Man bags for travel and other times?

[TPMB12]

As a kid man bags were a bit of a joke. In my family my uncle was the butt of many jokes about his leather man bag. However I'm probably a little older than he was back then and am starting to wonder about them.

Have any of you guys looked into getting one or have used them? I think they're very acceptable now and I've seen boys and men using them from early teens to old men and every age between. Are they really practical? What do you use yours for and when do you use it? What do you use?

I'm thinking that since I'm going on our first package holiday as a family this year perhaps a passport carrier might be good.

My suitcase is a wheeled rucksack with daysack attached. I'm likely to use the daysack off the suitcase purely to prevent damage. Do airlines treat man bags as women's handbags in that they're extra to hand luggage like that daysack bag?

Basically I'm curious about the ins and outs of personal bags for men.  Etiquette, airline rules / reality of enforcement, choice of bags m etc. Opinions, advice and suggest greatly appreciated. I'm not a big traveller a be mostly UK in the car or van. Whilst I can pick a suitable backpack tent,  waterproof or stove I have no knowledge about personal bags in any way from kit choice to sociological ideas on n them.

[Pickled Onion]

I'm thinking that since I'm going on our first package holiday as a family this year perhaps a passport carrier might be good.

Men's clothes have pockets. Put your passport(s) in a pocket. They'll be safer there.

If you're not a habitual carrier of a shoulder bag (which is what I'm guessing you mean by "man bag") it's very easy to put it down and either forget to pick it up or have it picked up by someone else.

My suitcase is a wheeled rucksack with daysack attached. I'm likely to use the daysack off the suitcase purely to prevent damage. Do airlines treat man bags as women's handbags in that they're extra to hand luggage like that daysack bag?

I'm pretty sure they make no distinction between a "woman bag" and a "man bag". It would be illegal in any case.

Basically I'm curious about the ins and outs of personal bags for men.  Etiquette, airline rules / reality of enforcement, choice of bags m etc. Opinions, advice and suggest greatly appreciated.

You need to check with the airline. Some allow one cabin bag plus one bag that will fit under the seat in front, others strictly one only (duty free is exempt). Sizes limits have varied recently (they used to be standard allowing you to easily buy a "cabin bag" at the max dimension). Enforcement is a reality - you will be checked at multiple points before getting on the plane, I have seen people in tears when their luggage is a cm too big to fit in the size checking cage and they are charged €60 to have it put in the hold. The airline staff are not swayed.

When out and about at your destination you may want to carry more than will fit in your pockets - waterproof, camera, bottle of water, etc. Personally I find a daypack sized backpack more comfortable and practical, but if you think a shoulder bag is more sartorially elegant then by all means, I don't see what the issue is. Just be prepared to put it *inside* your luggage to get it on to the flight.

[mrcharly-YHT]

I use one in summer because then it's too hot to have a coat on with enough pockets to hold wallet, phone, passport, etc.

Perfectly acceptable and people are ridicule it are idiots

[Beardy]

I have a several of man bags from the larger leather Barbour satchel bought for me as a gift by Dr Beardy, to small slings and bum bags. I certainly wouldn’t travel without some form of additional bag, and have carried the Barbour and a carry on overhead locker friendly suitcase onto many aeroplanes. As a photographer I’ve grown accustomed to carrying bags of all sizes in any case, and when travelling light will often have my limited photo gear in the Barbour along with my passport et al.

[TheLurker]

I've been using small canvas haversacks ever since I was PSO.   Dirt cheap, easy to repair and doesn't matter a damn if they get grubby.

This sort of thing.  https://www.militarykit.com/products/highlander-webbing-haversack-raf-blue

[lissotriton]

I've got a couple of Timbuk2 messenger bags that I like. One is XS size, nice as an everyday manbag. And quite brightly coloured, maybe looks less like a handbag?
I do think its handy to carry my wallet, bottle of water/cup of tea, bit of food, jacket, camera etc. I have a foam insert, which makes it into a nice little camera bag.

A backpack is more comfy if want to carry heavier stuff all day, but less convenient for getting things in and out.

I tried a couple of military surplus shoulder bags, but found the straps not as comfy, and more faff with buckles etc.

[Jurek]

Specs, keys, phone and wallet (a minimalist stainless clip which keeps my cards and notes together) all go in my pockets.
Anything else goes into a series of Crumpler messenger bags, varying in size, dependant on capacity requirements. Spendy, but very well made.
ETA - If I was toting a passport it'd most likely also be in my pocket - reducing the chance of it being lifted/left somewhere.

[rafletcher]

For extra pockets on jacket-less days, combat trousers.

[TPMB12]

I wear shorts a lot which have plenty of pockets.  I really can't get on with much weight in the leg pockets. Even a nearly empty wallet or phone is too much weight there for my liking. That's why n I'm looking at small bags.

Small rucksacks simply don't fit me so are uncomfortable.

[phantasmagoriana]

I've got a couple of Timbuk2 messenger bags that I like. One is XS size, nice as an everyday manbag. And quite brightly coloured, maybe looks less like a handbag?

I used to use one of these as a handbag (I am not a man though). When it eventually wore out, I switched to a backpack purely because I didn't like the way the strap wore down one shoulder of my coats more than the other! My "handbag" nowadays is an Osprey Daylite.

[TPMB12]

My son has a small OMM sack that I often end up carrying home from school. It sits very uncomfortably on my back and shoulders. It's a 1 shoulder only bag for me. I think my Alpkit Gourdon 30l is not much bigger than the smallest sack I'd want.

 I'm 6'5" tall and small rucksacks aren't made for my height. I don't think I'm big just tall,  at least I don't look big big just tall. Things can be deceptive because things like my head is an xxl hat size at about 61cm or 7 5/8ths I think but people say I've a small head.

[davelodwig]

I'm currently using a small Crumpler rucksack, it's supposed to be a camera bag with a zip at the bottom and dividers to store gear but I've unzipped it into one bag so I can stash my A4 journal in it.

I've always carried a bag, no room for pens and pencils in my pockets, or my lunch for that matter.

[Jaded]

Various bags, the Tent Cooper ones being my favourite, that are camera bags but hold lots of other things.

[robgul]

I have two bags - primarily as I need to carry around a small pack of medical related kit for emergencies* - but usually also put my phone in the bag too, plus a few other odds and ends (elastoplasts, paracetamol, spork etc).   My wallet, keys, cash (what's that?) all reside in my pockets.

One bag is leather - similar to this https://www.amazon.com/RingSun-Messenger-Crossbody-Shoulder-Business/dp/B092V4JV6V  and the other is similar in style but nylon material - the leather one when I have to appear reasonably presentable!

I tend to keep it on "cross body" so leaving it behind is made harder!!  I've never had any issues with trains, boats, planes or security checks.   It's also useful if I buy any small items or to carry snacks.

*each of my bikes has an Ortlieb saddle-pack with the same kit.

[ElyDave]

I have a leather manbag, or a few small rucksacks, generally get used when running errands, going to appointments or family functions etc. Used to carry my spare insulin and accoutrements, stuff which doesn't fit in smart pockets or is too heavy to be comfy in cargo pockets.

I can normally fit my OM-10e and lenses as well as a book for those moments when I need to escape. Also get used on holiday as a small carry on.

If I'm travelling for work, I find that a wheeled carry on and my laptop bag are nearly always enough.

[Hot Flatus]

I use one of these

[MikeFromLFE]

Similar to above, I use a surplus canvas bag, in my case a 36 pattern Greek army haversack which holds my sketching kit, a film camera, reading device (kobo), and assorted stuffs.
When 'travelling' I generally supplement that with a multi-pocketed gilet (it's a Rohan design) which allows me to keep things like passport, tickets, wallet etc more securely.

I've found that military surplus bags have met my needs for many years and are cheap and durable enough to experiment with.

[Paul H]

I have the smallest of the Crumpler camera shoulder bags, originally bought for that purpose.  It gets used as a general bag most days, if I'm not out by bike, I'll probably be carrying it, even out on a bike it might be stuffed in a pannier.  Impressed with the design and quality, very tough and waterproof, simple two compartments plus a secure pocket, the long top flap means you can get away with overfilling it without stuff falling out.
It's just a  bag, not a fashion statement, it never occurred to me that anyone might ridicule it and I'm not aware anyone has. 

[Cudzoziemiec]

Is the style you're looking for "roadman" or "trapper"?

[Lightning Phil]

Bum bag or small rucksack if what I’m carrying doesn’t fit in my pockets.  My trousers or shorts tend to have a zipped inner pocket for passports / wallet etc. When checking in they don’t notice the bum bag or rucksack on your back.

[robgul]

Is the style you're looking for "roadman" or "trapper"?

I saw a lady runner yesterday wearing a contraption similar to this with a running vest - but with a water bottle in each of the front pockets - a rather bizarre appearance!

[ElyDave]

There are a bunch of those running vests about, camelbak, inov8 and others, I have one that I've used extensively when I used to do a lot of distance running, also useful when biking if you need to carry extra water etc and have no other place to put it

[Mr Larrington]

Long long ago a fellow Penniless Student Oaf used an army webbing belt with attached ammo pouches.  The latter are conveniently sized for carrying cans of BEER.

[De Sisti]

I hate having too much stuff in my pockets, so I've been using one of these tweed musettes for years:

il soigneur harris tweed cycling musette

[De Sisti]

One bag is leather - similar to this https://www.amazon.com/RingSun-Messenger-Crossbody-Shoulder-Business/dp/B092V4JV6V  and the other is similar in style but nylon material - the leather one when I have to appear reasonably presentable!

I like it. I'm tempted to buy one.