# Suggestions for a "man-bag **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [July 6, 2003, 3:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suggestions-for-a-man-bag/186504 "2003-07-06T03:46:20Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Cleophus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a88e57/32.png) [@Cleophus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cleophus)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2003, 3:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suggestions-for-a-man-bag/186504/1 "2003-07-06T03:46:20Z")
I’m looking around for a “man-bag”, something I can toss all of my stuff in when I’m out of the house. I usually carry around a bit more equipment than can comfortably fit on a belt or in my pockets, generally: My Newton (8.3x4.7x1.1, 43 cubic inches) My iPod (4.02 x 2.43 x 0.7, 7 cubic inches) A set of headphones (not earbuds) My camera (3.78 x 2.95 x 1.34, 15 cubic inches) My cellphone (size varies) A small selection of cables (phone cord, cell phone data cable, etc.) They usually take up about 24 to 36 cubic inches. Right now, I use an American Tourister shoulder bag that’s large enough for a laptop (one of the reasons I like it is it doesn’t scream “I’m a laptop, steal me”), but I don’t always carry my laptop, so most of the space is unused, and the bag tends to get in the way. I’m thinking something that’s about half as large will do nicely. What are your recommendations? ---
**Author:** ![\_ceQueen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/_/b9bd4f/32.png) [@\_ceQueen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/_ceQueen)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2003, 4:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suggestions-for-a-man-bag/186504/2 "2003-07-06T04:25:10Z")
I don’t know, look at anything by Kenneth Cole, he usually does stuff like that quite nicely. ---
**Author:** ![lee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lee/32/7455_2.png) [@lee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lee)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2003, 4:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suggestions-for-a-man-bag/186504/3 "2003-07-06T04:37:43Z")
A Newton? ---
**Author:** ![Sock\_Munkey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/aeb1de/32.png) [@Sock\_Munkey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sock_Munkey)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2003, 5:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suggestions-for-a-man-bag/186504/4 "2003-07-06T05:01:14Z")
Heh, heh heh. He said “man bag”. Heh heh heh. (sorry couldn’t resist) ---
**Author:** ![Troy\_McClure\_SF](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/troy_mcclure_sf/32/4150_2.png) [@Troy\_McClure\_SF](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Troy_McClure_SF)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2003, 5:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suggestions-for-a-man-bag/186504/5 "2003-07-06T05:57:01Z")
[A Newton](http://www.oldschool.net/newton/). Apple’s entry into the PDA market. ---
**Author:** ![Mockingbird](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c68b51/32.png) [@Mockingbird](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mockingbird)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2003, 6:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suggestions-for-a-man-bag/186504/6 "2003-07-06T06:03:42Z")
They still make Newtons? Wow. ---
**Author:** ![Flamsterette\_X](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/41988e/32.png) [@Flamsterette\_X](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Flamsterette_X)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2003, 7:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suggestions-for-a-man-bag/186504/7 "2003-07-06T07:21:07Z")
My friends Daniel and Nathan both carry a man-purse! 🙂 F\_X ---
**Author:** ![Sock\_Munkey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/aeb1de/32.png) [@Sock\_Munkey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sock_Munkey)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2003, 12:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suggestions-for-a-man-bag/186504/8 "2003-07-06T12:23:06Z")
I’m flashing back to that Sienfeld episode where he wears a fur coat and has a purse. ---
**Author:** ![Bad\_News\_Baboon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/5fc32e/32.png) [@Bad\_News\_Baboon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bad_News_Baboon)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2003, 1:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suggestions-for-a-man-bag/186504/9 "2003-07-06T13:52:52Z")
How about a nifty messenger style bag? > **[Timbuk2 Bags: Backpacks, Messenger Bags, Custom Bags](https://www.timbuk2.com/)** > > Born and bred on the backs of San Francisco bike messengers, Timbuk2 builds tough-as-Hell backpacks, messengers, travel bags, and accessories designed to outlast you. Free Shipping and Lifetime Warranty. ---
**Author:** ![3waygeek](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/3/e95f7d/32.png) [@3waygeek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/3waygeek)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2003, 2:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suggestions-for-a-man-bag/186504/10 "2003-07-06T14:23:53Z")
[This bag](http://www.disturbingauctions.com/view.php?item=11) is about as masculine as you’re likely to get. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d26b3c/32.png) [@Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Blue_Sky)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2003, 2:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suggestions-for-a-man-bag/186504/11 "2003-07-06T14:39:30Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by 3waygeek \* > \*\*[This bag](http://www.disturbingauctions.com/view.php?item=11) is about as masculine as you’re likely to get. \*\* Yeah, but does he have the balls to carry it? 😃 ---
**Author:** ![ParentalAdvisory](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/53a042/32.png) [@ParentalAdvisory](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ParentalAdvisory)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2003, 3:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suggestions-for-a-man-bag/186504/12 "2003-07-06T15:15:11Z")
What men require when out of the house: Wallet Keys Cell phone ---
**Author:** ![dantheman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dantheman/32/9421_2.png) [@dantheman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dantheman)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2003, 3:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suggestions-for-a-man-bag/186504/13 "2003-07-06T15:30:04Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Flamsterette\_X \* > \*\*My friends Daniel and Nathan both carry a man-purse! 🙂 > > F\_X \*\* That must be some man-purse, if they both have to carry it. Does it have four handles? ---
**Author:** ![Doomtrain](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/0ea827/32.png) [@Doomtrain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doomtrain)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2003, 4:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suggestions-for-a-man-bag/186504/14 "2003-07-06T16:00:41Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by dantheman \* > \*\*That must be some man-purse, if they both have to carry it. Does it have four handles? \*\* It’s not a purse, it’s a man-boat! ---
**Author:** ![robgruver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/13edae/32.png) [@robgruver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/robgruver)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2003, 4:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suggestions-for-a-man-bag/186504/15 "2003-07-06T16:50:48Z")
I ran into the same problem a couple of years ago. To much stuff, not enough pockets. So I stole Mrs **robgruver** ’s purse… so to speak. See, she had picked up a smallish backpack style purse from some place or another, and it held all my stuff. Now I carry a purse, but it doesn’t look like a purse. It looks like a backpack. I am a man. I am not weird… well, not _that_ weird. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![voguevixen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b5ac83/32.png) [@voguevixen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/voguevixen)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2003, 5:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suggestions-for-a-man-bag/186504/16 "2003-07-06T17:08:21Z")
I often find the best selection of bags are at the markdown stores such as: Burlington Coat Factory, Ross, TJMaxx, Marshalls, etc. I’ve had really good luck there finding all manner of bags to be adapeted for specific weird purposes (portable DVD player, minidisk player and car attachments, sample case/bag/briefcase for my soap business) and the styles range from downright girly (dripping with pink glitter, sequins and feathers) to a nice, severe, businesslike (manly) black matte fabric or even some nice leather-look bags. I think if you go someplace with a big enough selection you might stumble on exactly what you’re looking for (and if you go to one of the clearance places you’ll probably find it for less than $20 or so.) Good luck! Be sure to show us what you end up with! ---
**Author:** ![Terminus\_Est](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terminus_est/32/3087_2.png) [@Terminus\_Est](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Terminus_Est)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2003, 9:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suggestions-for-a-man-bag/186504/17 "2003-07-06T21:52:44Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Sock Munkey \* > \*\*I’m flashing back to that Sienfeld episode where he wears a fur coat and has a purse. \*\* It’s European! ---
**Author:** ![Kobaltblu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/77aa72/32.png) [@Kobaltblu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kobaltblu)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2003, 11:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suggestions-for-a-man-bag/186504/18 "2003-07-06T23:37:16Z")
I thought of the same thing as “Sock Munkey,” and said in Beavis’ voice also. I had the same problem as yourself, and got a messenger bag from Banana Republic that had a sling strap, instead of two straps like backpacks. Alas, BR no longer makes messenger bags, just high-end (and priced likewise) attachés and leather shoulder bags. I did find some similar items on [Buy.com](http://Buy.com), which I’m going to have to use later because my messenger bag is wearing out. Depending on your age, and what you wear, and your hipness quotient, you could carry off the messenger bag very well, and not only look, uh, butch but very up-to-date. ---
**Author:** ![dantheman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dantheman/32/9421_2.png) [@dantheman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dantheman)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2003, 12:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suggestions-for-a-man-bag/186504/19 "2003-07-07T00:03:20Z")
I’m pretty sure **JuanitaTech** had a thread asking the same question as the OP (it was for her husband); I wonder if she found anything. ---
**Author:** ![Vlad\_Dracul](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/50afbb/32.png) [@Vlad\_Dracul](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Vlad_Dracul)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2003, 5:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suggestions-for-a-man-bag/186504/20 "2003-07-07T05:00:33Z")
Use a gym bag. Better yet… a scuffed, beat-up, ripped-and-patched-with-duct-tape gym bag. Very manly… it’s sports-related, indicates a fine indifference to appearances, and suggests you’ve dragged it through some harsh circumstances and survived. Added bonus… nobody wants to steal your smelly gym socks and jockstrap. 🙂 [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suggestions-for-a-man-bag/186504.md?page=2)