The best single-pocket small bag money can buy.
July 18, 2018 11:36 AM   Subscribe

A music festival I attend has really restricted the bags you can bring in this year. Full rules here. What is my best option for dealing with the constrictions of one pocket, 14" x 11" x 5" ? I don't really want to spend money for something that'll be used once a year, but the only thing I have now that fits is a cheapo fanny pack, which isn't going to cut it for what I like to carry with me. Do you have anything that fits these restrictions that you love? Where did you buy it?

I am planning on renting a locker to keep some of the things I like to have that I know I can't carry with these new bag rules (sandals, hoodie, sunscreen, rain poncho; phone charger, etc), but I'd like to be able to carry the following:
Phone; lip balm; sunglasses; hand sanitizer, travelpack of Kleenex/wipes; business card holder with ID, small amount of money, hotel key; something to sit on (I've done a blanket before, but prefer disposable plastic tablecloths b/c they fold down v small and are lightweight); a pen; and a folded 8"x11" sheet of paper (daily schedule w notes). I am 99% sure the fanny pack I have is not going to be able to fit all of that, so I'm looking to add another bag.
I hate drawstring backpacks, so that is my last resort. If you know of the Cadillac of drawstring bags, I'd love to hear about it. I also have a distaste for the Camel-back type of backpacks, so let's take that off the table for now. Maybe the fanny pack + some new cargo shorts with giant pockets will be the best option? The single-pocket is what's killing me - it narrows down options a lot, at least what I've been able to find so far on Amazon.
posted by Fig to Sports, Hobbies, & Recreation (17 answers total) 4 users marked this as a favorite
 
A cross body bag is a purse and thus permitted. This, for example, is well within the size restrictions and will easily hold your list. The space allowed is more significant than you seem to think it is?
posted by DarlingBri at 11:48 AM on July 18, 2018


I have a variation on this bag from Marimekko which I really like a lot. Matches the dimensions almost exactly, cross-body strap, and holds a lot. Machine washable, too!
posted by libraryhead at 11:51 AM on July 18, 2018 [1 favorite]


That bag from H&M has a front pocket.
Maybe a clear backpack would get around the one-pocket rule? Man, that size/pocket restriction is really terrible.
Maybe a stuffable backpack that you pull out after you clear security?
posted by ApathyGirl at 12:00 PM on July 18, 2018 [1 favorite]


Best answer: I have never met this bag in person so I don't know if it's "the best" by every metric, BUT JUST LOOK AT IT.

It fits the size/pocket requirements, should be big enough to fit everything you're looking to fit, and will be instagrammable af.

Found while searching for the holo mini backpack I do actually own to check the dimensions on it...before remembering it has two pockets.
posted by phunniemee at 12:02 PM on July 18, 2018 [4 favorites]


The Carhartt Legacy Cross-Body Carry-All meets your dimensional requirements. It has internal dividers, but just one big pocket—does that count? That pocket rule is confusing to me. Fashion-wise, it's sort of the baggy equivalent of cargo shorts.
posted by mumkin at 12:02 PM on July 18, 2018


If you end up deciding to buy something, may I suggest a "scottevest" that has a ton of pockets in it?
posted by mccxxiii at 12:07 PM on July 18, 2018


Best answer: Unfortunately as you can see from all these examples that don't fit the guidelines, I think one of those terrible drawstring backpacks is going to be your only bet. I would probably go for a heavier fabric (cotton or cotton-poly blend) one rather than a thin/cheap nylon one as IME the nylon ones rip very easily when caught on something even slightly sharp.

Another option would be to get an inexpensive crossbody bag that you like which fits the size requirements and has a single flap-type internal pocket that you can cut out entirely and use as a coin purse elsewhere, or a patch-type pocket you can remove with a seam ripper.
posted by poffin boffin at 12:14 PM on July 18, 2018 [2 favorites]


Best answer: Look at this cool one
posted by adiabatic at 12:22 PM on July 18, 2018 [6 favorites]


I'd be tempted to see if I could fit all that list into the TB 3D Organizer Cube (with added shoulder strap). It would certainly last forever and be useful as a packing cube in future travels. But it might be a smidge too small (certainly it's nowhere near the max size).
posted by praemunire at 1:09 PM on July 18, 2018


Are you crafty, or know someone who is? It seems like it would be easy enough to sew a crossbody bag to meet these requirements, and would probably be cheaper than buying something.
posted by little king trashmouth at 1:20 PM on July 18, 2018 [4 favorites]


I think this one might work

here


You could go old school (a lot of kids in my high school (late 80's had these, or the backpacks)

here
posted by Ftsqg at 1:33 PM on July 18, 2018 [3 favorites]


How about a musette bag? (Simple cross-body bag originally given out to bike racers.) If you can sew you could put a zipper into any old bag like the ones they hand out at Bike to Work Day around here. Or if not, search for “zippered musette” and you’ll find lots of options. They’re sort of flat by nature, so might not be good for thick or bulky blankets.
posted by expialidocious at 3:49 PM on July 18, 2018 [1 favorite]


I carried a vintage-style canvas medic bag, which seems to fit your criteria, as a crossbody purse/messenger-style bag for years. They're widely available and fairly inexpensive but here's the first option that came up for me on a search (you can look around for different prices, colors, designs, etc.; here's a bunch more on Amazon). The first link doesn't show pictures of the inside but it looks just like the one I have, which I can tell you is very simple: all one pocket in canvas with a flap cover and two buckles to hold it closed. No zipper, liner, or anything. Not the greatest quality in the world but OK. The measurements are slightly under your limit, but it can hold a surprising amount of stuff (and the soft sides and adjustable buckles means it can expand a bit).

Sometimes you can find them with magnetic closures so you don't have to buckle the straps every time, but I always told myself the buckles added an extra layer of pickpocket protection/annoyance (although, don't fool yourself, it's just a cloth bag and easy enough to sneak things out of if someone wanted).
posted by spelunkingplato at 4:24 PM on July 18, 2018 [2 favorites]


If you search for “festival bag” or “concert bag” on Etsy, you get drawstring bags, crossbody bags, and fanny packs in all kinds of materials. If there’s something you like, you could probably convo the seller about a custom version with no extra pockets.
posted by elphaba at 5:02 PM on July 18, 2018


The very popular Tom Bihn Cafe Medium fits these rules. It is my very favorite bag in the the world and I've had it since 2000.
posted by advicepig at 6:34 AM on July 19, 2018


Response by poster: My utilitarian side won, and I ended up going with adiabatic's suggestion. Although, I do have time left and found very many novelty purses that fit the guidelines, so I might also do something along phunniemee's idea too.... Thanks, all!
posted by Fig at 8:02 AM on July 20, 2018


Response by poster: Security is not enforcing the 1-pocket rule at all >:( My new bag is cute though, and is working out well so it's all good. Thanks for your help!
posted by Fig at 5:47 PM on August 3, 2018


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