Nothing cements your relationship standing with a brand new pastime like shopping for a particular bag for it.
Hiking? Cycling? Photography? You guess there’s a particular bag designed for simply that. Getting into a brand new factor and accumulating gear for it’s a pleasure. An necessary and underappreciated subcategory of that enjoyment is discovering a particular bag to carry all of these devices. Finding and utilizing that good bag — with all the correct compartments, hooks, and snaps — is its personal specific delight. And it’s excessive time we gave it the popularity it deserves.
There are some purchases that simply can’t maintain up the hopes we’ve for them. Who amongst us hasn’t stood in line to take a look at at Uniqlo considering “These are the wide-leg denims which can be going to vary all the pieces for me,” solely to place them within the donation pile six months later? But a particular little bag has all the time been capable of assist the burden of my expectations, even once they’re sky-high. I’ve by no means regretted shopping for one, however I certain as hell have regretted hauling round a bunch of kit in a bag that wasn’t proper for the job.
Don’t get me unsuitable, a superb general-purpose bag is a superb factor to have. Peak Design makes some standard backpacks alongside these strains, and I’ve spent loads of time daydreaming about all of the methods a Filson bag would change my life if I had an additional $500 mendacity round. My Herschel Little America bag has been all the pieces to me, from a commute companion to the toddler’s toy bag filled with airplane actions and my final shred of sanity. But sure hobbies name for their very own particular bag, particularly when electronics are concerned. Throwing a laptop computer or a digicam into the identical compartment as your water bottle and keys can go very unsuitable.
I’ve by no means regretted shopping for one, however I certain as hell have regretted hauling round a bunch of kit in a bag that wasn’t proper for the job
Last summer season I began actually moving into biking, which is after I realized {that a}) I dwell on prime of an enormous hill, and b) driving up a hill with a bag filled with stuff on my again sucks. There are a number of nice espresso retailers inside biking distance from my home, so I began packing up my laptop computer and heading out on two wheels most afternoons. But the Herschel bag’s again and straps aren’t effectively ventilated so I’d wind up with a sweaty again and a sweaty, gross bag to hold round as soon as I received off the bike. I don’t like the sensation of one thing on my again after I bike both, particularly the best way it shifts round after I flip to test behind me.
Once I made a decision that I’d be utilizing my bike to commute to my coworking house a few times per week, my record of particular little bag standards took form. It wanted to hold my laptop computer and lunch. It wanted a few small entrance and facet pockets for fast entry to stuff. It wanted to be moderately waterproof. It wanted to be comfy to hold round off the bike. Most importantly, I didn’t wish to carry it on my again whereas biking. Some research led me to a convertible pannier backpack by Two Wheel Gear and it has been the right addition to my burgeoning assortment of motorcycle gear.
When I’m able to journey, I fold the backpack straps right into a compartment on the again and the entire bag clamps onto my bike’s rear cargo rack securely with a number of sturdy hooks. Once I park, I zip the again compartment shut and simply snap the straps into place so it’s able to be carried on my again. It has an outer pocket the place I can stash my cellphone and keys for fast entry, plus loads of inside pockets for all my different stuff. It’s a lot climate resistant by itself, however there’s additionally a rain cowl included in its personal pocket. It’s nice, I find it irresistible, and it has made cruising round city that bit extra nice.
The particular little bag is load-bearing in so some ways
I had the identical expertise with mountain climbing a number of years in the past. I began off with all my little snacks and a Nalgene filled with water stuffed into the primary compartment of my Herschel backpack for day hikes across the central Cascades. As I began taking up tougher hikes, having simpler entry to my water grew to become extra necessary. Likewise with my digicam — setting the bag all the way down to seize it from the primary compartment was annoying.
The Topo bag I purchased comes with house for a hydration pack and a zipper on the facet so I can swing my bag in entrance of me and seize my digicam with out taking it off my shoulder. I exploit it together with a small digicam insert that Topo doesn’t appear to promote anymore, which is an actual disgrace as a result of I may write 2,000 phrases about how a lot I like that particular bag. The path backpack has a beneficiant compartment for my Nalgene and ample storage for snacks. None of its options prevented a chipmunk from crawling in and practically stealing my lunch on the prime of Tolmie Peak, however that one was on me.
The particular little bag is load-bearing in so some ways. It retains your devices and private results secure. It’s often extra comfy than the choice, which is necessary should you plan on utilizing your again and shoulders into your forties and past. Don’t even get me began on the significance of a superb diaper bag — each time I’ve switched away from our beloved Skip Hop bag it’s been nothing however a catastrophe. But greater than the utility, it’s simply plain enjoyable discovering and utilizing that particular bag; one way or the other it’s an extension of the pastime itself. “Where’d you get that bag?” is a pure connection level with different lovers, too. Plenty of photographers I’ve met are uninterested in speaking about their model of digicam gear however they’ll completely wax poetic concerning the Domke bag they purchased in 1988.
Maybe that is your signal to put money into the particular little bag you’ve been eyeing, or possibly it’s only a reminder to point out your personal particular baggage a bit further appreciation. Either manner, should you see me out on a mountain climbing path or bike path this summer season please don’t hesitate to say, “Hey, the place’d you get that bag?” Because I’m simply dying to let you know.
