Travel and Leisure
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| Credit: Paramount Pictures |
Yes, it's a thing. The man purse, or "murse" for short, had been declared an actual men's fashion item by
GQ back in 2017. But really, it has been around a lot longer than that, if you consider that it's essentially just a smaller version of the messenger bag, it debuted a long time ago, as an alternate way to tote around one's laptop. I've had at least three different variations of the messenger bag, dating back to the late 90s, alternating back and forth depending on what suit or accessories the day dictated. But over time, the laptop became less and less of a necessity, and personally, I found that even a slim messenger bag became too much for daily commuting requirements. Then along came the iPad, which all but abolished my messenger bags to the back of the closet.
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| The Keukenhof tulip gardens |
What is it however, that a guy needs to carry around during the day, that requires a man purse? Well, my camera for starters. See, I have been a technology laggard, and still use a relatively old iPhone. So when it comes to taking photos, my compact Canon mirrorless camera takes pictures that are far superior to anything that could come from my iPhone. Sure, I could use a small, purpose-built camera bag, but once you have something slung over your shoulder, you might as well put it to good use. Besides, she was getting tired of me asking, "do you have room in your purse for my... ?". So at a minimum, it's got my camera, a bottle of water, a snack (that I've probably nabbed from the free hotel breakfast bar), and some hand sanitizer. On sunny days, I'll bring along some sunscreen, whereas on dodgy days, either a compact umbrella or my packable raincoat.
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| Comparing day bag to past messenger bag styles |
As you can see, I've settled in on a go-to bag with this small canvas shoulder bag. It's only 10" x 7" x 5", yet holds all of the aforementioned kit easily. I found it on eBay for about $25, but there are an infinite number of options and sizes available. A word of caution however - get one that's too big, and you're likely to start toting around more stuff than you need, or forgo using it altogether. I bought a beautiful, smaller leather messenger bag (pictured above) at the Lorenzo Street Market in Florence; not big enough for a laptop, but perfect for an iPad and other essentials, yet at 13" x 10" x 3", it doesn't quite fit the bill for day touring in Europe.
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| Florence's Lorenzo Street Market is a great place to find your man purse |
Sure, I sometimes carry a "personal item" sized backpack to maximize my carry-on luggage capacity, but it is also too big for daily use while on vacation. That's why I keep falling back on my cheapo eBay canvas one - just big enough for the stuff I need, but small enough to tuck into my suitcase and pull out when we arrive at our destination. And also, with a backpack, you pretty much have to take it off in order to get into it; accessing my camera with a shoulder bag is much easier. So make fun of me if you must, but I find the man purse an invaluable travel essential. Besides, as one member of a FB travel group said, "Indiana Jones had one. That's good enough for me."
2022 edit: Since I have been using my original
man purse day bag for my camera gear 100% of the time, I picked up an MEC crossbody bag for travelling instead. It holds an ever-so-slightly bit more than the canvas one, and has a top handle, which is handy if my shoulder is already in use (i.e. when carrying my Osprey Porter 46 travel backpack).
Post-trip edit: While this bag worked for our 2022 Eastern Europe trip, and it was more than enough from a capacity perspective, it lacked structure, consequently the bag sagged when loaded up. The bottom strap that keeps the flap closed got irritating too, so I always had to fasten the clip every time I went into the bag. When I got home, I got creative, and I glued in some padding in the bottom and back.
2023 edit: Then recently, a fellow Extra was telling me how bad the thieves and pickpockets are in Paris, which is part of our next trip itinerary later in 2023. So I started thinking about a better, more secure bag, and after much deliberation, decided upon the
Travelon Courier Tour Bag. Selling features for me were the somewhat unisex design (according to my wife), canvas-like material (vs. shiny nylon), and general design of the bag (e.g. not too many pockets). Since I've decided that I will only be
using my iPhone 12 Pro for travel photography going forward, I won't need space for my Canon camera. And while I'll probably put my water bottle in the main compartment, it will be nice to have the external pocket for instances when I've used up all the space (e.g. stuffed my jacket into it). In addition to the zippered, security pockets in my travel trousers and shorts, I think I'll be as well prepared for thieves as I can; as a bonus, it kinda looks a bit like Indiana Jones' bag.
