256/365 - Messenger Bag

Today I adjusted the strap on my messenger bag. Should have done this a lot earlier.

I usually have my messenger bag's strap extended to it's longest. But I have been noticing my shoulder usually gets sore, no matter how light or heavy the load. So this afternoon before walking to Maica's office I decided to shorten it a lot.

I first checked online if there was any "optimum" length or position for a messenger bag. Seeing that there was none, I decided to try for a shorter strap length, where the bag wouldn't dangle as much as before. I made it hug my body a bit more.

Not surprisingly, my shoulder didn't get as tired when I was walking. In fact, I think this is the strap length I'll be using moving forward. Who cares if It makes my fat more noticeable? At least I'm comfortable.

Out.

063/365 - Pacsafe Bag Review

I've been using this for almost a month.

I've always wanted to own a Pacsafe product, since around 2009. Now I finally own a Metrosafe 300 GII. I have to say, this bag is very practical. It has one main pouch that has a laptop compartment and a smaller, zippered section. The front pouch you see in the picture above has an RFID safe packet, a smaller compartment near the top to hold your mp3 player, a small hole to get your earphones out, and a larger compartment in the lower part. The rear of the bag has two zippers, one at the upper area and another at the lower area, this allows you to attach your bag to the handles of your travel luggage. Oh, and there are two external pouches you can use to hold small umbrellas or water bottles.

I'm going to give credit to JD, my officemate, for encouraging me to get a Pacsafe bag. And I'm going to give even bigger credit to my mother, who actually bought me the bigger bag in Hong Kong instead of the Metrosafe 200 GII. She did get the latter, but it was for my Dad.

Let me gush about the good points. There are simple carabiner style locks you can use to lock all zippers in the bag. This prevents unwanted easy access to your belongings in tight situations. The bag has this neat locking mechanism that makes it difficult to remove the strap easily. The strap of the bag has two steel cables inside to strengthen it and prevent it from being slashed off. Also the bag is slash proof.

The design of the bag is very practical also. Space is relatively good if you're going out for the day. It supposedly can carry a 13" laptop, but since I don't own one of those I can't really confirm it.

Now, on to the bad points. The big compartment and the small compartment at the front share the same space. So if the bag is full and you try to put a point and shoot camera up front, it will bulge. And it's also relatively expensive. Those are the only complaints I have about it.

And maybe the big question of how I clean this. It has steel cables and slash guard fabric. Will it rust if I have it washed in a washing machine? I think I'll have to do some research how to clean this bag.

Finally, my conclusion. Yes, I recommend you get one of these. It's perfect to hold an office worker's usual gear. It's safe. It's not too bulky. And it looks nice too. Save some cash, buy one of these. When used properly it can keep your belongings safe and give you peace of mind when you commute or travel.

Out.