, come with shoulder straps and have optional suspenders available. They are also compatible with several of the mountainsmith backpacks, attaching easily to the bottom of the larger pack and can then be easily detached and used as lumbar pack only for day hikes from your campsite. They are well built have several inside pockets/organizers, two water bottle holders and come in colors that definately are not aggressive military styling.

 

[wade]

How about a maxpedition gear slinger

 

[ras]

One of THESE might work. Not a pack, more a briefcase, but you don't need to strap them around your waste.

 

[bulgron]

I wasn't looking for something to wrap around my waist, so I was instinctively staying away from lumbar packs. I'll take another look at those Mountain Smith packs, though. They might work.

I thought about the Maxpedition gear slinger, but it's basically a backpack and I already have a North Face Recon if I want to that big.

The only other Maxpedition bag that I've seriously considered is the Proteus Versipack. Frankly, if it has a shoulder strap instead of a waist strap I'd give it a try.

Just to head off the question, I find strapping and unstrapping things around my waist is a PITA when I'm getting into and out of cars, buses, etc. so I'm biased against them for this particular application.

 

[datsgor]

I have the maxpedition thermite versapack....its big....it'll hold everything except the water...and its comfotable too.

 

[datsgor]

ya answered my post before I even posted it!...nevermind.

 

[bubbacatfish]

Maxped Fatboy?

 

[StuToffee]

Maxped Devildog?

 

[Georgia Guy]

Not to second guess some of your choices you have a fine list, but if I may.

1. Get an emergency blanket (the small survival type).
2. Instead of the surefire aviator try the G-2, for weight purposes only. But if weight is not an issue the aviator is a great choice but think about a full time LED like the Night Ops. The LED will last longer they are almost unbreakable and the night ops is a 3 watt LED so it is powerful. It also has a dimming feature so that you can save battery life. There are also other brands that do the same thing that are cheaper if you shop around.
3. With your aspirin put some ibuprofen (for swelling if injured) and some pepcid or zantac (to take with the ibuprofen or aspirin to help prevent stomach damage).
4. Get an all weather notepad and pen.
5. For all that you have I see no T.P., never wipe with leaves *L*.
6. A dedicated knife folding or fixed.

Depending on how isolated you plan on being or how long you feel you may be out let me know after years of working for the government I have a head full of useless stuff rolling around in it.

 

[bulgron]

Not to second guess some of your choices you have a fine list, but if I may.

I was wondering if someone was going to comment on my gear list. I don't mind that you have done so.

Recall that I put this list together based on the idea that the 99% probability is that any event I might encounter is short-lived (a power outage of a few hours, for example, or the busses stop running for some I'm-not-going-to-examine-it-here reason). Also, all I'm trying to do with this list is make sure I can make it home. Once I get home, I have other gear that I can use to bug-out with if I really deem it necessary, although as I've pointed out on this board before, bugging out really isn't an option when you're backed up against the sea by a few million people.

Anyway, that said, here's my response to your excellent comments:

1. Get an emergency blanket (the small survival type).

I have several emergency space blankets in my bug-out and camping gear. Not a big deal to throw one into the around-town bag. I just don't know if it would ever be even remotely useful, but they're so inconsequential to carry I'll just go ahead and take your advice here.

2. Instead of the surefire aviator try the G-2, for weight purposes only. But if weight is not an issue the aviator is a great choice but think about a full time LED like the Night Ops. The LED will last longer they are almost unbreakable and the night ops is a 3 watt LED so it is powerful. It also has a dimming feature so that you can save battery life. There are also other brands that do the same thing that are cheaper if you shop around.

I've been carrying the Aviator for over a year now. I love this flashlight. It's dual-usage so I get the benefits of both the long-life of a LED and the brightness of an incadescent. In fact, even once the batteries are drained to low to run the incadescent, it'll still run the LED for hours after that. The weight, to me, is inconsequential. For me, it's the perfect daily-carry flashlight.

Just my opinion.

I also have a 6P original that I leave under my bed, stash in my car (depending on what I'm up to) for emergency purposes. But that's more because of the 10-year shelf life on the lithium batteries and the high reliability of the flashlight itself. I got tired of going for a flashlight and finding out it's dead for whatever reason.

3. With your aspirin put some ibuprofen (for swelling if injured) and some pepcid or zantac (to take with the ibuprofen or aspirin to help prevent stomach damage).

Good comments. I've also put some children's tylenol into the bag since the single most common reason why I need a first aid kit is the kids have banged themselves up or are otherwise in discomfort. Remember that this bag is for *daily* usage, so a lot of what I'm putting in there is because I think I have reason to need it on a fairly routine basis.

4. Get an all weather notepad and pen.

If I lived anywhere other than Silicon Valley I would probably agree with you on this. Fact of the matter is, I basically live in the desert. It very rarely rains, although when it does it can be a real downpour. In any case, just about any pen and notebook is useable around here, and I frequently have need of a notebook in my daily activities. There really isn't any need for anything special here.

Plus, remember that I'm using this in and around town. If I need a replacement, that's easy to come by. Well, it is unless we're going to delve into worst-case scenarios, which I'm not for this bag.

5. For all that you have I see no T.P., never wipe with leaves *L*.

lol. Yes, I have wiped with leaves. And, again, remember that I'm in town. T.P. is easy to come by.

6. A dedicated knife folding or fixed.

I said it in my original post, but you must have missed it. I carry a Chris Reeves small sebenza (micarta scales) clipped to my right-front pocket, always, unless I'm getting on an airplane or going into the courthouse or something.

OK, gotta run. Thanks for the comments everyone. I'm still in search of the ultimate bag. People keep pointing me to the Maxpedition stuff, which is quite good, but as I've said it doesn't blend in like I want it to.

I'm beginning to think about taking a small messenger bag and modifying it myself to suit my purposes better.

Depending on how isolated you plan on being or how long you feel you may be out let me know after years of working for the government I have a head full of useless stuff rolling around in it.[/QUOTE]

 

[ras]

Years ago I picked up a bag at Coach similar to the Coach Legacy Leather Flap Business Bag which would make a good city emergency bag. It will carry a lot and look good doing it -- not at all tactical looking.

 

[Gryffin]

How about something really innocuous, like a large briefcase?

I've got one in black leather. It has a sturdy shoulder strap and top handles; it's built for a laptop so it has plenty of storage space, and even and zipped all-around gusset that expands it even more if needed.

Looks businesslike, non-effette, non-paramilitary; no one would suspect it's packing:

• flashlight (Nuwai Q-III with RCR123a, + 2xAA extension tube and spare batteries)
• utility knife (Vic CyberTool 34, SwissCard)
• first aid kit
• signal mirror
• hank of paracord
• flat-wrapped duct tape
• sunglasses

Plus the usual business necessities:

• laptop, charger, headphones, cables
• cellphone headset, spare batteries
• assorted writing implements, stamps, checkbook, etc.
• files, papers, TPS reports, cover sheets for the TPS reports, memos about the coversheets on the TPS reports...

Plus the usual EDC on my person:

• multitool (LM Charge, Wave or PST-II, or Vic Spirit, or similar)
• lock-blade knife (one of various)
• slipjoint knife, usually (one of various)
• pocket light (Peak, Fenix, or LiteFlux)
• cellphone
• keychain with Photon Freedon light, Vic Classic Alox, emergency whistle, glowtube... oh yeah, and some keys!
• Rite-in-the-Rain notepad and Fisher Space Pen

That's a fair amount of stuff to have with me every work day; if I had to "bug out" in a low-profile suburban fashion, the briefcase would work well. It's even expandable to hold extra gear, like an emerency blanket, rain gear, firearms, etc...

 

[Georgia Guy]

No problem bro just wanted to throw in my 2 cents. Remember I was not busting on your list you have all of the bases covered those are just some items that I would love to have.
I worked in India for an extended period of time and trust me you want all of your own stuff with you, T.P. included.
Be safe and by the way I work with some guys who use Maxpedition bags and they are nice in any configuration.

 

[Hammer27]

I know you don't want to look like a metrosexual but you'll probably be less obtrusive if you look like one and no one will suspect you're packing a knife (or gun for that matter) in it. ITs often best to blend. Wolf in Sheep's clothing

 

[bubbacatfish]

How about the Spartan bag? There's a number of people making different versions of the bag named after the one used by Val Kilmer's character in the movie Spartan. It's really slick on the inside but looks like a generic shoulder bag on the outside, might be a bit bigger than you wanted though.