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Sunday, April 10, 2005
What’s in Your Carry-On?
The May issue of Macworld magazine has an article entitled, “Hit the Road, Mac.” In it, three readers share what’s in their carry-on bag. I found it fascinating and decided to share the contents of mine.
For starters, I travel three to four days a month. Occasionally, during some times of the year, I may travel five to six days a month. I currently have 129,381 frequent flyer miles and have Platinum status with American Airlines.
Last week I bought a RoadWired MegaMedia Bag. It’s far and away the best bag I’ve ever owned. (If you buy one, make sure you shop around. I got mine from Adorama at a 30% discount.) It sports thirty-six separate pockets—a place for everything. When my oldest daughter saw it, she snorted, pushed up her imaginary geek glasses, and rolled her eyes. I knew I was on to something.
Here’s what’s inside:
- 15-inch PowerBook and Accessories. This is the new 2005 model with the 1.67 GHz processor. For the record, I’m still loving it. I keep the computer in a Foofbag. This is a blue corduroy slipcase that keeps my PowerBook from getting scratched. It fits like a glove. I also carry the PowerBook power cord (the long one) and a mini-DVI to VGA adapter, so that I can connect to an external projector when making a presentation. I also carry a Kensington iPod/Notebook DC Power Adapter. This is exclusively for iPods and Apple notebooks. It is the smallest DC adapter I have found and allows me to stay powered up on long flights.
- iPod and Accessories. I have the 40GB non-photo model. (I got it before the newest models came out.) I also carry a set of the new Apple in-ear headphones, a Firewire cable that both syncs the iPod and charges it, a remote control cable (the one that came with the iPod), and a Griffin iTrip FM broadcaster, so that I can play my favorite music in my rental car.
- Blackberry and Accessories. I actually wear a Blackberry 7250 on my hip (via the holster). I also carry a USB charging and sync cable (which came with the phone). It allows me to charge my phone without having to carry yet another AC adapter. I also carry a spare battery. I talk more on the phone when I am out of the office and can go through one battery in half a day. I also carry a Jabra BT250 (Bluetooth wireless) headset and charger.
- Camera and Accessories. I have a Sony Cyber-shot DSC-T1. I love this camera—it is so small and so convenient that I actually use it. I don’t use it enough to merit carrying extra batteries and memory sticks. My 512MB memory stick holds about 140 photos—more than enough for a two or three-day road trip.
- Miscellaneous Gadgets and Cables. I carry a Keyspan Presentation Remote (a USB mouse-clicker), two Kingston 512MB USB flash drives (instead of floppies or even CDs), a Belkin retractable Ethernet cable, and a retractable phone cord. (I don’t even remember the last time I used a modem, but it seems like something worth carrying.)
- Reading Material. I carry the latest book I am reading (currently, Now Discover Your Strengths by Marcus Buckingham and Donald O. Clifton), a Signature UltraSlim edition of the New King James Version of the Bible (which I try to read daily), a Moleskin Notebook (which is what I now use to capture all my ideas, meeting notes, and miscellaneous information), and two yellow highlighters. I often pick up a copy of Business 2.0, MacWorld, or something else I can read on take-off and landing.
- Folders. I carry my travel folder in an external pocket where I can get to it. My assistant hands me this before I leave on a trip. It has a schedule of meetings, attendees, phone numbers, flights, hotels, etc. It also includes the ten-day weather forecast for my destination, maps, directions, and confirmations—basically everything I need or might need. I also carry several durable plastic folders. These stay permanently in my bag. I have one for the Chairman of our company (items to discuss with him) one for my wife (items to discuss with her), one for items to take home, one for items to take to the office, and one for “Input” (i.e., business cards, receipts, etc.).
- Other Stuff. Also in an external pocket, I carry my passport, secondary credit cards, membership cards, frequent flyer and hotel cards, etc. I also carry an assortment of over-the-counter medicines and two fresh packs of Orbit “Original Flavor” gum.
That’s it. Did I miss anything? What’s in your bag? I’d love to hear from you.
April 10, 2005 at 10:11 PM in Travel | Permalink
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Comments
OOOhhhh! I like that bag!
Posted by: john | Apr 10, 2005 10:46:16 PM
Interesting bag. There was a time that I would have thought of buying a similar bag, but in recent years my push toward simplicity has reduced the amount of stuff I carry around. The bag I now carry is the eBags Firewall Laptop Brief. This bag is quite amazing for its overall usability and design. It is the only bag that I have ever received compliments for in airports, on planes, by people of all sorts. I never thought people noticed bags, but I think I've helped sell a bunch of these. Anyway, my bag contains:
- Toshiba Portege M205 Tablet PC, with DVD/CDRW and associated power cords. In flight charger as well.
- Seidio Treo 650 power cord/cable sync, along with the Boxwave airplane/lighter/110 volt A/C adapter
- Treo 650 is technically attached to my hip. With the Treo I have two 1 Gig SD cars for music. There is an SD slot built into the Toshiba, making my laptop my music storage device.
- On the Treo I use SplashID to store all of my frequent flyer numbers, hotel memberships, etc. No cards to carry around for me!
- A JumpDrive (512Meg) for moving files to and fro.
- I scan documents on a regular basis, so my files stash is pretty limited. I usually take the current client file for reference, and "inbox" file, and my @Travel file. the @Travel has tear outs from magazines that aren't really core to my interests, but still worth reading
- Moleskine grid notebook for analog notetaking
- mini stapler
- Index cards (to pass along notes to others)
- Post-it notes, out of habit
- 3 blue Pilot G-2 pens, 1 red Pilot G-2 pen, and a highlighter
- One book. I've got 3 eReader books on my tablet that I'm reading currently.
- Business cards
- 2 Nature Valley Granola Bars
- Totes mini umbrella
I stay pretty close to this list, with slight variation based on length of time away from the mothership, mostly.
The keys to this reduced strategy have been the TabletPC and the Treo. Combined, they keep me sane.
Posted by: Nitin | Apr 11, 2005 9:43:17 AM
Like you I have 'Home' (items to take home), 'Work' (items to take to work), and 'To File' (business cards, receipts, articles to categorize) folders.
Additionally, I have a 'Paperwork' folder. Anytime I have an magazine or printed web page article I want to read, non-time-sensitive forms (trade magazine renewal forms), etc., I stuff it into a 'Paperwork' folder which lives permanently in my briefcase. Whenever I have downtime I can pull out this folder and read those articles and do the paperwork.
-- Stan Shinn
http://www.stanshinn.com
Musings on eBusiness
Posted by: Stan Shinn | Apr 11, 2005 10:07:16 AM
This topic seems to come up from time to time. The Fast Company blog asked the same question last year http://blog.fastcompany.com/archives/2004/07/28/in_the_bag.html#more.
Here's mine:
- IBM ThinkPad T40
- Microsoft wireless notebook optical mouse with USB plug that fits in the bottom of the mouse when not in use and cuts the power to the mouse to save battery (I swear by this mouse) http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B0002CPBWI/104-2240086-4756747?v=glance
- Sony Clie PEG-SJ30
- LG VX6000 mobile phone
- iPod (first generation 10GB)
- Current magazines I haven't gotten to yet
- WSJ from home or whichever newspaper is left outside my hotel door
- Large lined Moleskine notebook which I use as a phone log and for note-taking
- Airplane power adapter for my laptop
- RJ11 and Ethernet cables
- Assorted colors of Pilot G2 pens
- Various city maps
- Altoids
- Orbit gum
Posted by: David Paull | Apr 11, 2005 11:47:22 AM
Have a look at http://flickr.com/groups/52241283780@N01/pool/
to have a view in other bags :)
Posted by: bebal | Apr 11, 2005 12:57:12 PM
I have gone the other way. I used to carry with my 15,4" powerbook, a ipaq 2215, a nokia 6600 cell phone, my two moleskine notebooks. The powerbook is always enclosed by the Tucano second skin folder (neoprene) and I alternated between 2 bags: a samsonite briefcase/notebook backpack with plenty of rooms, zippers, etc, and an incase 15" laptop for less stuff and shorter trips. The USB sync/chargers supply power.
Now I carry with me my new 10´4" FSC Stylistic tablet (w/ BT CF card) and my trusted nokia 6600 ( with a spare battery)... The moleskines are still there for quick notes and free thinking... I am currently looking for that perfect case for my new tablet.
BTW, the powerbook is still my sexy laptop, but when I saw the FSC tablet, I kinda fell for it as well. Besides, running Mindmanager on Virtual PC 7 is just counterproductive to my creativity.
S
Posted by: Steinar | Apr 11, 2005 2:21:22 PM
You may enjoy the photos of "what's in your bag" on flickr. I think this started as an offshoot of a post on gizmodo a few weeks ago.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/tags/whatsinyourbag/
Posted by: Alan | Apr 11, 2005 2:27:13 PM
- An old Dell laptop (I don't even know what model, but it still works so I still have it). And I need some sort of wheeled laptop carrier because it's about to kill my shoulder in the airport.
- iPod Shuffle
- BlackBerry for work and personal cell phone
- Olympus C-740 digital camera in my purse - enclosed in a Ziploc bag so the picture viewer won't get scratched up. (Also old but also still works.)
- Magazines to read. When I try to read a book on a plane, I somehow always end up reading three pages and not remembering hardly any of what I just read. I don't know if it's the lack of oxygen, the noise, the attendants or the cramped spaces. And I am one of those annoying people who like to talk to those around me on a flight - unless of course they quite obviously don't want to talk to me. And I still love to look out the window.
- I always carry a notebook in my purse for jotting down ideas and overheard snippets of conversation. (It's not moleskin, though. It's just Target's basic purse-size notebook.)
- The problem with all of this stuff I bring on is that I never have room for an actual carry-on with backup clothes or anything useful like that. Thankfully, I have not had lost luggage yet. (And if it happens I'll sit in the airporta and blog about it till I get some new clothes out of the deal!)
Posted by: Shawn Lea | Apr 12, 2005 3:03:36 PM
I’ve owned my current bag for more than 3 years and its served me well. It’s from GAP and cost me £5.99 (I bought it at the Designer Outlet in York at the GAP discount shop). It’s a lot better than the Samsonite brief case I owned before that.
Here’s what’s inside:
Toshiba Portege Laptop. A great computer, nice and small with a very bright screen.
The Book I’m Reading. Which at the moment is Getting Things Done by David Allen — an excellent book on personal productivity. I also carry a copy of the English Standard Version translation of the Bible with a Bible-in-the-year reading guide.
Digital Media. I carry a blank CD-RW and DVD-R. Also a monthly back-up of work and personal files on a CD-R (has come in handy when I haven’t had my laptop with me).
Pen Drive. For the last few months I’ve kept a USB pen drive in my bag. I think its a Sony one 128Mbytes – I can’t check because my daughter has stolen it to take her homework to school! I keep my standard work PowerPoint presentations on it. If I’m preaching at my church on Sunday I’ll put the presentation that matches my talk on here as well.
Street Map. A street map of York (where I live) and also a Kensington street map of London (my employer is based in London)
Pencil Case. I have a see through pencil case (cost me 28p from ASDA) with various pens and markers. I also carry a left-handed shatterproof 30cm ruler and a credit card size calculator.
Clip Board. I carry an A4 portrait clip-board. I find this useful in meetings for note taking or if I need to pass round a sign-up sheet.
TUFFbag. I keep a SRA4 size TUFFbag from Stypen UK in my bag. This is a landscape see through zip bag — great for keeping papers and odds-and-ends together or for meetings where you don’t need your whole bag.
A4 & A5 Notebooks. For years I’ve used French notebooks. I buy them from Carrefour supermarkets in France when we have our family holiday each year. Aside from being cheap they have nice rounded corners and a grid rather then ruled style I prefer.
Stationery Folder. A fullscap size clear plastic folder containing envelopes, postage charts, stationery, stamps, stickers (par avion, first class etc.) recorded delivery stickers and a special delivery envelope. In addition I have Avery J8160 A4 address labels with addresses for the people that I send stuff to regularly.
Bicycle Clips. Very important – a pair of bicycle clips (to keep my trousers away from the chain!). Mine have reflective strips on them.
Various Folders. I keep a set of various labelled clear plastic fullscap folders for: filing, expenses receipts.
Key Reference Folder. Another clear fullscap folder with product catalogues, address lists etc.
Wireless Presentation Device. I’ve just got a wireless PowerPoint presentation controller from Interlink Electronics. Its the Navigator 2.4 with forward, backward and blank controls. It also comes with a laser-pointer which I’m going to cover up with tape in case my children get hold of it!
Various Leads. Remote headset for my phone, retractable Ethernet cable, retractable model cable (both freebies from conferences) and a USB cable that allows my Blackberry to charge from a computer.
Cheque Book and Paying in Book.
Blackberry. I’ve had a Blackberry for 6 months and I’m lovin it! Its great for keeping in touch on the move, never being without contact details and responding those quick emails (I get about 40 of those a day).
Alpha Course leaflets. I generally card some Alpha course leaflets.
G2 Business Card. I carry some business card sized leaflets for G2, the church meeting I’m part of.
That’s it!
Posted by: Christian Selvaratnam | Apr 13, 2005 4:46:47 AM
You're like the mentor-boss I never had. I love your blog. However...
I was apalled at the "color options" window for your briefcase that offered only titanium as an alternative to black. Road warrior girls want color -- you heard it here first. It's starting, and not a moment too soon.
I bought a rolling bag from American Tourister a year ago, because I was travelling so much with so much STUFF! It has been a disappointment, however it has saved me from "gorilla arm". I'm thinking about a rolling backpack from LL Bean for next time. (Which come in colors!)
I got a wonderful trinket at a tradeshow that I always take when flying: it's called an i-slice (http://www.solutionscatalog.com/jump.jsp?itemType=PRODUCT&iProductID=3644), and is a plastic paper cutter. The perfect scissors substitute on the road, for extracting magazine articles or taking down flipcharts, and no problem at security.
And the memory key, which has saved me many times. As well as spare CD blanks, so I can leave something with the client.
Plus a small sub-set of my medicine cabinet, because it is horrible to be sick in a hotel.
Posted by: Susan | Apr 13, 2005 6:32:54 PM
I'm with your daughter on this one.
Posted by: Larry | Apr 15, 2005 8:12:51 PM
Let's see. I have a soft leather satchel my wife gave me in 1997. Color of aging pine. Swings over the shoulder with a long leather strap. It's all beat up now & I wouldn't use anything else. In it, at present, having just returned from a trip, is a 1959 paperack on Coleridge's Writings on Shakespeare. Couple of books, Thomas Wolfe, Rumi, and a great new one, just released, called TO LOVE IS CHRIST. Amazing book. A cd case filled with Shakespeare plays. A cd player. A microcassette recorder. A montblanc fountain pen & some Mirado #1 pencils. A pencil sharpener. 128 MB flash drive. Yellow highlighter. Tiny post-it page tabs. Some moist towelettes. Three cheap notebooks. Maybe four. Cologne I borrowed from my son. Reading glasses. Odd bits of notes, receipts, old, new, forgotten, loose coins, chewing gum wrappers, guitar picks, and some old magazine, folded, shy, hiding its name, probably literary. Oh yeah, and my trusty Powerbook G4.
Posted by: Shameless in Seattle | Apr 18, 2005 7:48:46 AM
What I WANT to have in my bag is a very small, lightweight 3-prong AC extension cord -- preferably something retractable. Any suggestions on where to find such a beast?
Posted by: Randy | Apr 18, 2005 5:30:50 PM
I think it's pretty interesting that so many of you have Moleskine notebooks. I do understand why they are so popular, I have three: one for journaling about a church plant I'm part of, one for notes on spiritual life, and a sketchbook that I try to draw in (though I'm not very good). If I could find the money, I could probably use about 4 more Moleskines, they are the best.
In my bag, I usually have:
-my Dell 600m Laptop (very good) (and I'm a bit jealous of all of you with Macs...I've been wanting one for quite some time, but the money hasn't been available)
-a still camera (Pentax or Leica, depends on my mood) and extra film (though I'm usually not that good at remembering more film)
-cheap carabiners, always seem to come in handy.
-mechanical pencils and Zebra F-301 pens, my favorite and only pen.
-Samsung E315 cameraphone. Pretty good, small, does the job.
-Sony MDR-V6 headphones. Recommended by my friend who's an audio professional. They're the best I've heard.
-And last but not least, my Hipster PDA. The most useful organizational tool I've had so far. I've learned that my mind can't be trusted to remember everything that needs remembering, so I take a second and write it down.
Posted by: Sam Dodge | Apr 18, 2005 11:03:52 PM
When I travel, it's usually on day trips to ferry smaller airplanes around. However, there are the occasional overnighters. I'm a former airline ticket and ramp agent, so used to hopping on whatever to go to wherever for work.
I don't check luggage. If I need samples of my work for a meeting, sales, or a presentation, I ship them FedEx to the hotel. Fedex has *never* *ever* failed me. If I find I'm short of something, Wal-mart never seems to be far away.
If I have my flight bag, it carries my current laptop (an LGIBM LT20 tablet, formerly an IBM X31), my half-sized notebook, power cable and adapter, digital camera, spare phone battery and charger, Sony Clie PEG SJ22, and USB/Ethernet/Phone cable set. The cell phone is clipped to the belt. The best item in the entire kit is the $0.33 ear plugs.
If I don't have the flight bag, the stuff goes into a well-worn Eastman backpack. Thieves don't even look at it. I'm not carrying a 5 pound computer case that is 4 sizes too large for my tiny footprint laptop and broadcasts its contents. In the backpack can go a change of clothes (at most two sets plus swimsuit), and in addition to the usual small-sized tolitries, I carry bubble bath or bath salts. If it's a business trip, I'm wearing my suit already, maybe even with a jacket over it. My shoes are combination sneakers/dress shoes that do not trigger airport security, even now.
The other thing I will not go without is a set of seat cushions from Oregon Aero. I have the full-size back cushion and the thin seat cushion. All airlines consider them to be assistive devices and allow them in addition to my one carry-on.
In ten years of active travel (private aircraft don't get frequent flyer status), I have had flights cancelled, delayed, rescheduled, overbooked, and underbooked. If the airline sends me to another flight, I can go straight to the gate. If it's another carrier, I still get to enjoy the line, but if I can get through security, I can make the flight 10 minutes before departure, or once through and having missed the second flight, be re-booked at the gate for a third.
I can take the airline up on offers for a free ticket anywhere in overbook situations, or not. I'd rather wait another hour and fly on an empty flight than be shoveled in with the rest of the herd.
I've slept on those cushions a few times. Either the hotel bed was rock hard, or the terminal floor was rock hard. If the terminal doesn't have the frequent flyer clubs, or the northern middle-of-nowhere airport doesn't have a pilot sleep lounge, the cushions are great.
Northern Middle-of-Nowhere also lacks high-speed internet access or charges a pretty buck for it, so my dial-up service works great for email and even some surfing.
As for reading material, only on airline flights, it's usually some technical manual that I'm converting into an easy to use checklist. I have five bookcases at home, filled. I have 3 different magazine subscriptions that I read when needed. I have a billion plus different research projects with most of the content online. If I'm desperate, the airline hub airports have bookstores, I can always pick up something en-route. Otherwise, I am doing the flying, so the passengers get kind of cranky if I sit back and read.
With the cushions, I am not stiff at the end of the flight. Also, I avoid Airbus aircarft as they do not have a good size seat, and I find them quite uncomfortable. My carry-on fits under the seat ahead of me, so no fighting for the overheads, or reaching either, and I have access to everything. I usually put the tablet PC into the seat back pocket as part of getting set up. The ear plugs prevent noise fatigue so I'm not tired at the end of the flight. No checked luggage means I head straight for the rental car (Hertz Gold Club - can't live without it) or hotel shuttle, no fussing. The FedEx package can be sent straight to my room, or I'll pick it up when the morning shift arrives. One hot shower later, all the wrinkles in the suit are gone (hang 'em up in the steam).
There it is, my one bag recipe for low-stress high-frequency travel.
Enjoy your flight!
Former AAgent
Posted by: Former AAgent | Apr 22, 2005 10:01:25 AM
Thanks for the recommendation of the bag, Michael. I have been looking for something like this for a while so I have now purchased one and I am delighted with it. I use mine bascially for commuting, occasionally for longer journeys. As I don't always carry my laptop I wanted a bag that could hold the laptop when necessary along with a number of papers and files, but was also functional as a briefcase when the laptop was not being carried. So many "laptop" cases I have looked at are only really functional when the laptop is resident and are not good as a standard case. The RoadWired case is fully functional as a laptop case and a briefcase. Being in the UK there were limited options with regards purchasing the bag, but I managed to purchase one (the leather version) on ebay and have it shipped to UK and still make a substantial saving!
In my bag I keep:-
iPaq 4700, Laptop (Toshiba Satellite Pro wide screen), memory sticks, spare pens in a Levenger case, Leatherman, small minilite torch, post-it note pad, business cards, train timetable (being in the UK this passes as a work of fiction!), headphones, ipod, small moleskine, work keys, security pass, reading material, and working papers.
All now fit nicely into their new home!
Posted by: Edith A. Robertson | May 5, 2005 3:10:44 AM
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Posted by: Archna | Sep 28, 2005 8:11:31 AM
Yes that is correct. I liked your comment. I too belong to the same profile and this was of great help.
Elliot Daverty
http://www.blackberryaccessoriesstop.com
Posted by: Elliot Daverty | Feb 9, 2006 10:27:13 PM
Michael,
I too love the Roadwired MegaMedia bag. I spent many hours researching bags, and this one does it for me perfectly! Get this, somehow, I was able to fit a 15 in notebook computer with accessories PLUS a Canon Digial Rebel 350XT in the bag at the same time. It was bulky, but worked great! Brilliant bag!
Posted by: Jonathan | Mar 2, 2006 1:58:55 PM
can anyone help me? i need to take my laptop with me on flight from UK but realsie with nmeew restrictions it will have to go in planes hold? will it survicve the journey? are there any trips for wrapping/ I have a standard computer bag
thanks for any tips
julia
Posted by: julia davis | Aug 11, 2006 7:06:44 AM
