The Man Purse

[wilcofan]

<p style="margin: 0px;">Once again, I'm a part-timer&nbsp;who does a lot of traveling, going to concerts, camping, and general adventuring, so I don't know how much this applies to those of you who are in the lifestyle full-time and more accustomed to it.</p><p style="margin: 0px;">&nbsp;</p><p style="margin: 0px;">I carry a backpack with me pretty much everywhere I go. One of the things I keep in that backpack is a small toiletries travel bag, in which I keep most of the things neccessary to keep me looking like a productive member of society. After doing some traveling, I've discovered though, that if you pull into a department store, wal-mart, or gas station to use the restroom and you walk in with a backpack, people may profile you and think that you are there to shoplift, or you are indigent. My solution to this has been to buy a "man purse" - one of those over the shoulder messenger bags that many people use as a briefcase or a laptop bag. I put my toiletries bag in it, along with a washcloth, a small towel and my pee bottle if it needs to be dumped.&nbsp; So many guys carry them today, that it doesn't even get a second glance.</p><p style="margin: 0px;">&nbsp;</p><p style="margin: 0px;">It's something really simple but it provides a level of stealth when going to the bathroom or cleaning up on the move.</p>

 

[Vivid-Dawn]

I am not a typical woman and hardly ever use a real purse. I've always used some sort of tote bag or back-pack.<br><br>Lately I have to have a full-sized backpack, because I gotta wear oxygen. The oxygen came with it's own bag, but I figure it's too much bother to have two separate things to lug around. So I have the oxygen in the big/main pocket, along with my medical folder (vital stats, insurance cards, copy of Rx, etc.). Then in the smaller organizer pockets is stuff like wet wipes, tissues, pen and small notebook, sunglasses, cell phone, etc.<br>I did have one of the Costco guys tell me I couldn't have the backpack, (since most other people with oxygen only have the oxygen bag). But I told him it had other medical stuff in there for emergencies, and he reluctantly let me go.<br>Sometimes that stupid thing has advantages! LOL<br>

 

[Seraphim]

<p><em>I constantly carry a messenger bag with my iPad and a couple of other iems in it. Never been bothered anywhere.</em></p>

 

[Cubey]

I used to carry a backpack with me all the time when I didn't drive (so I walked, biked, used city buses etc).&nbsp; I had to leave it at the front counter at the thrift stores I would go to.<br><br>In recent years, I think Wal-Mart has quit bothering to fuss at people with backpacks. It begins to invade privacy and looks bad to be hounding someone for carrying a bag. In a way it's like asking every woman in the store to leave her purse at the front.<br><br>One backpack I have right now is very small, perhaps made for a very small child. But it holds a fair bit of stuff. It's much less heavy and bulky vs a regular backpack. If you were to use such a backpack vs a big one then a store might not frown upon you coming inside with it.<br><br>It seems to me, a store would prefer for someone to wear a backpack over a messenger bag. A messenger bag has access from the front without taking it off, unlike a backpack. So it's much easier to steal something with a messenger bag than with a backpack.<br>

 

[yesican]

<p style="margin: 0px;">Like Vivid-dawn, I'm not the typical woman who carries a purse.&nbsp; I use to carry a backpack but now I just wear something with pockets and limit my carrying needs.&nbsp; Before I didn't think I could live without that stuff in my backpack, but its a freeing feeling being unattached to so much stuff on a constant basis.</p><p style="margin: 0px;">Rae</p>

 

[tink]

big box stores have enough video and anti-theft tags that someone carrying a bag is not that big of a concern, mom and pop shops are another thing. also its in how a person looks and carries themselves, if you are gonna steal you will look suspicious to someone watching for it.

 

[judycmomx6]

I'll bet that goes real well with your harley, Blk!

 

[mockturtle]

Those subtitles are a riot!&nbsp; <img src="../images/boards/smilies/biggrin.gif" alt="" align="absmiddle" border="0" />

 

[wilcofan]

I have an uncle Mike's briefcase with a concealed holster in it as well, but that's not the one I take to the bathroom!