Ladies, what's your favorite hold-it-all bag/purse?

[Delta Dear]

* I had this posted on the Ask A Cruise Question thread, but someone suggested this might be the best place for it.

 

I had a purse that was great for traveling. It held my phone, my wallet, my everything including my digital camera. BUT, I now have added a NOOK to the things I want all in one bag, so...... What do you use that works?

 

Let me say I do not like backpacks or anything that is behind me. Those bags with the strings on both sides that you put your arms through are awkward to me.

 

I have bad shoulders so shoulder bags are out. Most of my bags have been with two handles almost like the old doctors bags. I am thinking an across the body bag might be good since Dr. Oz said bags with handle are just as bad for your shoulders.:confused:

 

I'd love to hear your ideas. Thanks. I cruise in 31 days on the Carnival Miracle. Can't wait. Thanks in advance.

[househunter]

I have a great leather bag that I use for travelling. It is designed for a small laptop so it has all sorts of sections, pouches and pockets. It even has a passport spot! I love it, it looks like a nice totebag and no one would even know it is supposed to be a laptop bag. My kindle fits in it nicely. I got mine at Office Depot on clearance. It was a $250 bag marked down to $40- it is purple which might be the reason it was on sale but it is really good quality and I love it! I think it is Marc Jabobs.

[Happy ks]

Look for a bag that is #1 large enough to hold everything you need to carry and #2 light enough so it doesn't weigh a lot to begin with.

 

Ripstop nylon is a good thing to look at. There are several brands, Kipling, Le Sport Sac and Hobo are just a few I'm familiar with. Baggalini also makes a lot of cross body bags, but they tend to be small with thin straps.

 

Make sure the bag has a wide shoulder strap, a thin strap on a bag that weighs anything will cut into your shoulder after a short time. Some bags even have a padded area on the shoulder (cross body) strap and that is a plus. Don't discount brands like Eagle Creek, not as fashionable since they are made to be generic, but many of them have great compartments and organization to them.

 

We also carry some Vera Bradley in the travel/luggage store where I work. Those are floral patterns, many people like plain color for travel. The Vera bags are fun, wear like iron and are washable.

 

Hope this helps a bit, you have to decide what you like personally, all of the above have web sites, or you can look at the company I work for www.coloradobaggage.com to see some of them.

[kleo30]

I have a great leather bag that I use for travelling. It is designed for a small laptop so it has all sorts of sections, pouches and pockets. It even has a passport spot! I love it, it looks like a nice totebag and no one would even know it is supposed to be a laptop bag. My kindle fits in it nicely. I got mine at Office Depot on clearance. It was a $250 bag marked down to $40- it is purple which might be the reason it was on sale but it is really good quality and I love it! I think it is Marc Jabobs.

 

I looked this up on the Office Depot site. It looks really nice. Does it have a zip top closure or a snap?

[luckycruzer]

bag, it's time to re-think. I got a 2 zip layered gusett, rip stop bag this week. $13, at my local Airforce Base Exchange. no heavy "guts", tall enuff to swivel 360* on small wheels, 2, long/wide enuff round strap handles,and a tag-a-long strap. Zip closed , overhead bin, bag. It folds down to about a thin raincoat size, but is lightweight and sturdy.goes from 16" to 23: tall.My Puter bag is heavier, and the same size in ht wdth. b4 the unzipping ,w/one open outside 7x7 pocket. It will go thru a test packing, pushing,pulling before I pass true judgement to keep it. instead of heavy gauge inside bags for "stuff", I have long since gone "zippy" bags. can write on them and toss when need to. It will hold a few days of ok to wrinkle things.Will become flat to repack in a larger bag if need be. It is called the Coronada Series, by Mercury. I'd feel good about putting it thru the checked bag places, and can have zip ties to secure. would certainly hold all those "HEAVY booze" bottles upright, to carry off.Web site for shopping..this item is #3125 NVY expandable wheel bag..bar code 2167631252 5

[Happy ks]

bag, it's time to re-think. I got a 2 zip layered gusett, rip stop bag this week. $13, at my local Airforce Base Exchange. no heavy "guts", tall enuff to swivel 360* on small wheels, 2, long/wide enuff round strap handles,and a tag-a-long strap. Zip closed , overhead bin, bag. It folds down to about a thin raincoat size, but is lightweight and sturdy.goes from 16" to 23: tall.My Puter bag is heavier, and the same size in ht wdth. b4 the unzipping ,w/one open outside 7x7 pocket. It will go thru a test packing, pushing,pulling before I pass true judgement to keep it. instead of heavy gauge inside bags for "stuff", I have long since gone "zippy" bags. can write on them and toss when need to. It will hold a few days of ok to wrinkle things.Will become flat to repack in a larger bag if need be. It is called the Coronada Series, by Mercury. I'd feel good about putting it thru the checked bag places, and can have zip ties to secure. would certainly hold all those "HEAVY booze" bottles upright, to carry off.Web site for shopping..this item is #3125 NVY expandable wheel bag..bar code 2167631252 5

 

 

Only problem is...it's not a purse ;)

[luckycruzer]

it can be!

[Happy ks]

it can be!

 

 

I did a search for your bag and all I could find out was that it was a specialty bag made for the military??? Some of them were intriguing, especially one that looked like a locker Other than that, the only Coronado series bags by Mercury were backpacks. It looks like a company that specializes making bags for sports teams, military, etc...

 

I work part time with luggage, but there is no way I can know all brands, only the ones we sell or that I see in other stores. What I do know from selling travel bags/luggage/accessories is that the choice is personal. What I think will be perfect is sometimes not considered by a customer after even a slight glance.

 

The bags I suggested weigh almost nothing empty and it seems as though that is probably the #1 consideration for the OP. I love and prefer a nice leather bag, but they weigh too much for travel..I revert to one of my ripstop nylon bags for carrying multiple items. I switch to a small wallet on a string leather bag when I'm on shore excursions.

 

The choice here seems like function over fashion.

[househunter]

I looked this up on the Office Depot site. It looks really nice. Does it have a zip top closure or a snap?

 

Mine has a zipper.

[cnbfrank]

I like the smaller size Ameribag Healthy Bag in "distressed nylon" - mine is a medium blue:

http://www.ameribag.com/HBB-DistressedNylon.html

Got it a couple of years ago at our local AAA office/store. It can be worn over the shoulder but also crossbody (with the strap lengthened). I've worn it across my chest and kept my hand on the zipper in crowded subways, etc. Real valuables are still under my clothes, of course, but this bag has many pockets, zippers, outside slot for small water bottle or mini-umbrella. Will hold small camera, guidebook, map, snacks, reading glasses, sunglasses, etc. with no problem.

[househunter]

Ok, I just remembered that I got mine at Ross of all places not Office Depot although I did look there. The one I have is 100% real leather not like the one on the Office Depot site.

 

You can find some really good deals on high end items if you dig through the junk sometimes at Ross!

[teach2travel]

To hold EVERYTHING, I have a black leather Coach tote that I used to use for work. It is good to take on planes (it fits under the seat) and has a zipper to held everything in. On land, I have my trusty PacSafe Metro 200......Fort Knox & it holds everything!

[dulcimergirl]

I recently picked up a terrific bag from Wilson Leathers. Its part leather part nylon. Wide very comfy cross body type strap. Tons of pockets/zippers pouches, etc. I use it for music, books, all my travel accessories. Price? 1.99 at local Goodwill... ahhhhh a bargain

[rcs931]

I have to second the PacSafe. I have three different ones but my newest is a Metro 200 which can be carried cross-body - I too have shoulder issues. I got it in Brown, because it looks uni-sex enough in that color that I can convince my DBF to carry it part time when we're using it for water bottles, tour books, etc. Lots of pockets and anti-theft features - go to PacSafe website for demo videos. Peace of mind in crowds. Even has a "port" so you can keep your phone/ipod in the safe part and run headphones out. Amazon has a nice selection and other reviews.

[Hoyaheel]

For a travel purse, I have a couple nylon healthy back Ameribags - both bought on sale from Sierra Trading post online. They're lightweight, they hold everything I want ( I can even stuff in a jacket which is great for "changeable" locales like Alaska) a water bottle, book/maps, camera etc. And when I get home -I can throw it in the washing machine!

 

I also have a timbuk2 tote bag that I normally use for flying - fits a ton, slides under the seat in front of me. But I try not to carry that around for sightseeing - it's a little large. But it fits my laptop so it's great for travel....

 

I have a bunch of leSportsac totes & duffels but haven't found a purse that I like - the cross body bags they sell (that I've tried at least) aren't the right shape/size for me - they have some that are cute if I just want a couple things, but if I'm out for the day, I need to fit a water bottle.....

[Happy ks]

Kipling makes a great travel bag, not the most fashionable piece, but it fulfills a lot of requirements. It's very lightweight, has organizational pockets, is large enough to hold a small guidebook plus a water bottle.

The strap stretches out long enough to be cross-body or it can be a shoulder bag.

 

http://www.coloradobaggage.com/cbc/product.asp?s_id=0&prod_name=Kipling+Lancelot+Snap+Front+Shoulder+Bag&pf_id=PAOHIDDMLFABCJFH&dept_id=12162

 

I had a co-worker who bought it for travel and once her trip was over, is using it as a lunch bag for work.