Gear Haulers- you've got the gear, what do you carry it in?

**Offgridled** · 01-23-2017, 06:17 PM

Kinda depends how rustic you want or elegant per say. Check out "hill people gear" just for an idea. It's more on the rustic side I'd say .

**RedLED** · 01-23-2017, 07:27 PM

Nick,

I do carry my Tom Bihn Cafe bag, and sometimes I leave it in the vehicle, and other times, I carry it without any thought. It depends on the situation. Mine is in Orange 152, and I think that helps. Also, I sling it to the back sometimes. I would not be concerned too much about the Man purse effect. These look cool, although I may not walk in to a bar which I was not sure of with it, just in case.

Otherwise it it is a very handy piece for a day long thing, and they are great as a carry on for air travel. I have the Tom Bihn medium Yeoman duffel bag as a second carry on, and put the cafe bag inside of that with the jacket I change in to for air travel which is an Air Force leather jacket I have had for about 25 years, they never seem wear out or look old.

As far is it looking odd, I would not worry about it. And in California or Europe you have absolutely no worries or concerns whatsoever.

Really, anywhere nowadays if it was a real small bag, maybe, however, the cafe bag looks like my old college book bag. They are really cool. Plus the younger generation does not give it a second thought...I checked with my 26 year old daughter, and got the OK.

Good luck, and let us know what you wind up with. I just placed another Bihn order for small accessorie bags, very cool stuff.

All the best,

NR

**tech25** · 01-24-2017, 11:47 AM

Originally Posted by nbp

Questions for bagaholics; I'm thinking I need to finally start carrying an EDC bag. I think I am going for a Med Cafe Bag from Tom Bihn after reading that thread. I have some smaller Maxpedition pouches I can put in it to organize gear as well. Do you guys carry your EDC bags all the time? Do they stay in the car if you go in someplace, say a friend's house or a restaurant or a store? Or do you carry it every moment like women do their purses? I'm thinking if I put my tablet and cords and powerbank, extra lights, cells, multitool, aspirin, etc. in this bag and carry it with me, in many cases the car is close enough that if I need something I can go grab it. At least it's near enough to be useful. What about a concert or fair or movie, where you wouldn't easily be able to go out to it and then return? I cannot deny I am afraid of funny looks if I am walking around a store or into a movie or something with it slung across my shoulder. "Man purse alert!"

I tend to keep the basics on me- pen, wallet, phone, knife and lights(s) but an extra light, batteries, power bank ect. i keep in a maxpedition fatty. When I add a water bottle, jacket, multitool ect. I also carry a bag.

Most of the time the bag stays in the car. If I am working, the bag stays in the ambulance or hospital locker. At an event I will carry it around esp. at an amusement park, I think nowadays people are so engrossed in their phones and won't notice if you have a bag with you. I am looking for a good smaller bag and when I find one that tics off all the boxes, I will prob carry that around more often.

In the winter when I go to a mall, I keep an extra light or battery and other stuff in my coat pockets or on my belt. But most of my extra gear stays in the car.

**RedLED** · 01-24-2017, 02:26 PM

You are 100% correct on the cell phone aspect. People can't seem to look away. I had lunch at In-N-Out Burger a couple of days ago and a family of four all were on their phones, not speaking a word to each other. One thing a bag is good for is to put the phone away in.

**Offgridled** · 01-24-2017, 03:36 PM

Originally Posted by RedLED

You are 100% correct on the cell phone aspect. People can't seem to look away. I had lunch at In-N-Out Burger a couple of days ago and a family of four all were on their phones, not speaking a word to each other. One thing a bag is good for is to put the phone away in.

Cell phones sure ruined family quality time. I don't understand being at a movie and seeing people on their phones. Just crazy. Or parents that give the little ones phones to amuse themselves. OK I'll stop here!!

**Jomohr84** · 01-24-2017, 04:16 PM

I am seeing a trend of youths today uncomfortable with or unable to confront others in person, like they have some sort of anxiety complex or something. They will only text or email, and will avoid actual face to face interaction at all costs, I guess because they have had limited human interaction, due to almost exclusively communicating through electronic means. Not all are like this, but I'm seeing it a lot. I have a 10 month old daughter and don't want to see her end up like that.
Another side effect is inability to interpret others expressions and emotions accurately. I have been noticing this locally, and sure enough, a search shows studies confirming this trend is a real thing. Too much screen time is robbing us of our social skills.

**Offgridled** · 01-24-2017, 04:23 PM

Well said Jomohr84!!

**nbp** · 01-24-2017, 04:57 PM

We're kinda drifting off topic here...

but I appreciate the input on when and where you guys carry your bags. I think I'm probably of pretty like mind. I'm 29 so I think I'm still young and hip and cool enough to carry a bag. Lol. [emoji23] If all these young guys can walk around wearing girls' pants nowadays a bag isn't going to raise an eyebrow, (ok now I'M off topic, haha) especially a nice looking messenger bag style.

**Offgridled** · 01-24-2017, 05:16 PM

Originally Posted by nbp

We're kinda drifting off topic here...

but I appreciate the input on when and where you guys carry your bags. I think I'm probably of pretty like mind. I'm 29 so I think I'm still young and hip and cool enough to carry a bag. Lol. [emoji23] If all these young guys can walk around wearing girls' pants nowadays a bag isn't going to raise an eyebrow, (ok now I'M off topic, haha) especially a nice looking messenger bag style.

Too funny. Back to bags

**RedLED** · 01-24-2017, 05:22 PM

Funny thing about bags and phones is they both can carry a lot of our personal property. Some with hardware type applications like lights, knives, pens, paper the other with all the information we need to survive this modern day.

I think a good bag has both the ability to have your phone close at hand, turned on, and to have it zippered away turned off for certain occasions. Of course the turned off part fits the generation that did not grow up with phones.

For some, the selection and purchase of a bag may have quite a bit to do with exactly where the phone will ride daily which may be important based on your line of work. There are times I need fast access to my device, yet there times I turn it off and want to stow it.

Hope this his is not taken us OT, just somethings to dwell on.

**Jomohr84** · 01-24-2017, 06:21 PM

All my EDC gear is either on my belt or in my pockets. On my belt is pistol AIWB, flashlight in holster at 3 or 4 o'clock, multitool in holster at 4 or 5 o'clock, wallet in right back pocket, cell phone clipped on front left pocket and small flashlight with clip in front left pocket, knife and change in front right pocket. If not wearing a jacket, then keys in front right pocket too.

If hiking and camping in backcountry, I like a full size internal frame pack. This is my current pack, containing cooking gear, first aid, food, water filtration and bottle, camelbak, tent, sleeping pad and sleeping bag, headlamp, solar charger, knife, etc.

As for the phone rant, I use my phone constantly for my work, all my work orders are sent to me via my cellphone, all my communications, etc. Cell phones are amazingly useful and make my job much faster and easier, but I just don't want to see future generations suffer from addiction or dependence regarding this technology. There are times and places when the phones should take a back seat to actual human interaction, IMO.