Five Work Bags That Work Hard

On my way to work, I often feel like a bag lady. I have a purse, lunch bag, and gym bag all dangling off my person, and I’m usually also sporting a disgruntled look on my face. Lately I’ve been trying to consolidate by putting all my items in an old backpack, but sometimes I get to work only to find my apple nestled up against a dirty gym sock. It’s not a great way to start the day. A better option would be to have one bag that fits it all in nicely, and one that could be used whether riding, walking, or bussing to work. Five options is even better!

Patagonia’s Half-Mass Bag ($99.00)
A friend of mine has one of these bags, and I’ve been silently coveting it for months. It has a padded computer sleeve with room for a 15-inch laptop on the inside; on the outside, it has a large elastic stuff pocket, a water bottle pocket, and side pockets perfect for cell phone, keys, and wallet. It’s Patagonia quality, meaning it’s durable, and when they say it’s water resistant, I believe them. It’s a perfect bike bag, with a reflective strip on the outside improving visibility, but shouldn’t be reserved for those on two wheels. I would use it as an everyday bag—for commuting, classes, and the gym.

Brooklyn Industry’s Attache ($68.00)
Brooklyn Industry has remade the messenger bag into this cute but functional multi- purpose bag. It has a padded laptop sleeve, but also has smaller padded pockets for the tech savvy businessperson. Of course, all those gadgets could get heavy, but the Attache has a reinforced padded strap to help ease the weight. The strap is removable so it can be hand carried. It looks nice too.

LeSportsac Medium Tribeca Tote ($68.00)
LeSportsac has been around since the 1970s, but they’ve made a comeback recently with their vibrant patterns and versatile styles. The best part about Sportsac is that they’re the type of rough and tumble bag that you can throw everything into everyday, and then you can throw them in the washing machine at the end of the day. This tote has a padded bottom, zipped main closure, and inside pocket to keep the stray cell phone, keys, and change from infiltrating the main compartment.

Ibiza Flight Tote ($205.00)
The Ibiza tote is made for travel, but I don’t see why it can’t be used for the traveling from A to B on an everyday basis. Its main virtue is versatility: it can be unfolded to carry a laptop, lunch, documents, and clothes, or it can be folded into a more compact shape for everyday use. The straps are removable, so it can be carried in hand, over the shoulder, or messenger style. Three exterior zippered pockets will ensure you won’t lose your keys or your cool. Measures 19" w x 18" h x 1"d when unfolded, 19" w x 10"h x 2" when folded once.

When I am carrying a lot of stuff to work, I actually like backpack style bags the best because I think they’re the most comfortable. However, sometimes the main compartment can become a jumbled mess of damaged items. The Timbuk2’s Day Pack prevents this with a separate corduroy lined compartment for a laptop, small pockets for cell phone, pens, and keys, and one large exterior zipper pocket. The shoulder straps are padded for extra comfort.

Related Story: The Value of a Good Purchase