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What should I put in my "man-purse" daily survival kit?

marbles said:
"man purse " :confused:
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Yep.

Man bag/purse…

Bleggh.

Like this:
crlv.jpg
 
A bottle of amyl nitrate, the ultimate cure for hiccups? I always like to have one to hand.
 
BoyBach said:
Good grief man, throw your "man purse" into the bin! If it doesn't fit into your pockets, then you probably don't need to carry it. :p
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I'd argue the other way around.

I think every modern man should have a murse, even if you only use it occasionally. I use mine once a month, or if I go out somewhere during the day, or with friends when I know I'm not going to a club or bar (pubs are Ok). Normally I bring my laptop bag or backpack with me to uni, so I don't need a murse. Wallet in right pocket, keys and mobile in the left. ;)

However, if you don't even have one, you're really not keeping up with the times. Maybe you could have gotten away with keeping everything in your pockets in the 1980s.

In the 1980s: wallet, keys, and maybe sunglasses/glasses. But usually, just wallet and keys.

In 2008: Wallet, keys, and a mobile phone. That's what I normally carry, and the absolute minimum.


What if you need to bring 2 extra items? Want to bring sunblock, iPod, water bottle, small notebook/moleskine, book, map, Nintendo DS, digital camera, and when required, a small umbrella with you?

I should mention that I don't even own a Nintendo DS, but I do carry some of the other things when I think I may need them. Without a bag, it's impossible unless you're always travelling around with a girl who has her purse handy. ;)

Or I guess you can stuff your pant pockets, but the crazy bulges in your pants make you look weird/bad, particularly when passing daycares and children's hospitals.

mrgreen4242 said:
Here's what I've come up with so far:

  • multitool (of course). Swiss Army knife or Leatherman style. Or both. Probably both.
  • duct tape (small sized roll)
  • small roll of electrical tape, too
  • zip ties
  • travel sewing kit
  • dental floss (not for my teeth, but it's an amazingly handy way to pack pretty strong string - I've sawed through 1/4 plastic with floss before. Don't ask.)
  • Small flashlight
  • AA and AAA batteries
  • USB Dock cable
  • standard mini-USB cable
  • USB to AC charger
  • Spare cellphone charger (I can save space here using the USB cable for my Palm and the above USB to AC adaptor)
  • blank DVD/CDs
  • USB flash drive (actually I'll be super efficient here and pack a 2gb microSD card in a tiny USB adaptor, and my microSD to SD adaptor... I'll be able to plug the card into any PC, my/most digital cameras, and my/most cellphones, too)
  • Digital camera (about to get a Nikon D40, but it's pretty small, so it'll should still fit even with a smallish case/wrap around it)
  • Cellphone/iPod (though those are usually in my pockets)
  • ziplock bag with: travel toothbrush, toothpaste, deodorant, hand sanitizer, "wet wipes", and some extra, empty, ziplocks
  • .5L bottle of water (if it gets too full this will be the first to go. Water is heavy/dense, but I'll keep an empty bottle for refilling when thirsty)
  • couple of energy/granola/candy bars
  • gum/mints
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That's nuts. I can understand that murses are occasionally useful, but you don't need all that stuff with you all the time. Why not just throw those things into a drawer somewhere, and when you're in a situation where you need a sewing kit (for example), bring it with you. Yes, it's useful on vacation, but how often are you on vacation?
 
Abstract said:
That's nuts. I can understand that murses are occasionally useful, but you don't need all that stuff with you all the time. Why not just throw those things into a drawer somewhere, and when you're in a situation where you need a sewing kit (for example), bring it with you. Yes, it's useful on vacation, but how often are you on vacation?
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My handbag is rather spartan but I do carry a roll of black thread with a needle in it, you'd be surprised how often it gets used.

Personally I carry:

my purse (money/cards/ID)
bottle of amyl nitrate
needle/thread
swiss army knife
keys
various prescription meds including a strip of 30/500 co-codamol
a red foldable wide brim sunhat in the summer or wooly gloves in the winter
my palm treo 650
three pens, two regular one permanent marker
solid deodorant
Black eyeliner

I don't carry safe sex supplies simply because if it was that rushed I'd rather not go through with it, I have in the past and I've always regretted it.
 
iI'm going to just ignore the off topic comments (the topic at hand is "what to put in my UAB" not "should I carry a UAB"). There's been a few people who have listed sunglasses in their bags. I wear glasses most of the time (sometimes contacts, but glasses probably 80-90% of the time) and I can't afford prescription sunglasses, nor have I found any clip on ones that a) don't make me look like (more of) an idiot, b) don't fall apart within one season, and/or b) cost less than the prescription sunglasses would.

Advice on that front would be welcome, too.
 
Ok, I guess I'll list my stuff:

Small man-bag:

- moleskine
- pen
- sunglasses and case
- Fuji F31 camera
- iPod
- 500 ml bottle of water
- (sunblock in the summer)

The bag is small, but I can bring 3 or 4 of the items on the list with me at one time. My wallet, keys, and mobile still go in my pant pocket. ;)


If I need to carry more than that, I bring my mid-sized bag which fits all of this:

- moleskine
- pen
- sunglasses and case
- Fuji F31 camera
- iPod
- 500 ml bottle of water
- sunblock (in the summer)
- a jumper, scarf, or hat/toque for when it turns cold at night (autumn and spring).


I don't feel that my list of stuff is over-the-top, and I'm sure many guys find themselves needing to carry most of these things at one time.
 
mrgreen4242 said:
iI'm going to just ignore the off topic comments (the topic at hand is "what to put in my UAB" not "should I carry a UAB"). There's been a few people who have listed sunglasses in their bags. I wear glasses most of the time (sometimes contacts, but glasses probably 80-90% of the time) and I can't afford prescription sunglasses, nor have I found any clip on ones that a) don't make me look like (more of) an idiot, b) don't fall apart within one season, and/or b) cost less than the prescription sunglasses would.

Advice on that front would be welcome, too.
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Sell some of the crap in your bag to buy prescription sunglasses. :D
 
Badandy said:
-Keys
-iPhone
-Wallet
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Spot on! If you've got those you're covered!

Makes me laugh when my wife, with all the things in her handbag, never seems to have money or the ability to get hold of it, nor a key for the house or the car.....
 
Abstract said:
- moleskine
- pen
- sunglasses and case
- Fuji F31 camera
- iPod
- 500 ml bottle of water
- sunblock (in the summer)
- a jumper, scarf, or hat/toque for when it turns cold at night (autumn and spring).
Click to expand...

Hat gloves is a good one. Just a small set, something suited to the fall weather, would be enough (I live in MI, it's cold here 6 months out of the year) unless I'm planning to be outside for a long time, but then I'd be packing a whole other bag.

Grasbak said:
Spot on! If you've got those you're covered!

Makes me laugh when my wife, with all the things in her handbag, never seems to have money or the ability to get hold of it, nor a key for the house or the car.....
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I know you were being silly, but a full spare keyset is a good one. Might need to fashion up a hidden interior pocket for keys/money/ATM/ID...

rdowns said:
Sell some of the crap in your bag to buy prescription sunglasses. :D
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But they where would I put them?!?! :D
 
Tosser said:
Don't make fun of bags for men:

:D
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There's bags, and there's all-out-denial of the frackin obvious.



I usually carry a 15"nb-form-factor messenger bag.
- wallet
- another wallet with cash
- passport
- keys
- ID tokens
- laptop, usually something decent - but there are occasions I have to stoop to a Macbook Pro or the Air. If carrying either Apple, I have to pack either an AC adapter or a second battery.
- two or more phones
- mints
- memory key
- USB size converter, iPod cable
- an MP3 player: varies, usually a Touch
- earphones
- headphone jacked headset remotes for all players / phones
- pen
 
Recycled from the "What's in your bag thread?"

img0194bb8.jpg


17" Macbook Pro
Asus Eee PC
Mandatory Reporter certificate
Random papers, magazines, paystubs, etc
USB to Parallel adapter cable
eMac power cable
post-it notes
assorted pens/sharpies
MBP charger extension cable
DSL filter
USB to serial adapter
3 various Apple VGA adapters
multiple RCA audio cables
25' 3.5mm MM audio cable
2 usb camera cords
1/2 a broken pen
2 CD holders chock full of various software disks
2 sheets of Apple stickers
some asset barcode tags
iLife 08
Leopard
business cards
5 flash drives
CD jewel case opener
carabiner keychain
2 flashlights
retractable ethernet cable
retractable firewire cable
random piece from iSight kit
MBP charger
couple of keychains
tweezers
mini kleenex pack
my keys
ratcheting screwdriver
mini screwdrivers set
2 Apple remotes
alcohol wipes (for cleaning mice, keyboards)
2 RJ45 ends
2 Allen keys for LCD projector mounts
------
Found while putting things back in the bag:
2 more RJ45 ends
coax cable
another pen
other half of broken pen

I also usually have an 8 1/2" by 14" legal pad in my bag, and I just cleared out some of the random papers a week or so ago.
 
Muji does a lovely black bag that shifts between rucksack, messenger bag, briefcase as needed. (the various straps for the unused modes can be concealed in cunningly located hideaways).

In it is:

my macbook, notepad, diary, pen, pencil.
glasses case, spray clean and wipe
Newspaper of the day / a book on my reading list (for the bus or tube)
Bottle of water
Some electrical tape
Whatever documents I'm currently working on.
Sometimes a spare jumper.
In winter, a hat/ scarf.

I have duplicate macbook / phone chargers at work and home so I don't usually need to carry them.

Phone, keys and wallet usually go in my pockets, but when going for the clean look, they go in the Muji bag.

With macbook, I use it in rucksack mode (less cool, but saves my shoulders), without macbook, in messenger bag mode (more cool).

I generally walk / cycle so I like to keep it as light as possible.

It also has an expanding zip if I want to stuff more junk in it e.g. light shopping, or use it as an overnight/weekend bag (does this quite well too).
 
Indeed, there was a thread a very interesting and well-respected member (;)) started a while back that may give you some ideas by seeing what other people carry.

I don't have big pockets, so almost always carry a messenger bag around with me (I don't do handbags). I would be the first to admit to carrying a fair bit of random ***** around with me, but it tends to be stuff I use oftenish, rather than "just in case".

I'd be tempted to say a lot of that stuff was overkill, but, on re-reading your list, a lot of it isn't that big or heavy. I'd be interested to see the size of all that stuff in a pile, as I suspect it's less than it sounds from the list.
 
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