Errant backpack<\/a> for a little over a year, I came to the conclusion that sometimes it\u2019s possible to overthink things. I mean, sure, the Errant was great when I was commuting every day with exactly the same combination of laptop, notebook, and other work accessories. But the second I needed to carry around something else \u2014 like groceries \u2014 I found the sheer amount of extra pockets just ate away at valuable bag space.<\/p>\nSo instead, for the past two years, I\u2019ve been using the simplest backpack I could find. It has one big compartment that holds everything from my laptop to a sweater or a grocery shopping trip, with one small compartment for pens and chargers. I don\u2019t have to think about which compartment to put everything in, and I don\u2019t have to spend any time organizing anything because everything inevitably becomes a mess the second I zip the bag up. But you know what? I haven\u2019t spent any time thinking about backpacks since buying this thing two and a half years ago. And that\u2019s exactly the way I like it. \u2014 Jon Porter, reporter<\/em><\/p>\n
\nYears ago, while wandering through the gift shop in a museum, I was struck by a large shoulder bag made from a lovely, tapestry-like material. It had a zipper running down the length of its main strap so that, if you unzipped it, one strap became two and the bag could be worn like a backpack. I spent a long time trying to convince myself I didn\u2019t really<\/em> need it, until eventually my partner grabbed it and bought it for me \u2014 and I\u2019ve used it constantly ever since.<\/p>\nThe Danny K Classic Backpack isn\u2019t \u201cclassic\u201d by any means \u2014 as I said, it is basically a shoulder bag that converts to a backpack. It\u2019s also not quite large enough for a laptop. But it\u2019s got loads of pockets and accommodates a lot<\/em> of stuff \u2014 including my phone, a charger, a small tablet, a folded-up rain jacket, a water bottle, and more. It also looks great. I\u2019ve used mine until some of the tapestry has begun to unravel, but even that sort of adds to its feel of something old-fashioned but still useful. \u2014 Barbara Krasnoff, reviews editor<\/em><\/p>\n
\nFor obvious reasons, I wasn\u2019t going out very much in 2020. I did not need my lipstick. I did not need a notebook. I did not need my cellphone charger. I did not need a light sweater, or a book, or a place to tuck away a half-empty bottle of sparkling water. When I did leave my house, what I needed was my phone, my keys, and my wallet. And honestly, I didn\u2019t even really need my whole wallet since both the grocery store and the liquor store took Apple Pay. <\/p>\n
So I bought the Lululemon Everywhere belt bag (a nice euphemism for a fanny pack) in very practical all-purpose black. It\u2019s smaller than other belt bags I\u2019d looked at and also features mesh pockets on the inside \u2014 good for stashing your phone or keys so you can open the bag on the go without fear of important things falling out. There\u2019s also a nice little outside zipper pocket on the side of the bag that faces the body, which is a good spot for a transit card, folded mask, or vaccination record. <\/p>\n
I\u2019ve been using the bag regularly for two years, and it\u2019s worn well \u2014 no scratches, no tears, no fading, and no issues with the zippers or pockets. I adjust the strap to sling it cross-body over my torso or to wear it around my waist (like a true fanny pack), depending on how dorky I\u2019m feeling at any given time. It\u2019s perfect for errands, great for a walk, and it\u2019s even useful when traveling. (I wear mine at the airport and then tuck it away into my larger \u201cpersonal item\u201d backpack when it\u2019s time to board the plane.)<\/p>\n
The only problem with this bag is that it got TikTok-famous this year, which I guess I should have known once I saw half the people in my neighborhood walking around with some version of my bag in various colors. If you manage to catch a restock, you won\u2019t regret it. \u2014 Sarah Jeong, deputy features editor<\/em><\/p>\n[Note: Until the Everywhere Belt Bag is available, we\u2019ve substituted the Lululemon Athletica Wunderlust Belt Bag.]<\/em><\/p>\n
\nAlthough not a bag per se but, rather, a tool for bag organization, I swear by packing cubes. I wasn\u2019t always a diehard fan of packing cubes, though; I\u2019m actually a recent convert. Having schlepped across multiple continents with a carry-on, I consider myself a pretty efficient traveler, so I shrugged off the need for packing cubes for years. It wasn\u2019t until I began to regularly visit a friend every few months in New York City that I had to reevaluate. <\/p>\n
My suitcase would explode across her apartment, and I became the house guest every New Yorker hates to have. My piles of clothes simply took up too much room. Finally, begrudgingly, I ordered a set of packing cubes to help contain my various outfits, supplies, and laundry. To my surprise, they not only worked but I also fell in love with them. I won\u2019t travel without them now. I can pack more, save on space, and best of all, I only pull out one cube as needed instead of rummaging around in an unorganized suitcase. \u2014 Kaitlin Hatton, audience manager<\/em><\/p>\n
\nIt\u2019s been over a decade since I had a commute, and while I have a few backpacks in rotation (including an ancient Tom Bihn Brain Bag and an Evergoods Civic Panel Loader), I wouldn\u2019t qualify either as a favorite. <\/em>The Brain Bag is a bit floppy, and the CPL has excellent construction but a few confounding design flaws \u2014 most since rectified. But technically, the prompt for this article was \u201cfavorite way to carry your stuff around.\u201d If a child counts as stuff, then I do<\/em> have a favorite: the BabyBj\u00f6rn Baby Carrier One Air<\/a>. <\/p>\nThe Bj\u00f6rn, as we invariably call it (\u201cwould you like to bj\u00f6rn the baby, or shall I?\u201d) is comfortable, versatile, and can haul kids either front- or rear-facing \u2014 or even on your back. Ours has survived seven years and three kids, and we\u2019ve used it everywhere from grocery stores and zoos to hikes in the woods. It\u2019s especially clutch for travel. Passengers at Amsterdam\u2019s Schiphol Airport earlier this month witnessed me sprinting across the terminal toward our gate with a 27-pound two-year-old on my front and a backpack on my back. We made the flight. \u2014 Nathan Edwards, senior editor, reviews<\/em><\/p>\n
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