For centuries, men have used bags to carry their stuff. Cavemen used manly leather satchels to hold all their caveman gear. Peasants used them to carry seeds. During colonial times and up and through the Civil War, a soldier would always have a trusty man bag to carry his rations and other manly accouterments. But then something happened to this manly tradition. Men’s pants started being made with pockets, men began transferring the contents of their bags to them, and the demise of the man bag soon followed. Women’s dresses lacked pockets, of course, and so carrying a bag began to be seen as the exclusive domain of ladies.
The modern man has too much crap to carry around in his pockets- wallet, change, keys, cell phone, pocket knife, moleskine. The list goes on. And yet he steadfastly refuses to invest in a trusty bag, preferring to haul all this stuff in increasingly lumpy, bumpy, uncomfortable and difficult to access pockets.
And some men take their paranoia about bags to another level; they don’t own anything smaller than a suitcase. These men have made the transition from college student to business professional, and yet they tote around their stuff in a backpack or attempt to carry all their possessions in their arms. When they stay overnight with a friend, they bring over a change of clothes in a grocery bag.
Thankfully, a classy briefcase has never gone out of style, and even the man bag is making a comeback. We’re not talking about the European caryall or “murse” as made famous by Jerry Seinfeld. You’re just going to get funny looks if you carry something like that. The key to pulling off the man bag is that it needs to look manly. Really manly. And there’s nothing manlier than the bags and briefcases at Saddleback Leather Company.
And as luck would have it, we’re giving away a manly Saddleback leather bag to a lucky Art of Manliness reader. Find out how you can get your hands on one.
The Prize
As you know, the Art of Manliness has had some swell giveaways in the past. But gentleman, this is unequivocally the best damn giveaway we’ve ever done. You have your choice of any of the following Saddleback Leather products:
Satchel $275 value
Briefcase $495 value
Messenger Bag $329 value
Overnight Bag $485 value
All Saddleback bags are handcrafted from the finest leather. They’re made without any of the crappy zippers, snaps, and buttons that break on other bags. They carry a 100 year warranty. They’re the manliest bags in the land. They’re the sorts of bags that your grandkids will covet while you’re alive and fight over when you’re dead. And one could be yours.
How to Enter
- Leave a comment under this post sharing your best packing tip, travel advice, or musing about man bags.
- Sign up for email or RSS updates. A secret code will appear at the bottom of the RSS feed or email update. If you sign up for the email subscription, your email won’t arrive immediately, be patient; it will come. Email us what the secret code is through our contact form and you’ll be entered. Can’t find the code? Look for it right above the link to “Download the AoM Cookbook.”
- Share this post with your friends using the Email this post to a friend link at the top of the page (You have to use this link or I can’t see if you shared the post). For each friend you email this post to, you’ll receive one entry in the contest. This means the more friends you share it with, the more entries you get. You can only send 10 at a time, but feel free to come back and send some more.
Remember, you can increase your chances of winning by doing all of the above, so get cracking gents. And ladies (we know you’re out there) feel free to enter as well.
Deadline to enter is Monday December 22, 2008 at 11PM Central Standard Time.
But Wait! There’s More!
Saddleback Leather is offering a 12% discount on the purchase of any Saddleback Leather product just for entering! At the end of the contest, I’ll email all the participants a code that can be used in the Saddleback Leather store. So even if you don’t walk away with the free bag, you can still get a hefty discount on the purchase of one of your own. What better way to spend your Christmas cash than on a manly man bag.
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{ 765 comments… read them below or add one }
These bags are nice!!! I personally can’t live without my messenger bag and the notebooks/pens I carry in it. I’m a fixed-gear bike rider, so I’ve been sporting the requisite Chrome bag with it. I’d highly recommend their products for the commuting cyclist. Very comfy on rides and the buckles are very visually appealing. Check them out.
When you are at your travel destination, always assume that you will never be back, and try to do everything that you want to do, right when you want to do it. I don’t know how many times I have been in some foreign country, and thought, “Hey, that looks interesting! I’ll come back this way tomorrow and check it out,” only to simply never get back to it. Act on your impulses, so that you don’t bring home regrets.
Beautiful bags! I have been looking for something of the like, but I haven’t been able to afford to spend money on luxuries, even manly ones.
As for tips: always pack as little as possible. It is a great virtue to be able to travel light, and while it may seem more comfortable to have all the amenities you are used to from home, in the long run, no matter where you go you will have much more fun if you are not laden with excessive items, such as multiple hair products, brushes, utensils, etc. All a man really needs besides clothes for a trip are the following:
1. An all-purpose soap that can be used for hand-washing, body-washing and hair-washing.
2. A tooth-brush: remember, a cleanliness in the mouth not only looks good and tastes good; it also allows you to have self-respect!
3. Tooth-paste: while brushing with water might be acceptable for one day, it is best to have something with which to freshen the mouth and kill bacteria.
4. One brush; if you have hair like mine, though, a brush won’t change anything. This is optional if you are camping.
5. A razor: though I haven’t gotten my hands on one yet, I hear that safety-razors are the best to use. Simple. Elegant.
6. Shaving soap and a shaving brush.
7. Deodorant of some kind: while the faint scent of hard work can be an asset, it quickly descends into the realm of uncleanliness.
8. Of course, a really swell, manly bag wherein to put all this stuff. Which is why I am entering into this giveaway.
I hope that these tips are helpful! Good luck to all those who enter into the giveaway.
I love my messenger. I currently use it as a “bug-out bag” that keeps essentials on hand for emergency situations. Its portability makes it useful if I have to get up and go, and its contents are things that are useful both when mobile and when stationary. For the record, preparedness is an exceedingly manly trait to practice. The Scouts have it right.
My best travel tip is one probably already well known to those who read this site, but I’ll offer it on the chance that someone doesn’t know it.
Pack to be prepared, but pack minimally. This is especially true for any airplane travelling you have to do. My wife and I have never checked bags and we’ve taken quite a few trips together, most over a week long. This helps speed up the process at the airport and eliminates the possibility of the airlines misplacing your bags. You’ll arrive at your destination thankful.
Packing tip:
Roll up all your clothes when packing. They’ll take up less space and won’t be all wrinkled when you arrive at your destination.
Traveling tip:
You are far more apt to leave something behind if you are comfortable in a location. Take your packing list with you in order to make sure you return with everything you brought.
Also, there is no secret code in the RSS feed version of this post.
those bags are something i wish i have,my packing tip is, bring a couple garbage bags for your smelly clothes and find clothes that you could bring that you can hand wash( in a sink or in a lake/river).
K, my last one got eaten, here’s another try.
When you’re traveling in a dusty or wet climate throw a pair of pants, an undershirt, a dress shirt and socks all into one large ziplock bag together as an outfit. Pack that first, and put everything else on top. If you need it, you’ll have it.
Also, zip locks are great for cameras, ipods, cell phones, and so on when you’re in an environment where dust is a given and can’t be controlled.
my packing key is to bring a copy of your packing list with you so that you can make sure you have everything.
The other big thing I do is to pack things in air-saver bags (the kind that roll the air out) so that they take up less space.
I love these bags. Very manly. I hope that I win!
I was going to mention rolling up your clothes so they take up less space, but James already got that one. So my advice is to make a packing list, then laying out all of your items, then checking off each item as you pack. This makes sure you don’t forget anything.
Well I am a girl so packing and traveling is a bit different but whenever going with a man bag don’t do the murse thing. A murse is man purse and girls mock it. Go with something nice and manly like leather. Girls do look at your luggage. I know I think my boyfriends camping backpack is super manly and I love seeing him show up with it for our fun trips.
Always bear in mind that even if you are travelling into the nothern regions it might sometimes be warmer than expected. Even worse when travelling South, it can be colder. Always pack an extra jumper just incase.
“Wanna know the secret to surviving air travel?” the businessman asks McClane, “After you get where you’re going, take off your shoes and your socks, and you walk around on the rug barefoot and make fists with your toes.”
–Diehard
Those are all beautiful bags. As a backpacker, my strategy is to always carry the food. There shouldn’t be much on the return trip.
1. (if you’re flying) always travel with extra FAA approved zip-loc bags. If you don’t use them, there is almost always someone in the security line not used to traveling. Offer them one of your spares, you’ll make their day.
2. (I’ve learned this the hard way too many times) never check a bag if you can possibly avoid it. At the least you’ll save time and headaches when you reach your destination, at the most you’ll avoid permanently lost possessions.
Hmm… my best packing tip…
I usually tend to stuff a lot in my suitcases and dufflebags when i go somewhere so naturally I forget a thing or two from time to time. So when I’m packing I start with the bare essentials, the things you really can’t leave without; passport, tickets, wallet, keys etc.
Then i move up to the things I’m gonna need for sure like appropriate clothes, shoes, toiletries and so on. all the normal things you know to pack.
My third round of packing consists of the things that would be nice (but not necesarry) to have on the trip. Small luxuries like an mp3 player, a good book or a portable game console if you can see yourself playing on one of those (I can).
Depending on how much room I got left when I’m done I stuff one or two pairs of extra socks in my bag.
Ok, ill take a stab. I know a few tips….
When packing socks, don’t roll the neck inside the other. This weakens the fabric and creates unnecessary bulges that have to fit like a bad game of Tetris.
Fold your shirts inside out. Any moisture or dirt knocking around in your luggage will not touch the nice exterior of your nice silk shirt. (On a similar note, learn to properly fold your clothes; watch what the department store clerks do and you’ll catch on fast.)
Guess which shoes get packed when I return home for holiday break? The tennis shoes. Large dress shoes such as mine are much more susceptible to getting malformed, but I doubt that smaller sizes have it any easier outside of a specialized solutiton. I just wear my leathers with a nice pair of jeans, open shirt over tee and jacket when travailing.
Ultra lite packing is often the way to go, especially on a overnight trip. But never go without a plan, especially tall people. A medium sized back pack can comfortably fit a pair of slacks, shirts, shorts and fresh undergarments. But those few inches of fabric can upset the balance, so economy must be used. Never pack the ultralight luggage with jeans. Shirts must be flat as possible. you may need to clip your toiletry kit to the outside of your bag.
Finally, try not to laden your carry on too much; you might have to fight an unruly traveler.
Finally, a grown up manly backpack replacement! On a recent trip to Isreal my men realised the virtures of a smaller shoulder bag for camera and water and other essentials during the day. They used the cheap cloth ones provided by the tour company but would have loved having something like the satchel shown above. The other bags are also ruggedly good looking. A man with the proper gear who is elegantly but simply outfitted is quite attractive!
Nice bags
After packing many a bag for moving and traveling, I’ve found that the best trick for maximising the amount of stuff you can cram in a bag is the roll. Roll everything as tightly as possible before putting them in the bag. Your bag will end up heavy as anything, but at least everything will fit!
My other tip is to only pack what you need – this makes packing/unpacking and lugging round you bag much more bearable.
Shaun
Those bag look awesome, especially the briefcase. It’s finally time to move away from my equally manly-looking leather backpack (I just graduated from college), so this would be a perfect contest to win.
My best travel tip is pretty standard: pack light. I can usually go for a whole week by just packing a single extra change of clothes. Nothing wrong with washing clothes in the sink and mix-and-matching your way through a vacation. One carry-on bag is more than enough, though it never hurts to bring a small extra one for souvenirs or whatever for the return trip.
Don’t pack what you don’t need. You will kick yourself for carrying around all that junk that you never used for that whole time.
Roll your clothes. You can fit smaller items (underwear and socks) into any spare shoes that might be in a bag or suitcase.
If travelling with a suitcase or pack, make sure that you pack enough heavy objects in the right places so that it does not fall over every time you put it down and let go of it. You will annoy yourself and others.
If you can, check in online. It can save a lot of hassle at the airport, and often helps to avoid standing in line.
Get the right balance between efficiency and timeliness. Build in enough spare time to be in the right places at the right times without waiting for hours with nothing to do.
Take something to do. Put a book in your bag if travelling alone. Airports and so on can get old quickly, and so can aeroplanes if your fellow passengers aren’t interested in small talk. Make it something that you will actually be able to read with distractions around you.
Over time, work out what you need on any given kind of trip. That saves making a packing list each time. Whether it is business, camping, v isiting family, you can semi-automate your packing which eliminates waste on the way out and reduces attrition through forgetfulness on the way back.
If in doubt, run through your routines for things like a washbag e.g. “Get up, brush teeth (toothbrush and paste), shower and shave (soap, shampoo, razor, brush?), brush hair (hairbrush), deodorant (can or whatever).” Add in regular daily or weekly needs (medicines, nail clippers, etc.) and you can be almost sure that – barring unusual circumstances or emergencies – you are well covered.
If you are away alone, think of and contact your wife and children. Even a brief email or telephone call or postcard is worthwhile. You can also leave notes behind for them to find while you are away (e.g. under your wife’s pillow). See if you can find something distinctive and memorable as a present for your wife. Bringing home a small and thoughtful gift for the kids occasionally will only heighten their enjoyment of having you back. However, avoid bulking up with multiple heavy and lumpen items on the way home.
Take a small gift for any hosts with whom you might be staying. Why not?
For travel advice, buy groceries at a local market and make your own meal if you’re on a budget and can’t afford to eat out at a restaurant.
it’s funny because when i carried something similar to a ‘purse’, people called it a murse and i always secretly thought that murses are very useful..but of course i don’t tell anybody that.
Funny thing about man bags, many men don’t realize just how badly they need one until they have one and forget it. Unfortunately, there are also too many man bags out there that simply lack the manliness that is required for a man bag to not be mistaken for a purse. But, as one who knows the pain of having too much stuff crammed in my pockets, I know that a man bag IS essential. Let’s be honest, as the post says, most men will have trouble cramming a moleskine,pocket knife, cell phone, fire starting kit, etc in their pockets. Thank God for manly man bags!
“There’s nothing manlier than the bags and briefcases at Saddleback Leather Company.” I couldn’t agree more. Have a look at their website, look at the photos, read the story and I’m sure you’ll agree.
Besides, we live in an age of cheap, disposable products. My best travel bags have lasted only 2-3 years. Sometimes it’s just better to buy something perhaps expensive, but at least durable. In the end, you’re saving time and money!
Zippers always break on me, I had to move to a a bag without them. There is a big difference between a “murse” and these bags. I don’t think any man would like sissy carrying one of these.
Two pieces of travel advice. 1.) Do it when you can. Don’t put it off. Life has a way of getting more complicated and nailing you down a little more as it goes on. If you have the opportunity, don’t hesitate. GO. 2.) Travel light. I am pretty sure they sell underpants where you are going. Also t-shirts. Go to a good travel store and get some easy-wash underwear, shirts and socks that you can wash and dry right in your hotel sink or a stream. You can thank me later. Try http://www.distantlands.com for starts.
I think the most important thing when packing and traveling is to go as light as possible. There are few things worse than trying to struggle with heavy bags. it’s really important to get rid of what’s not completely vital to your trip. I’ve found that a good rule to have is, “if you have to ask, the answer is ‘no.’”
I’ve got a Patagonia Critical Mass messenger bag for all of my stuff… and I do mean ALL of it. All of my office stuff, my Macbook, workout clothes, notebooks, journal, shoes, a couple of books, my iPod and cell phone (in their own pockets), technical connections (firewires, USBs, etc.) and a liter of water. The only thing I have to carry is my gallon of water! These Saddleback bags are really nice looking, though.
Since my job includes a lot of international travel (I work for a missions organization), I would say my main tip for travel is to pack all of the essentials, but be sure that you’ve got things that you can re-wear, clothing-wise. Either stuff that can be layered or just worn a couple of times. It’s a whole lot easier to run through an airport to catch a flight if you’re not lugging around a couple of gigantic suitcases!
Socks. A good pair will save you. ‘nuf said; socks.
Its hard to find a good, quality bag these days. As a college student, I don’t think I have had a bag that hasn’t broken in some manner from daily use to and from class. These bags sure look like they would be up to the task, however.
There is no better place for packing tips than http://www.onebag.com
I’m not affiliated, I just love them.
Black bags are more likely to be opened at the airport / customs / border crossing, so don’t carry a black bag chose some friendlier color !
Cheers
I have two travel tips that I have learned over the years:
1. Have plenty of distractions. I usually bring several magazines, portable gaming system, iPod, books, etc with me. It keeps me occupied during layovers and long flights.
2. If at all possible, avoid checking your bags. It makes for a much more pleasurable traveling experience if you are not having to wait at the baggage unloading area.
I currently use my Dad’s old briefcase as my laptop bag. I always keep a flashlight, several pens, paper, and anything else I can think of that I might need for the day. It’s pretty well used but it works for me.
I have always had a mild fascination for man bags. especially ones with that old, traditional feel.
one thing I have, is my Panic bag. what the heck is a panic bag, you ask? It’s the bag I grab on the run, be it to a friends, to work, or if the house is on fire! it has everything – my wallet, spare car keys, an emergency 50 dollars, notebook, phone, a small (or slightly larger) knife, a lighter, my iPod, which also doubles as a back up hard drive from my laptop, as well as a flask of good irish whiskey if on a trip.
it’s always packed, and always there. I urge you all to get one.
thanks for the opportunity!
I have three rules in life and I follow them especially when traveling, which I love to do. My first rule is, respect the jacket. I have a beautiful leather jacket (which would perfectly match one of these manly bags) handed down to me by my father. I wear it around town because it looks damn good, I wear it at night because women love to feel it, and most importantly I wear it when I travel because it’s lightweight but warm, easy to layer with, and is a reminder of home. My second rules is, always have warm and dry feet. I’ve never been unhappy when my feet were warm and dry. I’ve run out of clean t-shirts while traveling, but I always make sure to pack enough wool socks. My third rule is, no tequila, ever. But that’s a personal one, based on a weekend in my youth during which I broke my other two rules but remember little else. Being black-out drunk is NOT manly, kids.
These bags look great. I found another handy packing tool….”Folders” from Eagle Creek. Great for packing shirts never seem to arrive un-wrinkled if I roll them. Everything else roll. Use a carry on that has your essentials for at least one day at your destination in case your luggage takes a trip without you!
I feel like that with this bag I could single-handedly become a Rough Rider and charge San Juan hill. It’s that manly. And always remember your deodorant when traveling. Sure, you could go and buy some when you get there, but that just wastes precious man-time that could be used for scaling mountains and such.
I’ve been carrying a Versipack (from a company called Maxpedition) around for about three months now. The need came about from the fact that I ride a motorcycle when the weather permits (about 9 months of the year around here), and I need a way to 1) carry my stuff back and forth with me, and 2) easily access a pocket on it to pull out my ID badge and get on base (which precludes a backpack since it would be stuck, well, on my back. Plus I like being a little different.
This thing has sort of a butch military-ish look to it, and yet I still get no end of ribbing for carrying a “murse” (despite the fact that it looks much more manly than the “bike messenger bags” that a lot of my friends carry around). Regardless, I find it infinitely useful, for carrying a notebook and pens, phone, knife, etc. to hauling my SLR camera around, to a case for my netbook, to carrying my gear around when I volunteer on a search and rescue team.
I’m excited at the possibility of winning one of these Sadleback bags, though. Would be nice to have something a little more stylish than my current bag. I think my German teacher (a man I highly respected then and now) in high school had one of these. I always thought it was pretty slick, but never knew what it was. Just can’t afford to buy one outright for myself.
Anyway, yeah, like all the other people so far have said, man bags have a place in our lives. We just need to get over the stereotype that has been forced upon us that bags are only for women or effeminate men, relegating us to look like dopes walking from the car to the office with a pile of crap falling out of our arms.
I adore luggage and bags. My basement is filled with an assortment of them. Why? Because, like the old saying goes, “The right tool for the right job.” Each bag I own is better at one thing than another. Leather is obviously heavier than a nylon bag and without the wheels that you’ll get in some luggage, yet the bags like Saddleback Leather’s bags are perfect for stylist short trips or trips where bags will see a lot of adventure.
I’ve traveled for over 20 years for work and I’ve learned a couple of things about packing. First, I’m more than fanatical about giant zip-lock bags. I plan my wardrobe in ‘outfits’ and put each one in a giant zip-lock, flatten them to get the air out, and zip them to put them in the bag. There are fewer wrinkles when I arrive, and then dirty clothes can be placed (inside out) back into a zip-lock so they don’t mess up the other clothes. The zip-locks are also handy for sequestering wet or muddy clothes from the rest of the pile.
Do your research before you travel and put EVERYTHING in your PDA and GPS. I program my GPS with my hotel, the airport, several interesting restaurants, places to shop, friends to visit and points of interest. My PDA takes all of my confirmation numbers, travel itinerary, as well as a dummy agenda of what I might like to do each day. The PDA also doubles as an alarm clock, can can copy text from web sites that I can read while on the plane.
Check with your hotel in advanced to find out if there are laundry facilities in the hotel or nearby. Travel with your own powdered laundry soap and a couple of dryer sheets (again, in those trusty, re-usable zip-lock bags.) I can travel with fewer clothes if I know I can do wash while on the road.
Lastly, there’s nothing more decadent than getting a massage after a long day of travel. Do your research and find a licensed massotherapist to help you unwind. For a few bucks more, you’ll find one who does out-call and you won’t have to leave your hotel room.
So that’s the name of that company! My German teacher (one of the best teachers I’ve had in my life) back in high school had one of these things (the briefcase pictured above). I always thought it was pretty slick but never knew what it was. Wish I could afford one for myself, but hey, maybe I can win one!
I’ve been carrying a Maxpedition Versipack around for about three months now. I find it infinitely useful, and more handy than a backpack since I can reach it while I’m riding my motorcycle (which is why I got it in the first place), unlike a backpack, which is stuck, well, on my back. Also when I travel I will have a loaded pack on my back anyway, but can still carry this sling pack to get at stuff that I need while I’m riding (mainly my ID cards to get on the base where I work). Despite its utility and pretty rugged military-ish look, I still get ribbed by guys and girls at work about my “murse”. And like someone said up above me, I sometimes almost cave in, until I forget it at home and realize that I’m missing *all* my stuff (phone, knife, sunglasses, notebook, pens, etc)!
Long story short, I think it’s ridiculous that we men have been shoved into this stereotype that bags are only for women, no doubt in part due to the fact that there isn’t exactly a huge selection of manly bags out there. Instead, we’ve been relegated to the sitcom-ish version of man, the oaf lumbering from the car to the office with a comically high stack of crap to carry in his arms, dropping half of it as a woman holds the door open for him, looking like the idiot they (the stereotypists, not the women) would have us all believe that we are.
Hooray for being proud of who we are, and not accepting the image that is forced upon us.
These types of bags are simply a different class to the rubbish sold nowadays. I’d love to be able to own one – however student budgets don’t cater for $500 top-of-the-range equipment, alas!
To all those above who recommend rolling clothes – stop! That’s not the best way to pack. One should use the ‘wrap’ method. Clothes should be wrapped around solid, bulky items, like your (preferably Dopp style!) manly washbag. This is the most space efficient way to pack, and will also leave you with the fewest wrinkles.
If you’re on long backpacking travels – I highly recommend getting out what you think you need, then chucking half of it. You do not need to take 7 shirts! Take 3, this is enough to get by, plus, you know you’ll be buying stuff out there.
As I said, I’m a student, so most of my equipment tends to be as cheap as you can get – however I highly recommend investing in a pair of quality zip-off trousers. They should be light, and fast drying. My pair could dry in about 1 hour which means it didnt matter if I got caught in the rain, and I could get to my base for the night, quickly wash them in a sink and they’d easily be fresh and ready for the morning. They also zip off into shorts for when it gets hotter.
Ooh, baglust.
Best travel tip? checkout http://www.onebag.com and travel light.
My best travel tip – make a list, check it twice. Don’t wait until the last minute and think about where you’re going and what you need. Write it all down, and check things off as they’re packed. This is the best way to make sure you have what you need and don’t over/under pack.
For emergencies, keep a bag in your trunk with some essentials (or stowed away in the closet). This way you can grab it and go if called for. Do it now, or you won’t have it when you need it.
Wow…these are nice. Very manly…very Robert Redford.
Packing tip;
Roll clothing, you can fit a lot more clothes into the bag when you roll your clothing. You can also use those rolls to hold things such as tooth brush, deoderant, cologne, etc.
Stuff socks into shoes, this saves space and helps to keep your shoes in better condition by not collapsing as easily.
Wear loose clothing and something with plenty of pockets. When travelling you NEED to be comfortable. I’ve travelled to almost every state in the country for work and let me tell you, nothing’s worse than a tight pair of jeans when you’re in an airline seat for 5+ hours.
Wear shoes that you can slip on and off easily.
Pick up an inexpensive belt with no metal on it. These can be picked up usually from a police supply company such as LA Police Gear, or a military surplus store. They’re great because they won’t set off a metal detector.
I have found over the years that my best travel wear is this;
A pair of fatigue pants (no metal zippers, no metal in them plus PLENTY of pockets). Especially when you’re wearing the older 8 pocket variety.
A good solid pair of easy on/off loosly tied sneakers (skechers are my favorite).
My rescue belt with a buckle made of composite materials.
Loose t-shirt or polo shirt (gotta be comfy)
Good cary on pack or bag. Lots of pockets, easy to load, easy to open and show if necesarry.
My packing tip, at least with regards to not losing checked baggage:
Pack a firearm, or starter pistol in your checked bag. The FAA requires that all “firearms” be declared at the checkin counter, and a special bit is assigned to your bags, and they will be watched very closely. I ended up at a different airport once on my way back home due to weather, and when I arrived at the airport where my bags were, there was an airport police officer in the baggage claim area, hovering near my bag.
(hint: the starter pistols are only firearms according to the FAA. They don’t fall under any other Federal or local definitions of firearms, so only needed to be handled carefully on the planes, and no registration is required.)
Travel tips? Depends on the nature of the trip. But for anything like backpacking though Europe or a warm climate outdoor adventure, not only should you roll your clothes, but if you take a couple of wicking t-shirts made from polyester/nylon or whatever, such as the Mountain Hardwear wicked-T or Patagonia Capilene T, you can wash these out at the end of the night, hang them up to dry, and you have a fresh shirt to wear the next day, and you only have to pack a couple of shirts.
http://mountainhardwear.com/Product.aspx?top=1426&cat=1465&prod=63
http://www.patagonia.com/web/us/product/product_focus.jsp?OPTION=PRODUCT_FOCUS_DISPLAY_HANDLER&catcode=PBL_FA_US.PBL.MENS.CAPILENE1&style_color=45380-672&ws=
When I travel, I try to pick a few places that are must see. but most of the itinerary is made up based upon conversations and input wehile I am there. There are always those places full of tourists, but the locals can point you to the best of what makes the place unique.
Always have a way to keep your money out of the reach of pick-pocketers. I have a satch that goes around my neck that works grear.
I use space bags to pack now. Wow they are great. I am able to take so much more stuff than before. They save me a lot of space.
oog! oog!
manbag good. girlbag ickie.
When packing for situations where I might want to bring back stuff for my family, I make sure to either leave some extra space, or pack a collapsible bag inside of my other baggage. There is, of course, always the option of shipping your purchases back to yourself to save on baggage charges altogether.
When packing, bring just enough clothing to get you through your trip. Bringing extra clothing fills your bags quickly, and for no reason. The exceptions of this rule are socks and underwear.
Leaving the extra room in your bag, not only allows for easier travel, but allows space to bring home something for the kids and Mrs.
My best travel tip is to not check any luggage unless necessary. If you can put all of your gear in your carry-on, you’ll be a much more efficient and happy traveler.
This may be common knowledge, but the best way I’ve found to conserve space is to roll up your clothes really tight. And clothes stay in pretty good shape doing that, too.
The best piece of advice for packing a suitcase is to make a list. I work at a hotel and 75% of the calls to the front desk are about things people forgot. It won’t happen if you make a list.
For over a year, I traveled cross country for business. I was never economical enough to cram everything into my carry-on. When I checked a bag, there were always three things I kept with me:
1. A clean pair of boxers
2. Clean socks
3. A light V-Neck sweater
If the airline loses your luggage you can easily pick up some more toothpaste or soap, but with these essential items you’ll be comfortable and stylish for whatever meeting you have the night you land.
As I read through the comments I noted that several people said to pack things “just in case.” I would beg to differ. Packing is not about what you might need, but what you will need. Will you really need that extra, extra shirt? Ask yourself this: Did I use it the last 2-3 times I threw it in? A man can work with much less than having some things, just in case.
And although I do not have a bag like these, I do have a ‘50 German Army canvas/leather backpack which is in the same vein of packing tools, and it is great.
I have a Macroloader from http://www.ebags.com. It’s huge, protects my 17″ laptop and darn near indestructible.
In high school our group had a friend who had a man-bag and we all thought it was really lame, after reading this post, I no longer think that all man-bags are lame, in fact a few really are quite the opposite, looks nifty for college text books and all.
The saddleback leather bags are simply beautiful.
My best travel tip is to have uniquely identifiable luggage. Too many people travel with a black duffel bag or black rolling luggage – add something unique to your luggage or have unique bags to make it less likely to be mistakenly taken by another traveler.
Pack light. Pack very light. That’s the best advice I’ve got; I normally camp with nothing but a sleeping bag and fly with nothing but a backpack anymore (when alone; my wife needs her own, of course).
I have been looking to buy one of these for a long time. It is on my Christmas list, but I doubt anyone will be getting me one… maybe it will be The Art of Manliness?
I tend to forget things when I pack.
Pack clothes in the same order you get dressed that way you dont forget things
My tip is to have a standard set of “travel size toiletries” in a seperate doop bag. When you need to travel all you need to do is get the bag and not hunt around the morning of your flight for mouthwash, toothpaste, gel, etc. It really saves a ton of time.
I was lamenting over the bit about hard to access pockets just the other day. Between my pocket knife, lighter, cell phone, moleskine, pen, wallet, keys, and school ID, I had no room for my Pipe, tobacco, and matches. A manly bag would be just the ticket. As a tip for those who are traveling, when you check your bag, try to do something to make it easily identifyable. The usual method for doing this is tying a bright colored ribbon or hankerchief on it, but that always looks tacky, not manly. Instead I wrap the handles in twine. This increases both the manliness and the ease with which the bag can be identified, not to mention giving me a chance to try new knots and improving the grip on my luggage.
Musing on man bags: A man who carries his own stuff in a stylish bag is infinitely sexier than one who constantly says, “Can you put this in your purse?”
I can’t live without my collection of Man Bags. I have several “go” bags filled with solutions to a daily life. Most of my bags carry at least the following: A multitool, a notebook, pens, lighters, matches, pens, band-aids, seasonings (salt/pepper, hotsauce, soysauce, etc) a flashlight, knives, books, etc. I supplement each bag with the usuals. Ipod, PSP, charging options, a book or two and usually my laptop. I get grief from some of my friends for carrying a “purse” but none have complained when my bag flies into action to alleviate problems or boredom.
I always try to travel as lightly as possible – wear layered clothes when I hit the road, and pack things that will all work together. Most of the stuff in my bag is underwear and socks, with just a few rolled up shirts and an extra pair of pants if I’ll be gone long enough to justify it. Light bags are easier to carry, there’s less to forget, and I’ve yet to find a situation where I couldn’t buy or borrow something I needed for a one-off situation. The biggest mistake I used to make was trying to plan for every situation – that just weighs you down and results in hauling lots of unused things back and forth.
To pack as compactly as you can (to free up space in your bag or use a smaller one) use this method: http://lifehacker.com/390378/how-to-cram-all-your-travel-gear-in-one-bag. It may *seem* overly complicated, but it actually is very quick. The other great benefit is that it keeps your clothes from wrinkling up en route.
Fold thinner articles of clothing within the folds of thicker clothes. For instance, you can insert t-shirts or boxers between the folds of a pair of jeans.
My best packing tip is very general, and very simple — and based on the simple notion that we’ll fill up any space given the opportunity. After you’ve packed your bag with everything you think you need — and the bag is full — then take everything out and eliminate at least 20 percent of what you’d originally packed.
This leaves your bag a bit less than stuffed, gives your stuff a little room to breathe without being wedged in tightly, and leaves a bit of room for whatever you happen to pick up when you’re out and about.
I’ve carried a man purse around for 6 years and while some of the stuff I carry may go unused for a few weeks, I sure am glad when I have them handy.
Best packing tip: Dont be greedy (bring a credit card) and roll up all clothes!
I always had problems with my bottles of stuff exploding b/c of pressure changes. I’m a huge fan of letting the air our of all bottles to prevent my shampoo mixing with my vitamins and leaking on my sportcoats.
My travel tip would be: No matter what, don’t wear that fanny pack. No matter how convenient you think it is, it doesn’t outweigh how silly you’ll look in your travel photos. Trust me, I speak from personal experience here, friends.
Get off the beaten, tourist path when buying replacements at a destination. Even the highest-markup drugstore is going to be priced better than hotel shops.
Wow, those are some attractive bags!
Tips, tips…well, I learned to pack from my father and the military, and now I pack for my daughter and husband as well…my best tip is to pack, then unpack half. Of course, rolling your clothes, wearing layers, and staying within a general color scheme don’t hurt, either.
And I second the guy who said to have clean, dry socks – you have to be prepared for any contingency, and when there’s the possibility that you might have to walk or run, clean, dry socks can make the difference between that last mile being torture or not.
Finally – and this is from my time in the military – if you have a packing scheme (socks go here, pants there), you’ll save yourself the hassle of trying to find something needed in the dark at last minute. Plus, it’ll be the difference between a bag that’s easy to carry and a bag that is badly balanced.
My two best tips: Roll up your clothes, and pack one more set of socks/underwear/t-shirt that you think you’ll actually need. Unless you are going to launder your clothes while you are away, you need a spare set.
Oh, and it wouldn’t hurt to have your own UPS or FedEx account number. That way, when you leave something behind, you can call and ask to have it shipped, and you can pay for the shipping with your account number. I’ve only had to use this with friends, so I’m not sure of the policy of hotels, but it saved my butt when my expensive shaving brush got left behind once!
I’ve got three tips i like somewhat equally:
1. Carry a maglite in your bag. These things are rugged and designed to last a long time. They are also very small and light (at least the smaller 2 AA models). It’s surprising how many times it comes in handy. If you encounter a blackout, it’s even more handy. Just remember to change the battery every year or so that way you don’t end up stuck with a dead flashlight. If you don’t use it much, just rotate it with something else you have (I move the old batteries into my wireless keyboard) so you don’t waste them.
2. When I travel, I hate the idea that if something happens, my electronic data could be in peril. As a result I backup key stuff to a MicroSD card. They are so small they fit easily in a nook of your wallet and weight virtually nothing. You can get several GB’s of data in something smaller and lighter than your finger nail. Should you need to retrieve data, you can carry a USB reader in your bag, or in an emergency just buy one on the road, they aren’t that expensive. Easy way to always have key data at your fingertips. If you have a cell phone that lets you save files to it (or it’s memory card) that’s another great alternative, just keep in mind it’s more likely to be searched at US customs and border security.
3. If flying with other family members, cross-pack. Rather than 1 person to 1 bag, mix it up. That way if one bag doesn’t show up at your destination, someone isn’t missing everything. Odds of loosing all your bags are pretty small. This just reduces your chances of problems.
Those are my fav’s.
Tip: Don’t get a girly-looking travel bag from JCPenny.
I have one bag for the gym, one bag for back up clothes and stuff for my 3 year and a regular backpack (not really, it has a special set up to carry my skateboard) that gets me through whatever else I need. I hate filling up my pockets with things. The one thing I don’t have is a bag for work that can carry my lunches and paperwork at the same time.
When I am traveling for business I never check any bags. To save space and avoid problems when going through security, I do not pack any liquids.
When I arrive at my hotel I either go to the store in the lobby or a near by drug store and purchase travel size shaving cream, tooth paste, disposable razors and some kind of gel for my hair. I also buy travel shampoo and conditioner if the hotel does not provide these.
These travel size products are inexpensive enough to be disposed of upon check out and I don’t have to worry about having the proper size zip lock bag with me and I do not have to worry about anything leaking into my bathroom kit while on the plane.
Happy Holidays.
Great cases!
When packing for a trip, stick to one neutral color palette (blue, black or brown) and add a couple coordinating pieces so you can mix and match. It saves the whole “I forgot to bring the socks to match these pants” crisis and cuts down on the pieces you have to stuff in your suitcase.
Packing Tip: When packing your suitcase, always try and fit a smaller, foldable, bag inside so when you return you’ve got space left for the stuff you get on your trip. That way you’ll never be that person with a huge department-store plastic bag at the airport.
Travel Tip: When buying souvenirs, try to think of small things that are well made, understated, and hold special meaning to you. An extra randomly placed sombrero can make the difference between the house of a well traveled person and a bazaar.
I had seen their site before, those are the most beautiful bags i´ve ever seen!
These bags look like they will age well. That’s important in an object you want to keep around.
Marc
I’d say stick with the classic tips.
Always fold your clothes, even when they’re dirty. They take up so much less space.
I’d also say don’t worry about wrinkles when you’re packing, you should be ironing your stuff when you get where you’re going anyway.
I’ve seen several tips about only flying with a carry-on. That’s a great tip, except that some things you can’t take in your carry-on (well, that you’re not supposed to; sometimes they miss them). I always check a small bag so I have someplace to put my pocket knife (a manly necessity) and safety razor blades. It is, however, a pretty cheap bag and I don’t put things I can’t easily replace in it.
I know this seems seemingly simple, but when your flight is delayed or on its way to being cancelled, be nice to the gate employees. Ask questions, get information, and then leave them alone for a while, and then check back. I can’t even count the number of times I’ve seen people blow up at these individuals, as if they are at fault. I’ve gotten put into first class seats on other flights by following this simple strategy.
Having a man bag is essential for my life. I’m a full time pastor who offices out of the house, so having a bag to carry to meetings, the local coffee shop, or on a trip is essential. For me, the key is the adjustable shoulder strap. Is it strong? Does it twist easily and make the bag uncomfortable or difficult to carry? Does it have adequate padding at the top to prevent chafing when being carried for a long period of time?
Essentials for a man on the go:
a good pen
business cards to give to new contacts
a moleskine or notepad to make notes in, organize thoughts, or doodle to stay awake
cell phone to stay in contact with the home front
water bottle to stay hydrated
A very simple suggestion.
When packing, less is always more. Always.
Those bags are fantastic. Definitely need one to go along with my camel leather jacket!
Where is the secret RSS code?
I like to have different bags equipped with supplies for different occasions… heading out for a day trip, maybe a smaller bag, overnight or weekend a larger bag.
But what I think works great is to have a small bit of money ($10-$20) in each as emergency money. (I also keep $5 hidden in my wallet that I ‘forget’ about until emergencies.)
Maybe it’s not much, but enough to make a phone call or two and get yourself a meal while you wait for help. (Of course if you have your pocket knife, you could probably hunt yourself up something to eat.)
This way you can always be ready to spring into action or give your wife a nice little impromptu weekend and be the man you know you are.
Coincidentally, I stumbled on Saddleback’s website about a week ago. Nice, nice looking bags.
My top travel advice tip: I carry a pocket-sized digital camera with me on most trips, but especially to new places. Apart from providing the ability to take a snap or two to remind me of the experience, I also photograph:
- maps from guidebooks, hotel giveaway maps, or those large ‘you are here’ maps some cities erect at various points
- subway maps
- navigational landmarks
- ‘must see’ itinerary lists
- menus posted outside interesting looking restaurants (and a shot of the restaurant itself to remind me which one it was). This is especially useful when travelling somewhere you don’t speak the language, since it allows you to browse the menu later with a English-Foreign dictionary at your side
- the ‘key phrases’ page from my guidebook
- train / bus timetables, if these aren’t available in takeaway form
and so on. All this data can then be carried around in my pocket. Many new camera phones now have a good enough resolution to do this too.
When traveling I always pack two books in case of unexpected delays with air travel, this has saved me many hours of boredom and frustration.
Having a dopp kit pre-packed really makes packing easier. It always something in the toiletries department that you end up forgetting. Even better, when making long journeys (internationally for example), don’t bring any toiletries at all – buy what you need when you arrive and hopefully you’ll get through it all before you return and avoid carrying it both direction – this doesn’t apply to your shaving brush and soap of course, since that is irreplaceable.
Running out of room? Put stuff in your extra pairs of shoes…or, if possible, get rid of the extra pairs of shoes and just bring some good shoe polish instead.
I have a soft-sided laptop bag for work, and a hard leather briefcase for lodge, but I don’t have a general-carry bag.
I’ve been camping at least annually since I was 2 weeks old. First in spare beer-league slo-pitch give-away gym-bags my family members had, then my own green duffel bag for Scout camps, and finally a framepack. My fist dopp-kit was made out of an old blue-jean leg piece, sewn shut at one end, and with a velcro-close flap at the other.
My bag packing tip – and this applies to all I mention, save the dopp kit, as it would be redundant – is to pack a deck of cards in those bags.
My laptop bag, briefcase, gym-bag, and framepack always have one.
packing tip: roll up t-shirts/underwear/etc. and stuff in dress shoes. not only does it save space, but it keeps your good shoes from getting crushed and losing their shape in the suitcase
When traveling by car with kids, leave late at night after a nap and drive through the night for less stops or pack the car the day before and get up at 3am so the kiddos fall back to sleep. Obviously not for guys who can’t stay awake driving at night.
My packing tip: If you’re flying don’t pack stuff that you might need “just in case”, like an extra tube of toothpaste if one runs out. Pack light and buy what you may run out of at the other end.
Always fly non-stop if you can afford it and check your bags instead of carrying them on. You’ll thank yourself as you’re hiking through the terminal killing time and you don’t need to worry about finding space in overhead compartments.
If you’re driving, go ahead and pack lots of extra stuff. Throw in a pair of hiking boots or an extra jacket or rain gear. You may not need them, but they will sure come in handy if you do and it doesn’t cost you anything extra to pack. Better safe than sorry if you’re driving.
Fill your packed shoes with small items (socks, underwear, toiletries, ect) to help save space.
Be prepared. That is the best advice when traveling. The more you can be ready for the more you will have a great time.
All the great tips are taken, but I do have a product recommendation that has made my travel packing easier:
Lands End no-iron tailored fit pinpoint oxfords.
I was out to dinner with a group of female associates and the clean and pressed appearance my shirt drew several nice comments. I didn’t tell them that it was the third day I’d worn that shirt because I got caught in the rain with the other shirt I brought on the trip.
Also I will make a plug for Dungham’s oxford shoes. They hold a shine and are great for a long sprint to a connecting flight.
I will not recieve any compensation for these recommendations, however I’d be happy to sing the praises of the Saddleback Leather Company in return for an overnight bag.
(By the way, if we are signed up for an RSS feed are we always registered for AOM giveaways?)
I have gone through 4 messenger bags in the past few years. I started carrying one at my previous job when I was within walking distance to lunch places. That was great, but carrying my compact camera, wallet, notebook, a book to read, keys, handheld PDA, etc., etc., etc., ad absurdum did not make for an enjoyable walk. Then I got my first canvas bag, and haven’t gone back since.
Well, that bag looked more high school/collegeish, and both my girlfriend (now wife) and mom hated it, so my mom eventually bought me a larger bag of some different, more sport-like material. I carried that for a while, until my girlfriend got me a small black leather bag for Christmas. She made sure to get a manly-looking bag. Unfortunately, that bag broke earlier this year as I was walking through the Minneapolis airport. I tried fixing it, and it broke again. Now I have a brown leather bag that’s not going to be breaking anytime soon.
The downside for me is that the flap is fastened by magnetic clasps. Very convenient, for both myself and potential pickpockets. I’d love something more secure for when I’m in questionable areas. But, regardless, I can’t imagine not having my bag on me.
Although, despite having a sufficiently manly bag, I still get weird looks. People just aren’t used to seeing a guy with a bag. But, isn’t that part of being manly, also: Not caring what others think? I’d say so.
Anyway, on to travel tips:
I came across somewhere the idea of stuffing dressy shoes with socks when packing them. This way, the socks inside will help keep the shoes from getting crushed. Also, if they’re shiny, wrap them in something to keep them from getting scratched.
Secondly, while I always pack a carry-on instead of a full suitcase, you should always be prepared to check your bag at the gate. Many airlines have begun charging for even the first checked bag, which has resulted in many more people carrying on their luggage. If you’re not one of the first people on the plane (especially if it’s a full flight, which they usually are, nowadays), there’s a chance you won’t be able to get your luggage into any of the overhead bins, and will be forced to check the bag at the gate. (This has happened to me.)
Thirdly, it’s often a good idea to carry a change of underclothes and toiletries in a carry-on that you can keep with you. This is in case your luggage gets lost; at least you have what you need for one night! Obviously, this may or may not be possible in every situation, but it’s at least something to keep in mind.
Fourthly, as others have noted, don’t overpack. Leave room in your suitcase for souvenirs, gifts, etc. As far as what clothes you need, here’s what I usually pack:
a pair of tan and a pair of black pants
two or three shirts that can (ideally) be worn with either pair of pants
(if you won’t be able to wash clothes) undergarments for each night
(if you will be able to wash clothes) two or three sets of undergarments
black socks
black belt
A few more notes here: ideally, you would wear one of those pairs of pants and one of those shirts on the trip there. Also, tan pants with black shoes go well together. Brown shoes and black pants don’t. Therefore, if you wear black shoes, you won’t need to pack a pair of brown shoes.
And, finally, don’t lose your towel.
I used an old army map bag/messenger bag all through college. When the original strap frayed and was about to break I simply copped a strap from my unused nylon satchel.
1. Men need real umbrellas not over-sized drink umbrellas. You can easily carry one on your bag by tying a couple of loops (I used a bowline) with cord at points along the bottom (assuming your bag has a place to tie a loop).
2. I love carrying a messenger bag, but sometimes I need more stability than slung over the shoulder will give. Simply thread your arms through the strap and let the bag rest in the small of your back: viola satchel becomes backpack. Not great for long-term, but handy for running to catch a plane.
Try the local food. No matter what you suspect the meat actually is.
If you must take a suit, wear it on your flight. It helps prevent serious wrinkling. When you shower in the morning, hang your suit in the bathroom and take a warm shower. The steam will make it possible to brush out any wrinkles you may have picked up in transit.
I have been a fan of Saddleback bags since I stumbled across them on a Google search for luggage. I love the idea of something classic and timeless that will definitely outlast my time. My favorite quote from the website is “They’ll fight over it when you’re dead”.
I know it’s already been said, but the best advice for traveling is to lay out what you need & cut it in half. You’d be surprised what you really don’t need. (Cutting socks & underwear in half is not recommended, though…unless you plan to do some washing in the sink.)
Bundle wrapping – that is the essential packing method to get what you need and arrive looking like you care about your appearance, as every man should.
Of course, I’d look much better with that phenomenal leather briefcase!
Always toss a good flashlight and (depending on the expected duration of your trip) maybe an extra battery or two, even if it’s just a daytime trip. I can’t count the number of times a flashlight was needed and I was the only one with one on hand, including while the sun was out. Even a small AA is very useful. With newer, very bright LED (Cree LEDs, for example) flashlights, batteries last much longer, making having live batteries in your light even less to worry about.
Always toss a good flashlight and (depending on the expected duration of your trip) maybe an extra battery or two into your bag or pocket, even if it’s just a daytime trip. I can’t count the number of times a flashlight was needed and I was the only one with one on hand, including while the sun was out. Even a small AA is very useful. With newer, very bright LED (Cree LEDs, for example) flashlights, batteries last much longer, making having live batteries in your light even less to worry about.
I’ve been wearing a man bag for years now, and while I occasionally get flak from my coworkers, I’ve converted all of them in the end! Not only does it keep my book, leatherman, lockpicks, and other essentials close and safe, but it’s pretty nice looking too. Sadly, not as nice as a Saddleback
That said: there’s no shame in wearing (or calling it) a purse. You aren’t fooling anyone by calling it a “man bag”!
Ashley mentioned ‘murse’ and that is the first thing I thought of when I saw the Satchel. I would never be caught carrying a murse. A briefcase yes, murse no. I won’t even carry a camera bag because it make me look like a girl. Now the Overnight Bag that truly is a man bag. Where are the saddle bags? I’d like those.
Those bags look choice. These days, I use a shoulder bag from the Army / Navy surplus; if it’s good enough for guys jumping out of airplanes, it’s good enough for me. But it looks to be time to upgrade to leather. The Saddlebacks look good.
That Messenger bag looks like it’d be just about perfect for stealing golden idols from caves, running away from giant boulders and natives, and doing battle on rope bridges with voodoo priests… if you catch my drift.
I really want to give one of those to my husband for Christmas!
Packing tip: Don’t marry a woman who needs an extra suitcase for her makeup. It is hard to have fun family adventures when it takes the wife an hour to paint her face.
Since the show “24″ came out, and the main character is frequently seen with his “Jack Sack” it think there has been a resurgence. I’ve used a messenger type of bag for quite a while now and I definitely feel more manly. As for packing. I find that when I roll my clothes up rather than fold them, I have more room and the wrinkles are less pronounced.
I have been pondering a new bag of some kind for a while now. I have a nylon Eddie Bauer document bag that’s been very serviceable for a number of years, but it does not have the panache of a nice leather bag. And I’ve been looking into briefcases as well.
I don’t care for the current fad of soft-sided briefcases. They look more like converted duffel bags. I’d really prefer something with some lasting power to it, like one of these Saddleback bags. These bags are ones that you can see Indiana Jones or James Bond using easily. And leather has that ability to improve in looks with age. If you have a worn leather bag, it looks classic. A worn nylon bag simply looks old.
There’s something wrong with a world where people don’t make things to last. The attitude that you can always replace whatever item you’ve just bought next year when the new styles come out has always struck me as wasteful and the product of useless vanity. Real men don’t need fashion, they need style. Style doesn’t change, fashion does. And a long lasting bag like these have style.
Holy S! What a prize!
Well one packing tip I’ve learned from the military is to pick an appropriate bag. One thing guys usually do is pack too light.
One way to save time is to ranger roll your t-shirts, underwear, and socks. Do ranger roll a shirt, you first fold up the bottom about 3 inches or so. Then you fold in the sleeves and then the sides so you have about 6 or 7 inches across. You then roll the collar down towards your fold, and take the back portion of the fold and pull it over your roll. What you should have is a solid rolled piece of clothing that won’t come apart if you accidentally drop it.
Another tip is to get a dopp bag so you never have to worry about packing toiletries, just throw the dopp bag in there and you’re good to go.
Lastly, always pack for 2 more days than you plan on staying, and if you’re traveling via airline throw one days worth of clothing and toiletries in your carry-on in case your luggage gets ‘misplaced.’
Finally, something to rival my wife’s Coach collection.
I used to make leather belts and bags in a previous life. These look much more complex that what I used to make but definitely have that rough hewn look that I like.
Packing Tip: Always carry at least two plastic garbage bags in your luggage. You never know when you’ll need to store wet clothes before you can get them cleaned and or dried. And always carry two because if you end up needing one, you’ll find it is one of those trips where you end up needing two.
Being a recent college graduate myself, I’d like to share my opinions and musings on bags as a necessary tool for men of learning, and men of knowledge.
I switched from a backpack to a messenger bag during my sophomore year in college. I cannot stress how liberating and marvelous this was. Having less space to work with made me much more critical of what I actually NEEDED to have with me for my day at classes. The upside meant that I was never without my critical Engineering tools (comfortable 0.5mm mechanical pencil, polymer rubber eraser, fountain pen, and TI-89) close at hand, all while not being borne down by unneeded textbooks and clutter that associates itself with a backpack.
I quickly learned that having less with me meant that I focused more. Since I had to take better notes in class, being that all I had with me at hand was my notebook for the class and my writing utensils, I would find myself paying more close attention to the professor’s lecture. Needless to say, I also found my back problems improving as I stopped carrying around a 40 lb. weight on my back for the equivalent of around 15 miles of walking (on average) in my day!
For those of you gentlemen who are still ensconced in your chosen Institute of Higher Learning, I would heartily recommend the messenger bag or soft-sides briefcase to you as a worthy alternative to the backpack. You will likely find, as I did, that it will provide you with a more manly appearance, and better serviceability.
First, I would like to say great site and beautiful bags.
As for my packing tip: In the Marine Corps (and also as an Scout) I was always taught to pack compartmentally by day/activity in ziplock bags. This means for a three day excursion, I have roughly four to five zipplock bags. Each day will have certain bags assigned to it; for example:
Day 1 = Bags 1 & 2, which contain a pair of slacks, a shirt, socks, boxers and tie (if necessary) rolled together
Additionally, you might consider an extra bag of socks and underwear as it’s best to change these frequently, especially for outdoor activities; as well as a bag for swim shorts or other “activity” type clothing (i.e gym clothes, etc).
The ziplock method keeps everything organized and dry, minimizes packing space (be sure to squeeze/suck the air out of the bags), and provides bags on hand for dirty clothes.
And, my final tip is always bring twice as many socks as you think you should need.
I hope this helps.
Cheers,
M. McCrary
Always carry-on a Dopp kit and clean pair of undies. If your luggage gets lost (always avoid checking bags at all costs, but for long voyages it is impossible) you can still function the next day at your destination. The Dopp kit should include either FAA approved size of liquids are solids, shave soap in lieu of cream/gel, etc…I learned very quickly to always be able to freshen yourself up on trip, even day-trip business trips!
And of course enjoy where you are going. Make the most of crappy business trip, seek out a local restaurant, enjoy some culture while you are working. There is no substitute for experience!
Ever since my shell suitcase ripped open and my underwear was spilled on the carousel in JFK I have looked forward to getting a man-bag of such proportions and strength as to render such situations null.
I like pre-choosing sets of clothes and then rolling them. They can be rolled around other needs or not. This allows me to have a suitcase of rolls of outfits, saving me time in the morning to dress. Rolling also reduces the number of wrinkles while packed, so you look better. And you can always decide to change your outfits later if you feel you’ve made a poor choice.
I also like to pack at least one “colder than expected” set and one “warmer than expected” set. It’s a good precaution as you can easily run into inclimate weather on the road.
Packing tips: like others have said, one bag if at all possible. No checking, no carry-on… one bag to rule them all. Plus a small briefcase or laptop case/bag if you need.
In said bag: 6 pairs of underwear, two pairs of jeans, one pair of slacks, 6 undershirts, 6 pairs of socks, and 3-4 polo or button-down shirts. Per week.
If heading into cold, inclement weather, throw in two sweaters, one or two pairs of long underwear, and carry a single jacket with you outside your bag.
One more suggestion for rolling clothes when packing them. It works well for me; it’s worth giving a try.
Those are awesome bags. My grandfather had one similar and just like the post, my dad and uncle did fight over who would get it when he died. Everyone needs a man-bag.
It’s been said above already, but my packing tips are:
Roll clothes instead of folding
Put socks/underwear in shoes to keep them from getting crushed
bring a garbage bag for dirty clothes
Don’t forget your Dopp kit.
Few things are as valuable as a well-made overnight bag. Something small enough to throw in the back of the car and leave on an impromptu weekend trip without having to worry about checking a bag…always pack light.
These are great looking leather bags. Thank you all for the many travel tips. I cannot really add to what has already been shared.
Sweet bags, I have been wanting a leather brief case bag for a while now.
So, my travel tip is to pack lightly.
No matter where you are going, you WILL benefit from having selected only the minimal items, with the most versatility. This applies to your gadgets, tools, clothing, and shoes.
If you’ve every been much of a hiker or backpacker, try applying some of your wisdom gleaned there, to your standard trip.
Consider more versatile clothing options, that allow you to mix and match your daily choices. Consider travel sized toiletries, as well.
Having smaller and lighter amounts of luggage to carry makes you quite mobile. You never know when your mobility will pay off, and get you to your destination a bit quicker or free you up to grab that large bag, for the struggling elderly person.
It’s been said, but roll your clothes. I put my most coarse or indestructible clothing (jeans, jackets) on the outside layer, working my way in to the nice shirts at the center. I put the socks on top of the shirts to create a good core, then wrap the whole thing up. The shirts stay wrinkle free and the jeans and jacket protect them from any dirt.
Pack light. I usually bring pants that I can wear with at least two of my shirts, shoes that can go with multiple outfits, etc. No need to bring your whole closet. That said, I do bring one extra change of clothes than the amount of days I’ll be staying, just in case any unforeseen accidents occur.
Also, start with an excellent bag like these Saddleback products so your stuff makes it there in one piece
I’d like to join in with the general debate and add my own to cents to it. As a PhD student, I am always lugging a lot of papers, a laptop and several books around. There are a great many bags that are functional and roomy, however they do not meet the criteria for a business meeting. Conversely, a briefcase is usually far less accommodating and flexible, so one is stuck with having two of these contraptions or just one and deal with adversity. I would liken it to the pre-smartphone era when one had to carry around a cellphone, pda and ipod (well not HAD to but I just did).
I like the styling and quality of these “saddle bags”; they are rugged enough to be casual, yet they have an undeniable air of quality about them. I would be equally comfortable lugging it around campus as meeting with potential investors. In fact, I would be especially confident meeting with investors since you usually get scrutinized quite thoroughly and anything you do sends a message.
Since when has a real man cared what other people think if he’s carrying something that helps him get his job done? Carry whatever you need.
First off, these are the coolest looking man-bags I’ve ever seen. They make want to jump on a horse in Montana and ride off into the sunset. I’m actually a little concerned that I may do that, so I ought to win the bag to make sure I’m well-prepared and don’t ride off without my laptop or food or any of those essentials.
Those Saddleback bags are quite manly indeed, and it’s nice to see some praise for man bags in general. It’s hard to find a good one these days.
Whenever I travel, I make sure to pack everything valuable and/or essential into a separate container. Money, phone, passport, keys, camera, etc… the things I can’t afford to lose go into some sort of messenger bag or man bag (hint hint) and never leave my side. I can ditch my luggage at the hotel or hostel, grab my bag, and be ready for the day’s adventure at a moment’s notice. And should the worst happen – if my luggage is misplaced or stolen – I only have to replace clothing and trivial items.
I LOVE these bags. I came across this company a few years back when I was looking for a “man bag.” I think that I even used that term to initially search. I may even have begun to convince my wife that I need a matching set of this luggage, but a starter over night bag would be great.
As to my travel tip… I’d have to say that everyone should invest in a good suit bag. I’ve used everything from bags to stuffing suits into carry-ons, but when you find a nice suit it really does make a difference. This also translates to a nice suit bag to put your suits in when they’re hung up at home. It protects them and keeps them clean and fresh.
Regardless, I would love one of these bags!
Cheers
Lucas
I am a travelling salesman and am on the road quite a bit. Since I often travel on very short notice I make sure I always have a dopp kit packed and ready to go. This way I can grab it and know that everything is already packed and won’t have to worry about forgetting to pack a razor, toothbrush, etc. When I do my shopping I make sure to pick up two of everything (toothpaste, toothbrush, shaving cream, etc.). One item goes in my bathroom and the other replenishes my fully packed dopp kit.
These bags look great-I could see my husband actually using them instead of asking me to keep things for him in my purse. Thanks for entering me in the contest!
Man Bags are great! I have a fanny pack w/ two water bottles that I keep packed with my outdoor/survival gear for Scout trips and hikes. Keeps everything ready to go at a moment’s notice and I can rest assured knowing I have everything I might need on the trip.
For me, the ideal bag needs to be cool, solid, and functional. These leather bags look amazing, and I’d carry mine with pride if I won, but you don’t need to spend a fortune to get a good man bag.
My current Man Bag of choice (and has been for 4 years, and it barely shows any wear), is a Military/Police style Bail Out Bag (http://www.countycomm.com/BAILOUTBAGGEN5.htm). It’s less than $40 US with shipping, has plenty of compartments for holding whatever you need, guns, ammo, calculators, phones, Nintendo DS’s.
It’s been the ideal bag for me, because it’s big enough to hold what I absolutely need for a given day (or a few days if I’m traveling), but not so big as to allow me to fill it with junk I don’t. This bag has dutifully followed me from my College Days to become my briefcase now that I’ve entered professional life.
My wife may still like to periodically make fun of me about my man bag, but I just take it in stride. That bag just makes my life easier.
My travel tips:
1. Have a plan – Think about each day you will be traveling and determine what clothes and accessories you will need.
2. Roll your clothes – it really saves space and minimizes wrinkling.
3. Don’t check a bag if possible.
4. If checking a bag can’t be avoided – throw an extra shirt and clean underwear in your carry on.
5. While your packing if you think of something you need, grab it and pack it right then. Don’t expect to remember to do it later.
Packing Tip: Multi-purpose items are key and save lots of space. This especially applies when camping/backpacking. Multi-purpose soap for washing, dishes, and even brushing your teeth (you can buy non-toxic, biodegradable, peppermint soap for all this); a bandanna/handkerchief as a towel, sun protection, or even and emergency tourniquet; there are many many more. Mutli-purpose, multi-use, is key
These are beautifully crafted bags.
Top-3 travel tips from someone with more air miles than you.
#1 Want to be on-time? Always take the first scheduled flight of the day to wherever you’re going. You’ll have an airplane from the night before and fly before the air traffic hits the peaks of the day.
#2 and #3 for those who don’t always follow #1.
#2 Be a NICE PERSON to airline employees, especially during any sort of flight delays. They have a shit job at times like this and the people who are friendly and outwardly sympathetic to this are often rewarded with trip-saving perks (think: better alternative flights, upgrades, better seats, et all)
#3 Want to save valuable time? CANCEL the flight BEFORE THEY DO. Sometimes it just ain’t gonna happen… or its going to happen so late that you would have preferred to fly the next morning anyway (who wants to land at Newark at 1:15am??!) My rule? After the 2nd delay of 30 minutes+ for any reason, reschedule and walk away.
Bonus: Men, despite their populatity… those metro-y looking messenger bags look stupid with any suit or jacket and don’t travel well. Get a manly bag like the one I’m about to win and people will respect you more.
M
What a way to turn heads at the airport or around town with one of these bags! I think the briefcase would be perfect for me to use at school. I need something durable to protect all my junk I have to carry around. Thanks for this contest, AOM!
Awesome Bags, Just spent some time perusing the Saddleback Leather website and it looks like these are the real deal. Been looking for a good set of luggage/bags that will last and with the classic styling as a bonus. Looks like my search is over. Thanks Brett!!
The more simple the bag, the more use I find for it. A simple satchel or messenger bag, without a lot of pockets or straps works the best.
Here’s the only advice I have that I haven’t already seen here (lots of good stuff, by the way!):
Always pack an extra pair of socks and underwear. Not that you’ll NEED them, but fresh socks and underwear always make a huge difference at the end of a long trip.
Retired Army. KISS.
Use your packing list every time you pack.
Pack layers of clothing for any anticipated weather or social situation.
Roll your clothes.
Be kind to your fellow travellers, especially children and older people.
Never check your bags.
It helps me to make a packing list, either mentally, or on paper to make sure I have enough of what I need, but not too much. Also, try to keep your dopp kit seperate from your clothes, so if anything bursts, it won’t contaminate your clothes.
I like to keep travel size toothpaste, shampoo, etc. already packed in my dop kit. It makes packing for a last minute business trip incredibly easy. I also like to fold tshirts and stack them vertically in my swiss gear rolling travel bag.
Those are pretty nice bags.
Travel tips
Invest in a good camera. The pictures you take will be worth more to you and are easier to carry than any trinkets you’ll pick up in your travels. When my wife visited South America, they had problems with having their things stolen. (One of her friends had her carry-on snatched from right next to her.) If in your travels you would rather not take valuable objects with you, pack a few disposable cameras. You can actually get some decent pictures from them and they’re light-weight. If they are unfortunately lost or stolen, its not a huge loss.
Before you leave be prepared. Find out what there is to do where you are going, and come up with a back-up plan if that doesn’t work out. Talk to a friend who has been where you are going and if you don’t have one of those there is always our good old friend the internet.
Best man-bag I’ve owned in my Symbiot Sportback. It doesn’t look particularly manly, but it’s the most useful pack I own for cycling.
packing tip make a list of all the things you need, then you will have a checklist to make sure you have every thing on your way back home.
My grandfather owned a leather briefcase similar to these and I can remember as a kid seeing it and being impressed. It looked like it had traveled the world, and probably had…
Packing Tip- Don’t put all your underwear in one bag, and it’s probably a good idea to put some necessities in your carryon, incase your bags get lost.
I use my bags to hold my beer!! And so when I go on a airplane trip i put them in my carry on so I will get drunk and we can party!!!!!!!!!
Jerry: Hey! Officer! Someone took my European carryall!
Cop: Your what?
Jerry: The…black, leather…thing with a strap.
Cop: You mean a purse?
Jerry: Yes, a purse. I carry a purse!
I was listening to NPR the other morning, I believe it was Sunday morning, I always have NPR on in the bathroom as I shave. But they were talking about travel and how to make travel more friendly. It seems that we get in this mind set of traveling, be it the airport or train or what have you, and politeness goes out the window. Enjoy travel, view it not as a deadline, not as a rush to get from point A to point B, but enjoy the time you have. While you travel, especially in a plane, you are out of touch with the rest of the world. The cell phone is off, there is no internet connection, the cords are unplugged. This is not a bad thing. Try to enjoy it. Use this opportunity to meditate or read. Use it to get to know your fellow travelers. Reach out and make a human connection with a REAL person instead of a facebook account. They gave the example of seeing a mother traveling with small children. Why not talk to them and ask about her kids and their ages. That way, when you are aboard the plane and the kids start kicking your chair from behind, you can politely ask them to stop and the mom will be more inclined to make them stop.
Enjoy your travel! Especially with travel bags as swank as these!
Wow it’s a really cool giveaway.
The best packing tip I can give is to roll your clothes and put them that way in your bag. This way you save a lot of space and your clothes won’t get wrinkled.
Also try to save space by doing things like putting your socks in the shoes and if you have space in a box or something not completely full, fill it up with little stuff.
When leaving for a trip, pack like a man would. You don’t need everything plus the kitchen sink. Just pack the essentials: shirt, pants, underroos, socks shoes, and a suit and tie if its a business trip.
Most important thing to me: never over pack. It’ll take a few trips to figure out what you need, but once you’ve got it down, you’ve got it.
I’m a big proponent of leather shoulder bags. Convenient, dashing, and manly.
My current bag has been with me for years and is nicely broken in. There is visible stitching on a homemade patch I applied where the handle support wore through the leather; I cut and re-sewed the shoulder strap after the attachment snaps wore through the strap at both ends; the brass snaps were replaced with steel after the steel attachment ring on the bag wore right through the soft brass snap hook and the bag fell off my shoulder out on the street one day; the flap click-locks eventually wore out and I replaced them with buckles on home-made, hand-sewn tabs, and I recently re-dyed the whole thing with black liquid shoe polish to cover the worn spots. From a distance, it looks fine; up close, you can see it’s got character – something both a man and a man bag should have.
Packing tip: set up your “every-day carry” stuff in an intelligent and useful manner – for your man bag you’ll need pens, pencils, keys, something to write on, and then any personal electronics or work/hobby stuff you always need with you; when you know what you need, organize it in small accessible pouches neatly arranged inside the man-bag to leave room for incidental stuff that you put in and take out as need be. Your every day carry stuff stays organized and doesn’t get jumbled up inside the bag, and you can always find what you need without having to dig through it all. A man-bag is *not* a purse – it shouldn’t be a rat’s-nest of crap you have to dump out to find anything.
My advice about packing and traveling regards what to put in your bag of manliness. Socks. Always pack at least two extra pairs of socks. Your feet are what ultimately get you to your destination, they are where the rubber meets the road. Take care of your feet and they will always take care of you. Especially if your travels includes outdoor activity, feel obligated to change your socks at least every five miles, much more often if your socks become damp.
Your feet will thank you and get you to your manly destination with precision, style, and grace (the manly-kind of grace).
I’m sure this has been mentioned before, but having packed for many a trip, my favorite tip is to roll stuff up.
Not only does it help keep wrinkles down, but it’s great for maximizing the total amount of stuff you can pack (so we manly, light-traveling men can use smaller bags)
My band recently played a job in Denver and I decided to try something new with packing my luggage. Rather than pack a suit, cloths to wear during the downtime, an extra pair of shoes, and the many other things one takes, I wore my suit to the airport and then just threw a pair of jeans and a few other bear necessities into the extra space in my trumpet case. My initial goal of not having to check a bag made me one of the sharpest dressed guys on the plane and also for the rest of the weekend. I could wear the coat with jeans, the pants and vest alone with a tie and when it came time for the job, the full suit! I realized on that trip how doing something as simple as wearing a button shirt, jeans and a coat can really set you apart in the class department not only on casual Fridays but on Saturdays and Sundays as well!
never – EVER – forget the duct tape!
don’t fold, roll.
and always stuff your shoes with whatever else you can..ties, socks, undies, etc.
Packing Tip –
Luggage gets lost more and more these days it seems. Pack everything you need for a few days in your carry on and spread the rest of your posessions out between your bags.
I would love to get this for my dad. I know that he could use a bag like this to carry his cell phones and tons of gear.
I think my advice for the best traveling advice would have to be if you are going to stay in a hotel/motel, make sure you bring your own sheets.
I know that my grandpa knew how to pack a truck.
But, I think that is the most important advice I’ve ever heard.
Haiku:
Manly bags prove that
you will not be a sissy
Don’t carry a murse
I pack a lot of used grocery store plastic bags when I travel. They’re good for wrapping toiletries in in case of a leak, keeping smelly shoes separate, and I use them for dirty clothes while I’m traveling. They’re also good for wrapping breakable presents in for the trip home.
Here’s a tip for that luggage you’re storing. Throw a few used dryer sheets inside the suitcase before storing it for your next trip (remember the pockets, too). It keeps the inside of your suitcase from getting that musty storage smell.
And I always pack underwear and medications in my carry-on, in case my luggage is ever lost, I have my essentials.
Always roll instead of folding
If you have expandable luggage, pack it collapsed. If you need to expand it to get it closed, you have packed too much. That way, anything you add to your bag on your trip will be more likely to fit on the way back.
Sweet bags.
My travel tip is to use a jacket/bag to hold all of your miscellaneous stuff when going through airport security. Just unload your pockets, take off your belt, etc. and put it into the jacket/bag which can then go on the conveyor. Then you don’t have to mess with the coin tray and you can just pick your stuff up and go after you get through. You can put things back where they go once you are at your gate.
Manly tip: carry the luggage for your woman without complaining. If she takes extra time to get ready, just load up her bags as she is done with them. Don’t pressure her to get ready more quickly (she wants a vacation too), just offer to help however you can. If you are worried about getting to the airport on time then the day before tell her that you need to be ready to leave a half an hour before you actually need to leave, usually that cushion allows you both to get to the airport with a minimum of stress.
Those are gorgeous bags, going to have to save up for that.
As for the tips:
There was a great article on lifehacker.com a few days ago on how not to appear as a tourist. I always strive to blend in with the culture, not only do your come out with a better understanding, your show respect for you are a guest in their country.
http://lifehacker.com/5109764/avoid-looking-like-a-tourist
One tip I can share: if you MUST pack a pair of shoes, stuff them with your socks and/or underwear. You’ll not only save some space in your luggage, but you’ll help prevent your shoes from being crushed out of shape.
It’s also a good idea to then put those shoes in shopping bags, if there’s a chance of the shoes or your surrounding clothes getting smudged with polish or the like.
I find the best way to pack is folding your clothes into small squares immediately after they come out of the dryer. They usually stay wrinkle free and you can fit more in a smaller bag. I have tried rolling my clothes but it can leave them stretched or skewed after they are unpacked.
P.S. Always pack an extra shirt. From my experience, when kids are around you’re getting stained at least once during a trip. If it’s business you’ll be eating out and that equally increases your chances of spilling. The only thing worse than a wrinkled shirt is a stained one.
Most important piece of advice:
Enjoy the trip.
Packing tip: Skip most grooming products on holiday. Baking soda makes a fine shampoo, toothpaste, and deodorant. Pack a bag or box, or pick some up at your destination. This will save enough space to bring along a bigger hatchet or more beef jerky or whatever manly travel supplies you need.
These bags are killer. I personally have been looking for a descent man-bag for a few months and I’ve been surprised by how hard it’s been to find a quality one. I actually ordered what I thought to be a cool one from Colombia… when I received it it was tiny and the inside was pink! It would have made a perfect man PURSE, but definitely not man-bag material. My wife got a nice little bag out if the deal though.
Anyway, I’d love to get my hands on one of these sharp looking leather bags, but the $300+ price tag is a bit steep for this working man. I’m getting tired of carrying my iPod, PDA, notebook, files, folders and books in my hands up to the office. It would be great to finally get a bag that looks great, is well constructed, and won’t keep my children from going to college!
My travel advice: Don’t pack so many darn clothes. I know what you’re thinking, because I think the same way: “I’ll take this shirt and this one, and this one in case one of the others get dirty, and then this one in case I need it for a special event, and this one in case the special event shirt gets dirty, and…” Those special circumstances you’re insuring yourself against almost never happen, and you’re left lugging around a bunch of clothes that you never even get close to wearing.
So remind yourself that should something happen you’ll be able to purchase a replacement at your destination. You’ll be hauling around a much lighter bag, and you’ll have extra space for all those souveniers.
Save a ton of space by rolling your clothes while packing and utilizing the iron at the hotel where you’re staying (let’s face it, if you’re camping, you shouldn’t be worried about a few wrinkles anyway). Of course, dress shirts should probably be hung instead, but this saves an incredible amount of space with pants especially.
Best tip: Accept that wrinkles are inevitable. Plan on ironing your clothes when you get to your destination, and packing gets a lot easier.
I have really learned to appreciate a handsome man bag in the last couple of years. In my first couple of years teaching I always used my book bag from college to carry all of my things. I finally realized I needed to grow up and use something more professional.
I have rolled clothes before in order to make more room in a suitcase or bag. However this sometimes causes more wrinkles.
How can you NOT talk about man bags and either Joey from Friends or the Seinfeld episode? “Stop him! Stop him! He stole my man bag!” HAHAHA!!!!
I used to be in the Navy a long time ago and found that the folds they teach you in boot camp are EXTREMELY helpful in packing lots of clthes in a small package. The t-shirts especially. I find that I can pack a whole week and a half in a bag that would normally hold 4 days worth if I do it right. Trick is, when I repack after my vacation to come home, none of it fits unless I fold it exactly the same way. Oh well… trade offs I guess right?
I went on a road trip with two females and one of the stops was in San Francisco. As we unpacked I pulled out a black nylon messenger bag and the two began poking fun at me. I need leather! Saddleback Leather to be specific.
To minimize the space your clothes take up do the following.
Start by folding a piece of clothing (like a shirt or pair of pants) into a square. The proceed to encase that items with another carefully folding the next shirt or pair of pants so it encased the previous one. You’ll end up with a tight package of shirts or pants that is essentially a multi-layered onion. At your destination you can carefully unwrap the onion and you will avoid much of the wrinkling while maximizing space in your luggage.
well I’m not sure if this has been said due to the throngs of comments and my lack of boredom to sit and read comments for hours, but…. when packing i always put the things i may need during the trip on the top of all my other items. when traveling, and a different pair of socks is needed(for instants), its a real pain to dig to the bottom and ruin all your perfectly folded clothing. so if i do pack my socks on the bottom or what ever else you think you may need during the trip, i usually but one pair on the top or side to ensure ease of access. not really an awe inspiring tip but its all i could muster.
Easily my best tip is around moving, not so much packing.
I spent a lot of time moving from place to place while in school. I didn’t have a lot of cash to afford movers, so I had to pack small (not necessarily light though, greyhound didn’t care about weight as long as I could lift it).
I learned very quickly that some things, such my computer, water bottles, coffee pots, etc, could be used as suitcases instead of just occupying space. Now, whenever I move, all of my clothes go inside of my computer, my socks are in my coffee pot, and small breakables are in my nalgene bottle.
It’s sort of an obvious tip, but its saved me tons of cash, and has the added bonus of providing extra padding to things that might otherwise break in travel.
The downside though is things are more wrinkled when they come out than when they go in, but a quick toss in the dryer fixes that right up.
My dumb black bag needs some serious manly treatment.
A bit of reflective wisdom of academia: those professors who have the true art of manliness don’t carry simple satchels, rolling luggage, or backpacks. They carry leather cases. If you want to be taken seriously, the bag matters.
Sorry if it’s already been said here, but I’d recommend a few things when packing, based on my own experience of riding my Harley all over Europe:
* Roll up t-shirts, jeans, underwear, socks, and whatever else you have to pack. Things squeeze in your bag easier and take less room.
* If you have to take multiple pairs of footwear (eg, regular boots, waterproof boots, lighter shoes), stuff the rolled up socks, underwear, and t-shirts into them, rather than leaving them empty to take up space in your bag.
* Make a small bag of the essential stuff you’ll need overnight on your way to your destination. Depending on where you stay, it could mean you don’t have to fully unpack your bike each night.
* Take your sleeping bag out of its carry bag when you stuff it into your larger bag. It’ll fill up the small gaps and will therefore take up less of your valuable space.
What makes a bag manly?
What must it exude?
Is it all in the leather,
Or the stout-hearted dude?
Traveling advise?
“The traveler sees what he sees, the tourist sees what he has come to see.†– G.K. Chesterton
Be a traveler.
I’ve got a man bag and it’s mighty handy. But it’s fake leather. I want real leather.
And that messenger bag looks like it has my name on it.
The phrase I hear most: Man, you sure carry a lot of crap in there..
I see that other have posted this but it really is worth repeating.
I always roll my clothes into thin tight rolls. It keeps wrinkles from forming. Sadly I learned this from a very unmanly source: Martha Stewart.
It works like a charm, though and it saves space.
As to waht makes a bag manly…I think any bag can be manly if it reflkects your personality and you find it useful. Carrying a bag shows that you have more important gear than what can fit into your pockets.
those are indeed sweet bags!
It has been said – pack light & pack prepared.
My only lament is it is now impossible to travel light and fly with a trusty knife.
My best travel advice is this:
Always take 3×5 index cards.
Use them to write brief, focused, than-you notes.
Who you should give these notes to anyone who helps you in your travels.
It will make any possible return trips smoother and excellent. When you’re gone from home you really do have to rely on others.
Wow! Great bags! I have had some great bags as diverse as Patagonia, Tumi, Timbuk 2, Orivis, and others. The best so far? My Customhide 1945 US Army Briefcase that resembles the very first bag I ever received. But I think that Customhide bag is about to be sold, because if I don’t win this one, I am definitely buying one! It will look great in my rebuilt 1943 Willy’s jeep!
Thanks for the link!
Cheers,
Alan
I love leather cases/bags because they are tough, durable, and look better with age. If only I could afford one!
If you fly pack just enough to fit into an overhead carrier. Just remember to leave many of your toiletries behind or back travel-sized ones that will pass through security.
Immodium D. just in case.
I know I really enjoy using my purse to carry everything around, it just so handy! Why shouldn’t guys have something to carry everything they might need with them? I know that a wife role is to be her husbands helpmate and she can help her husband and family by comming prepared for ANY occasion… little Johnny skinned his knee? Have no fear mom is here, with her antiseptic and band aids, chapped lips and bad breath are no match for mom and her nifty little handbag!
Why are purses thought of as being “girly,” when really it’s just preparedness? Shouldn’t guys be able to come prepared too? You might see guys carrying a bunch of stuff if it’s necessary to, so why shouldn’t they be able to put it all in a nice, leather “manly bag.” My husband really likes the messenger bag, it would make a great Christmas gift for him. He is an avid book reader, and would love to have something that he could carry all of his books in.
These are the sorts of practical gifts that any man could enjoy. Take books and a laptop in your messenger to assuage the long wait on a plane ride. File away books, papers or important documents for school, work or business. It becomes the catch all for keys, cell phones, PDA’s, blue tooth, i-pod etc. so you don’t leave home with out them, and in the case of my husband, would help him remember to bring all the above mentioned items.
Leave the matching luggage behind, men! Pack a BAG!
I think everything related to packing and bags has been covered, so I’ll stick to travel advice.
My best travel advice is to know when to spend money, and by extension, when not to spend money. Nobody wants to be paying for crappy room service meals and plastic trinkets a year after their vacation, but you don’t want to look back and say, “man, I wish I’d done XXX.”
You’ve already spent a satchel of money to get where you’re going, so if there’s an adventure there you can’t do anywhere else, splurge. Vacation dollars are not the same as everyday dollars, but know when to use them.
On our last trip to KauaÊ»i, we had ample opportunity to blow our money on expensive froo-froo drinks and cheesy group tours. Believe me, the photos we took while ziplining through the tree canopy will last us forever, something we wouldn’t have been able to afford if we’d guzzled watery mai tais.
Even better, the greatest adventure of the trip – jumping off a 25-foot waterfall – cost me nothing more than every bit of courage I possessed.
My man bag is all elk skin with an antler for a clasp that a leather strap will coil around to close it. I got it as a boy when my parents took our family camping. We met this grizzled but fun looking fella cracking a 9 foot bullwhip in the campsite. We saddled up beside him and watched the fun. Soon we were all laughing and chatting by a roaring campfire. The guy was camping in a lodge built from poles and canvas tarp, right out of his wagon. He was a professional leathersmith and he showed us some of his work. One of the items he handed to me and my brother, telling us to share it. He called it a “possibles” bag. It has two sturdy elk belt loops and plenty of room.
I would really like to get another leather bag so I can honor my promise to this man that I would share it with my brother. If I had a nice bag, we could switch off wearing both! Consider the joy you’re bringing to a deserving brother… PICK ME PICK ME!!! Hehehe
The trick is to pack as light as possible. I hate checking bags, but it’s the only way to keep a pocketknife handy for the destination.
What gorgeous bags! And these are FAR better than the man bag that Joey used to tote around on “Friends.” Very masculine — and kind of hot too!
It’s a small, and arguably effeminate touch, but a travel sized pack of tissues can be a real life saver. Every single time I’ve traveled I’ve either used them myself for things like spilled drinks or sudden nose bleeds, or given them out to others who were unhappily draining their nose with a rough cafe napkin or worse, a piece of cardboard. Yes, I saw somebody wipe their nose on cardboard once. When I offered them a real honest-to-goodness tissue they looked like they were about to burst into tears. The travel sized bundles fit into almost any messenger back or backpack pocket somewhere and they certainly don’t expire.
always take more socks than you think you need…you can’t live without fresh socks
Fantastic bags. Off to check out the website…
My best packing tip is this: When packing try not to fold anything. Lay dress shirts flat in the suitcase, only fold pants in half once, etc… You’ll be amazed how much you can fit in one case.
My best packing tip is to tightly roll all of your clothes. It takes practice and your clothes need to be folded nicely to begin with, but if done right you can get a lot more into your bags. The only problem is it can add serious weight to a bag.
Well, with so many previous comments and my inability to read them all at the current moment, I do hope my post is useful and not a straight-up repeat:
Beside the common advice of pack light and small (which I encourage greatly – Ihate heavy luggage and much prefer to have nothing more than a good book as carry-on), I recommend packing a second duffel bag inside your primary suitcase for souvenirs and things you may not have room for otherwise.
I keep bags handy for many purposes (work, camping, fun, etc) none NEAR as nice as any of those!! And none would qualify as a murse either.
Being a father of 2 and a loyal husband I tend to find many other places to spend our modest family budget than high-end bags, but one of these would last several lifetimes I am sure!!
Maybe I’ll start saving pocket change in hopes that I’ll get my hands on one of these eventually!
~Wil
The satchel looks a little femmie to me but it might make a fine possibles bag for black powder!
I have a couple of tips:
First to prolong your camera’s life, if you happen to be taking pictures in a cold environment. Have you ever come in from the cold and had your glasses, (for those of us who have them), completely fog over? The same thing is happening to the surfaces of your digital camera when you come inside from the cold. To prevent that from happening, take a zip lock bag with you before you go outside, then put the camera in the bag and squeeze out as much air as you can, seal it up, then bring the camera inside. Wait until the camera has warmed up before you release it from it’s air/moisture tight protection, and you won’t have any condensation issues.
Secondly, a tip from the wife of our company founder. Don’t spend a small fortune on a suitcase. It will get trashed just as easily as a cheap one. That being said, don’t completely cheap out, you want to have a good quality zipper, but don’t spend too much on a suitcase that is going to get beat up as bad as a cheap bag.
Thanks to The Art Of Manliness! There are some great tips here.
I usually don’t carry more than I need for a given day in my bag, which has downsized itself over time.
I always have my day bag on me, which is an aviator size bag (roughly the size of the satchel pictured above) mainly because I have a chronic disease that sometimes requires me to have some emergency supplies.
I’m also never at a loss for something to jot a note or two down with thanks to my bag and being a technical writer. Plus my bag is just tall enough to fit in my headphones Grado Labs. I own and adore the SR 80 model headphones.
Go ahead and stare at my bag, giggle if you want. I don’t care that much because it’s almost a complete necessity for me to have it.
A Travel Tip: When in South Korea, make sure you have maps of where you’re going or a good guide. There are no street names, so it’s really easy to get lost if you don’t know where you’re headed.
Wow, these are great looking bags. I am making the transition from graduate student to teacher and these bags are just what I need. Unfortunately, I don’t have a tip that I haven’t already read. -Jim
Long-time listener, first-time caller (unless you count guest posts)…here’s the thing:
Three years ago in the crime-riddled upper class beach community of Corona Del Mar CA someone smashed out my car window and stole my laptop bag which contained one laptop computer among other things. After that, I was too distraught to buy a new laptop, let alone a laptop bag. I resorted to carrying extreme armloads of external harddrives, food, beverages, toiletries, etc. going to and from the house and office.
Meanwhile, Ross Crooks rolls around town with a satchel. I used to sort of frown on the man bag, but I’ve begun to notice that no one makes fun of him, but they do make fun of my bizarre carrying methods.
Now, it has gotten even worse. Awhile ago, my wife got a deal at Costco on a suitcase that had a backpack that can be zipped on to it. Once I finally got over the sorrow of my last laptop loss, and purchase a new Dell, I needed to get it to and from the office. It seemed perfectly acceptable to put the laptop in the backpack. It has pouches and compartments and…the only problem is that I am now a joke to my business partners. I sneak to and from meetings wondering if I should wear it on one shoulder or just go full steam ahead and look like a seven year old with the backpack on both arms.
Please help me Art of Manliness! Please help me Saddleback Leather Man Bag! I will join the man bag movement! Sign me up! The briefcase would change my life.
When preparing for my first transatlantic flight to London, a seasoned traveler shared this impressive tip with me. He said, “If think you will need more room in suitcase for the return trip home, pack the underwear, socks and undershirts that you can part with after one more wear. Throw them away after you wear them. That way you will have that much room in your bag for items that you purchase while on vacation. The trick is packing exactly the number of changes you will need while abroad.”
It seemed like great advice. I carefully counted out how much I would need and went on my way. However, during the trip my return flight was canceled and my vacation was extended for a day. Among the many souvenirs I brought home was a pair of really expensive underwear.
My travel tip: Whenever I go overseas to visit family, I always mail my razors, shaving cream, and aftershave to my family before I leave, that way I dont have to abandon my trusty safety razor and get stuck with some disposable deal that feels like shaving with a hacksaw.
Mail your safety razors to your destination if flying so you dont have to abandon them at home. never take more than a carry on.
Damn! This is a great contest. I’ve been in love with Saddleback luggage since you first mentioned them, so the chance to win one for free is awesome.
While I’ve been guilty of trying to cram too many things into my pockets in the past, I’ve started to come around to the idea of a man bag, and I’m starting to carry one more often.
Not only is it practical for carrying things like my Moleskine, pens, books, knife, camera, it also lets me carry some “be prepared” type items: change of socks & underwear (in case I end up spending the night at someone else’s home), a toothbrush, deodorant, and a condom. Like I said…a man’s got to be prepared.
I’ve got to admit, if I’m lucky enough to win this contest, I really don’t know which bag I’d choose! They’re all so awesome. I’d probably get more use out of the briefcase or messenger bag, though.
I’m a bundle of anxiety before I travel. Though I want to “travel light,” I obsess thinking I’m going to forget to bring something. Finally, I’ve learned the easiest tip imaginable: If I forget something, I can BUY IT THERE.
That tip is too simple for me to remember most of the time.
Tips for packing in everyday life, work, or school:
1. If you have a lot of heavy equipment, whether it be books or a laptop or whatnot, forgo the conventional backpack. They’re unwieldy, not particularly manly, and they make the hard work harder if you have to carry your gear with you while you’re on the job. Hard work is manly, but taking a day off because you can’t get out of bed isn’t. Save your sick days for a family vacation and go with the messenger bag. They may not be able to hold the prodigious amount most modern backpacks can, but they’ll save your back in the long run. Besides, if you’re at the airport or an otherwise crowded area, they’re harder for pickpockets to get into without you knowing. A few exceptions are camping/hiking (I’ll get to that later), bus travel, and long car rides. Sometimes, you just need to be able to hold as much as you possibly can in as few contraptions as possible.
2. Don’t bring what you don’t need. Have an unwieldy set of books? Leave them at home unless you’re going to need them. Laptop? Only if you’ll need it. GPS? Do you honestly think you’ll get lost on the way to work or school, or on your way home, for that matter? I thought not. Just. Leave. It. Be. By all means pack a pen, pencil, and whatever else your job may call for. I even pack a backup pen, you never know when one might flake out or someone will need to borrow one, but don’t keep the pack of 20 BIC pens in your backpack.
3. Save room for papers and such. In class, you’re bound to get an assignment. How does it reflect on you if you turn in something that is wrinkled and torn? This is even more true for your job. In these days of the troubled economy, don’t let your boss(es) even THINK for a moment that you’re not up to par, or even par. If you have paperwork, keep it nice and undamaged. Your higher-ups will thank you.
Tips for travel:
1. Read the list above. Read it again. If you’re taking a flight, the messenger bag can be your best friend. It’s compact, easy to maneuver, and, either by it’s design or by your own modifications, can have locks so people can’t get into it. True, you can lock zippers, that’s assuming there are two zippers, though. Besides, having a backpack crammed full of junk isn’t friendly to the other people who have to use the overhead compartments.
2. Save room for bringing stuff home. You never know what you’ll bring back with you, and with prices for additional luggage these days, just remember rule 2 from above. Going overseas? Surprise your children, spouse, girlfriend, or whathaveyou with a gift.
3. Fold your clothes. I know this sounds stupid, but I ACTUALLY KNOW PEOPLE who throw their clothing in their luggage, and complain when they can’t fit it all in, not to mention how they have to iron it out when they get there. That really perplexes me, because it was folded in the drawers to begin with. I digress, folding saves space. If, for whatever reason, you’re packing a hat, but don’t want to pay the additional fee, pack your clothing to one side, and put the hat on a layer of clothing, stuffed with a towel, and covered with a towel on the outside.
4. Always pack a towel. Enough said. Just do it, it’ll save you in the end. Pack two if you’re going to be gone more than a few days. My rule is pack a towel for every three days. Obviously that wouldn’t work if you’re leaving for a month, but in that case, I’m sure you could find some sort of laundry services or laundromat. You DO know how to do your own laundry, right? I’m sure you do.
Tips for bus/car travel:
1. Read the first two sections. Do it again.
2a. If you’re going for a drive/ride longer than 3 hours, save yourself the trouble and go to the grocery store. Buy drinks, food, and a mini-cooler and ice. No, it’s not as tasty or convenient as fast food, and it doesn’t work for a bus, but if you can swing it, you’re wallet will thank you. At the very least, buy a couple of drinks so you don’t have to worry about finding a place along the way. This rule has saved my hide many a time.
2b. If you’re taking a bus, pack whatever you can to eat on the way there. If you can manage perishables, then by all means. I can’t, so I don’t. I also avoid long bus rides like the plague. Chances are, it’d be cheaper or easier to drive there yourself, get a ride from someone else, or fly. True, flying would probably be more expensive, but a) it takes less time, and b) the convenience is worth the additional price. From where I live to my father’s house is a 6+ hour drive in car, 8+ by bus, depending on traffic, but from my house to my airport to his airport to his house is only about 2 hours.
3. Don’t just stack when you pack. It’s like folding clothing, organization saves space and time. Plus, it’s a lot easier to get things out, as they’re less apt to move en route. This goes for packing your bag as well as packing your trunk, and especially the bed of a truck. Pack down tight the first layer, then the second, then the third, and so on and so forth.
There you have it, Joshua’s guide to packing.
Great Looking bags.
My travel advice:
I had my pocketknife, multitool, and flashlight stolen while traveling in South America. The bags were left in the care of the airline for 5 hours as our flight was delayed.
I recommend to place your entire bag into a larger plastic bag, and seal it with the airline tape and have the attendant at the counter make a note that the bag was sealed.
This will allow you to dispute smaller items that go missing because the bag will be opened, and record will be in place that it was sealed. When we landed we noticed our bags were opened, riffled through and items were in different places. we reported our losses, however airlines pay by weight when things are stolen. my items weighed less than a Kilogram and thus I was not compensated.
you men run a clean blog- thanks for the great work
So take security seriously.
Another tip: make sure your Dopp pack is in an easy-to-get place in your luggage. Otherwise, you’re going to be a pain for everyone else at security when you have to go rooting around your luggage to find it.
Also, make sure you don’t have your pocket knife on you. It’s a terrible feeling to lose a good knife to the TSA. I’ve lost a few, myself.
Another tip: don’t fly on weekends if you can help it. That’s what my former boss used to call “amateur day,” i.e., the day in which people who don’t know to show up at security with their pockets emptied, laptops out, shoes ready to come off, etc. clog up the security lines. Likewise, I’ve found when traveling on a Monday, if you can, get a flight later in the morning. It is amazing the difference a couple hours makes at the security lines.
And, if you’re driving, even a short trip, make sure your car is in good condition, and your tires are properly inflated, etc. One of the worst feelings in the world is being 3+ hours from home, with no lodging arrangements (since you were planning on going home the same day), and have a tire blow out at 6pm on a Saturday evening. In my case, we were lucky to find a tire place that was still open.
But, again, most importantly…keep track of your towel.
Packing Tip:
Pack one undershirt, one pair of socks, and one pair of underware per traveling day.
However, a shirt and pair of jeans should last at least five days or until you collect too much blood and mud, whichever comes first.
Your hat, boots, gun, knife, and toothpick can be switched whenever you feel inclined.
@CoffeeZombie –
Yes, the towel is definitely a MUST.
Good call.
I find that socks can make or break a lot of trips, especially outdoor trips where you may be exposed to the elements. There is nothing worse than being stuck in a pair of stinky, wet socks that squelch in your boots with every step, aside from maybe putting on a pair of stinky, still-wet socks from the day before.
I always over-pack socks, typically 1 or 2 extra pairs, plus a pair of big wool ones for sleeping in if I’m outdoors. Plus you can stuff them into a sweater or compression sack and use them for a pillow if you forget your own.
As far as a man bag is concerned, I’ve been toting around a messenger bag for the better part of six years now for school, work and play. Having a versatile bag that not only carries everything you need, but also looks stylish is important. Fumbling around in a backpack for loose pens, or overloading a small bag just doesn’t look professional.
It always seems to me that simplicity is the most important thing to keep in mind when traveling, so these bags line up perfectly with that ideal.
Carry on your person what is appropriate for your destination, and pack away the rest. If it won’t fit easily into the bag the it is either the wrong bag, or the wrong item for the journey. Never force things into you luggage.
Hi,
Ben Hastings (comment above) has it right. Bundle packing makes it easy to keep looking good for trips up to a week.
You can learn how to do it here: http://www.onebag.com/pack.html
Alec
Man Bags are great! A few years ago my wife gave me a Aerostich messenger bag, in totaly unfashionable bright, YELLOW! I carry the thing everywhere, it makes me more visible when I ride my bicycle and motorcycle. I carried it around the Yucatan last year. The yellow is so bright that if a man bag snatcher grabbed it, I could easily see the perp and chase him down. Fugly bag, but I love it.
Airplane travel tip for all the guys over 6ft. It is best to check in earlier online and get the best seats (with extra leg room). Check out http://www.seatguru.com/ for the layout of your plane and know where the best seats are for your flight.
The man bags above are the essence of manliness. Rugged and impossible to be mistaken for a purse or murse!!!
My packing tips:
Only take enough clothes for the amount of days you need clean clothing
One pair of shoes: the ones you wear on the plane
Underwear: # days of trip +1 (cause you never know)
Same for socks
Keep the 3oz toiletries handy in a ziplock bag.
These bags look amazing. Does anyone know if you can safely store an SLR digital camera in any of them?
If you ever make it out to the far east be sure to bring immodium. It might save you a bloody mess! literally!
Travel tip:
By packing some nearly-worn-out clothing, you can throw it away at your travel locale and replace it’s space in your luggage with souvenirs and stuff. This also has the bonus effect of helping you keep your wardrobe healthy and fresh.
Roll all your clothing to save space! I can haz bag plz?
My best travel tip would simply be to always be ready for travel.
Keep a small bag packed with travel sized personal things you need…toothpaste, floss, toothbrush, soap, etc…
Throw in two extra pairs of socks, and a pair of underwear, and a quick dry travel towel.
Include any vitamins or medication you need.
Have this all packed up and ready somewhere in the bedroom, or even in your car. You can be ready to leave at a moment’s notice if an opportunity comes up.
These bags are nice.
Personally, I am a huge supporter of huge support. Gentlemen, we are speaking her about those awesome belts with gigantic, interchangeable buckles. Despite the manliness and attractiveness of these pieces of finery, the metal detectors of airports will be set off by them. I once walked through a detector four times before remembering my belt. When at an airport, remember what you are wearing. Better yet, don’t put on the belt and boots until you have arrived at you destination. Boots are a pain to remove while at the front of a line of irritable people.
My worst travel/packing mistake was to not plan to buy a mountain of souvenirs during a two week train trip. Half price luggage is still expensive when you do the conversion from Euros… ouch.
@Danish –
You, sir, could do with a more manly title. What about bagle? Or omlette? Did you consider Scone? Those suckers are suh-WEET! But not literally.
And, please, lolspeak has a manliness level equivalent to a bucket without a walrus.
This would be a really awesome bag to have!
“Paper or plastic, sir?”
“Sorry, but I’ll go for something that lasts longer than chewing gum”
Packing tip: All your clothes should be able to do double duty. A non-patterned bathing suit can double for shorts, button up shirts can be used alone or over a t-shirt, a suit jacket can be used as a sports coat. This will drastically cut your luggage, and you can carry-on to the plane, with no worries of lost luggage.
Travel advice: Get a haircut. If you truly want to know your destination, and not just the touristy traps, you’ll get a haircut because only locals do that. You’ll meet some great people, and they’ll be able to tell you all about their hometown.
@Duncan, my man, you do realize that you only get one entry for commenting on this thread, right? You can’t say a bunch of random stuff and get more entries.
When on the road, the best advice is whether you are driving, biking, or hiking to your destination, always look around you and enjoy the beauty. 90% of the adventure is getting there. The other ten percent is reaching your destination and coming back home.
Don’t pack anything! UPS all you need to your destination. You will really get funny looks (and very close scrutiny, unfortunately) at the airport! Of course you’ll look very cool if you carry your Saddleback briefcase. Just make sure it’s empty. (Always keep ‘em guessing…)
I’ve been carrying around a backpack with me everywhere I go since… well… since I’ve had things to take somewhere. I’ve had the same JanSport backpack since 7th grade and have been utilizing their lifetime warranty a lot lately. It has a lot of nostalgic value, but its time is quickly coming to an end. Partly because it is falling apart, and partly because it’s not as cool for a 31 y/o man to carry around a purple backpack. I could seriously use one of these leather bags to keep my laptop, a book, lunch, and whatever other nick-nacks will get me through my schedule.
After losing many nice, distinctive luggage tags, I’ve learned an important lesson. I attach mine with a cable tie that needs to be cut off to be removed. Or just use the free ones at the airline counter. But then you need another way to tell which of the 80 identical black suitcases is yours.
I have been looking for a great bag like this. I am always traveling around and am on a plane quite often having a nice classy bag that will fit the essential will make things easier. The bag gives a nice older feel of quality but even though i am 20 i feel it will still greatly satisfy the newer generations sense of style.
For packing for a trip:
pack light but still carrying all necessary grooming items
a nice cigar of your choice, i recommend the padrons
and that beautiful girl in your life
I’ve learned that when packing for a plane trip, it’s always a good idea to assume that they’re going to lose whatever bags you check. If you pack everything in your carry on that you’ll need if they DO lose your bags, then you’ll still be able to function when you get to your destination and not be left without any essentials.
When you visit a new city, especially a crowded tourist-filled destination, rise before dawn and visit one of the famous landmarks while the sun is new. I know this sounds like a crazy way to beat the crowds, but the morning stillness and light will give you a whole different perspective on the landmark you’re visiting. Try it and you’ll be hooked!
For packing, especially if space is tight, I would recommend purchasing items from reputable outdoors equipment retailers. They should carry items that are light and pack small.
I believe that the overnight bag screams “MAN”. Someone cannot look at that bag and say it is not manly. I would love to have a piece of luggage like that for my next trip.
As a photographer – I have a photo related travel tip.
Since I generally shoot film, I take ALL rolls out of their boxes, tubes etc. and put all my unexposed film in a clear ziplock bag. Then I can hand that to be inspected. This usually saves a ton of time at the airport (since they’ll have to do that on each roll anyway).
General packing tip – always take a swimsuit. It doesn’t much matter where you are going or for how long. Just trust me.
I have a friend who I have to convince to stop calling these “man sacks”
She is just wrong.
My best travel advise is simple and straight forward. Travel light. I try to pack all my essentials into a carry-on sized bag, regardless of method of travel. This allows me to move quickly from destination to destination. I find that if I lay my clothes out and roll very tightly then place them in zip lock bags, they take up less space and generally have less wrinkles when I get to my destination. I carry a small disposable drop kit with no irreplaceable items (like granddad’s razor) in it, in case I need to dump something going through a security check point. It seems to work pretty well.
Those bags are way cool!
I travel a lot, either with my Boyscout troop or on my own. I will be leaving tips for both. When I go with the troop we are usually going camping or on a multiple week excursion in the wilderness (last trip was a 3 week hike through the Grand Titans National Park). What I have learned through that is two major things. Roll and Bag all of your clothes. By rolling all of my clothes you can easily decrease the amount of space you need to carry everything. A plus with rolling is that nothing wrinkles either. The other thing I have learned is to bag all of my clothes, not just toiletries. In case something breaks or water gets into the bag. This has saved me quite a few times. It is not that much to go out and buy a few dozen Ziploc bags and just keep them with your packing stuff.
What I have learned from traveling on my own is rather similar to what I learned through backpacking. Ziploc bags, roll clothing, all very simple stuff. The major thing I found to be helpful are duffel bags. LL Bean sells duffel bags with wheels for about 50 dollars for a large or extra large bag. One of these large bags, with everything rolled and in Ziplocs of course, held my and my girlfriends ski clothes, bathing suits, regular clothes, and we had room for her to pack the presents she bought while we were there. I understand that most guys let the wife do the packing, big mistake. Not only will she love you for being able to pack everything and for helping, but the fact that you can save her room and keep her clothes from wrinkling will definitely get you bonus points.
I have read the above comments and I am sure that most of you guys will do the same. It is a good idea to read them just to get ideas. Having a to-go bag pre-stocked is something I learned just from reading the comments (I do argue about the all purpose soap though).
Just because this is a theoretical “competition” doesn’t mean that we can’t take something away from this. So good luck to all the men out there who are leaving comments, god knows that I still need some tips.
So many great tips here that I agree with. Mine are as follows:
1. Pack multi-purpose clothing. Sweatshirts can become pillows, jackets can become blankets.
2. Always have at least one decent-looking shirt with you, should a situation arise where you need to dress up just a bit.
3. Bring less pants than you think you’ll need. Pants are cumbersome, and you’ll likely find your favorite pair and wear them all the time anyway.
4. Pack light. Then go through your lightly-packed bag and remove half of what you packed.
My packing tip is that I always pack enough clothes/toiletries for four to five days longer than the length of my trip, and boy does it come in handy, especially with clothing. Unexpected spills, changes in the weather, and just plain freak accidents have happened to me on my trips, and I still always have a fresh change of clothes without ever having to worry about what I’ll wear at the end of my trip.
I have often carried a Mark VII gas mask bag when the need arises for more carrying capacity, but it is just slightly too small for some of the things I need to carry. These look like they would hold more, and look good while doing it. Thanks for bringing it to our attention.
Man bags are just about a necessity these days. It’s just not possible to get everything in your pockets.
When I traveled in Europe, I couldn’t have made it with out my messenger bag. Because there is even more stuff you want to carry with you when traveling, a good bag is a must. I don’t know what I would have done without it.
Travel tip: avoid the big suitcase if you can help it–those things are bulky and difficult to lug around with you. If you’re traveling alone, go with a backpacking bag or a duffel bag with a shoulder strap and sling it across your back. Have a daypack for smaller items and you’re good to go. If going with the larger bag, the smaller backpack can be worn on the front and help counter balance things somewhat.
Traveling with your wife / family? Much of the same logic applies: get as much as you can into one or two duffel bags and use smaller day bags for the rest. Have your kids carry a bag of their own; not only will it ease the load on your wife and you, but it will teach your kids not to bring more than they need.
In short: err on the side of packing lighter rather than heavier. Unless you’re going to have a sherpa lugging your bags for you, don’t pack more than you can carry on your person for reasonable periods of time.
A more low budget over-the-shoulder that has always worked wonders for me is a salvaged gasmask bag. They are available at any army surplus store on the cheap. They’re tough, manly, and make you feel like Indiana Jones (never a bad thing).
What a great giveaway.
The best packing tip I have is that once you have packed everything you think you need, go through you luggage and get rid of everything but the essentials.
I’m a big fan of packing light, but I always, always, ALWAYS have at least 2 pairs of extra socks. Having to wear wet or dirty socks is awful and uncomfortable, to put it lightly.
So i would consider myself a manly man, I shave with a straight razor, dry or wet, i build choppers, hot rods, i breathe fire, i throw knives, i play music… manly stuff. =)
However i do not have a proper Manly bag for the right ocassions!
So in hopes of winning a manly bag made of leather ( i am a huge fan of anything leather, or steel!) and hopefully educating my fellow man, I thought i would share a few things ive picked up along the way!
1- The Packing List. Unless its a spur of the moment trip i open a pre-existing document on my laptop, which already contains certain items such as travel size shampoo, body wash, small shower sponge, straight razor, clippers, deodorant, 1 pair of socks for each day plus 1 spare, chonies, etc. so several days before my trip ill pull the horribly un-manly bag i have been using ( turquoise and purple = not manly.) and load it up with items that i can check off .
24 hours before departure i go through my list to ensure nothing is left behind
2- Laundry. Im sure weve all been packing for a trip only to realize too late that we didnt get that jacket dry cleaned or those shirts washed or we discover we only have 2 clean pairs of socks the night before we leave! Tthus we stay up late waiting for the laundry to be done and we get a measly 4 hours of sleep before an exhausting trip. Think ahead and make sure the items you will need for your trip; considering weather and events, are clean and ready to go! Nothing worse than getting a crappy nights sleep the night before you embark on any journey!!
3- Rollers- Another trick i learned form a scoutmaster when i was younger was to roll my pants and clothes to pack them in an orderly and tidy fashion. Iusually roll my dop kit inside a towel, and a pair of jeans and slacks can be rolled together. they remain unwrinkled and dont get nasty creases in them. if you are using a frame backpack this method helps so you can easily distribute weight throughout the backpack.
4- Be Prepared- I am an Eagle Scout and believe fully in the Boy Scout motto!
my VERY unmanly overnight bag contains several items that never leave it so that no matter what i will be prepared. 1 small first aid kid which only contains the basics, but its handy in a pinch. 1 Red handkerchief, 1 rock solid lock back buck knife. 1 cell phone battery. 1 cell phone charger. 1 bottle of water. 1 small 3×4 notepad, 1 permanent marker, 1 pencil, 1 pen, 1 disposable lighter, 1 black plasic garbage bag, 50 dollars in 5’s and ones. ( you can usually make change from strangers anywhere you go should you need it) enough for a quick cab ride and some food and water. all of this is usually rolled up in the handkerchief and left in one pocket of my overnight bag. its my “emergency kit” of sorts and has saved my a** on more than on ocassion!
I do hope someone gleaned a bit of knowledge from my travel tips!
and i hope i win one of those amazing bags!
Echo all the other great advice.
Add this: find a puzzle you like that will fit in your pocket. I love me sudoku or kakuro. Keeping occupied on a long flight helps a lot, especially if those in the next seat over are napping or not social. The only reason I survived a 14 hour flight with my sanity intact was because a friend brought a mini chess set; I’ve never let myself be bored on transportation since.
wow i want this bag! ok, as for my advice and i do think i have some to offer since i work in the travel industry, i say this: when it comes to packing, use as many bags as possible. let me explain, everything inside of a suitcase should also be inside of some other type of bag/case/cube whatever you want to call it. that way things can be organized according to a certain category and much easier to find when you need it. For example, if you’re heading to the mountains and know that you’ll be dealing with some climate change, keep the semi warm clothes separate from the very warm clothes. i also like to use small liquor bags for things like travel laundry, bandanas, pocket knife, etc. it can be very handy to know where the smaller loose items are. thats my 2 cents.
wow i want this bag! ok, as for my advice and i do think i have some to offer since i work in the travel industry, i say this: when it comes to packing, use as many bags as possible. let me explain, everything inside of a suitcase should also be inside of some other type of bag/case/cube whatever you want to call it. that way things can be organized according to a certain category and much easier to find when you need it. For example, if you’re heading to the mountains and know that you’ll be dealing with some climate change, keep the semi warm clothes separate from the very warm clothes. i also like to use small liquor bags for things like travel laundry, bandanas, pocket knife, etc. it can be very handy to know where the smaller loose items are.
turning your suit inside out saves the suit and pressing when you travel.
After having one of our employees incapacitated in a car accident and all of his identification stolen at the scene, all personnel traveling to less than friendly countries were advised to write their emergency contact information in permanent marker on their upper thigh. I can see the wisdom to doing this on personal travel, too.
I would love to win one of these bags for my husband. Although he demonstrates the virtues highlighted on your pages, the backpack he carries just doesn’t match his rugged, manly countenance.
Thank you for your website. I was afraid the Art of Manliness was going the way of good manners and common courtesy. My hope for mankind is restored!
Zip Lock Bags. Pack it all in Zip Lock Back. Just like Monk.
My best piece of packing advice:
When traveling, pack your stuff in zip-lock bags before putting it in your bag/backpack/whatever. The plastic bags slide easily against one another and don’t leave large pockets of unused space in the middle of your bag, maximizing your ability to pack efficiently. Plus, it makes it easier to organize your things (e.g. t-shirts go in one zip-lock; socks go in another; etc.).
I spent 20 years in the Marine Corps as a CH-46 (helicopter) crew-chief. We always carried around a B-4 bag when traveling. The B-4 was an ugly, tough and functional suitcase, but was always packed and ready in the wall-locker for last-minute travel opportunities. Now, having retired, I miss the old B-4. When traveling with SWMBO (she who must be obeyed) I occasionally see a B-4 on a baggage carousel in the airport and smile at the obvious veteran when he/she walks over to pick it up.
Roll your thirts up instead of folding them. Easier to pack and they don’t get a wrinkly.
Essentials are all you need:
Dr Bronnners’ liquid Peppermint soap. good for hair, skin, teeth, laundry and contraception (if you believe the bottle)
Safety Razor and Toothbrush.
Merino Wool underwear: hot or cold, this stuff has you covered, will not stink if you don’t wash it, will dry overnight if you do
Stout boots.
Comfortable yet well made clothes.
A bag, a book and whatever electrickery your trip requires.
A polite and humble demeanour. (not packable, must be worn)
This best tip I can think of is to actually talk to someone who’s been to where you’re going, or better yet has lived there. Just by asking “What should I know about this place” you can save yourself lots of trouble. You’ll avoid tourist traps and not waste as much time and money.
After once giving a GF crap about bringing her “sleepover” stuff in a plastic bag, some weeks later, I showed-up at her place with MY stuff in a grocery bag! Duh! You’d best beleive I got the business. I need a Saddleback Overnightbag for sure, just to save face with her! And their rugged-looking Briefcase looks like something John Wayne himself would bring to the office.
Combo travel and shaving tip:
If you are a double-edge (DE) safety razor shaver, you may not know that you cannot carry DE razor baldes onto an airplane (you can put them in checked baggage, though). Not too bad for long trips, but it’s a pain for short trips to have to check your bag, especially for an overnight business trip. What you can do, if you have enough lead time, is to mail yourself a blade to yourself at your hotel destination – it will be waiting for you when you get there and you can have that great DE exeprience the next morning. Just make sure you discard your blade safely when leaving.
I’ve never seen the need for a small bag, but a couple of good sized bags for camping, sport trips away can never be underestimated.
Wow, the men have come out of the wood work to leave comments in the hopes of winning one of these lovelies. Personally, I am coveting the briefcase. I have never been able to find a bag to keep my laptop in that didn’t either look like luggage or worse, a purse.
As for my packing tip, the old standby, zip-lock bags. Keep a few in your dop kit just in case you need a place to throw a pair of wet socks or other clothing (you can get almost anything but pants in a gallon bag). Of course this in addition to the zip-locks you are already using to keep your after-shave from mingling with your toothpaste.
The packing part should be a matter of common sense, unless one is going somewhere or doing something out of the ordinary. Travel as lightly as possible with some extra underwear and socks, and be willing to do some laundry while on the road for more than four or five days. What one carries the stuff aound in is one of the few opportunites a man has to really distiguish himself from the crowd without looking like a showoff, blowhard or fop. I can’t bring myself to use one of those wheelie contraptions. I suppose if I blow out my back again, I would have to. Until that happens, I will carry whatever I am using. A bag like Saddlebacks would be ideal.
It’s very heartening to see so many responses to the noble man bag. I think too many men out there are discouraged when posed with the question–inevitably from another man–”Is that a purse?”
Gentlemen need to band together and recognize the practicality and the many origins of the satchel and side-bag!
I have twin 4 year old boys that have done more traveling in their short life so far than I have done in mine….and I turn 40 this coming March….YIKES! Anyway, they have been on a cruise to the Caribbean, France, Italy, Greece, Hawaii, and all over the states. I’ve tried carrying all of our things in a carry on, backpack and duffel bags. Some of the most important things gets shifted around and then at the key moment….I can’t find them. A man bag is the key to this issue. The satchel or messenger bags would be the perfect size for the important things…and they would be safely stored near the body. I would love the chance to win a satchel. Good luck to all and thank you for your time.
Fold in tie in half and roolstarting at the fold and ending with the wider portion on the outside. You can then place the tie into a plastic cup that will keep your ties clean and neat.
Always roll your ties and belts before packing. Folding them causes creases that cause problems when you’re without an iron.
You know, all I can say is step away from the wheels. If you’re taking enough junk to justify wheels, you’re moving, not traveling.
Always bring a toothbrush and know how to say “Where is the bathroom?”
My father [ now there's a man ] had a ritual at the start of any family trip, one that I maintain today. He is a very thoughtful man, thoughtful to the point of worry, not for himself but for others. In order to rid himself of worry, punctuate the preparations for the trip, set the tone and officially begin to ‘travel’ he would do as follows: secure his seatbelt, place his hands on the wheel and immediately before placing the car in gear he would announce “If we don’t got it, we don’t need it!”
My travel tip applies both abroad and at home: Every time you wonder about what to do, ask yourself: “What can I do that I couldn’t normally do?” This both encourages seeking unique experiences, and it looks very manly to others. The man who lives life with no regrets is a man who hasn’t lived life.
I’m not encouraging stupidity, but acknowledging that rewards require risks.
One of my college debate teammates has a similar briefcase. With it, he strikes fear and awe into his opponents every round. Hopefully I’ll have a chance to do the same.
David Ross
I have always objected to the idea that women get a purse, and men only get a wallet. The briefcase is a professional-looking option, but never quite worked for me. I currently use an old-style camera case. Good imitation leather, but a bit small. Hard sides.
I would love to pick up a properly made leather man-bag. These look like the kind of thing that could last longer than me.
I don’t really have any travel tips to share…I’m the aforementioned college student with the backpack who shoves a wrinkled change of clothes under a toothbrush and laptop when i visit friends, but one of these saddlebacks would be awesome.
What an amazing giveaway. I have always looked at those bags, and dreamed of the day when I could afford one.
My travel advice: travel light. It is always easier to wash something in the sink than it is to try and stuff that last souvenir in an already stuffed bag.
I don’t like to go anywhere without having the following items handy:
pocket notebook
pistol
digital camera
lighter
magnifying glass
checkbook
leatherman tool
flashlight
pocket calculator
medicine box
and because of the nature of my work I carry the following with me:
My bills & pending correspondence
computer memory chips
hobo knife
tape measure
I’ve been using a surplus gas mask bag
Everything else I carry in my pants pockets
Bring a camera. Always.
I don’t go anywhere without the following items. If I’m traveling, they are in my bag, and in day to day life, I’ve got them in my car. They have saved me from countless embarrassing situations.
Tide pen – greatest cleaning product of the last 10 years
Sewing kit – The cheap, drugstore kind with a few colors of thread and a couple extra buttons. Worth its weight in plutonium.
Other items I usually have with me:
Extra socks – stepping in a puddle at 10AM is a great way to be uncomfortable all day
The chargers to any gadget I’ve got on me – Even if I’m not planning on being gone long enough to use them.
Playing cards – Stuck in a group for a couple hours with nothing to do? Instantly become a hero by pulling these out.
I read about the military having first, second, and third “line” gear. Third line is all the stuff they can leave at base. Second line is stuff that makes life nice when traveling and humping about the wilderness or whatever they do. First line is the essentials – gun, knife, food, water, ammo. I like to think that a manbag should be the civilian’s first-line gear – everything important you need for the day should be in it.
The same thing applies to travelling. Bring your first-line gear with you on the plane, check everything else.
Keep a red backpack in your closet with a spare toothbrush, travel sizes of your toiletries, a month’s supply of all your medications, and a light jacket. When you travel, throw the bag in your suitcase and you’re halfway done with your packing. It also keeps you prepared for a natural disaster.
Beautiful bags. I hope I win, too !
By the way, you have one option to enter as signing up for email subscriptions. What about those of us that are already subscribers – are we entered automtically ?
Don’t. Pack. Video Games. Or a portable DVD player. Or any other brain-rotting junk.
For entertainment purposes, pack two books – and ONLY two books. One should be educational (eg. Learning Greek Textbook, How to be a Gentleman in 2008, Biography of Theodore Roosevelt, Nicomachean Ethics, etc), and one should be for entertainment (eg. Brothers Karamazov, Biography of Theodore Roosevelt, etc.). If one book fills both requirements, you may bring only one, or bring it and one which would fill either category. All a man ought ever to need is a book and his thoughts.
1. Take only what you really need. There is no point lugging all kinds of unnecessary crap that you thought might come in handy. It won’t. But you’ll still have to carry it!
2. as mentioned above, roll and don’t fold your clothes.
3. seriously consider undies (& socks if you’re not sandalling it) that can be washed in the sink, and hung up to dry by morning. Again, we’re going for weight reduction here: why carry lots of pairs when you can wash & use just a couple? For this, and many other reasons, Patagonia silkweight boxers rule!
4. Relax dude! You’re traveling. Remember that seeing the world is an absolute luxury of the modern world. Don’t waste your time worrying about how your email account is doing without you, whether you’ll be able to get brand X of thing Y locally, or whatever. Just take it in and enjoy.
5. They *will* do things differently “there”. Deal with it. If you wanted things to be just like at home, why did you leave home?
Fasting is manly. Fasting does not require abstaining from food, necessarily, but from luxuries in general. Pack spartanly, bringing only the essentials. What you do not NEED, do with out and be glad for what you have – and remember those who have not. It is a small way to grow in thankfulness, which is a very manly virtue.
Never fully plan out your trip. Or if you do plan, plan time for the spontaneous.
My favorite piece of advise is, “Do not forget to read your Bible!” I find it hard to remember to read my Bible while on trips.
I would love any of these bags.
One of the biggest tip for travelers, buy quality luggage and clothing. You never want to be on the road and need to buy a suitcase ,Jacket or new pair of shoes.
The suitcase will cost more then you expected, the jacket will never fit right and the shoes will hurt to walk in .
I enjoy the luxury of using a DE razor to shave and part of that ritual is using a good shaving soap and brush. Carrying these can be a challenge while traveling, but here is how I worked it out. I use a large prescription bottle from the pharmacy, drill a couple of vent holes in the top and the brush travels quite happily in there. For the soap melt your favorite glycerine shaving soap into a small screw top plastic container. Finally your trusty vintage Gillette or Merkur razor will fit quite happily into a plastic soap container, which also has enough room for your Derby or Feather blades. All this of course, goes into your trusty Dopp kit.
When traveling I always take along baby wipes. They come in handy to clean your hands, freshen up after a stuffy plane ride, they could even save the day if you end up in a stall without paper! You can get small baggy containers of wipes for about a dollar at places like walmart.
Don’t leave home without it!
My packing tip – work out what you are going to take, then take away a third of it. You don’t need it, you’re not a woman.
You will enjoy your time away a lot more the less you have to carry.
The are very manly bags.
As a travel/temp Nurse, I use a messenger bag daily for work. It is perfect for all the required gear and to keep handy some reference books for the jobs I do. My essentials are to always carry a small notepad and a couple of pens. I meet quite a few people and have a great opportunity to network. It is much more personal than just exchanging business cards.. hope to win one of these bags to upgrade my old trusty sidekick!
My best packing tip is to simply Plan Ahead. No matter where your going, who’s going with you, or how long you’ll be gone-Planning ahead is essential. This ensures you don’t forget anything from socks to toiletries.
That and pack extra underwear!!!!
I used to travel for a living so here are my tips:
1. Cut down on the heavy stuff. Don’t pack extra pants or coats. Pack two pairs of shoes (including what you wear to the airport). Three or more just takes too much room, and only having one pair leaves you vulnerable (a business trip or a vacation is NOT the time to break in a new pair of shoes).
2. Check the weather. I’m surprised at the number of times I met up with people who just guessed what the weather would be.
3. The time to stop the pack sparingly rule is for toiletries. Get a decent dopp bag or something like that, and keep it in your bathroom for at least a week and see what you normally use. Whatever you use, buy a spare and keep it in your kit. Don’t assume you will remember to pack it the morning of your trip. If you buy your spares ahead of time, you can get them for a decent price and won’t be running to 7-11 first thing in the morning at your destination. Also, get some small baggies and pack some extra tylenol, aspirin, advil, or whatever your pain killer of choice is. You probably won’t need more than a couple, but having them will prevent any unnecessary pain. Plus, pack a couple bandages, some medical tape, neosporin, tweezers, nail clippers, and q-tips. None of these things take up that much room, and again the alleviation factor is tremendous.
4. I’m of two minds about the wrinkle factor: all the decent hotels should have an iron, but sometimes a “decent” hotel in the middle of nowhere won’t. So call ahead. Since I crossed time zones a lot, I wasn’t a big fan of taking the time to iron at my destination (sleep was higher on my list), so I got a little travel container of downy wrinkle release (which won’t give you that crisp starchy look, but will take out wrinkles from shirts and pants).
Best traveling advice that I can give is always pack an extra pair of socks and draws in your carry on…just in case the airline losses your luggage.
I miss carrying my man bag, I’m using a heavy duty backpack since I now have to carry my work laptop wherever I go. I needed something more sturdy than the canvas man bag that I have.
Lots of great tips here. Tough to beat one.
Having carried a bag on my back, every day for several years I know that the key packing and good bag tip is a comfortable strap. Not always a super-engineered, padded strap – but one that sits right on your shoulder (s). I know that a quality bag like Saddleback Leather’s is perfect on the shoulder. It will save you the headaches and backaches later.
Harland
Definitely nice bags. A little pricy for me, so winning one would be great.
I’m by no means an expert on travelling but if I’m flying I just try to keep things down to as few bags as possible. Only extra I bring is one more pair of boxers and socks than I need. Everything else I can probably get away with wearing more than once in a pinch. Also, don’t worry about forgetting things. You can always pick something up once you arrive. I would say except medication but there are Walgreens on most corners in this country.
As for a man bag, I think I’ve finally given in. Between having to carry two cell phones, a pager, laptop, and other random things I think it is about time to get one of these. Thanks for showing some awesome bags that I’d consider carrying with me.
Those Saddleback bags are so awesome! I would love to win one!
My Best Packing Tip: bring extra underwear!
My Best travel advice: Travel slowwww. I spend less money by taking my sweet time. No agenda, just travel as traveling is meant to be.
Man Bags: only Saddleback bags are man enough for men to carry, ha!
I have two suggestions. First, rolling t-shirts and polo shirts makes it much easier to pack them in a suitcase- you can get up to double the amount of shirts this way. Secondly, specifically for airplane flights – because most airlines allow two carry-ons (or “one-plus”), even if you’re checking a bag with your clothes and heavy stuff, it pays to have one big carry-on that you just fill to the max, and stow overhead, and another small one that actually has the diversions you want for your flight. That way you aren’t trying to wrestle your computer, iPod, whatever out of your huge overstuffed carry-on.
I’m kind of a backpack guy myself, but these bags just might make me change my mind. As for packing, as light as possible is the way I go. I don’t really travel much, so you probably shouldn’t take any advice from me.
Travel light and avoid checking a bag at the airport. If you DO NOT travel light, don’t take up all of the overhead space trying to cram your damn bag in there. Check it, and let those of us who do travel light get our bags up there.
Saddleback bags are sweet.
Kevin
I’m a law student and I do not do this, but I am surrounded by those that do: wheeled computer/laptop bags. On my first day of orientation before starting school, the 2L “group leader” imparted to me, a former powerlifter, and another, a former college football player, that we should get one and not risk ruining our backs from the heavy books. Those that took his advice now treat them like battering rams… slamming them into chairs, desks, and people with impunity.
Now I understand if you actually do have back issues or some other ailment that necessitates using one, but why oh why would any self respecting man admit that his books for the day are simply too much. In my humble opinion, the better solution is to build up the necessary strength to haul your books. If you must use one, at least be polite and stop hitting me and my bag as you swing it through the aisles.
A very wise man once told me to always invest in a good mattress and good shoes since we spend 95% of our time one or the other. I always travel in a pair of extremely comfortable shoes (slip on for the airports…). For me, the right shoes are even more important since I never pack a 2nd pair – size 13 shoes just take up too much space even when cleverly filled.
Always take a camera and your bathing suit.
Learn how to travel with only a carry-on. It’s not just a question of being more flexible and mobile. The learning process forces you to reevaluate what’s really necessary to take with you through life.
Awesome bags, I’m fed up with the pile of nylon/canvas bags I have accrued and would love an old-school bag like this.
Travel tip: Check the bag and swan through the terminal. I cannot abide those people who try to cram 2 weeks of luggage in the overhead locker.
Also, roll up clothes to avoid wrinkling.
The best packing advice I was ever given was the ever helpful shirt rolling technique. To save loads of space when packing simply fold a shirt in half, then fold the sleeves over, and lastly roll the shirt from the either side. Coupled with that technique you can make a bottom layer of rolled shirts and place pants and button down shirts on top. Then to top it all off more rolled t-shirts can be placed along the sides as a nice padding. This is a good way to keep some of the more easily wrinkled shirts wrinkle-free while also creating enough space to fit in all the clothing that might be needed while on vacation.
Also, I have to say that overnight bag is without any doubt the coolest bag I’ve ever seen.
Awesome bags! I always pack a couple of stiff magazines between my shirts and other gear to minimize the wrinkles. Make sure all your toiletries are in a good dopp kit to protect your other items. Then I make my bag unique by either tying something visible to the handle or using tape to mark the outside. I don;t wanna wait in the baggage claim area while my unrecognized bag goes round ‘n’ round.
Any of these bags would compliment my manly intentions, but I really like the briefcase and the overnight bag. My current budget has me sporting an overnight Adidas bag. I think it’s time to upgrade.
With my generic black, soft-fabric briefcase, I feel fairly undistinguished. The bags on this page would do quite the opposite.
Those bags are great. They look great too. I would love to have the overnight bag. When I travel, I roll my socks and put them in my shoes to save space and it keeps my nice shoes from getting smashed.
@Matthew Zartman – that overnight bag would be so cool for my son who informed me a couple of days ago that he’s decided he wants to go get his social work degree and then go on to learn to be a priest so he can do what the Lord has called him to do. I know one of the first things I will be packing for him is a good quality hooded windbreaker with a zip out lining because you never know what the weather will do and can be easily rolled and packed.
My advice to travelers: Be like the Infantry; travel light, freeze at night. There’s nothing worse than waiting for your fourth bag at the airport. Pack the minimum necessary, preferably clothes that coordiante with what you are wearing on the day of travel and leave a little room for something for the wife upon return.
My father once gave me a trunk full of his old cast-off things. Several items dated from his days as a Marine in Viet Nam. One such was a very battered satchel of some sort which I’m sure a veteran could name, but alas I can not. It was old, unclean, and really, really awesome. I was 14 and that bag had a cool-factor, a gravitas that seriously outweighed my own – and still would were it extant. For all that, the bag had an unfortunate odor. It wasn’t overwhelming, but in a close space without ventilation it was noticeable.
I took that bag everywhere. School, friends’ homes, weekend trips, and put everything I could think of in it over time. For awhile I had a ground squirrel’s skull and some feather’s tied to it, but that got me in hot water. Camping, hiking, hunting, hell I once used it to beat-out an out-of-control campfire during a secret drinking party during high school. It was like Mary Poppin’s bag, if she’d have been the son of a half-mad alcoholic ex-Marine. I could pull my own ass and half of Hell outta that bag. It was just that cool.
One day, my mother, prompted by motherly urges decides – while I’m asleep – to finally wash the damn thing. Fearing it will taint other clothes she puts it alone into the washer. I find all this out in a hysterical outburst. She comes screaming up from the basement, demanding that I throw the old satchel out of the washer and then bleach the machine! Still yelling, she storms outside. Barely awake I stumble into the basement and begin dragging the soiled and soaked old bag out when I feel something, a pebble I thought. I drag my hand around a bit and find a few others. With the sopping wet bag in one hand, I hold the “pebbles” up to the light. They were teeth. Sort of rotten and yet desiccated. Teeth. Human teeth. About half-a-dozen.
I caught a lot of hell, let me tell you, as did Dad. Needless to say, Dad refused to answer any questions (and lost his next few weekends) and Mom threw out most of his old stuff that he’d given me. I kept one of the teeth. Still have it in a litte mustard jar on my shelf. It’s the damndest thing.
That was years and years ago. Recently Dad asked if I’d like a few of his old tools, amongst them a folding spade from the Service. He said that in desperation it could be used as a weapon and would split a man’s head from crown to jaw like an over-ripe melon. As a clincher, he mentioned it was still in some sort of canvas sheath and hadn’t been touched since 1971.
I’m still thinking about it. It occurred to me that while there may be no atheists in foxholes, one could apparently develop a deep and abiding faith in garden-implement-based dentistry.
I love the site. Merry Christmas.
Cordially,
J. M. Walden
I like leather!
Ah, the man bag. I have often felt that the reason men feel so reluctant to embrace a bag is for purely aesthetic reasons. The type of bag that is easily acquired today is brightly coloured and just screams ‘raging queer’ (nothing wrong with raging queers, just saying) or ‘girly tastes’. The bag equivelent of lycra and low waisted jeans.
I recommend using a vintage doctors bag or briefcase if you can not manage to get your hands on one of these lovely Saddleback examples.
Pack everything tightly. If you have to pack shoes, pack socks into them to keep them from being crushed, but to use the space as well. I like those vaccuum spacebags to fill to the limit.
Pack light on departure; nothing fits as well on the return, particularly if you bring home gifts for the kiddos.
I travel bt air at least 20 times per year and spend about 75 nights per year away from home. Packing quickly is a necessity, afterall, if I spent an hour getting ready for each trip I would lose an addtional day out of my life!
Here you go:
1 – for trips of just a couple of days forget about a Dopp kit. Keep all the essentials in a clear ziplock bag ready to go. I hav eerything ready and in the op drawer. When I reurn from a trip I replace what I need and put the whole bag away.
2 – even on an overnight carry one more of everything than you think. You are already taking a carry-on so use it. People tell you to travel light but an extra shirt and change of under clothes won’t kill you. You never know what you wll spill, st on or rub against. Who wants to see a customer in dirty clothes? Ever been stuck overnight unexpectedly without a fresh change of clothes? makes a world of difference.
3 – Put the airline customer service number in your phone. When the flight is delayed or canceled you have he phoe number while everyone else is running to the customer servce desk to change flights. You’re already booked while they are waiting in line and complaining to each other!
4 – If you travel with a computer bring a movie. No kidding. I love to read and bring plenty of books, magaznes, etc. But if you are stuck at an airport for hors and then have a long flight you can only read so much. If ou ravel frequently you have seen every movie and show the airlines have to offer. I try to stop and rent one on my way to the airport.
5 – This will sound paranoid…but. When we take off or land I always put my wallet and my cell phone in my pocket. I have never had to exit a plane in an emergency but you ever know. If those items are in your bag they will be left behind but if they are in my pocket I can make the necessary calls home and arrangements wherever I may be.
I hope this helps.
I have but one crucial packing tip: pack only what you can afford to get stolen one week into a six week trip. That is all.
I travel quite a bit for my job. I found it best to buy extra toiletries (deoderant, razor, brush, etc.) for my shaving kit instead of just using what I have at home. All I have to do is grab my kit and I’m ready without worrying if I have everything.
Another packing tip – I never check bagage. I always carry on. I have a bag that meets all criteria for size for carry-on. I always pack items in the same place and in the same sequence. For example, dress pants go in first on the right side as I pack with dress shirts on top. Running gear goes on the left side. Socks pack in around the shoes. T-shirts and underwear on top. Shaving kit goes in the middle between the stacks of clothes.
Everything has its place and there is a place for everything. It makes packing much more simple and you don’t worry if you forgot anything.
Steve
Best travel advice: Bring a book. Preferably something light like P.G. Wodehouse.
Travel advice from a self proclaimed expert:
I am in the Navy, so I travel, a lot.
1. Travel often.
2. No set destination.
3. Out of the country.
4. Pack the bare essentials. (you can pick up the rest on your travels)
5. Don’t get so drunk you can’t remember. (you know your limits)
6. Enjoy the road less traveled.
Never check bags if you can avoid it. If you can’t, make sure it’s uniquely marked or tagged with your home mailing address
Odds are you won’t need as many shirts as you think you’ll do.
ALWAYS have enough clean pairs of underwear to last the entire trip.
Never buy food from street vendors or drink the tap water in third world countries. NEVER>
I’ve carried a manbag after I saw how useful it was for Jack Bauer, as he continues to kick ass and take names. Seriously, though, my manbag has carried my school stuff, notebooks, pens, camping supplies, clothes, workout equipment, cell phone, wallet, computer stuff…basically anything I needed at the time of occasion. Definitely one of the best investments I’ve made, and something every man should at least try for a few days. It’s amazing how much faster you can move and how little crap there is in your pockets once you’ve got a bag to stash it in.
It’s probably true that the cavemen had satchets for their gear but the reason men of today carry stuff in their pockets is because we need to travel light. Who knows when we have to run after a thief who just stole a lady’s purse! I try to only carry keys, monies, ID, and cell.
That said, having a manly bag is important. I have actually been shopping for a briefcase or leather shoulder bag because for the daily commute, I need something to carry all the other things George Costanza would put in his wallet, reading material, lunch, rain jacket, a camera (my hobby), and sometimes a laptop.
With respect to cargo pants, they should not be used, so you can carry more junk. You can’t look sharp with cargo pants unless you’re in uniform. For full disclosure I have a couple cargo pants and shorts, but they’re only used for traveling and outdoorsy activities where pockets are necessary.
I very much like the looks of those bags.
As for travel advice…
Always pack extra socks, and keep them handy. Nothing ruins a good time like wet feet.
Never forget your bag.
The TSA has taken all of the fun out of airline travel. My tip is to always drive if at all possible, certainly if you can get where you’re going within 8, 9, or even 10 hours. If you must travel by air, as others have said, avoid checking luggage if at all possible. If you do check luggage, make sure you have your must-haves in a carry-on (shaving kit & extra change of clothes). Absolutely never put your car keys in your checked luggage. My cousin did this and ended up having to spend the night in the airport when the airline lost his luggage on his return flight.
Wow! So many responses! I wish I hadn’t subscribed to the comments! Is there anyway you can delete my subscription to these comments?
Great bags-outlast the zippered knock by decades
After being held hostage by the airlines after losing my luggage for days multiple times-make a sublist of what you need to survive for a few days-the word is survive- and take these sublist items on your carryon–you don’t want to run to a crap store in a city you know nothing about to buy underwear and socks,etc….especially for your lady
code is Magellan
Hello All.
Ithink
I actually have more of a philosophical travel tip – don’t be afraid. There are a lot of things that are really can provide a fantastic experience that are off the beaten “tourist” path. All it takes is a little confidence and a willingness to try something different. Tourist places and things are watered down for the most part; to experience the real flavor of where you are you need to speak to the locals and find out what they do, what they think is the best stuff. Ten go there and try it out.
That’s when you really begin to travel and stop just visiting somewhere.
Best Travel Tip: Don’t be too paranoid about what you may or may not have packed. Lists help when packing, start it as early as possible and keep on updating, either on the computer or paper/pen. Also as your literally walking out the door, make sure you have that critical item you can’t do without, and it will all else fall in place. Going for an interview, you better have your suit. Going for a race, make sure you have your uniform. Etc etc.
Hello all.
I think it the Satchel or the Messenger Bag would be incredibly handy for a guy, erm, young gentleman such a myself. I’m always riding around on my unicycle (something TAoM needs to have an article about, I believe) and I really don’t have anything that’s good for carrying all the things I bring with me. Pencils and pads of paper, my camera, water bottle, ect. I couldn’t really figure out how to enter into the drawing but that last post from me was a mistake and should be deleted.
Here’s some tips I’ve picked up for light packing.
1) You don’t need many pairs of pants. Depending on how long you’ll be gone you can usually manage with 1-3 without any harm done.
2) Instead, go with more underwear and socks. They’re the important things.
3) Shirts are more important then your pants. As such, you’ll need to pack more of them. I usually pack two or three T-shirts, a polo, and a nice button up shirt. It depends on how long you’ll be gone.
4) No matter where you’re going or when, it’s important to pack a trusty jacket or hoodie (depending on your style), preferable not too heavy or bulky but something that will keep you warm should your plans go awry.
5) As for as toiletries go, I never pack more then deodorant, a toothbrush and a small tube of toothpaste. You can find and borrow most everything else. NOTE: If you’re a person who cares a lot about your hair and washes it often, I would suggest bringing your own shampoo and conditioner and whatever else you use on it. It’s rude to use all of someone else’s.
6) As far as shoes go, I rarely bring more then two pair: A work pair and a dress pair. If you have stinky feet then you should consider bringing two or more work shoes.
And I guess that’s all. You all take care and don’t forget to man up.
I’d like to think that the man makes the bag. Any well made, simply designed bag worn with confidence, and full of essentials should leave no reason for comment. You need what you need to be efficient, and if anyone has a problem with that, that’s their problem. What other people think of you is none of your business.
That said- these bags are as manly as bags get. They’re made well enough to show you have taste, and they’re roughed up enough to tell the story of a man of action. A man that can take (and throw) a punch…just in case your confident swagger isn’t quite there yet.
travel tip- just go! Don’t take extra anything. You don’t need anything more away from home that you use at home. If you do, buy it. If it gets dirty, wash it. Adapt man, make your life easier.
Travel light. Carry on only.
When buying your ticket, choose a seat close to the front of the plane. Be the last one on, and the first one off.
Talk to people along the way.
Go with the flow. Resign yourself to the fact that when you walk into the airport, you are subject to forces beyond your control. Don’t sweat the snags that come up. Pissing n’ moaning never fixed anything, so again- adapt. Always adapt. You’ll get more out of each experience. No stranger is going to invite the guy screaming at the clerk into the VIP lounge to kill the four hour lay over with cocktails and debauched tales of foreign lands- Saddleback bag or not.
So funny to see everyone out trying to win one of the bags. Oh well.
I find the man bag fascinating, particularly the opinions about them. I started using them a couple of years ago when my backpack wore out, and I wanted a bag that held my water bottles in a convenient place. So I started using a messenger bag. I also have 2 smaller bags that may or may not be bordering on murse, but they are small, light weight, and can contain my wallet, camera, keys, cell phone, bible, notebook and has space for a bit more. Its hard to go back to just using pockets or a big messenger bag. What to do, what to do.
Ahh, man bags. Often the subject of a bit of laughter, but when done right, super awesome! I totally want one, heh.
I stumbled upon Saddleback on google a few months ago. Ever since then I’ve been saving up for one.
Travel tip:
Try to learn the language, even just a little. It can help pass the time on the flight.
Packing Tip: Only bring essentials. the trick to traveling easily and well is packing light. Figure out what you can and can’t do without, and pack accordingly – more often than not, a good deal of things can be purchased later on, or gotten from a hotel.
Man bags need more respect. The modern man has enough stuff to warrant a bag, just as a woman does. While the man may not have all of the cosmetics, keeping a cell phone, music player, wallet, keys, pen, knife, etc… in the limited space pockets provide is unreasonable. Perhaps the reason is simply a lack of masculine bags. That said, congratulations to the winner! *crosses fingers*
Hi, I found out about this giveaway from my fiance who loves your site almost (or more, I’m not sure) than he loves even me – hahaha. I’d like to enter this contest for these awesome manbags because he’s lusted after these bags before you even put them on your site, and now that they’ve appeared on the Art of Manliness, HE MUST HAVE ONE.
Okay, so my packing tip is for students: Pack your heaviest stuff – e.g. your books – in your smallest carry-on and your lightest stuff in your largest luggage. Your checked luggage therefore has a greater chance of making it under the weight limit. Also, this should give you luggage that’s easier to manage on and off the plane as well as lugging it to and from your dorm room (and up and down several flights of stairs if you didn’t get a good room draw number).
Also, I think men who carry manbags are AWESOME. Even the ones who don’t carry “rug-ged!” ones, as my fiance would put it, like the prizes of this contest, but even guys who carry plain ol’ tote bags. I think it takes some self-confidence for guys to carry those and not worry about what other guys think or say, and that self-confidence is SEXY.
Take some eye-shades and ear-plugs, especially for long flights or light/noisy hotel rooms. They take up hardly any room, but can be a big help.
For me, rolling up things like t-shirts, socks, and boxers and putting them on the sides around me well-folded nicer clothes, is the best way to keep everything padded as well as safe from moving about the suitcase in flight.
Best advice on packing? Learn to play Tetris and you will never worry about “how to pack” a bag. Ever.
and just as a tip:
I always keep one of those fake credit cards (the ones they send in the junk mail) in my ditty bag. If you cut them in strips and bob the ends they make perfect emergency collar stays. Something that I always seem to lose…..
Personally, I have a long “story” with bags. So, I have quite a line of “tested” carrying containers of sorts.
One of my favorites was a slim, rectangular case, that may allow carrying an A4 notepad, writing utensils, wallet and the like; it fit perfectly at the back of my bike (driving to work), and then it won’t take much place on th train, yet—taking all I needed at that job (sometimes even a snack of sorts).
I experienced a line of backpacks—and was quite annoyed by all.
Tried numerous “James Bond” cases—and didn’t like the way stuff was organized (or not!) in them.
Had my share of laptop combo bags, where the computer itself plays a role of primadona, all other things try to squeeze and manage around the peculiar form created by the machine and its accompanying accessories.
Then I “tested” some handbags, one favorite is a leather one, with enough space for my PDA, wallet, books and many other things—yet is small enough to carry around and manage in the car, shopping, at work…anywhere.
Can it be, that women have reached a better wisdom regarding practical bags while we were struggling with our overelaborated and inappropriate alternatives?!
When traveling, space becomes the most critical aspect of you’re adventures, and i’m not talking about the new frontier. One of the greatest space saving techniques when packing a suitcase comes with that of your undergarments. Unlike the other items in the suitcase, it is not a problem if these items are wrinkled. This is key thing to remember, so when packing socks and underwear fold, roll, and manipulate them into the smallest ball possible. This will an unbelievable amount of needed extra space for the rest of your items.
And the brief case is totally kick ass, and i hope i win it, and it will become an essential in my fast pace manly life.
thanks
ryan
I tend to over pack a lot if I don’t make a list first. When packing for a trip (and/or making a list of things to take), it’s easiest to go through your closet, toiletries, etc. one “category” at a time to make sure you don’t forget anything. I also always start with the essentials first before I even think about anything else: toothbrush and toothpaste, underwear, and socks, for example. Of course, if you do end up over packing anyway, sit on your suitcase to zip it up. Always works.
I also forgot to mention that rolling up your clothing is a great space-saver when packing. Just lay two or three shirts flat on top of each other and start rolling them tightly at one end. Same thing with jeans except two usually works better!
I’m a graduate student who travels a lot and spends summers on archaeological excavations, so I have usually preferred backpacks to luggage. With that in mind, here’s my best packing advice:
1. I usually roll my t-shirts and underwear to maximize space (though that said, bundle-wrapping is a great way to go – see the “how to pack like a man” post here). For those trips when I’m going to be essentially living out of my bag, I roll one t-shirt with one pair of underwear in each roll. That way all I have to do is reach into my bag, grab a roll, and head to the shower. Sometimes I also roll clean underwear and t-shirts inside-out and dirty underwear and t-shirts right-side-out.
2. I always pack a pair of board shorts. They are lightweight, don’t take up much space, and dry quickly, and I’ve found that I never know when I will have the opportunity to go for a swim. They also double as shorts to sleep in or underwear in a pinch.
3. I always take my Marmot windshirt and a knit cap (beanie) with me. The windshirt is very light and packable, windproof, water-repellent, and warm. The beanie effectively gives the same amount of warmth as a fleece, with much less weight and space. With the windshirt and a beanie I’m be warm down to 32 degrees F.
4. I always take a headlamp with me. I prefer the Petzel Tikka XP. It’s small, light, durable, and bright.
5. I have one backpacking-style ditty bag in which I keep things that I might need, like a headlamp, my Leatherman Skeletool, some duct tape, some Advil, a retractable Ethernet cord, and a few hair bands (see next).
6. For those things that I used to use rubber bands, I now use heavy-duty hair bands. They are cheap, much more durable than rubber bands, and come in a variety of colors.
7. If I’m going to be someplace where I’ll need a clothesline (or have other need for rope), I take a bit of U.S. military paracord (also known as 550 cord). It’s thin, light, and has a 550 lb. tensile strength, so it’s incredibly versatile.
Hope that helps!
I only have one piece of travel advice: don’t be afraid of adventure. For some reason our culture tells us that travel is supposed to always go according to plan (or you’re doing it wrong). But at the heart of adventure is unpredictability. When was the last time that you heard a really great, crazy story about somebody’s amazing adventure that was simply a recounting of the trip that they had planned in advance? I think that those times when we are traveling and get lost, the car breaks down, or things go horribly awry should be embraced, not bemoaned. Those are the times that real adventure is most likely to happen, when we meet crazy, interesting people, when we get to experience something truly out of the ordinary.
I’ve marched in a drum and bugle corps during my summer months for the last four years, and let me tell you; the level of which your bag is organized makes all the difference in whether you can close it and how small a bag you can take while still taking with you the bare essentials of what you are going to need while on the road away from the conveniences of home. I’ve found a medium size duffel to be suficient for my travels. i also have a back pack that i used as a carry on for other miscellaneous items. space bags were the best way to condense in size the contents of your bag without cutting down on the volume of items. of course, with all that extra space, there is no need to now find the space on convenience to pack unecessary items.
Carry a bit of 550 parachute cord. The uses are endless; from emergency shoe laces to clothes line.
Keep enough cash to hire a cab in a separate pocket from your wallet so that you won’t be stranded and helpless if you get pickpocketed.
People have said it before but it can’t be emphasized enough, pack as little as possible.
Be sure to pack a pair of nail clippers, this is one item that seems to get left behind a lot.
And last but not least, take extra socks.
My best packing tip is to roll everything up as opposed to just flat packing. I find it much easier to unpack, and also to find things in my bag should I need to before arriving at my destination. This is an extraordinary giveaway, thanks for having it.
It’s all been previously said but by rolling everything up, you save whole lot of space and it’s so easy to find everything in your luggage. Plus I discovered the greatness of travel-sized shampoo and body soap, it fits way better and by just putting it in a plastic bag you can almost be certain there won’t be any leaks.
BTW : the briefcase is just the manliest man bag ever !!!
Tip: half as many clothes, twice as much money!
I used to travel for a living and I always found it useful to stash away airplane peanuts or pretzels that i didnt eat (or small things that i would bring along) in my travel bag (typically my laptop bag) just in case flights were delayed or i was stranded in an airport overnight, etc…because then i would at least have SOMETHING to eat!
If traveling somewhere where you have to check your bag always keep a change of clothes and you toothbrush and toothpaste in your carry on. If you do get stranded somewhere you can still freshen up, and have something to wear.
I have to say i love the idea of a bag that will actually last and get more attractive amd distinguished with age. These are just beautiful bags.
Advice? Act like the kind of man that would carry a leather briefcase with a 100 year warranty! Tough but tender, rugged but smooth, supremely practical while wonderfully luxurious. That’s the kind of man I want to be. I’d love to win the briefcase, and even more, I’d love to live up to it’s challenge!
Always carry a small flashlight when travelling. Many countries can have inconsistent electrical currents and I have found myself in a dark hotel room more than once. I am also in warehouses when I travel and a good flashlight has come in handy many times there as well. To be honest, I have looked for a good manly bag for a while with out much success. You are right when you say men have to carry more and more in their pockets. It has been very difficult to find a bag that is masculine and the right size. And while practical, fanny packs (even leather ones) do not cut it for me. In looking at bags for men, I have seen the Saddleback Leather Company bags. They are beautiful, masculine and expensive. I am sure their products are worth every penny but for many of us cannot afford the Mercedes of bags, Piel is an alternative. I have not purchased a bag yet so I am hoping to win the Mercedes. Good luck to everyone.
The best tip i can give is roll your clothes once you fold them… it saves space and gets your clothes there as wrinkle free as possible!
I think what makes a bag manly is that when a man has a bag that it isn’t what is noticeable. Many of the purses and bag women have are all glittery and filled with colors, but a man bag is simple and not overbearing. It does it’s job and does not take away from the man who carries it.
The fewer folds you make in your clothes, the less space they’ll take up. Lay everything out as flat as you can. Roll some things that don’t wrinkle. I would trade my son for his “man” bag and give him the nice leather one. thanks for the contest.
In the days when a horse was the main mode of transportation the saddlebag was certainly a key component for the people of the time. One of my grandfather’s prized possessions was the saddlebag that came off of his father’s saddle of 20 years. As a kid, I never thought much about them as they were crusty, dried out, cracked in several places, and honestly I could not comprehend their purpose much. To my grandfather they symbolized where treats came from, where guns were stored, where mail was kept and when he remembered his pa he always saw him on a saddle or putting up a saddle in his mind. I highly doubt my kids will look back in their minds and imagine me with a knock off black faux attache when they have wrinkles one day. I am thankful for the picture my grandfather painted in my mind of his pa and hope to properly characterize myself for those that follow me someday.
When flying go minimal:
Bringing gifts to people is great, but never put it on your carry on luggage. Carry on luggage at best is yourself and a small pack for your passport, wallet, etc. If you want to be prepared though, a small bag (backpacks are good) with a change of comfortable clothes and some basic hygiene items are okay. Shoes should be comfortable, and not restrict the ankles, as some planes are tight and may force you to rest your legs in awkward positions. Last but not least, do not fly in underwear that’ll make you sweat, and do not fly sitting on your wallet, your hips will thank you later.
The best looking and most useful man bag is one that’s simple and classic. A nice leather bag that can be used for day trips or to carry work to and from the office and will only look better with age as it gets worn in. I believe that a man should invest in a good bag/briefcase once they are out of school and not carry a book bad to and from work (although as a recent graduate I’m still carrying my book bag while trying to decide what bag/briefcase I’d like to invest in).
The satchel is the only way for a man to carry a professional bag. You can always carry a regular school style backpack, but that’s for the gym, not for work.
Travel tips
Do NOT overpack. There are times when I get into that Be Prepared mode and so pack anything that I might want to use when I travel. But then 95% of the time I end up using just a 1/3 of what is in the bag. If it’s work related, I make sure that I have pants that I can use for both casual and for more professional situations.
Roll up things that aren’t going to be seen. Underwear, undershirts, socks. Don’t do that with your dress shirts or pants.
If you are flying, make sure that you have a carry on with your toiletries and underwear. I can’t stress that one enough. If nothing else, you can wear what you were wearing on the flight, but at least you can change your nasty boxers.
I’ve never been much of a briefcase kind of guy, but I’ll make an exception for the handsome version being featured as a prize.
Those bags are very nice. I would take any of them. My packing tip is that I rely on my wife to help me! I’m horrible and she rolls things up, bags items so they are easy to find and as long as it’s all in one bag, I’m happy.
pack a book and water handy for airport waits
I carry a messenger bag and still get flak from some of the guys. Its more practical than walking around with bulging pockets from my phone, wallet, chapstick (gotta keep my lips soft for the ladies
), knife and keys. Plus, Jack Bauer carries one so its cool by me.
I have traveled for business for the past 26 years and have tried all the ‘tricks’. Tips like learning how to fold correctly, rolling clothes to avoid wrinkles, and packing lighter than you think are all necessary for success, But without a doubt, the best thing that has ever helped me are the Eagle Creek packing cubes in various sizes. http://www.eaglecreek.com No affiliation whatsoever, but could not do without them. They allow you to pack efficiently and compress when needed.
My best advice…Role your T-shirts. Folding in half, than again with and rolling from bottom up greatly increases your ability to pack more in. I wouldn’t advise this method for button ups or most collars either, yet for T-shirts, it is the best method. Especially helpful when packing for backpacking trips
Hopefully this is a tip that hasn’t come up already.
I recommend packing a few cliff bars or something similar. You never know if your flight will be delayed or friend will be late to pick you up or you get trapped in a snowstorm. It’s always a good idea to have a back up food source.
To be redundant, I always roll all of our clothes, generally helps prevent wrinkles.
Wow the overnight bag looks amazing. This is what every man should have!
As for tips: put your socks inside your shoes. It takes up less space and helps your shoes keep their shape.
The only packing tip that I have I learned in the Army and I still follow to this day: always pack extra socks!
You never know when the weather will take a turn for the worse and nothing sucks more than to have wet socks and be unable to change them.
Fantastic giveaway. Here’s my entry and advice:
To this day, I roll my clothes like I did when I was a scout! Not the dress clothes, but jeans, t shirts and such. AND TRAVEL LIGHT. Bring few clothes and wash em on the road. Way better than bringing many clothes.
Man bags? Let’s stick with briefcase or luggage. Nice products, though.
I have two travel tips that make it much easier to travel light and worry free. 1) Plan what you will need for each day of your trip. This way you insure you have enough clothing for the length of the trip, without over-packing. 2) Don’t sweat the small stuff. Most decent hotels offer complimentary toothbrushes or razors if you misplace your own.
I am a system administrator, and have had to travel a good deal for business. As such, the following statistic chills me to the bone:
Aside from the obvious IT measures (not keeping unencrypted information, keeping serial numbers to the equipment somewhere other than on the equipment) I have a few tricks I use to never be that guy.
1. Don’t have a laptop bag. Laptop bags carry one thing: laptops. Tuba players are screwed if tuba theft rises to these levels- you don’t have to be. I use a messenger bag- stylish, comfortable, and with enough room for a book and some minimal toiletries.
2. Secure that bag. When I am eating or otherwise not directly attached to my bag, I put it either between me and the wall in a booth or wrap the handle around my chair leg. When wearing it, I put the strap on the opposite shoulder (IE \ across my chest)- it’s harder to snatch that way.
3. Be aware of your surroundings. Thieves and attackers subconsciously choose victims- those walking with no confidence and not paying attention.
Following these procedures has kept me out of that statistical group and I hope it can do the same for you.
My travel tip, after being a consultant for several years, is to carry things that are interchangeable. You can get by, and look good, by carrying the right clothes in a smaller suit case. There’s no need to pack for every situation when you can travel with less and still be prepared.
1. The essential bathroom items, e.g. toothbrush, tooth paste, razor, shaving cream, shampoo (small bottle), soap (small bottle).
2. A good pair of jeans
3. Two pairs of slacks in different colors
4. A Navy or patterned sport coat
5. Three shirts of different colors that go well with your sport coat
6. Travel in a pair of comfortable sneakers and pack a pair of dress shoes
Bingo, you’re prepared for anything.
Man these bags look awesome… I really hope I have a chance at winning this!
Funny, the tip that I posted in the shaving giveaway was a shaving and travel tip as well, but I’ll put a different spin on it here:
To keep liquid content low, bring a shaving soap with you when you travel. Pack your cheapest shaving brush in a prescription pill bottle to avoid the expense of a specialty “travel brush” – a pill bottle is almost a perfect fit.
Everything liquid in your carry-on goes into a single, easily accessible quart sized ziploc bag. Anything liquid that doesn’t fit, usually doesn’t pass muster with the TSA.
Nice bags.
Packing tip– I always roll clothes when packing, makes for more room and less wrinkles.
Packing tips:
Set everything out that you think you need to take and then go through it and remove the items you don’t really need.
Go through the smaller pile and remove the things you STILL don’t really need.
Go through the pile again and remove the things you are sure you ABSOLUTELY need to another pile.
Then pack that pile in to your bag and put everything else away. That way you won’t take extra junk with you that only takes up space and you don’t really need to lug around.
If you’re on an airplane be sure to put a change of clothes into your carry on, especially underwear and socks.
Roll items that you don’t want to wrinkle. Put spillables in ziploc bags. Think layers of lighterweight items that you can add to/take off if weather changes. Make sure your socks match!!!
Couldn’t do without my messenger bag. Use it everyday for business and pleasure. It’s part of me now. These look beautiful I’ll check out the website. I plan to leave this where Santa can see it, compared to these bags mine’s very sad.
I roll my clothes for easier packing.
Most guys know the best way to pack slacks is to fold them in half and then roll them up. But you have to remember to take them out of your suitcase and hang them up as soon as you check in to your hotel. Rolling isn’t perfect and an overnight hang will get rid of any wrinkles. Especially if you use the hangars with the clips and let the full length of the slacks hang down. The weight of the pants helps get rid of any wrinkles.
But what about your sport jacket? My first boss (who was a lieutenant in the Marine Reserves) taught me this trick and it works: hold the jacket up with each hand on a shoulder and tuck the right shoulder into the left armhole. Then fold it half and pack it away. Give it a try!
Get everything you think you need and put it in front of the bag. Now, eliminate 1/3rd of it and pack the rest. This usually works for me.
I really like the briefcase.
Having a messenger bag is great for all the things you might need during any given day. I love mine for being able to bring my lunch to work and not carry a bulky cooler or little kid lunch pale. They are functional and attractive. They are the modern day briefcase, but allow you to throw it over your shoulder and go.
One tip about a bag is to occasionally clean it out and get rid of things you are not using.
Those bags look awesome.
My favorite travel tip from my days fresh out of high school is to ALWAYS keep bail money with you. Thanks again guys for the great articles.
I think, that of all of the cool men with man bags, Indiana Jones is probably my favorite.
Always make a check list of things you want to pack a day or more before packing day. That way you have time to revise the list. And when you pack, make sure you follow the list, other wise you might end up at your destination without some necessity.
I think it’s time for me to upgrade from my canvas messenger bag that I’ve had for nearly 10 years. Mmmmm, leather….
Best travel advice I can offer – When traveling in foreign lands, what I have found to make the experience the most enjoyable is to stay away from the most “Tourist-y” things. Not to say that you shouldn’t experience them at all, but the things you will learn about yourself and the other culture, and the fun you will have is nothing compared to when you stay off the beaten path and hang out with the locals.
I have been using what I like to call my “Dad Bag” for about a year now and don’t know how I could work without it.
I saw the need for it when I took my oldest daughter out one day and had to carry everything in my hands while trying to play with her…not fun. The next day I got a decent sized messenger bag for carrying everything for work (the laptop fits nicely), play and of course dad stuff. There is a nice area for carrying extra diapers, wipes, change of clothes and everything a dad needs when he’s out with his kids.
A tip I’ve learned the hard way…don’t ever go on a trip with a 3 year old without her Teddy Bear. We survived but it is not something I want to go through again.
George Carlin did a great comedy piece on stuff that explains the necessity to have a bag, or a number of bags to carry your stuff. Personally, I have always carried a bag whether it be brief case, satchel, or over night bag. I have a variety of bags. You might say I collect them. You never know when you are going to need a specific bag to carry your stuff.
Couple of things that make my travel life easy. Set up your toiletries kit for easy packing – keep it packed with everything you need to travel with, there is no reason you can’t have two of everything (one for home and one for travel). That way you grab your kit and go, also make sure you have some ziploc bags for air travel.
I also have been working on investing in high-quality goods for my travel needs. Good bags, a travel portfolio with all my relevant travel items (hotel membership cars, passport, etc).
Also, good travel tips for traveling light at the following: http://www.onebag.com/
Never forget to pack a good book.
You never know when you’ll be stuck in line, in the car, or in the doctor’s office with nothing to read except an old Redbook, or the receipts that you should have taken out of your pockets already.
Great looking bags.
Tip…..A Moleskin notebook is great for keeping trip notes, restaurant suggestions and receipts all in one place. The file pocket in the back is very handy. They also make Moleskins notebooks with built in city maps….very handy.
WOW great bags. I love them all. My best packing tip is roll the clothes and bring a couple plastic bags to roll the dirty clothes in because that way the clean ones don’t get dirty and then you have to wash all because you don’t know which ones are clean/dirty. Hate that when that happens.
I’ve carried a messenger bag to work for years. In addition to pens, paper, my work ID badge, checkbook, cell phone, etc, I have 2 folders. One for stuff to take to work and one for stuff to bring home. A simple way to organize.
Once upon a time, there was a Jay, who for a decade or so, wore a “fanny pack” or a “butt bag” (call it what you will). Those butt packs were never quite right, attached around the spare tire (or just under it) it was difficult to pear inside for ones goodies.
For a while Jay switched to the Banana Republic Photo Journalist vest with its plethora of pockets. It had space for everything: Phone, PDA, PDA-Phone, Keys, Money, Wallet, Sunglasses, eye glass repair kit, pins, pencils, roll up hat, flashlight and yes even a camera. But Jay felt that weight on his shoulders and eventually walked around like a pidgin, jutting his head forward to relieve the weight. Walking like a pidgin is not very manly.
Jay’s next option was a a MAN BAG. He tried several bags, but most that he could find were just a little too large. Despite wanting to carry a Phone, PDA, PDA-Phone, Keys, Money, Wallet, Sunglasses, eye glass repair kit, pins, pencils, roll up hat, flashlight and yes even a camera. But these bags were always large enough to carry a small child. Smaller bags were just not ether very available or when they were to girly.
Then one day, Jay found the Dark Coffee Brown Explorer’s Satchel at Saddleback Leather Company and realized he found the Ultimate manly bag. It was the perfect size, perfect manly magnificence and just perfect… except for the price. Jay realized he would have to sell his first born child (if he did not have one already) to purchase this wonder of wonders.
But as luck would have it, Jay found the Art of Manliness website and knew he had found a home for his dreams and aspirations. And to his amazement, this site is giving away the fore mentioned Dark Coffee Brown Explorer’s Satchel from Saddleback Leather Company. Oh what a day. Could this be true. Could Jay actually receive as the prize of prizes a Dark Coffee Brown Explorer’s Satchel from Saddleback Leather Company.
So Jay submits his entry before the deadline, crosses his fingers and prays to the powers that be, for the prize of prizes, the very manly Dark Coffee Brown Explorer’s Satchel from Saddleback Leather Company.
I have always learned that while packing, if you roll your clothes, not only are you able to save space, but avoid wrinkles. put your socks INTO your shoes. Keeps the shoes from losing shape in the bad.
I am a convert. I will always carry a “murse” as my wife calls them. These bags are beautiful and I would love one. I love the messenger style. My wife found a nice Frye messenger bag at the thrift store. That is what I am carrying right now.
My man carries around loads of stuff. One of these bags would definitely be good for him. They’re rugged and sexy looking too.
For packing tips, I can only offer one sure piece of advice: always pack one more pair of underwear and socks than you think you’ll need. It’s the easiest thing to just re-iron a shirt, or wear a pair of pants twice, but don’t even think about wearing them undies more than one day in a row. And socks, lets face it, are what separate the men from the boys. In that mens socks will likely smell, if they’re doing anything manly at all during the day. There’s nothing less classy than showing up for a meeting or appointment and looking nice, but smelling like a laundry bag.
My mind wanders to Indiana Jones when i think of leather bag carriers.
What a great Manly bag. I am a big fan of the Man-bag I carry one every day. I loved the Saddleback leather company’s bags. If not for the price I would have ordered one yesterday. I can only hope that I win the giveaway bag.
My travel tip is not to check luggage. If you can just do carry on.
some of these comments are soo funny:)
Okay, I love the concept of a ” man bag” but for the life of me can’t understand why carrying a ” bag: of any sort for a man sets off so many bells!
That being said, my travel advice? I tie big, bright, silver ribbons on the handles of my checked luggage to make it easy to identify when it comes off the carousel!
A great tip for packing is to roll t-shirts: they fit into most spots better and will have fewer wrinkles when you take them out.
I currently use a satchel quite regularly. I’ve been using one since I was about 18 years old, I’m 31 now. I like it because I carry a book with me at all times and what ever else I pick up along the way, it’s comfortable and isn’t so big that you can put a heavy burden in it.
My wife on occasion calls it my man bag. I usually throw her against a wall and tell her firmly that no god damn it, it’s a satchel. In fact my satchel is from the military surplus and looks to be a British bomb satchel.
My previous satchel had a cool pouch in the cover flap where I kept my work clothes, pants and shirt rolled up in. It made a really good pillow when I needed to sleep on the floor, when I was to drunk to get home.
I see others have commented on the utility of Ziploc bags. When I was still in the service, I learned to pack everything in my mobility bag in huge Ziplocs — came in very handy when the bags had to sit outside in the rain. I don’t bag everything any more, but I always have 1-2 empty bags I can use to separate my running clothes or anything else that gets wet and nasty from my good clothes.
When traveling to foreign lands, make sure to pack the appropriate power converters. Also try to learn the language – it makes for a much more fulfilling trip!
Whenever I am on the road and I’m checking luggage or driving, I pack a multi-tool or kitchen tool combo that includes a corkscrew, a can opener, bottle opener, and a sharp knife. This helps me save on food expenses, because I can go to a local grocer and purchase fresh fruit, cheese, canned/bottled beverages, and other foods without worrying about how I’m going to crack them open back in hotel room. If you’ve ever paid $3.00 for a bottle of soda in a big hotel, you know what I’m talking about.
Caveat: When you are packing to go home, make sure you put that baby in your checked luggage. The airport security staff are not amused by or interested in your back story as to how and why it’s in your laptop bag.
The Saddleback bags are works of art. Lord, preserve me from the vice of covetousness!
The bags from Saddleback Leather Company look amazing.
I currently use a less-than-manly backpack to carry things I need on the job (ie. laptop, tools, cables, camera, etc.). Getting away from the backpack would be a great move. Not to mention, I tend to wear them out fast. The durability of good leather can’t be beaten.
Love the bags and would maketraveling alt easier
Wrap the tv remote at your hotel in the ice bag. It is one of the most germ ridden items in your room.
Always keep collar stays in your dopp kit. Never know when you’ll need them for a collared shirt.
Next year I’m going to be leaving for Japan to teach English and I needed a briefcase/shoulder bag while I was working there. My backpack has served me well in college but backpacks aren’t used often over there, I suppose they just never caught on.
After reading the article on how to properly pack clothing I found the link to Saddleback Leather and fell in love with their briefcase, and if I was going to have a 1+ year of adventure in a foreign country I wanted to do it with that bag.
After saving for a couple months I got a large dark coffee briefcase (still in the mail), but I would love the overnight bag to go with it.
My travel tip: If you need something to do just pick up a cheap paperback book, when you’re done you can just give it to a fellow traveler
I love leather bags! There’s nothing like a leather shoulder bag or a nice overnight bag. I think the overnight bag and the briefcase are really nice!
The briefcase (not this one in particular, briefcases in general) is pretty much the standard man-bag. The only problem with a briefcase is that it’s too large for all-occasions carrying; if you’re not going to or from work, it stands out and gets in the way. The European carry-all or murse pretty much tries to solve that problem, but has its own, of course.
great prize – please pick me
I love the overnight bag and the briefcase-but guess I’d pick the briefcase for my husband. He carries a “man bag” and it’s always so full of junk and disorganized he can’t find a thing in it! Maybe something really nice and high end like these leather cases would motivate him to be a little “neater” Thanks for the good giveaway-good luck to everybody!
Know what you need *before* you start packing and pack only what you *need*.
I spent 12 years in the Navy, and the best tip for travelling:
Roll, don’t fold. You would be amazed how much space you save rolling shirts and pants as opposed to folding, plus they seem to be less wrinkled. Also, pack the hollow items such as shoes with the smaller items that seem to end up missing (fingernail clippers, combs, etc.)
Those are great bags.
The key to traveling for me is to pack as lightly as possible. My rule of thumb is that if it is too heavy to run down an airport terminal it is too heavy.
I like to first set up sets of easy care clothing. Then to prevent wrinkles, I roll the shirts. I lay the bulkier and heavier items on the bottom (jeans and such), followed by socks, underware and undergarments. Then I put the rolled shirts ontop.
I also carry two extra large bags, to use for laundry.
Would love to win this for my husband. He’d really love this bag.
Thanks so much for this giveaway.
I have two tips to share that are both indispensable for my daily life:
1. Keep an empty briefcase that has no other purpose but to shuttle items between the office and home. Make a designated spot for it both at home and work, and whenever you come across something that needs to go from one to the other, put it in the bag. Be diligent about emptying it at each place daily, and don’t let it collect anything.
2. Keep a light overnight bag packed with the basics at all times. Invest in duplicates of all your toiletries and keep them in your dopkit in the bag. Put an extra phone charger in the bag. Add a small digital clock. I even go so far as to add some t-shirts and underwear. Next time you have to go on a short trip, you only have to add the specifics for that trip, you won’t have forgotten some small item, and the packing will be stress-free. When you return, simply remove your laundry and put the whole bag away, ready for the next trip.
The bags you carry say more about you than you think — look at your bag and figure out message you’re sending. Make a list before you start packing, and check off as you go.
make sure not to overpack- if you didn’t use the item at home or wear it- are you gonna wear it now or use it- probably not….also take an extra bag for the extras carrying home.
I recently discovered camping soap for when I have to fly. One can wash their hair, skin and dishes all with the same bar of soap.
Wearing a man bag does not make a man look any less than a man!
When i pack, if it doesn;t fit in my backpack, I don;t take it. I travel light no matter what.
my man bag looks strangely like a duffel bag…
@Jacob Burress – What’s the name of that soap? That sounds very practical, especially given the difficultly of carrying liquids (such as shampoo) in carry-on luggage. I’d like to pick up a bar or two from my local camping supply store for the next time I travel, and it’d be easier to find if I know what I’m looking for.
Thanks!
manbag or not, I would love the overnight bag!
Look I am thinking ahead here. I try my damndest to live by the “great father, great husband” code that is often discussed on this fine website. I read to my kids every night, I schedule a day for each kid (there are two) once a week just for them, I try to make it home for dinner every night, I don’t have unreal expectations for sex…..I have negotiated a once a week contract with my wife for us to “be together”(really…not really….really.) As far as I know I have commited no felonies in my life and fathered no children with anyone else. I don’t smoke and drink one or two beer or wine a night. I don’t gamble and don’t do drugs.
SO right here right now I proclam this contest…”CHUCK HAS SOME FRIGGIN FUN AND GETS A MATERIAL OBJECT FOR LEADING A PRETTY FRIGGIN GOOD LIFE” contest.
For the love of all that is good and sacred can I get a god forsaken piece of luggage and live my life out till death with it. That is all I want nothing more nothing less. God Bless.
Packing tip…
Take those dry cleaing clear bags and use them for suits or dress shirts that can’t be rolled or folded to prevent wrinkle. Just leave said stuff on the hanger slip the bag over them fold once and pack…IT WORKS TRUST ME.
Very nice bag. Since we are a family of four, we have four suitcases. I make sure that each suitcase has a little bit of everybody’s stuff just in case we lose a suitcase.
I use a laptop “backpack” and manage to keep most of my tech gear inside it for most trips. Smaller, zipper-style bags work well for cables and the ever-lost connectors, and I put a piece of felt between the keyboard and screen to keep the keys from smushing the LCD too much.
A man-bag is definitely an elegant statement that you won’t be pushed around by those enormous purse-carrying women
No question about it – these bags are manly. Its sad when you see someone show up to a meeting impeccably dressed in a nice suit and the whole nine yards, only to ruin the whole image by toting a ratty backpack along with them.
Travel Tip #1: Never check baggage, but if you must, make sure you have everything you’ll need to survive for a day or two (toiletries, etc) in a carry-on. I was forced to check my bag due to a lack of overhead space on a plane to Iowa this week, and of course they lost my bag. Snow storms in Iowa w/o a coat suck.
Travel Tip #2: When traveling internationally, pack a healthy supply of food with you to save money and to be prepared for the unexpected. The extra room in the bag on the way back can then be used for souveniers.
I’m never without some kind of leather bag over my shoulder. My dearest lady companion has her bag, sure. But she never seems to have, and always needs, a pocket knife, a pen, something to write on, or a sip from the flask.
A bag is indispensable.
Although this is probably rare and pretty specific, it is something I learned the hard way: never check a large battery in a Rubbermaid tub on an international flight. Those tubs aren’t as durable up there as they seem down here and there is a good possibility that battery acid will end up all over everyone’s luggage.
How manly
Bags like these are great! I can’t live without a messenger bag or briefcase for the office. My last leather one was stolen when I was on vacation and my girlfriend bought me a canvas replacement and it’s just not the same. I feel awkward carrying it and it never keeps its shape. Do yourself a favor and get a leather one, you’ll be glad you did.
These bags are beautiful. My husband taught me a trick he learned in the military. Roll all your clothes, instead of folding. You can get a lot more in a bag and they don’t wrinkle. Thank you for the great giveaway!
travel at late night while driving
When you are packing, instead of laying your clothing flat in the suitcase roll your clothing. You actually can fit more items in the suitcase and clothing tends to not get as wrinkled!
My packing tip is to roll your clothes — can pack more and stop some wrinkles at the same time!
travel light – youll never use half the stuff you bring with you, so only bring half.
The best advice I have is to pack light. Rolling your clothes is better than folding. You can pack much more in that way. My husband is a better packer than I am. I drop everything and make a huge mess.
I would love to win the weekender bag for him.
Would it help if I mentioned I pimped this site to all my friends on my blog not too long ago?
http://dumbtechgeek.blogspot.com/2008/12/art-of-manliness-rocks.html
You’re right. That’s just butt-kissing, and it’s unmanly. I apologize.
Anyway, I am 22 and have done exactly what this post describes. I used to take a plastic bag to work everyday to hold my lunch, wallet, mp3 player and work badge. Then I also carried a backpack for my laptop and school supplies.
I’m typically the type of guy that wants one bag that fits everything I want to carry perfectly. What better way to do that than with one of these great leather products that perfectly suit me, can carry everything I want and more, and can handle years of abuse that would tear apart lesser bags?
And who doesn’t love the smell of leather? Come on!
@Jeremy – Pack light. always bring extra underwear, you can never have enough.
Make sure you find out what the weather is going to be for the location your going to. Then pack accordingly for for the temperatures.
Whoa. These bags are so amazing!
Leather bags like this always remind me of my dad when I was a little kid. He had a lot of business trips and I always remember trying to climb inside his big leather bag so I could go too!
I spent a while at the Saddlebags Leather website a few weeks ago. Simply wonderful.
I was once a missionary in Brazil. Near the end of my time there, I learned of a fellow who made and sold beautiful leather bags (looks a bit like this: http://www.netshops.com/specialtyapparel/briefcases/products.cfm?action=view&key=MKL048). The rumor was that a prominent church leader had purchased one of this man’s bags. I saw one and I knew I wanted one.
In the end, I bought TWO: a brown one for myself and a black one for my father. Both of us continue to use our bags regularly, almost eight years later. My dad still thanks me for that bag now and then!
I’ve had a manbag for many years and I carry it with me everywhere. I use it for my checkbook, computer, books du jour, planner, pens, pencils, etc.
When I was a teenager I was really into sci-fi and, specifically, stories where everyday people were unexpectedly plucked out of their day-to-day lives and had to cope with some strange new reality with whatever they happened to be carrying with them at the time. In some way, I’m still preparing for that day.
Always keep a change of clothes in your carry on, if they lose your luggage you’ll at least have something clean. If that’s not doable, at least some fresh underwear and socks.
Travel tip: always, always no matter where you are traveling, no matter the time of year, no matter if you are male or female, always carry a bathing suit.
Mine has come in handy time and time again in some of the least expected situations.
Bags are amazing. I have different bags for everything, but my favorite is definately my messenger bag I got as a gift a year ago. I use it for everything from carrying a laptop to my tools when i go to work. Never have I had anyone comment on how unmanly I looked with my man-bag, so I assume that I don’t. Man-bags are worth the time. Always put the strong stuff on bottom though, I can’t tell you how many times I put something in a bag to find I put it on top of an apple when i get to my destination and my bag is covered in mush.
I like the briefcase bag the best.
I love those bags and one great tip I have for guys is roll your clothes when you pack, for one thing they will wrinkle less since there are to hard folds and they will also take up less space. I have three different sizes of the same messager bag. the smallest is good for every day use, the middle one is for a two night stay and the largest one is great for a week trip and i can always use more than one.
i need one of these bags, i am in love with all forms of luggage. I want the brief case especially…
Love the bags they are so awesome it would be hard to chose which one I would want. My best travel tip would have to be pack light and wear comfortable clothes.
I always roll my clothes when packing. Rolling allows me to pack more and my clothes are less winkled.
I also tie bright color ribbons to my luggage so that I can identify them as they come down the conveyor belts at the airport.
Manbags are the new wave. The briefcase is totally manly.
The best packing tip I’ve ever learned was many years ago from my wife. She folds pants, shirts, underwear, etc. as you normally would at home, then rolls them up from there. Makes a nice tight little package allowing you to fit an incredible amount of clothes in any size bag and they unpack nearly wrinkle free.
It has been said – pack light & pack prepared.
My only lament is it is now impossible to travel light and fly with a trusty knife
I always pack light. Usually 1 or 2 carryons. I bring exofficio travel underwear because you can wash it in the sink at night. If you need something on your trip I usually try sending it through the mail before I leave to make the trip easier.
Nice bags. My tip is if you still use film cameras get a lead bag so that your film does not come out cloudy from the X-Ray machines.
if traveling with your spouse and taking two bags, put a complete change of clothes in each other’s bag, in case one gets lost. roll your clothing it helps with wrinkling.
I’m thinking it’s time for the manbag to become an acceptable accessory. Why should we stick all of our “stuff” in pockets and sound like a walking bag of change? I gots to get me one of these…
The term “Man Bag” always reminds me of the episode of Friends where Joey had one & used it to carry his sandwiches.
Now THAT is a bag, the duffel being my personal favorite.
Travel tip for any non-work related trip would be to leave the electronic distractions at home. Turn off the cell phone, ditch the iPods and portable gaming devices and don’t ever ask if your room has Wi-Fi. Everyone should know you will be unreachable on your trip and the lack of these anti-social distractions will make you more open to exploring your new surrounding, meeting new people and really making the most of your change of scenery.
Thoreau didn’t write Walden with his earbuds in, James Bond was never seen playing with his Nintendo DS while on assignment and Robert Frost did not take the road “less traveled by” because it led him to an Internet cafe.
Use your vacations people!
my best packing trip is leave the wife at home!
It’s pretty simple stuff, but, since I’m always dancing in the swamp, storing everything in zip top bags is a necessity. Gators love the smell of modern amenities.
My packing tip is to keep a travel bag of toiletries ready to go at any moment. I have 2 of everything for this very reason, one packed away waiting on me to leave, and one ready to use now.
My best advice is to spend at least a day of your trip not “DOING” anything – most people get caught up in getting places that they remember the maps more than the sights! Take a break and just enjoy the location.
I am a big believer in the bag. I always carry an REI day pack filled with essentials in the outer pockets such as my passport, a leatherman, travel soap, toothbrush, a pad of paper, pen, and dice in case I get bored. The main pocket usually carries my gym clothes and running shoes, but also doubles as a diaper bag if I’m with my daughter and a lunch bag if we’re going hiking, and a camera bag/jacket storage if my wife has layered too thickly.
My best travel packing tip is to always roll your clothes instead of folding them. It saves space and makes good padding in the event you need to bring along a bottle of wine.
I love my day pack but it’s about time to retire it as it’s now being held together with duct tape and super glue.
Its interesting how many people are giving advice on how not to over pack… unless i only have a messenger bag or back-pack to put stuff in, the only time i worried about overpacking was going to college, which is a whole ‘nother animal. generally not talking a single bag in those circumstances.
Ooooooooo wow that overnight bag is so nice. *drool. As for a tip, I can’t really give any because I just kinda sling all my stuff in a bag and go.
Merry Christmas!
forget folding start rolling
Try to avoid bringing something particularly expensive that you don’t truly need–For instance, a laptop. I hate that sinking feeling I get when I realize I’ve forgotten where I put something like that.
This is a great idea! I remember when i first started college i had two brief cases, one for the morning classes, and one for the afternoon. This would have been a great find, and investment, if i had known of it then.
Wow, that Light Tobacco Brown messenger bag looks awesome, especially with all the natural markings on it!
Travel Tip?
Hmm… I’d say, try and figure out everything you will for your trip, make a list, and then try really hard to cut that list in half. You’ll end up with a lot less junk and hopefully will be able to make do at your destination.
Best Packing Tip
I’m A Diabetic and I find you can always make your own homade Trail Mix. Peanuts, Rasins,Sunflowerseeds,Pop Corn,Oat Meal Clusters,Coconut,Dried Pineapple. (This would be a Summer Mix). It’s always best to have a healthy snack and you can fix it the way you like. Also take that trusty Swiss Army Knife.
I’ve had mine for nearly 30 years.
Being an Eagle Scout and an avid backpacker, I’ve carried over a few packing tips from my backpacking trips to my everyday trips.
No matter what bag I’m carrying, I always make sure to pack anything I might need during my trip towards the outside of my bag. Whether this be sunglasses, advil, or documents, it’s always easier to not have to dig through my whole bag to get to something.
With bags like that, who needs the horse?
This contest is great my tip for everyone is to always pack everything in plastic bag cause NOTHING and I mean Nothing can ruin a trip faster than stating with a bunch of wet gear (and your female companion won’t be happy either….)
Good luck to you all (I hope I win!)
I would suggest carrying a messenger bag at all times. If you need to take something with you, throw it in the bag. If the world begins to end, you are likely to be prepared.
My best packing tip: use space bags. You can get the kind that don’t require a vacuum cleaner. You can get your entire wardrobe into one carry on with those things. Thanks for the giveaway!
roll youre clothes,
and always stuff your shoes with whatever else you can.
I think some of the most valuable travel advice I have, I learned in China. Don’t assume every funny item on a translated menu is a typo. Sometimes, Ice Clam with Fruit really is just that.
the best packing tip I ever got was to roll my clothes, much more space and less wrinkles. thanks, these are amazing bags, really nice.
Wow, nice man-bags! Love the overnight one.
I have found that rolling my clothes enables me to pack more into a suitcase, and keeps the clothes a bit less wrinkled. Investing in wrinkle-resistant clothing helps.
No matter where you go or how long you’re gone – carry on. I have packed for 10 days to Colorado in the winter in a carry on. It’s just that simple.
Make sure to only pack clothes that can be matched with everything else in the bag. Make sure to plan out outfits so you dont over pack.
Travel to/Come back in the same clothes. You’re traveling which means youre either stuck on a plane or stuck in a car. You’re stuck in a seat either way so you shouldnt work up a sweat or get dirty.
Only bring a universal brown/black shoes and belt. Unless you’re going to the beach, or will need to dress up there is no need for multiple pairs of shoes.
And finally, wear your bulkiest clothing while traveling. It saves much needed space in your carry-on.
Like pink shirts and wives, bags are often maligned by lesser men as being unmanly. This, of course, is not so. A man is independent, active, prepared for all eventualities, and ready to serve others at a moment’s notice. These cannot be accomplished simply with the contents of one’s pockets, especially when travelling, working, discovering, or any of the other activities in which men thrive. Imagine Indiana Jones without a satchel for his finds and see how quickly he changes from adventuresome man to ill-prepared ninny.
These bags are very nice, I would love to have a black briefcase. The only thing that would make it better would be if it could also be worn as a backpack – for when I take my motorcycle to work.
As for packing, pack light! Make sure your your outfits are mix and match compatible. Check with your hotel ahead of time to see what they provide so you don’t waste space taking something like a hair dryer if the hotel supplies one.
I would like this for my son. He works so hard for his family and takes very little for himself. I am so proud to call him my son.
As for packing hints my main one is that when you are all packed re-open your cases and remove from a third to half of the stuff you have packed and take the rest and you will be fine. I have learned from a lot of traveling that you never need half of what you take. Now I can go anywhere in the world with just my carry-on bag and my laptop and be prepared for every contingency.
The image of that briefcase takes me back to the days when I admired a similar one my grandfather had; offering me hours of entertainment–now reminiscing the rides to school in the backseat of a Deville; pretending to be going to work–and the hope to someday have one.
Those days, as well as the briefcase have unfortunately disappeared, but not my youthful desire. Every briefcase I’ve carried since then has been a feeble tribute to that well-worn bastion of manliness, and now that I see this one, my current briefcase is starting to shutter.
Classic never goes out of style…
My son carries a messenger bag, he loves it. I call it his Man Purse, maybe it should be a “murse.” He does not like that, not at all. So for all you “murse” wearers, make sure you have durable luggage tags when you travel with name, address, and phone number. Simple.
Thanks, D.
Remember it’s not the bag that going to be manly…it’s going to be the person rocking it. The gentleman must exude a manly confidence. If I see you on a subway platform with skinny jeans, an extra-smedium polo and a huge colorful scarf, but you’ve got a rugged messenger bag across your shoulders I’m going to tackle you and take it from you
Roll up your socks (and optionally, underwear) and store them in the extra pair of footwear you pack. You’ll save space and your shoes/boots keep their form.
@JC: I dunno, man. I don’t really like that whole skinny jean preppy kid look, but if a guy has the confidence to wear it, more power to him. It’s not my thing, but real men come in all stripes. Confidence is one of the most important traits of manliness, and you’ve got to be confident to wear that stuff.
To be honest, I’ve been doing this for years. When I started my first corp. job, I started carrying rough cut leather saddle bags insted of a breifcase. In a building of well over 1,000 employees, more peple new me because of my bag. I work on a team where I was the only male and the girls would call it my “Man Purse” but it served its purpose well.
A few years ago I moved on to another company. My father always admired the bags so I gave them to him/ He is now project manager for the same company. He still says girls that knew me recognize the bags as mine and ask about me.
The point is a great bag is a manly statement as specific as a signature. If you pick the right bag, it can be a great statement that follows you for a lifetime.
These bags are wonderful for their practicality and usefulness in travel. I would be hard put to function without the help these and similar bags give me.
i roll my cloths
The best advice I can give is to pack all liquids in ziploc bags and dont forget a laundry bag so it will be easier when you get home to just take it to the washer. Thank you!
tatertot374@sbcglobal.net
my brother would love one of these for christmas
My best travel tip is to travel in nice clothes. Some nice pans, a button-up shirt and a sports coat is fine. The reson for this is even if your luggage gets lost, you’re still presentable for any meetings or conferences you plan to attend.
I carried a man bag in Sao Paulo, Brazil and am delighted that it finally came to the USA. My computer bag looks sloppy and my brief case is unattractive. A distinguished manly bag is overdue.
Travel tips:
If you lose your luggage key, insert a ballpoint pen into the zipper and the bag opens right up.
Space bags save a great deal of space.
When traveling with many pieces of luggage, a simple ribbon on each handle helps ID your bags quickly while waiting with the crowds eager for their bags.
I so desperately NEED one of these. I have been carrying what looks like a Lara Croft backpack for 13 years! It is too small to wear as a backpack, I just carry it around like a satchel. And when I catch grief for it, which I do, I just own up to it being a purse. I need it though, as I have to carry insulin, a blood glucose monitor and glucose tabs everywhere I go in addition to the above named manly items all men carry. Save me from my very old girl mini-backpack! Pleeease!
Oh I forgot, I have to borrow a suitcase from my Mom when I travel! I’m so humiliated right now! Make me a man again!!!
Always have a luggage label on your luggage so it doesn’t get lost, roll your clothes to get more in the bag, and by all means Keep wet clothes seperate from dry clothes if you swim or take an unexpected dunk.
I have had manbags since I ditched the backpack in college. In fact i have had (and still have) a plethora of manbags piled in the corner of my room, all fail to satisfy in one way or another. I think you may have helped me find the perfect manbag.
My best tip?
Take as many pictures as you can. You’ll never regret taking an extra picture, but you will regret the ones you don’t take.
When traveling and planning to do much walking, pack extra socks (as appropriate). When your feet or the rest of you are tired, take a few minutes out to change your socks. This will give them a chance to cool, a slight massage/flexing as the socks go off and on, allow some easier blood flow, and add a fresh layer of padding. After doing this, it should almost be like having a new pair of feet!
make a list then pack!!!
Buy Cargo pants with lots of pockets! And stuff with as much as you can anything that has no metal or such. This lets you bring more on plane and more in carry-on.
it really helps.
Plan everything that you are going to wear in advance. Always pack less than you think you need and stay organized.
These are very handsome bags and I really don’t understand the negative comments I hear about men who carry them. I would much rather be carrying a nice, stylishly rugged or sporty bag than to stuff my pockets full of my stuff and look lumpy and sloppy. As for the people who make the comments, I know they are just jealous of my style and are probably afraid to try things themselves because of the negative view of man bags in general.
This website has an excellent article on how to pack a manly bag!
Pack your sirts between the pants as you fold them in the suitcase and they would be less wrinkled!
always pack light and do not pack items you can easily purchase at your destination
Put socks into shoes, roll up clothes together for each day, etc.
Strap across the chest manly over the shoulder girly just a shot in the dark
Always carry the essentials in your carry-on, that way when the airline loses your checked bag, you’re not scrambling when you arrive to buy toothbrushes and underwear.
Most of my packing tips have already been covered. One I didn’t see while scanning was what to do if you’re traveling economy and don’t have an iron in the room to de-wrinkle clothes. Get a small spray bottle, fill it with water and lightly spray your clothes before hanging them in the bathroom to steam with hot shower water. Works every time. The bags look awesome!
1951: Slashing through the jungle north of Balikpapan; the satchel.
1932: Coaxing my plane over the hump to Burma; the overnighter
1942: surveying the Alaska Highway; the breifcase.
1929: boarding a tramp steamer bound for old Hong-Kong; the messenger.
These bags are an adventure in themselves.
Man bags. I swear by them. I have been carrying one for years. I have tried backpacks, hip pouches, messenger bags, even traditional briefcases. I have lately settled on a “gear bag” that has places for all sorts of gadgetry. It’s about ths size of the Saddleback “Sachel” yet no where near as frakking aweome in its manliness.
Men seriously run out of pockets. Oh, sure, there are all sorts of gadget holsters that one can wear on their belt. Soem geeks call this the “Batman Factor” and measure their geekiness by how many things they can tack on a belt.
There are also “e-vests” and other “personal area network” items of clothing, but they are way too complex. I would trade all of it for a good solid leather bag.
I carry a lot of gear. I am an IT guy, so I have some PC repair tools. I also carry a Nokia N800 Internet Tablet, a BlackBerry, several thumb drives, SD cards, a car visor CD holder, wallet, keys, a Leatherman, and of course extra batteries and chargers for the electronics.
Personal items like sunscreen, body spray, a toothbrush, writing implements, a good solid steno pad, and Excedrin round out the list.
I am an urban warrior, commuting daily to work by mas transit. My bag is my life. This bag is loosely based on a messenger bag, but smaller. It has plenty of room for my gear, which, naturally are loaded with stuff I would NORMALLY carry in paper format, like bus schedules, maps, etc.
I have survived many years of teasing and torment, both from wife and family who claim to love me and absolute strangers wanting to get a rise out of me. They call it my purse. The ‘Seinfeld’ episode about the man bag always strikes a chord with me.
Insane? I’m not insane. Everyone *ELSE* is insane, and they are all after my Magic Bag.
Overnight Bag is the best all great quality
Wow…awesome “man bags”…I know that my hubby would LOVE the overnight bag the best. That is ONE good looking bag
and not all “girlie”.
Thanks for a nice “manly” giveaway. LOL!
I am a subscriber (RSS FEED)
My husband works really hard, he needs to be pampered with this.
Packing Trip: Always have a carry-on with your basic essentials, in case your baggage gets lost or you and the luggage arrive in different planes.
Always pack an extra pair of underwear and socks. It’s easy to hang shirts and pants when you take a shower in the morning to get an extra day’s wear, but you don’t want to wear your underwear or socks twice!
I’d love one of the messenger bags. The time has come for me to man up and man bag!
There is a man, a very manly man(even though he’s afraid of snakes), that is a role model of mine that would probably have a bag like this. Even though Indiana Jones is not real, to win a bag that would be worthy of him would really be an honor.
If I ever get a bag like this I will definitely try to reverse the demise of the man bag by using it as much as I possibly can. Pockets are almost useless to me because they are so unreliable. Whenever I sit everything has a tendency to fall out of them.
Some useful travel tips that I might have are that you should always carry a pocket knife, band aids, a lighter, matches, or maybe flint and steel, and a handy dandy roll of ducktape. These things will come in handy if you ever get stranded in the wilderness. The knife could help you catch some wild game or craft a weapon for food. You could also use it to create some kind of tent or shelter. The fire starting stuff would well…help you start a fire. A fire would keep you warm and you could cook some delicious burgers or steak. Ducktape would just be able to fix or build about anything. It could hold your shelter together, you could make a bow string, hammock, whip, rope, patch your clothes or just make clothes, etc.
Well that’s about all I can think of at this moment, so may the winner win.
I’d probably pick the Satchel Dark Coffee Brown (SL-DCB)
my grandmother always taught us to keep a clean shirt and a pair of dress shoes in the car. her thought was “you’ll never know where you’ll be and have to go to a funeral” LOL
I laugh at this all the time !
All the “manbags” I have are made out of nylon…I guess they want to make sure nothing we carry looks impressive. My wife would fight me for the briefcase, but I’d win!
I travel at least 3 times a year, and its always important to pack light. Toiletries like deodorant, toothbrush and paste, and razor should be placed in a dedicated bag within your suitcase. As a general rule you should bring more shirts than you think you will need, but a minimum of pants as they can be used multiple times (especially in the case of jeans) before needing washing . Always pack (at lest) a jumper, a pair of dress shirts and shorts as you never know for sure what situations will arise.
Also I forgot to mention how they are the most awesomely man worthy bags ever, I so need to have one.
Hard to pick between those manly bags. If I won one, I’d give it to my just -graduated-from-college son. He needs everything! For travel I’d say use every available nook and cranny in your suitcase for those odds and ends. I go prepared…from tape to scissors to extension cords…you name it. Yea, sometimes i’m sorry i carried it all, but those times when someone has been in need, i’m the guy they turn to!
Great looking bags. I’ve been carrying a Jack Bauer style bag for some time now. People may joke about bags being effeminate, but when it comes to carrying my textbooks at school or gear when I’m camping, nothing beats a sturdy bag.
Keep your wallet in your front pocket. Stay alert.
Get lost. Best soup I’ve ever had (parsnip and apple) came from a wrong turn.
never take a knife to a gun fight
Well, if my fiesty Australian wins a briefcase because of my post, I’m gonna wrestle him for it. These bags are timeless and a rare breed – something Finchatton, Blix or my uncle would have taken on safari… or even a Tx cowgirl like me
I don’t own a Saddleback, but I’m thankful the guy is making them because it makes me happy just looking at ‘em!
As for traveling tips from a lady to the gents : always take a good book, an excellent bottle of cologne, a crisp white collared shirt and a good looking watch on a leather strap (doesn’t have to be expensive) and brush your teeth (green tube of Marvis paste- worth the splurge). Roll up the sleeves once or twice. Smile. Nothing like a good smelling man in a fresh white shirt with a minty smile, reading Capstick.
And p.s. never worry about whether or not something will be perceived as “effeminate”, “sissy”, etc. Own it. Confidently be yourself – that’s what makes you masculine & attractive to women. So wear that pink shirt, the offbeat shoes or scarf you found overseas – whatever it is. The others will secretly admire you & wish they had the charisma & mystery.
Happy Trails.
Love the bags!! Roll all your clothing, it’s easier to pack!!
Bags like these would make traveling light a pleasure. I managed to travel all of Europe for three weeks with nothing but a small back-pack, and I mean “elementary school aged kid” small. I washed by hand what I needed for the next day and didn’t have to worry about where I was going to store my luggage when trecking from town to town. I simply carried it with me throughout the day. Since I was sleeping on trains most of the time, I had no problem dealing with finding enough space and I always knew where my valuables were.
That said, it wasn’t anything very durable or classy. Any one of these bags would have been a real treasure!
Love these bags! want!
As a hunter, I use bags all the time to carry my gear. One of these would be a great addition as I’ve been looking at leather bags recently. Great contest.
Yes, a man bag post!
I do not endorse the murse or properly names purse that a man might carry. I do have several bags I like to carry.
I have a briefcase that has my business related stuff.
I have a “BOB” acronym for Bug out Bag.
This bag is for, to put it bluntly, to bug out. It contains several area maps, first aid kit, small axe, wire saw, one man tent, matches, several knives of various sizes, compass, flint, rescue blanket, rope,chemical water purifier,snake bite kit, thread, needles and just about everything I feel I might need if I needed to survive for a few days without any other modern conveniences.
The idea is not to hide out after committing a crime or anything, but in the absolutely rare instance that society comes unraveled, or a national emergency creates a situation where we are temporarily unable to enjoy or current luxuries.
I vehicle breakdown on a long drive (in the middle of no where) I live in a very rural area and the things I pack are related to the things I might encounter.
Those in urban areas may choose other things. Is it paranoia? Maybe just a little. But I see it almost the same as insurance. You pay a monthly stipend to the insurance company for just in case. I choose to have me a small bag of just in case.
When you’re getting ready to start packing, sit down and make a list first. Then check off items as you go. It may seem manly just to “wing it”, but being a man is all about follow-through. If you show up somewhere and have to hunt up a toothbrush for instance, just because you overlooked packing it, you are going to waste time on your trip trying to fill in for the things you left behind.
Especially if you are doing some manly activity, like camping/hunting/diving. While wrestling sharks sounds great, I’d rather remember the shark repellant!
My father needs in messenger.
I suggest that if you own any pets, fold and pack your dark clothes inside out. Most items will fold exactly the same way. That way you don’t look like a yeti mauled you when you get where you are going.
The sticky rollers are OK, but really tear up sweaters, etc.
Keep an overnight bag prepacked and in the back of your closet for when you have to take a quick trip. A change of cloths, fresh underwear and socks are what I keep in mine. Throw in your toiletry pouch and you can be out the door and on the road in 5 minutes.
I have only recently become aware of your site – mostly through my husband saying “The Art of Manliness blog says I should stand up when you come into the room” and such wonderful stuff! I would be thrilled to win a Saddleback bag for him.
He travels fairly often on business. My travel tip is to create a master packing checklist on the computer with everything that might possibly be needed. Then, for each trip, we print out a copy and mark off those things that won’t be needed on this trip, leaving a concise list reminding us to pack not only the essentials, but also things like the cell phone charger and music to listen to while driving and snacks for pre-early-flight breakfast!
Another tip: pack for air travel in only carry-on luggage, but include in that bag a crushable duffel. That way, when he wins a fantastic door prize
he’ll already have a bag to bring home. When traveling home, it’s not such a big deal if the airline loses your luggage, so it usually works okay to check the duffel (stuff it full of dirty clothes, leaving the sturdier carry-on suitcase for anything fragile).
I hope those tips help someone!
Pack lightly and always place liquids in plastic bags, and not just for the airport security. Shampoo all through your case will ruin any trip!
The travel tip that has really made the “travel” portion of it much easier on me is to learn to travel in a backpack (or really, any single carry on sized bag). With airport “security” the way it is now, and with nearly every airline charging a fee for extra bags, it trims a lot of hassle out of my trip at each end. I throw my backpack on the belt, walk through the detector, and pick my backpack up on the other side and go board the plane.
It’s pretty easy to stuff what you need in there, too. With even the budget hotels now usually offering guest laundry, dry cleaning drop off, and an iron, you don’t have to worry about a couple of wrinkles in your pants, and I’ve become adept at making do with just a few changes of clothes. Plan well, and pack things that you can mix and match. As to toiletries, you’d be surprised at what you can fit in that ziplock bag. If you’re missing something on the other end, find the nearest Walgreens and you’re set.
I mail things to myself when I find something I *must* have, and that keeps my luggage the same for the trip back.
My best packing advice is to let my husband pack. Seriously, he is amazing. He rolls the clothes, packs things inside of things. He always packs plastic bags for extras, too.
My best traveling advice is to wear your favorite v-neck sweater on the plane. Very versatile, goes with many things and can keep you warm.
Before you travel abroad, make three photocopies of the inside of your passport (the part with your picture and personal info). Give one to your secretary/assistant, give one to a reliable friend/relative, and keep the third in a safe place but not with your passport. In the event your passport is lost or stolen, you either have your photocopy OR you can ask your secretary or reliable friend/relative to fax that photocopy to you at your hotel or office at an appointed hour. If going to your hotel, go to the fax room and wait for the fax so that you can receive it immediately rather than it be waylaid getting photocopied ad nauseum to make fraudulent US Passports. Take that photocopy to the local US embassy or consulate, and that office will be able to timely provide you with a replacement passport. This is far safer than carrying your oh so precious (to crooks and cheats) birth certificate with you.
If you are going to be traveling outside the beaten track in a foreign country, register your itinerary with the US Embassy/Consulate in that country so that they can find you in case of emergency. Make sure that at least two parties at home (e.g., secretary and reliable friend/relative) also have that information so that you can be tracked down. If your travel plans change during your trip, make sure to update the embassy AND your at-home reliables.
My tip is to always roll your clothes when packing, never fold!
Wearing a comfortable suit while traveling is always a good idea. I’ve gotten bumped to first class twice while dressing up for flying, and I always feel a little more impressive when I’m well-dressed.
The biggest packing tip I can offer is to roll your clothing. I haven’t spent a very long time in the Military yet but even if you perfectly fold clothing and lay it in a bag it is still going to get wrinkled. However, if you are able to fold the clothing just once and then roll it into a tight roll, all of your white shirts and slacks will come out completely unscathed by the trip. Good luck with all your packing and best wishes for holiday travelers.
Roll up everything when you pack to prevent creases and wrinkles.
I like to put red masking tape X’s on my luggage so it is easy to find when you get off the plane
jason@allworldautomotive.com
Finally I have found a place that recognizes that men need storage on the go as well! It is really sad that in a society that constantly empowers women and tells little girls that they can be anything they want to be, men still face all kinds of obstacles when it comes to clothing, accessories and our freedom.
You really have some beautiful things on your website. I sure hope I win one because they look very manly while keeping their purpose. I can only hope that this is the start of men’s liberation.
Traveling a lot, we keep prepacked toiletry bags for each of us…grab and go.
Also, take as little as possible.
And…these bags are great!
When I pack for a trip I fold my t shirts and place them in a gallon size ziploc bag. This way when you arrive the shirts are still folded nicely and they lay flat in your bag so they don’t take up as much room.
Take half the clothes you think you should, and twice as much cash. Forget books, the world is your book. Read it and more importantly, write your own chapters!
For a long time, I envied the women with their purses and all they could hold. Cargo pants are neat and everything, but at some point they become silly. I’m rockin’ the Timbuktu large laptop messenger bag, have been for two and a half years, and it’s worn well, but I’m ready to upgrade, and those Saddleback bags are just what I’ve been looking for.
Pack an extra pair of undies in your carryon.
I’m all for man bags, especially if it prevents my SO from asking me to stuff all his crap in MY purse.
Pack only what you need and nothing else into a carryon when flying. It will save you time getting in and out of airports and hopefully leave you a little extra room for souvenirs.
Always pack a snack when flying. I purchase a deli sandwich just in case we experience delays. Also, I always fly with a couple of sets of earplugs, 1 new and 1 mine. If there are noisy kids or adults in close proximity, you can wear them and offer a pair to your grateful row-mate.
Wonderful looking bags. I have just about worn out my leather-and-nylon Hartmann bags, bought in 1974, and my leather Dopp kit that was a gift from my Dad many years ago, and I really don’t want to replace them with what I can get from the local Big-Box stores.
Packing tip: work from a list. I find that if I don’t work from a list, I invariably forget something. If it’s a trip with a city near by, no problem, but for those trips into the hinterlands, you need what you forgot.
Many, many great travel ideas. I want to offer up a book that was inspirational if not motivational for me.
“Vagabonding” – Rolf Potts
This book inspired me to get up and get out and see more of the world. I started living more simply and saving my money. When I hit my monetary goals, I quit my job, sold my car, sold or gave away many of my belongings, put my motorcycle in storage, and left.
I spent three months in Thailand then a month in India. I returned to the States. Got my motorcycle out of storage and hit the road for another four months, visiting friends and family across the US.
I was 35.
I highly recommend this book!
I always tie a colored bandana around the handle of my luggage so it stands out when it’s ready to pick up.
Ditto on the ‘Vagabonding’ book…you must get this. Another great book about dropping out with skills aplenty is ‘The Four Hour Work Week.’
impressive quality, these bags especially the overnight, a bit heavy loaded but worth every ounce.
I say, pack light and don’t forget your razor and personal items, I like the overnight bag the best, thanks and happy holidays.
I have a mesh bag that I’ll usually throw in with all my stuff. It helps keep clean clothes and dirty clothes separated during the trip back. Pretty handy.
The travel bag is the best overnighter bag for men that I have ever seen. Classic.
My tip for packing is that some clothes will pack better and wrinkle less if you roll them rather than fold them. Like knit shirts. Just fold the sleeves in toward the chest of the shirt then roll from the shirt bottom up. You can arrange the collar after you’ve rolled so that the collar won’t be creased.
The Saddleback bags look fantastic. I would be thrilled to have one, but figured they are priced out of my range. Who knows, maybe this is my chance. Here is my best travel / packing advice:
1. Be sure to have the customer service phone number of your airline with you when you fly. If your flight is canceled everyone else will swarm to the ticket counter and overwhelm the limited/stressed agents. You will simply call the airline, be helped right away, and have your flight re-booked with very little stress. (And often your ticketing agent on the phone has access to options not available to those agents at the ticket counter.)
2. Have your laundry done when you are at your destination. Don’t obsess about avoiding wrinkles. Don’t scramble to get your favorite sweater cleaned in time for your departure. Just send your laundry to the cleaners after you arrive at your destination. Your shirts and suits can be freshly dry cleaned by the day you need them. And if you have your laundry done (again) toward the end of your stay, think how glad your wife will be when you bring home a suitcase full of clean laundry!
3. Scan and store your important travel documents online. If your wallet is stolen you will be glad you scanned your passport / ID and emailed it to yourself (or uploaded it to an online host). Also, make a list of all the credit cards you carry in your wallet, along with the customer service phone numbers, so that you can cancel them quickly if necessary. (You will obviously want to take some security precautions with your electronic data – use some kind of encryption.)
4. Journal your travels. It takes very little effort to jot down a short description of your activities. Whether your purpose is business or pleasure you will probably look back one day and be glad you have the name of that restaurant, store, house of worship, or friend. Men tend to be forgetters, and a journal can be very helpful.
5. Get going! Mark Twain said, “Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn’t do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines, sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.â€
Take only pictures, leave only footprints.
When I begin to pack, I use what I am wearing as a checklist to what clothes I need to pack. For example, I look down at my socks, I check to make sure I packed socks. Then I work my way up to pants, underwear, t-shirt, and then jacket.
Here’s a good travel tip!
http://i40.tinypic.com/2u61p4i.jpg
My husband is still using this decrepit, torn knapsack from 1987. The uglier it gets, the more he likes it. Can someone explain that to me?
Even on short weekend trips, make sure to pack extra socks and underwear. Getting stuck because of an airport delay overnight sucks if you have to wear the same dirty undies and socks. Always have some extra.
Spend more and get quality materials because it will last much longer and be worth the extra cost in the long run. Do not buy if made in China no matter what the label.
Ahh, the man bag…You see the guy in the brown leather jacket walking down the street. He is walking purposefully, but what does he have hanging across the chest? It looks like a leather strap attached to a small bag off his hip. Is he carrying a purse? No it looks too rugged. It is the kind of bag for an adventure; whether around town or trekking across the Kalahari matters not. But a real man doesn’t need to carry a little bag off the hip, all you need is what you have in your pockets, right? Gosh, but I had to leave the GPS, monocular, leatherman tool, first aid kit, Sony PSP and hank of 550 cord just so I could carry my cell phone, PDA, keys, knife and a flashlight. Maybe that little bag is a good idea?!? But I don’t want to look like a sissy carrying a “man bag” or “murse”. Still, that fellow in the brown leather jacket sure looks confident. I bet he is the kind of guy who still holds doors open for ladies, still says “Ma’am and Sir” and will come to the defense of the innocent or helpless. I wonder what he has in the bag? A first aid kit, some rare artifact, a diamond ring? He is clearly secure enough in his masculinity to not care if others think him prissy for carrying a man bag. Being prepared for the unexpected, secure in your masculinity; sounds a whole lot like a practitioner of the Art of Manliness….
These are some incredibly nice bags, wish I could afford to buy one out right but out of the price range I can justify. But dang, if I had one I’d sure use it, those are classy bags and honestly, carrying stuff around in pockets is a pain. Would love to win one of these, though it’d be a hard choice.
This is the best website, love the articles and stuff, one of the few sites that I don’t let the RSS feed fill up with entries on.
pack light and roll your clothes
Wow, thanks for the chance!
My favorite packing tip is to double check your carry on for anything banned; liquids, sharp objects, etc. It saves a lot of hassle if you do it before you get to the airport.
I LOVE these bags, can women enter?
I wonder if you guys now encounter the same day-bag troubles we women have been dealing with… do you have to dig around for your keys? do you end up carrying everyone else’s things because YOU are the one with a bag? Do you haul stuff around that you rarely use? Do you eventually become overwhelmed and have to finally dump it all and re-organize?
My husband has taught me to always carry a smaller trash bag (for dirty clothes that will be traveling in the same bag as my clean clothes, or for leaking toiletries, or wet bathing suits) and my own ashtray. Also, he has taught me to lock my luggage with plastic zip strips and carry extras with me…they are especially great if you get selected to have your luggage searched – just put on a new zip strip when you are done.
As times have changed, I got into the habit of wearing no watch; I relied upon my cell phone while in my destination city for telling time. While it was on time for the first day, some how the display time was off by one entire hour when in the airport on the way back. I made my flight with only seconds….
My best advice for traveling is to never trust your cell phone for time while on vacation.
What nice bags. My travel advise is to never check your bags if you don’t have to. Learn how to pack it all for a carry on. You an save time and never deal with lost (or stolen) luggage.
Stunning bags… and clearly everyone wants one (no exception here). Packing tip: I never managed to travel without checking a bag until I learned to survive with only one pair of footwear (an extra pair of size 12s seems to be a tipping point) – so you need the right shoes: they have to go with everything in your bag. Timberland’s Lexington Avenue oxfords work for me.
My best packing tip is to take the least amount you can survive with for the trip. Packing is easier, “lost luggage” is easier to replace, and the airlines won’t charge you quite as much for the privilege for you to carry on and handle your on luggage, even though the gas prices are the lowest in four years. Another topic for another day…
The best packing tip I have ever used is to simply roll your garments. They will be wrinkle free, you can fit more in and as we all know, better to take too much than not enough!
Unless you are traveling without your vehicle, keep your medications in the glove box. That way no matter where you go you will have your meds with you. I cant tell you how many times I forgot my pills before I started doing this. Of course always keep a small stash some place safe ( ie. home, travel bag, ect.)
Best advice for carrying a bag, is always find room for at least one book with you. A decent book is always a fine companion.
The bags look fantastic. Agree with earlier commenter, if you can have everything carry on. Checking is always a nightmare
As a demi-god walking this earth,it would be nice to try on a earthen leather satchel as perhaps the best way to display my Manliness.
ALWAYS TAKE A BAR OF SOAP THAT IS WRAPPED IN TISSUE IN BAG.
I always carry my medications, inhalers and a few items in my carry on bag. Then purchase the rest of the items when I reach my travel location, saves space and time. Then I UPS the rest of the items home, saves time and money.
My tip: Don’t use a sissy bag!
Travel tip: Always keep your emergency cash in a different place than in your wallet. Having cash in a couple different places usually ensures you that you will have something if your wallet is lost or stolen.
Packing tips:
1. Try to begin packing before deadline. If you start packing lets say 2 days before trip you’ll have plenty of time to think about things you’ve foggot. Or to put something useful into your list if you have one. Or to decide that you don’t need something unnecessary that you’ve already packed.
2. To roll clothes is a good thing and the best way to fit more clothes but don’t roll ironed shirts. They’ll probably got wrinkled.
3. Try to think which things you’ll use more often. Put these where you can easily reach them. This way you won’t have to take all you stuff to get let’s say your socks or toothbrush.
4. There may be some problems with carrying liquids into a plane because of precautions taken by customs. You’d better ask about this if you plan to carry some (shampoo for example).
5. Carry some money in you bag just in case your wallet got stolen or you lost it.
Hubby has to carry a bag everywhere (lots of stuff for the job and all). He’s a burly guy so a prissy bag just won’t do. These would certainly fit the bill. As for packing. Always, always, always keep one change of clothes in your carry on. You will eventually need it.
Travel tip? Place a kitchen trash bag between layers of clothing, it helps to keep the wrinkles to a minimum.
I could picture myself with the Messenger Bag. Thank you.
As far as bags go, both the briefcase and the overnight bag appeal to me. I’m a firm believer in packing lite—having to check bags in at the airport is a surefire recipe for disaster when your bags are sent to Anchorage and you are whisked off to Miami. (or vice-versa) I always carry a ’survival’ kit with me as a carryon. That way in case the luggage that I have checked in gets lost at least I’ll have a couple days of clothes and shampoo, toothpaste, etc.
Travel light! You will never regret not having to lug extra bags on trains, through city streets and airports!
It’s amazing timing that I found this article/giveaway. I just blogged about wanting to switch over to a man’s bag to give relief to my pockets: http://jrmcgrath.blogspot.com/2008/12/mans-bag.html. I again today was looking online to find a bag that would suit me well for everyday use and happened upon this site. I’m glad to see that other men are thinking as I am! I really like the messenger bad that’s up for winning. Here’s to all us men bringing back the bag!
Here are a few items that I recently took with me on a snowboarding trip from Vancouver to Whistler. Hope you find the list useful
1. Thermal underwear- very important
2. Security lock (for laptop)
3. Moleskine notebooks
4. Socks (oil shaving cream just above it)
5. Thermal vest
6. Water and shock resistant camera with tight fitting case
7. Energy drink
8. Camera manual
9. Some cash
10. Bling
11. Wallet and keys
12. Tenser (just in case)
13. Snowboarding gloves
14. iPod
15. Scarfs
16. Compass
17. Swiss army knife
18. Balaclava
19. Gum
20. Sunscreen
21. Earbuds
22. Reading material (4-hour Workeek and Cyberpunks-Cyber freedom)
23. Cell phone
24. Camera peripherals
25. Deep cold (for sore muscles)
26. Body swift towelettes
27. Cell charger
28. Lip balm
29. Dental floss
30. Axe Axe, baby
31. Two layer gloves
32. Snow boots
33. Speaker-headphones (to cover your tracks)
34. Snowboarding helmets
35. Snowboarding pants
36. Goggles
37. Jacket
38. Trail mix
39. Bubble bath salts (trust me, your body will thank you)
40. Chocolate
41. Energy bars
42. Honey
43. Red and White wine
44. Winter cap or toque
Travel advice:
Dont get yourself to set on a particular schedule for your trip. Just have a general idea of the things you want to do and then just see how things go. Wing it!
Now thats a briefcase I would look at home traveling to Montana. That’s a definite man bag! The biggest thing over the years I have learned about packing is don’t overpack. Now I have it paired down to exactly what I need on business or leisure trips that I can pack on a minutes notice if I have to. ….Unless I am going to Siberia then I might be in a wee bit of trouble.
If travelling in Thailand, beware of free lifts home from an attractive woman with an adam’s apple!
Rolling clothes frees up a ton of space and reduces wrinkles.
My best travel advise is to always carry a red bandana. It will come in handly a hundried diffent ways and can be a life saver when your on the move
If your “every day carry” man bag/pack/briefcase is packed full– you have too much stuff or need a bigger bag. It is good to be prepared, but you can’t carry everything.
These bags look wellmade and manly. My fav advice is make sure you saren wrap Shampoo lotion and tooth paste.
Bring a bag that is the right size for the job. Bringing an overly huge bag is unwieldy, but so is bringing 5 bags that are too small.
My tip is to line your travel bag with assorted plastic bags. The fold over sandwich bags are good to carry a tooth brush, razor, brush etc. The ziplock sandwich & quart size bags are good to hold liquid toiletries like shampoo, cologne etc. I pack all of these into gallon size ziplock bags. Take 2 gallon size ziplock bags in case you need to wash clothes. If the clothes have not dried by the time you leave the next morning pack them in these and remember to hang them back out to dry on your next stop. Small trashbag size bags are good to hold dirty clothes. I keep these in my luggage even though I use them to pack so I will always have the containers I need! Thanks! ( I would choose the satchel!)
Don’t over pack. In an emergency you can get things washed or buy something new.
If you are travelling with a companion and checking luggage, split your items equally between bags. If one bag gets lost, you aren’t stuck living in the clothes you flew in until your luggage is found and delivered to you.
First and foremost, always travel light. This usually means packing everything you think you’ll need, and then going through it and cutting out about half of it. I always pack more than I really need, and I always regret it.
One thing I’ve always found useful, whether traveling on business or for pleasure, is to take along a lightweight robe. If my budget won’t put me into hotels that provide robes it means I don’t have to try to wrap a towel (never the right size) around my waist after a shower, I can save wear and tear on the rest of the wardrobe when I’m just lounging in the room, it’s something useful and appropriate to wear to the pool – indoors or out… the list goes on and on.
Whenever I travel I try to research the area I am traveling to beforehand so that I may familiarize myself with the landscape, the culture, and the place’s history so that we don’t waste time trying to figure things out from scratch and become frustrated or thrown in prison for not knowing a country’s laws.
Roll your clothes. It creates more space and keeps your clothes from becoming wrinkled.
Always slip a paperback book in a place where you can easily reach it. If there are delays (and there are always delays), you can just pull the book out and read instead of being bored or getting impatient. Not just any book will work – it’s got to be a book that you’re interested in, but not so interesting that you’ll have to toss everything else aside until you’re finished.
Packing tip: Like any bag, your man bag will sometimes seem to small. Get some zip-lock bags and put your cloths and other ‘compressable’ items in them. Then roll them up from the bottom and seal the zipper when all the air is squeezed out. They even make something like these with a one-way valve to simplify packing them. Double the size of your man bag by cutting the size of your stuff in half.
Doha, Qatar, 2004:
I was lucky enough to attend the inaugural MotoGP race at the Losail circuit and watched my hero, Sete Gibernau win the race.
It was hot. I mean, really hot. Desert hot.
Me, along with about 300 of my closest European friends sweat our collective guts out. Good thing for talcum powder, as my ass was sweetly dry that day.
Packing tip:Put your shoes at the bottom of your luggage bag.
Man Bag Musings: Saddleback Bags RULE!!!! Much better than any nylon bag I own. If I don’t win, I’m still buying a new bag by March! Thanks for the contest!
My tip is to get a Saddleback bag. I have a large briefcase that I have carried everyday now for 2 years. There is no better bag.
I’m absolutely terrible at packing!!! The best advice I can give is to mail your dirty laundry home…it is so worth the money. Thanks for the great giveaway. Would love to win this for my man.
Remember to drink your water and take your vitamins. Air, train, and bus are germy ways to go and it’s good to keep your immunity up.
Remember to drink your scotch. Air, train, and bus are trying ways to go and it’s good to keep your spirits up.
Don’t let the lack of toothpaste keep you from brushing. If you need to feel like you have clean mouth, reference the above.
Don’t check luggage. Shipping is better, easier to insure, less risky, and you get delivery to your door. Just takes a little planning.
Roll your clothes. Folding is for rookies.
Never underestimate the 3 minute whore’s bath at the airport sink. It gives you hours of humanity to expend.
Above all, do without. Traveling light is the best way, perhaps the only way.
Always pack extra dress shirts and ties
Best travel advice: After a long day of traveling the two things that can make you feel instantly refreshed are washing your hands and brushing your teeth. Those two things could make a world of a difference!
I work out of my home town for 8 – 12 weeks at a time, so packing for that long in one suitcase that weighs less than 50 pounds is a real challenge. The best thing I’ve done is to buy a digital scale that I can weigh my bag with so as to avoid overweight bag charges.
My best travel packing tip for men is ROLL your clothes to help reduce or eliminate wrinkling!!
Unless you’re going to a third world country don’t agonize to much on what you might forget in packing. I had a boyfriend like this and it totally stressed him out before a vacation. He agonized over the packing and on the flights would agonize that he forgot something. Of course, he’s the only person I know that must enjoy stress and work. The only person with whom a vacation was more a forced march. Getting up extremely early (on vacation) and getting started on the sightseeing and activities so we don’t miss anything. So that by the time we get back to the room late each evening, we’re exhausted – too exhausted for further er communication.
So I guess my packing and travel tip – relax.
Great looking bags. My best travel tip is to roll my clothes to prevent wrinkles and pack light. I usually end up buying things while on a trip and like to have room to bring them home.
My top packing tip: put a pack of disposable tissues into your bag last. If you end up needing them, your hands will probably be otherwise engaged and you won’t be in a position to go rooting through everything.
Easily the best travel advice I’ve heard: pack a zip lock with all your stuff in it and never unpack it when you get home. It’s great. I never worry “did I remember my toothbrush?”. I just grab the zip lock from under the sink and toss it into my suitcase.
My best packing trip is what I think sets me apart from my co-workers – don’t take so much stuff. This allows you to carry a smaller bag. I don’t use wheelie bags, I have different sized backpacks.
This is great looking; doesn’t look like a man purse at all.
I travel Monday – Friday, three weeks a month with my current job so I have packing my suitcase down to a science.
Only the essentials for toiletries (razor, deordant, eye stuff for contacts) because most if not all hotels have soap, shampoos, lotions, etc.
Then for basic clothes: 5 each plus 1 extra for any accidents that might happen.
socks, underwear, tshirts, dress shirts.
And for shoes one pair of dress shoes and sneakers.
1 Suit jacket, hoodie, and 2 ties to balance out the reminder of my clothes.
And I’ve found that if I’ve forgotten anything I can just stop at the nearest Department store and buy what I need.
Sharp bags! I’m a notorious over-packer, but I’ve learned to pack smarter by selecting clothing options I can repeat – for example, the same dress shirt with multiple ties or under multiple sweaters. I also pack along some fabric refresher and wrinkle releaser in case I need to repeat an item and don’t have the time or ability to wash it.
My best travel advice is to wake up early and explore. There’s no better way to get to know a city intimately than to wander through it as it wakes up!
I love all of these bags….They are gorgeous…
My best packing tip is to roll my clothes before packing. Saves space and they dont get as wrinkled…thank you
Thanks for the giveaway…
My packing tip: Always bring an extra dress shirt, pair of underwear, and socks, in addition to what you think you will need…and don’t forget your various chargers, earphones, cables, etc. for your electronics. Oh, and if you wear eyeglasses, either bring an extra pair or a copy of your prescription.
When traveling, I pack items in advance into “daily” pockets. Every day I get fresh socks, underwear, and t-shirt from a pocket.
The briefcase is really nice, it’ll make you look like a cowboy.
roll your clothes instead of folding them
I was just going to say that…roll your clothes instead of folding them. It works pretty sweet when trying to fit clothes in a tiny dresser too.
Such handsome bags–Thanks for the giveaway.
My tip is, for relatively short trips, never to check luggage, I wear what I can and cram the rest into carryons.
Sweet
Here is my musing about man bags: I think Man Bags show that the man has a life, that he has connections to people, places and things, and that all that is important to him needs to be close to him at all times. He cares about the important aspects of his life, that is why he invests in a Man Bag that can accommodate his needs to be able to have access to them at all times. I feel Man Bags show that a man is successful, committed and not afraid to show his gentler, kinder side. My husband is such a Man! He is always wearing about 4 different hats at a time, there is his work hat, his father hat, his father hat and his athletic hat. With all these hats he carries a lot of necessities with him, and he uses an old JanSport backpack that really does not reflect the true professional, confident man that he is. I would love to surprise him with the amazing Saddleback Leather Messenger Bag so he can start the New Year off with a New Polished Look that matches his True Inner Brilliance! Thank you so much for the opportunity to enter. Happy Holidays to All!
I just signed up to receive your updates via email and I have activated my subscription! I am looking forward to receiving them! Thank you.
I love the bags and would love to win one. When I travel, I leave my shirts and dresses on hangers. It does take up a little more space, but it helps keep the clothes unwrinkled and when I arrive at my destination I can pull them out and hang them quickly. I take extra clothing, because you can not tell how the weather will be and what you will need. I like being prepared.
Spacesaver bags are a great packing tip!
Lee
roll your clothes when packing, i learned that when i went camping, i was surprised how small things can roll up! it saves sooo much space.
also a subscriber!
Pack too bags.with just the essentials just in case your bag decides to go to Bosie when you are going to Boston.
Take time to pack what you ONLY need to take. That briefcase is superb.
I pack several days in advance to insure I have all need. it also takes the stress away from last minute packing
Keep zip lock bags of all sizes handy. Keep dirty laundry or wet things like a bathing suit away from clean and dry things.
Put sample sizes of shampoo, shaving cream and small things in the bags.
Riding a motorcycle (a manly exercise in and of itself) and packing for a ride has helped me learn how to pack light — if it can’t fit on the bike, you can’t take it. Especially challenging with passenger.
Also, for my day to day as a college student, a Boblbee backpack is a fantastic way to get all my stuff (12″ iBook, Moleskine, textbooks, headphones, cables, pens, lunch, running shoes, sometimes a hoodie, and more) from point A to point B. And on a motorcycle, too.
Pack a good pair of shoes in plastic bags.
Pack with tissue paper layered between the clothes. It cuts down on wrinkles. I also bring a night light with me for dark hotel rooms.
The best packing tip I’ve ever come across is this : Don’t say anything when you bring a bag and your wife brings 10.
When I want to hike in the mountains with my wife having a bag such as these are good to bring the wine and cups for a break. It is durable and she doesnt know I have brought it for a nice surprise.
Aslo bags such as these are good for when you are going into town to take things you may need such as your laptop.
Tip would be to put socks and hosiery tucked inside all your shoes and boots to save room in suitcase and to but trial size bottles of your favorite lotions, deodorants, make-up,body powder. You’ll save room and probably wont need the use of a whole regular size anyways
I keep a 15′ piece of paracord and some clothespins in my bag so that clothes can be washed in a sink and then dried in my room using the makes-hift clothesline.
We have a packing list (we keep it on the computer) that we use everytime we travel. This way we don’t forget things.
I always roll up my clothes–that way, no wrinkles!
I learned this tip many years ago. Roll your clothes to save space. You can pack much more this way. Thanks!
We have a lot of trouble finding acceptable “man bags” for my husband but I just LOVE the Briefcase you have pictured above. It is masculine and classic.
The Saddleback leather bags are awesome. Dont forget to roll your tshirts to save space and wrinkles.
A word of advice for anyone considering a side-slung “messenger” bag like this one (though the thickness of the leather used in the Saddleback bags may make this a moot point):
Beware of purchasing a such a bag if the smaller compartments are attached to the rear wall of the main compartment. As soon as the bag is loaded, any small objects, like keys and pens, become trapped between your leg and the larger objects in the bag, such as books or a laptop computer, and quickly becoming annoying, if not downright painful, as they rub against you as you walk.
The overnight bag is really nice. All the bags are lovely. I would be lucky to win anything.
My best travel tip is to roll up all shirts, shorts, skirts, dresses and anything else. It cuts down on the space and doesn’t leave the wrinkles in clothes that happens so much when you are packing on a trip.
I am one of those people that cant do anything without my laptop. My laptop is my life in so many ways. One thing I always take with me is my airport express, turns any hotel room into a wifi network. Personally, I love these bags from the aspect of how professional they are. Not to mention you carry a bag like this everywhere you go. Met a guy who had one and it needless to say got so many questions from people and it just built for anyone needing a bag for everyday all day use.
When you go from meeting to meeting and need to make sure you have everything these are the bags for you if you are a laptop guy, or paper guy, they have the perfect professional and personal line anywhere. Will make you stand taller and feel better.
I love this blog and all the comments for new packing tips. My input would be to put a scented satchel in each of the shoes you pack to avoid unintended odors from permeating the rest of your suitcase. As I also travel with running shoes, this is key. I also place them in an old plastic bag to avoid dirt problems on the other clothes.
My other advice is to only bring one suitcase that can -easily- fit under the seat of an airplane. No lost luggage and a light weight bag where ever you’re traveling.
For ski trips pack this small carry-on with your ski boots and one set of outer/inner wear for skiing. If your ski bag is lost or delayed, you’ll still be able to ski with your own boots.
I keep plastic drawers in our closet that have all travel supplies from little toiletries to travel iron, to ear phones etc so I just go through these as I pack.
Great contest!
I think my greatest trip when traveling is to travel light. I prefer never to check in baggage as I don’t like my stuff out of my sight. This forces me to pack light and efficient, which keeps things simple. For weekends all I have is a simple backpack with me as a travel, nothing else. Just a few clothes, 2 t-shirts, 2 boxes, 2 pairs of socks, and a jacket.
I work for a handmade English shoe company and I know and understand high quality products when I see them. As soon as I saw these bags I knew they oozed quality and that I will be a proud owner of one or maybe two at some point (sooner rather than later).
Ever Since I left I high school I have rarely left the house without a man bag of sorts, none of which I have been satisfied with, falling apart, unpractical, not being manly and being just plain ugly.
All I can say about packing is never carry anything you do not need it is only extra weight. If you can practice this on smaller trips where you may not be that bothered about a little extra weight, don’t. You will appreciate it more when you have exactly and only what you need down to a fine art on bigger trips.
My best tip is like many have said is be prepared. After litteraly 100 trips without incident I had the worst trip ever, what could go wrong did. Be sure to always pack you medicines with you, I always would just throw it in my suitcase afraid some airline clerk would hassle me. Turns out better to deal with the small hassle then fill a prescription out of town
My husband carried around my hot pink patterned diaper bag with both girls and never made a fuss…he really deserves this!
Around here the guys carry around duffle bads or overnight bags.
They think that’s not to girly.
Still it’s got to be big or they think it looks like a girly purse.
I’ve used a man bag for the past several years. I cannot imagine trying to carry all my “everyday” stuff in my pockets. I usually have my PDA, cellphone, wallet, checks, car keys, change, and receipts with me. The man bag has truly been a life-saver. Though I have had several people poke fun of my “manliness” while carrying one.
I’d love to have one of the Saddleback Messenger bags as my current man bag is nearing the end of it’s life. I’ve been looking for a decent replacement (the one I own isn’t made anymore) and it looks like I’ve finally found it at the Saddleback Leather Company.
My simple travel tip is to always take a good magazine or book with you. It’s amazing how much reading you can accomplish while traveling.
My husband and I have traveled a few times since we’ve been married, and he never wants to check a bag, due to a luggage delay some 20 years ago. Add to that the tight restrictions on carry-on bags, and you have to use some creativity. On most airlines you get one small suitcase and one purse/laptop bag/diaper bag. That’s when a manbag comes in really handy. The suitcase can go in the overhead, and the manbag under the seat, where you can reach it. That’s where you store your breath mints, iPod, anything you want to get to during the flight. Another tip — I always put a small folding duffle or tote bag inside my suitcase. That way, if I pick up too many souvenirs, I can expand into another suitcase. Check one bag and carry the other two on the plane. If the bag is delayed on the way home it’s not as big a deal as if it’s late to your destination. Third tip — I write my itinerary, as well as my home address, on the luggage tag for the outbound trip. That way, if the bag does get lost somewhere along the way, I can be found at any leg of my journey.
Roll your clothes to conserve space.
When traveling/working in Central America I would take clothes I was ready to discard (still in decent condition), wear them during trip and give them away after laundering to make room for extra items acquired during trip.
i usually throw all my clothes in hefty bags
Pack things you might need such as tylenol.
My best travel tip is if you’re flying , bring snacks. You can’t bring liquid but anything else is acceptable. Otherwise if your flight is delayed and you get hungry , you could spend an arm and a leg getting something to eat in the airport.
ty 4 the. awesome giveaway and the entry:)
I bought an accurate home scale to weigh my luggage to specified airline weights to avoid leaving anything behind if my luggage didn’t weigh in right .
I put my shoes in a plastic baggie to keep them clean.
1) Travel sizes of everything!
2) Synthetic (fast dry) towel in a baggie.
3) Keep your dopp packed and ready to go at all times….when you get back from a trip, refill and reorganize the next day. Nothing cooler than taking 3 minutes to pack for a weekend.
4) put a hand towel in an outside pocket…being able to wipe sweat or dry your hands in an airport is important.
Don’t carry anything you’re not prepared to lose.
Anyone have a discount code they arent using to saddleback leather company? Thanks
My most memorable trip was backpacking into Old Mexico some 35 years ago. I was 18 at the time and went with a fellow worker at the phone co. We took his old jeep 70 miles or so south of El Paso, Texas and cut across the border. We had driven around 40 miles where we came to an old canyon. There we grabbed our packs and started walking. We had walked close to 4 miles when My friend Rex pointed out a run down shack on a flat spot on the side of the canyon wall about 30 feet off the canyon floor. Rex knew the very poor family that lived there and spoke to the father in Spanish. He just pointed to the crest of the opposite canyon wall. it took us nearly an hour to reach the top when we saw the opening we were looking for. There were three large boulders that looked to be pushed out of the ground leaving a hole in the middle around 4 foot across. I’d never seen Rex so excited before. We unzipped our bags and set up our carbide lamps, tied a string to one of the large rocks and headed down the hole. It was around 2:30 in the afternoon we had descended over 400′ and the rooms just kept getting larger. There were pools of crystal clear water and large chunks of what looked to be quarts around the cave walls. It was getting too late to spend any more time there so we headed back up. we reached the opening at around 6:30 pm and camped out not far from the cave entrance. We made coffee from an old canteen bottom rex had and some jerky and cookies for dinner. We didn’t have the equipment we really needed to make another trip the next day so we went back and planned to come back the next month. If we had roomier packs and prepared for 2 or 3 days I would have liked to go back and see if there was any gold around those quarts. We never made it back to that cave, Rex died 2 months later and I couldn’t remember how to get back through those canyons again.
A good multitool is an essential, of course. I, also being a nerd, generally have a few universal tipped wires and connectors to jack my laptop or phone into whatever network connection or charger is handy.
The best travel advice is to travel light! And if you must fly, fly in business jet, not commercial….
Back in the day airline flying was glamorous. People (even 5 year old kids) were treated well. These days, between security and the economics of airline operations (want to make a small fortune? Take a large fortune and wait a minute) the customer is treated worse than UPS treats a box.
In a private jet, you’re at least treated like a human.
Some sort of “man bag is almost essential these days. We have more toys and gadgets that are “necessary” for us to carry with us than ever before. Today’s pants just don’t wear well with bulging pockets. Saddleback bags are quality products. Filson also makes good, durable bags that will outlive you. They are more casual in style than the all-leather variety.
Some of my essentials for a briefcase Kindle, Notebook/paper, space pen (never fails me), blue diamond spiced almonds, business cards, aspirin (Oh yeah Baby) hand sanitizer, pocket knife/uni-key, usb/flash drive (old reports I need), cell phone (hate the damn thing in my Pocket), camera and Yes I love Saddleback Leather Company’s bags.
A good heavy pen. Not the crappy plastic things they sell everywhere, something heavy enough to take down a New York City rat with one good throw. Preferably a fountain pen, but anything made of expensive wood, marble, or solid stainless steel would work as long as you buy more ink rather than buy a new pen when it runs dry. My friends and I call these “check signing pens” as they are most commonly used to sign billion dollar checks by gazillionaires. This sits in it’s own sleeve in the briefcase and your leatherbound checkbook is nearby.
When I travel I carry a compact emergency medical kit. The kit contains asprin packets, alcohol packets, bandaids (I have cut my fingers on book and menu edges), glucose tablets and Kleenex tissues for small details instead of using my handkerchief for public etiquette.
Here’s what I keep in my bag: laptop, zebra pen:black, green, red (different colors for different shifts worked), pocket knife, small LED flashlight, stethoscope, BP Cuff, small pad of paper, mechanical pencil, eraser, nursing school books, flint and steel (over kill i know, its the boyscout in me), micra tool, thank you cards, stamps. Many of the reference books i need access to are actually on my blackberry, which also serves as a calculator in a pinch.
Here’s what I keep in my bag: laptop, zebra pen:black, green, red (different colors for different shifts worked), pocket knife, small LED flashlight, stethoscope, BP Cuff, small pad of paper, mechanical pencil, eraser, nursing school books, flint and steel (over kill i know, its the boyscout in me), micra tool, thank you cards, stamps. Many of the reference books i need access to are actually on my blackberry, which also serves as a calculator in a pinch. alcohol hand rub gel, chewing gum.
I had a nice soft side leather brief bag that over the years has seen way to many miles. Aside from the usual extra paper, pen/pencil, business cards …. because of the “job” anything from handcuffs to extra ammo., portable radio, flashlight all the junk a cop carries get tossed into it. Also add a sampling of the “official forms” that the gov’t requires us to fill out —- wish I was a TV cop, they never have any paperwork to do!
Since steady, reasonable employment is something relatively recent in my life, I still have a lot of cheap college solutions. One is my drab canvas gas-mask satchel I carry around everywhere I go. In it are my absolute essentials: moleskin notebook with passport folded into it, and a mini-golf style pencil rubber banded to it; removable bicycle tail and head lamps; altoids tin (urban) survival kit; iphone; wallet; pocket knife; handkerchief; on a locking carabiner a flash drive, spare keys, pen light, and an M33 can opener!
I’d love to win one of these bags!
I won’t presume to tell any of you what to pack in your briefcase, your duffle bag or the trunk of your car, but for some real inspiration on just how to pick the stuff you pack I suggest you read A Pirate Looks at Fifty by Jimmy Buffett, Section III, the Chapter titled Blame It on Lord Baden-Powell. The sage Mr. Buffett provides a listing of the items he carries in his flight bag along with a very readable account of just how these particular contents came to be. A unique blend of sentiment, practicality and manliness offered up with island ease.
When you’ve read this section, go to page 1 and read the whole book. It’s a reflective tale full of references to Hemingway, Twain, John Wayne, fishing, and reverence for your old man.
Jimmy Buffett as master of the Art of Manliness – and how to pack your stuff!
It seems that as soon as i get a notice that you are have a contest some one has already won. Does not seem fair to me.
If the briefcase is being used for business….and not necessarily travel…..throw in an extra pair of shoelaces for each color needed; a small,portable stapler; extra pens; company letterhead and envelopes; stamps; a spare handkerchief (since we men let them “keep it” if we give it to someone else to use — give it away without a spare and you won’t have one any longer); and pre-packaged cleaning towelettes — cleans hands AND spots off shirts.
I learned to have most of the above from necessity. Experience is a great teacher.
In my own “man bag” I carry the following:
Multi-tool
Pen and Sharpie
Small notebook
USB Stick
Lighter
Bandaids, Alcohol swabs
Comb
Duct tape (comes in handy)
A few feet of paracord
I was converted to the usefulness of a man bag when I was given my first Fossil Messenger bag. Now I never leave home without a laptop, a moleskine or two, and everything else I need. A real man can pull off a man bag any day.
Traveler’s Insurance. Can’t tell you how many times I have had to assist a tourist with contacting family, friends, church, social clubs to beg for money to get a family member home after they fell ill on a trip. As little a $100 traveler’s insurance can save you a $65,000USD air ambulance bill.
I have yet to find a man bag that covers all aspects of being a man bag. Most bags today don’t have the look and feel of things made with care. I’ve been looking for a great man bag for the past ten years and have yet to find one that lasts more than a year or being that I am pretty rough with my bags. Granted I have never paid more than $100 for a bag, perhaps that’s where I’ve gone wrong.
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Sometimes when I’ve left a comment on a blog, the blog owner has then sent me a personal thank you email.
I’ve always found this overkill. However, it is nice when the blog owner leave a reply to your published comment. even if it is just a simple, Nice that you dropped by hope to see you again.
Good manners cost nothing and I always go back to check on pages where I’ve left comments
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Add a wide roll of tape to your luggage. Not only it can be used to sending a package home when you buy too many souverniers, but it can save you when your zipper on your bag brakes or you get a tear due to airline handling ( I guess that would never happen in a manly man luggage!) We even used the tape once to tape up a shattered rear window on a jeep while on African safari.
A bandana is a great item to have in hot climates-it will soak up your sweat around your neck or head and if you wet it with cold water and put around your neck it will cool you down marvelously.
For ladies a wrap or a shawl is a great addition. It will keep you warm in drafty airplanes, over air-conditioned hotels or wrap your bare shoulders and allow you to enter a church or a temple. You can use it to put over a suspicious pillow or as a picnic cloth. Don’t take expensive cashmere, cheap rayon is fine too and it folds nicely and small into your handbag or backpack. If going to hot places a cotton sarong can do a similar trick and in addition work a skirt, dress and a beach towel.
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Plastic Ziplocs. It sounds silly, but if you pack in ziplocs, especially soaps and shampoos and things, there is less chance of spilling and ruining the inside of your “manbag”.
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These bags are fantastic, can’t wait to own one!
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As awesome as saddle backs are they won’t keep rain out in Florida weather.
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