Messenger Bags for Men

Frank,

I see middle aged Men with messenger style bags all the time. I think it's much more stylish than a school boy backpack! I also think that wearing it on your shoulder or across your body is probably just a matter of personal preference. Wearing it across your body may be a little more safety conscious.

Hopefully whoever called it your "purse" was just teasing in a good way! Sometimes they are called "Man bags" and are worn by men of many flavours, metro, straight and gay!
Check out the website for Samsonite. They have some nice ones.

Don't worry so much about where to wear and where not to wear. If it's comfortable for you, go with it!

On a two-week-old thread about incognito camera bags, a "re-suggestion" was made that diaper bags from Wal-mart are an RS favorite for economical, practical bags.

After checking it out I soon realized that diaper bags are just a subset of Messenger Bags.

I've already received the house brand bag from E-Bags and recommend it.
I like shopping and comparing there. But Amazon has a huge selection as well.

I will be wearing it everywhere.
Filled with guidemaps, camera & picnic supplies, and being carried by a decidedly scruffy wanderer, I'm not worried about being hit on.
If someone thinks it's a purse, who cares.

Unlike a day pack, with the convertible suitcase on my back I can still wear this messenger bag the way it's meant to be worn.

If necessary or deemed frugally appropriate, I could now walk clear across most any European town with all my travel possessions in tow.

Are you sure you want to carry a messenger bag? When you used your laptop bag around your own city, how long did you actually carry it for?

Even as a female, I find that I can't carry a purse while traveling. For me, a heavy bag sitting on just one shoulder hurts after a while, even when I periodically switch shoulders.

Of course that leads to the question of how I can use one back home. I noticed that I don't actually carry my purse for long periods. I set it down in the car, in grocery stores i set it down in the cart, at work I lock it in my file cabinet, etc.

So when I'm traveling I use a fanny pack. (Since the fanny pack haters will now come out of the woodwork: I really don't care what people I'm never going to see again think about me; it's not any more of a theft hazard than a backpack because I secure the zippers and I ran a steel cable through the strap)

...since the limit is 1000 Characters per post, see my next one...

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The important thing is that you're comfortable for the day. You may want to just stick with a backpack or, if you do buy a messenger bag, carry it around for a few days before you go on you trip. That way you don't have any uncomfortable surprises.

I wear a messenger bag daily in the US and have never had any comments. Other men have them as well. I wear mine with the strap resting on my left shoulder and the pack at my right hip, sort of behind me. Putting it across your body like this (or right-to-left) balances the weight and you won't feel fatigued like you will if you hang it vertically from one shoulder. Plus it doesn't look anything like a purse.

For traveling my favorite type of daypack is a sling bag or cross shoulder bag (there's no standard name). These ride on your back like a normal backpack, but there's only one strap (again, it rests on one shoulder and on the opposite hip, but with the bag up against your back). This has several advantages. For one, it's just as comfortable to carry all day as a regular backpack. Two, they tend to be smaller and lighter. ...

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Three, they're much easier to access, since you can simply swing the bag forward past your hip to your front side for easy access -- you don't have to take it off. Four, if you are in a crowded or not-so-safe area, you can swing it forward or down to keep a firm arm on top of it (or hold it against your chest while pushing through a dense crowd with likely teaming with pickpockets) without removing the strap. Five, when you find yourself on the metro you just swing it forward as you sit down and it rests on your lap until you stand up.

I appreciate all the posts. But, could everyone state which actual bags they use. I'm looking for suggestions. Thanks.

The EAGLE CREEK "LOCAL MESSENGER BAG" is for sale at a discounted price of $ 39.95 in the SIERRA TRADING POST catalog, Spring 2008. (on the internet at SierraTradingPost.com). Item number 96907. This bag is less wide than most messenger bags : its demensions are approximately 14" x 6" x 11. Made of Mini Diamond Helix nylon and Tough Weave. HP Cordura lining. Color : dull dark blue.It has an adjustable foam padded shoulder strap, 3-point removable strap to secure and stabilize the load. Mesh side pockets for water bottles. I think a Messenger bag (or any shoulder bag) is better than a small back pack (day pack) for day trips in Europe and Britain. A back pack might hit a person when you move in a crowded METRO train. A Messenger bag is at your side when you are walking, and in front of you (with your hand under it) when you are in tight crowded places. Carrying a messenger bag, its owner can get into it and pull something out of it, without taking it off.

Both my husband and I have timbuk2 bags and like them a lot. www.timbuk2.com You can order one pre-made or build your own.

I'm considering getting the LL Bean Heatwave Messenger Bag in black, size Medium for $39 for my upcoming trip to Italy. Same reasons you gave. (I'm a 40 something guy.) Be sure to look at the black one. The others are a little too "style-y".

For security reasons I'll wear the strap on the opposite shoulder so it can't be yanked off by someone on a speeding Vespa.

I looked at the LLBean Bag. It doesn't have a handle (or haul grip) so I canrry it around like say a briefcase. I want something with this feature. I'm looking at either the Eagle Creek Instant Messenger or the Pacsafe Metrosafe 200.

I like the size of he LLBean bag and if you know of another brand that size, let me know.

If you want something you can carry like a briefcase or a messenger bag, look at the laptop cases. I use a victorianox (balistic nylon) laptop case for to and from work here in DC. While some people carry messenger bags (mostly younger) and some carry daypacks, the laptop case seems to be a good balance.

When traveling, I'm happy with a small daypack

Hi,

I have the black messenger bag from LL Bean, both medium and mini, just got them for a trip next week. The medium does have a nice grip handle, in addition to the strap.

For me, I wish the mini were slightly larger or the medium slightly smaller :-) I've decided to take the mini, though I can already feel myself second- and third-guessing the decision. The mini is big enough for guide book, but it'd take the medium to also carry water bottle and umbrella. But I like the longer strap on the mini vs. the medium's thicker, not-as-long-as-I-anticipated strap (it's cushioned all its length, fyi).

Of course, with LL Bean, you have the option of returning one if you don't like the style. I'm keeping the medium for other trips .. unless I change my mind on this one by the time I leave, lol.

Cheers.

Frank,

My husband and I will be using our Pacsafe bags on a 2 week Eurotrip in a few weeks. We had our "trial run" this past weekend in bustling New York City. He has a Metrosafe 300 and was supremely happy with it. The security features are top notch and our contents were very safe. He wore the bag like a messenger bag and there is a nice pad that sits atop your shoulder. What we were both so amazed at was how lightweight our bags were. You could hardly feel them (and he had a large, heavy, very expensive camera among other things in his).

I would highly recommend Pacsafe. I found ours at a great price ($20 less for Metrosafe and $10 less for my Citysafe than other sites) at www.basegear.com. They also offer free shipping for orders over $50. Great service and very fast shipping. Use zappos.com to see detailed pictures of the bags but buy it at basegear.com. Good luck and have a wonderful trip!

For anyone interested, the PacSafe Metro 300 bag is on clearance at REI outlet for $49.83 rather than the list price of $99.95. I bought one for an upcoming trip and am very impressed with the quality and function, especially at the closeout price.