What bag is the best one for me?

January 19, 2012 6:58 PM

What is the most ergonomic way to carry around a bunch of stuff for work? I'd like to avoid using a wheeled cart if possible!

I've had issues with my back and sacroiliac joint since my daughter's birth 18 months ago. My physical therapist recommended not carrying all of my work things in one bag over my shoulder...but of course, that's what I do. I'm a speech pathologist and in the upcoming semester I'll be splitting my time between three schools, so I'll be carrying things back and forth from school to school.

I'd like to get a new bag that will let me carry all of my stuff in the most back-friendly way possible. This is what I carry on a daily basis:

1. iPad
2. Lesson plan book
3. Contents of my purse, which I dump into my work bag (cell phone, wallet, lip balm, keys, hair brush, school ID and key cards)
4. Extra pens and pencils
5. My lunch

That's the bare minimum. On any given day I may also have to tote my laptop, my Android tablet, workbooks, decks of flashcards, or other stuff. I'm not walking miles and miles with this stuff - just from my car to my workspace and back - but it's enough that I'm experiencing some pain from my current bag.

Help me out - what's the best bag for me?

posted by christinetheslp to clothing, beauty, & fashion (13 answers total)

How about something like this or this?

Lots of rolling things here too...
posted by kdern at 7:04 PM on January 19

You said no wheeled carts, but what about a wheeled briefcase?

All of our Victorinox travel gear pieces are 10 years old, and they've held up extremely well. They also make rolling totes and backpacks. The backpacks still have straps that you can wear over both shoulders, or you can pull out the handle and roll away.
posted by Ostara at 7:05 PM on January 19

I'd like to avoid anything with wheels, if possible. I already have my eye on a few wheeled bags, but I'd love it if I could find a non-wheeled alternative.
posted by christinetheslp at 7:08 PM on January 19

Is the PT against backpacks, or against the semi-slouching "one strap over a shoulder" habit that most of us develop when using them? A properly fitted backpack should be able to carry all that stuff easily and put the weight well distributed on both shoulders and waist.
posted by meinvt at 7:13 PM on January 19

You can use 1 or 2 canvas bags, and carry them in your hands, not on your shoulder. If you're like me, you are deeply habituated to carrying the weight on your shoulder, and carrying weight in your hands will annoy you. You can get a backpack, and actually use both straps. You can get a backpack with wheels, and only use the wheels when it's really heavy or a long distance. You can get a messenger bag, and sling it across your chest (I have one of these for my laptop and tablet, and usually sling it - over my shoulder). You can get a very useful luggage cart for days when you have lots of stuff. I use a similar one of these at work to lug computers, and they are very handy.

It's worth some annoyance to protect your back.
posted by theora55 at 7:33 PM on January 19

man do not go with a backpack - you will regret it in time - unless as meinvt is suggesting you wear it completely properly, with a tight strap at the bottom that puts most of the weight on your hips. if you wear a backpack just hanging off of both shoulders to the rear you will suffer. but maybe a real pack won't work with your sacroiliac.

personally i use a messenger bag and wear it with the weight in front - i look like a [bad word for the cognitively impaired] but my back and shoulders simply do not hurt.

honestly, and i don't mean this critically, but if you have real back problems, carrying heavy items is just a flat-out bad idea. go rolly.
posted by facetious at 7:55 PM on January 19 [2 favorites]

I really love my Timbuk2 messenger bag, and if I wear it properly (with the shoulder pad, bag at the small of my back) I don't feel like I'm carrying anything at all. I carry a netbook though, not a full-sized laptop.
posted by IndigoRain at 11:15 PM on January 19

(I should note that mine sits at the small of my back because I have an XS. Larger bags may ride higher.)
posted by IndigoRain at 11:19 PM on January 19

You could check out daypacks - hiking backpacks meant for a day out. They are more contoured and padded. They have hip and chest straps. You don't have to use the straps all the time but if you had a heavy load one day or had to go a distance, you could employ them.

Is there a shop in your town that has a bunch of bags? REI maybe? You could buy a half-dozen, take them home and try them out with your usual load and return the ones that don't work.

We did this a couple years back for my husband's bike commuter bag. Bought about five bags and tried them out with him on the bike trainer and returned those that weren't comfy or didn't work. He still loves the bag he chose that day.
posted by amanda at 8:18 AM on January 20

Seriously consider a backpack - I have to carry around my work laptop (heavy), about an inch of paper, my notepad, pencil case, laptop accessories, water, lunch and purse content every day. When I last had my backpack weighed at the airport for them to confirm I was within their hand luggage weight range it weighed 17lbs without a water bottle and without lunch. I do not have a car - it's walking and public transport, and I hate carrying stuff in my hands. This does extend to pulling a wheeled bag, which I have to pick up to get on the train, which includes messing around with the extendable handle etc.

A little while ago I invested in an over the shoulder work bag type thing and after a few days of using this I noticed that my neck was getting really tense and painful. After a few more days it occurred to me that the bag was to blame. If I use a laptop backpack (even though this does not have waiststraps) my back is much happier. May not work depending on your symptoms of course but if you're only carrying the bag for short distances between car and workplaces equal weight distribution over both shoulders may be enough to give you relief.
posted by koahiatamadl at 4:59 AM on January 21

When I was doing EI, I used those LL Bean bags (e.g. these) to cart around toys, materials, etc., but doesn't seem to fit your bill. I think a messenger backpack might be something to consider (FWIW all my colleagues used rolling suit cases, but I never did because I hated thumping the damned thing up four flights of stairs). What you'll want to consider is carrying capacity, usually measured in liters. But it's hard to gauge how manu liters all your stuff is! If possible, I highly recommend taking everything you think you'll carry in a day to a store and packing bags! It sounds weird, but cycling or outdoor shops won't bat an eye. You can look at Chrome, Crumpler, or the aforementioned TimBuk2, for example. The nice thing about the large messenger style backpacks is that they are one, huge compartment that you can fill as needed, so you're not carrying around a built-in laptop sleeve on days when you don't need your machine.
posted by absquatulate at 3:31 PM on February 3

A friend got me hooked on Freitag. I have a half dozen or so of their bags with my most used being the Dexter messenger bag and the Hazzard backpack. They ain't cheap, but they're great. I prefer them to Chrome, Crumpler, and Timbuk2 of which I have one each.
posted by You Should See the Other Guy at 8:04 PM on February 13

In the end I got a tote bag similar to the LL Bean bags absquatulate mentioned. I use a second tote bag on the days I have to carry a lot of stuff. Being able to carry one in each hand, with my purse on my shoulder, helps the pain. Thanks for your advice everyone!
posted by christinetheslp at 3:03 PM on February 19