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I got a cheap nylon messenger bag at Gencon last year out of desperation for needing some extra room to carry my stuff around. It's become my new D&D bag, and I find myself using it at least once a week to that end. I'm likening it to a laptop bag, and sometimes use it for that.

Having that been said, I'm thinking about picking up a nice leather one from esty. Partly because it's a nice hand made leather one, and partly because it will go with my leather pouches at ren faires/conventions. I'm wondering though, do guys actually wear these things around? I'm trying to mentally balance the fact that it's awesome I have a bag for my tablet, dice, and etc., and the fact that I feel like I'm carrying a purse.

Dakka, help me be more secure in my masculinity!

Here's your test.
If you have to ask, its already too late. . .

No stick with your messenger bag. You're probably young so its ok. Making it leather makes more of a statement, the kind of statement that says "I scream hysterically when I see a mouse."*



*Not like manly men who only scream hysterically when they run across a scorpion, or finally beat the Boss and level 12.

Urge to joke strong, but I will be good.I prefer rucksacks myself because they're more practical, but go nuts. I draw the line at vuyliner though.

 Frazzled wrote:
Here's your test.
If you have to ask, its already too late. . .

No stick with your messenger bag. You're probably young so its ok. Making it leather makes more of a statement, the kind of statement that says "I scream hysterically when I see a mouse."*

But Malfred gets away with it...


...yeah, that's kind of what I was thinking. Late 20s actually, and not really hip (effeminate) enough to pull it off.

*Not like manly men who only scream hysterically when they run across a scorpion, or finally beat the Boss and level 12.

Man, feth that boss on level 12. Guys not even fair.

 Da Boss wrote:
Urge to joke strong, but I will be good.I prefer rucksacks myself because they're more practical, but go nuts.

Agreed. You can carry a much greater weight and volume in much greater comfort and it is much better for your back and shoulders too.

 Da Boss wrote:
Urge to joke strong, but I will be good.I prefer rucksacks myself because they're more practical, but go nuts. I draw the line at vuyliner though.

You said "nuts' in a thread about man bags.

Is pair for the course...

Nothing wrong with a good manbag. It is pretty much a necessity for the modern business man wanting to carry a laptop, notebook, papers and pens and stuff.

 Kilkrazy wrote:
Nothing wrong with a good manbag. It is pretty much a necessity for the modern business man wanting to carry a laptop, notebook, papers and pens and stuff.

Computer bag: cool
Briefcase: cool (a bit old school)
backpack/courier bag: cool
Man bag: NOT COOL.

Well, now you say a courier bag is cool, which I believe is the same as what I'm talking about here. Maybe the problem was that I don't have my terminology straight.

I'm not talking about one of these:


Here's the actual item that I was looking at:

Thats fine then.

I guess I was confused then. I assumed that a man bag was anything that was shoulder slung, and not obviously a tool case, like, for a camera or something.

Every man should have a toolbox; I myself have at least 7, none of which has tools in it.

Something like in the second picture is perfectly fine, the leather look is really rather nice. Rucksacks should really only be worn by schoolchildren or for when you are hiking. Wearing them in a day to day urban situation looks silly.

 Avatar 720 wrote:
Every man should have a toolbox; I myself have at least 7, none of which has tools in it.

Definitely. I have a small tool bag and a larger hard case, and a couple that are just designed to carry the tools they came with (dremel, sander, drill) except that mine actually contain tools.

sorry dude. that's a Murse.

but who cares anyway. if you like it go for it. I also tend to prefer backpacks but that's really out of sheer utilitarianism. (my backpack is also my moto riding gear as well as soon to be solar power station for my electronics)

How is that second bag a murse?

Paging Doctor Malfred. Doctor Malfred please report to the OT.

I use bags aswell, Mostly because i didnt like having to swoosh my bag around from my back to front to check something.

 Alfndrate wrote:
How is that second bag a murse?

well, my my personal opinion of it, it meets the follow criteria:

it is not a wallet
it is not a laptop case (as defines as being made particularly for those items)
it is not a briefcase (as briefcases don't typically have straps)
it is not a backpack


OP asked for an opinion, I gave one. IMHO, it's a murse.

when you google man purse that's what you get.

 Rimmy wrote:

 Alfndrate wrote:
How is that second bag a murse?

well, my my personal opinion of it, it meets the follow criteria:

it is not a wallet
it is not a laptop case (as defines as being made particularly for those items)
it is not a briefcase (as briefcases don't typically have straps)
it is not a backpack


OP asked for an opinion, I gave one. IMHO, it's a murse.

Which was actually kind of my original criteria as well, but I was trying to find a balance, because people keep talking about these "messenger bag" things like they're not. Just trying to figure out what the difference is.

Also, as a minor point of order, the bag is padded with the intent of putting a laptop in it. That just leaves whether or not that makes it any different, or if it just becomes a padded murse at that point.

According to Rimmy? it is a laptop case if it has a space for a laptop.

 daedalus wrote:

 Rimmy wrote:

 Alfndrate wrote:
How is that second bag a murse?

well, my my personal opinion of it, it meets the follow criteria:

it is not a wallet
it is not a laptop case (as defines as being made particularly for those items)
it is not a briefcase (as briefcases don't typically have straps)
it is not a backpack


OP asked for an opinion, I gave one. IMHO, it's a murse.

Which was actually kind of my original criteria as well, but I was trying to find a balance, because people keep talking about these "messenger bag" things like they're not. Just trying to figure out what the difference is.

Also, as a minor point of order, the bag is padded with the intent of putting a laptop in it. That just leaves whether or not that makes it any different, or if it just becomes a padded murse at that point.

like I said earlier though, who cares. if you like it wear it.

I tend to get rather utilitarian about everything I buy. so I end up buying lots of REALLY geeky looking stuff because I put function completely over form. I even wear the utilikilt because it has pockets.

I would say for me personally, it wouldn't match anything about me. it seems just a TAD too nice ya know

Alfndrate: it still doesn't meet the standard of what I would consider a laptop case. again though, just my opinion.

This is what I tend to think of when you say laptop case

With a bad like that you're going to look at best like a student, at worst like a neckbeard.

third option: who gives a rat's ass? if you're worried about about looking effeminate, who cares? if you're worried about looking like a hipster, who cares? being worried about your image should be the last thing you need to worry about if you have any self-image at all.

Doctor Jones is unamused with your accusations of unmanliness

 KalashnikovMarine wrote:

Doctor Jones is unamused with your accusations of unmanliness

I totally just noticed they spelled artifact wrong too.

EDIT: I stand corrected. its a British vs American use of the word. http://grammarist.com/usage/artefact-artifact/

Men carry wallets and have cargo pants for carrying lots of stuff not man purses lol.

 Bloodfrenzy187 wrote:
Men carry wallets and have cargo pants for carrying lots of stuff not man purses lol.

Except cargo pants make you look like a moody teenager or a "bro"

 Alfndrate wrote:

 Bloodfrenzy187 wrote:
Men carry wallets and have cargo pants for carrying lots of stuff not man purses lol.

Except cargo pants make you look like a moody teenager or a "bro"

Lol, sorry I couldn't resist the man purse comment and you are correct cargo pants are kinda stupid unless utilized in an outdoor/camping setting once you get older. God you just made me feel old I suppose I should go buy a man bag now.