It's Not A Purse!

In any event, a while back a friend of mine asked where I got it, because he wanted to get one. Back then, it was an Eddie Bauer Guide Bag I bought in 1990, and which they no longer make, so I got to wondering where men might look for such a thing, and what selection is available should I wish to get a new one (I've since gone through several new ones, and am currently carrying a Waterfield Cargo). Furthermore, I would like to advocate the cause of men carrying these things so I don't look like a freak. I found that they're pretty hard to find; a web search for "men's bag" gives you lots of golf-club bags and bowling bags, but nothing like a purse. Eventually I tracked down a bunch (mostly by following a chain of "see more products like this" links on eBags), and the result is this guide.

There are a few criteria, for me, that are essential in choosing a man-bag. The first, and absolutely most important, is that it not look like a lady's handbag! As a result, leather is pretty much out; if you're looking for a leather bag, look elsewhere. Secondly, it should be big enough to be useful -- that is, to hold substantially more stuff than a wallet, or for that matter one's pockets -- but not so big that you might as well be carrying a briefcase instead. (Unlike with the sort of bags I'm talking about, there is no difficulty at all in finding a men's briefcase to suit almost any need or personality.) My bag, for instance, is about 9 by 8 by 1.5 inches -- big enough to comfortably hold a folded-widthwise piece of paper without crumpling it, and with enough space to hold my filofax, cell phone, a paperback book, and the assorted (and ever-increasing) detritus I seem to be carrying around with me (pens, paper, tissues, business cards, etc.). Since I have no way to know what size might be best for your particular needs, I will sort these roughly in order of size, smallest to largest. They should have a shoulder strap; some smaller bags are more like what Europeans call a "grip," which does not have a shoulder strap. Many of the ones I've found also have a waist strap so you can use it as a fanny pack; I thought this would make it look less like a purse, but my wife insists that a fanny pack looks even dorkier than a shoulder bag. Go figure.

These bags are almost all nylon, mostly 500-denier nylon, so assume they're made of that unless otherwise specified. ("Denier" indicates the diameter of the nylon fibers, so a larger number means a coarser but more durable bag.)

Note: Where the size in cubic inches is preceded by a "~", that means no capacity was given and I just multiplied the dimensions together; the actual capacity is probably larger.

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enlarge	Make/Model: Eagle Creek UnderCover™ Security Wallet Size: 7.5" x 5.5" x ~1" (~41 cubic inches) Price: $15 Comments: Very small, more of a pouch on a strap than a bag. Lifetime warranty.	Buy It!
enlarge	Make/Model: Baggallini Wallet.Bagg - Small Size: 8.5" x 5.5" x 1" (~47 cubic inches) Price: $29.99 Comments: Made of microfiber, so it is water- and crud-resistant. Can be carried as a shoulder bag, a fanny pack, or on your belt. Lifetime guarantee against defects.	Buy It!
enlarge	Make/Model: Lewis N. Clark Bicentennial Travel Organizer Size: 9" x 6" x 1.5" (~81 cubic inches) Price: $20 Comments: This looks pretty good, though a little on the tall-and-skinny side for my taste. One-year warranty.	Buy It!
enlarge	Make/Model: Overland Daytripper Size: 9" x 6" x 3" (~162 cubic inches) Price: $40 Comments: Available in several colors. Limited lifetime warranty.	Buy It!
enlarge	Make/Model: Man-n-Bag Axible Size: 8.5" x 9.5" x 2" (~161.5 cubic inches) Price: $40.00 Comments: Good-looking but still masculine, with some cool features. See my extended review.	Buy It!
enlarge	Make/Model: Roadwired The Pod Size: 7" x 6.5" x 5" (~228 cubic inches) Price: $49.95 Comments: Novel cube shape with 'wing' outer pockets seems particular well-suited for carrying lots of gadgets and their accessories. Unknown-length warranty against defects.	Buy It!
enlarge	Make/Model: Lewis N. Clark Bicentennial Guide Bag Size: 12" x 7.75" x 3" (~279 cubic inches) Price: $30 Comments: Appears to have both a fanny-pack strap and a shoulder strap. One-year warranty.	Buy It!
enlarge	Make/Model: Gravis Mistro Size: 10.25" x 9" x 3.5" (310 cubic inches) Price: $20.00 Comments: One-year warranty against defects.	Buy It!
enlarge	Make/Model: Overland Donner Size: 10" x 7" x 4.5" (~315 cubic inches) Price: $52 Comments: Available in several colors. Limited lifetime warranty.	Buy It!

enlarge	Make/Model: Waterfield Cargo (size Small) Size: 13" x 10" x 4" (~520 cubic inches) Price: $169 Comments: I love this bag. This is what I'm carrying today, and it's awesome. Extended review coming soon. Lifetime warranty.	Buy It!
enlarge	Make/Model: Lewis N. Clark Bicentennial Travel Shoulder Bag Size: 12" x 11.5" x 4" (~552 cubic inches) Price: $30 Comments: One-year warranty.	Buy It!
enlarge	Make/Model: Victorinox Trek Pack Plus™ Attachable Shoulder Tote Size: 13.5" x 10.25" x 5" (~692 cubic inches) Price: $53.00 Comments: Lifetime warranty against defects. Speed clips attach it to other Victorinox luggage.	Buy It!