Please recommend a backpack for business professional use

[AstroManLuca]

This. Wearing a backpack over suit/business casual makes you look like a highschool kid applying for a burger job.

Or a Mormon.

 

[Jeffg010]

Couple guys at work have the same one and like them a lot.... found it at the egg for a little less with free shipping.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...GER-_-34996916

I love Wenger/SwissGear. I have duffel bag that I use for traveling and love it.
http://www.wengerna.com/sierre-24-inch-weekend-duffle-12431

 

[Red Storm]

Clearly paragons of professional etiquette...

Have you ever seen a backpack in a board meeting?

http://www.realmenrealstyle.com/suits-backpack/

That's great if you work at a place that's stuck in the past. Admittedly many places are, thankfully my job doesn't have any such unspoken fashion rules.

 

[pauldun170]

Do NOT use a backpack in a professional setting. It makes you look amateur at best. Just buy a messenger bag and you're set. I would recommend a cheaper case logic bag like this: bag

I don't care what you use. I'm telling you what management thinks of other people who use backpacks. I can tell you from personal experience that managers, directors, VP's all look at your attire. You're attire includes the backpack or bag you use.

I understand that in some corporate cultures, crap like this somehow becomes an "issue". I just want to put out there that it is not universal.

What kind of office\industry do you work in?

I'm in NYC and the office is filled with SVP's, Marketing, Client managers, underwriters, Auditors and a few technology folks.

Suit and Tie....very conservative. Dark blues, white shirt. Conservative understated tie. None of that "skinny suit", "Stylish" cut bullcrap here.
(Fortunately our team gets away with business casual)

Briefcases are for client facers and old school guys who have been lugging the same $2000 briefcase back and forth for the past 20 years.
Average age in this office is 45.

I can tell you that in my office, no one cares what bag you are lugging into and out of the office. As noted in another post, the older you get the more you recognize that backpacks are better for your back. Fortunately,

My advise is this:
If you are under 30, follow the office standard.
If you are 30-40 and have direct reports, follow the department\division standard.
If you meet with external clients - Follow industry standard that pertains to the client relationship.
Over 30 use whatever makes you comfortable and won't get your balls busted by co-workers (Co-worker that matter...If some twenty something takes a break from staring at their phone to comment on the backpack you have crap in, don't sweat it)
Over 50, use whatever makes you comfortable and won't embarrass your wife at company outings.
Over 60....use whatever you damn well please. Want to bring a Transformers logo's backpack to the office? Why not. If anyone asks...just say "F' you...cause grandkids is why"

 

[SphinxnihpS]

And that makes you look like a tranny.

Seriously, that couldn't look more like a purse if it tried (...harder).

Options:
1) briefcase
2) messenger bag
3) paper sack

Random google yields-
http://www.ebags.com/category/messen...bags/m/leather

To me, those at the top strike a decent mix of 'professional' and 'does not give handjobs in public bathrooms.'

Your taste in men's accessories is now forever in question if you think ALL of those briefcases make you look like a tranny. Most of them are classics, and all of them are sturdy enough to last a lifetime.

Halik did us the favor of saying what I meant in a more straightforward way. Plenty of other quality manufacturers.

 

[halik]

That's great if you work at a place that's stuck in the past. Admittedly many places are, thankfully my job doesn't have any such unspoken fashion rules.

Why is it always guys in pony tails, sandals and black tshirts that try to hide behind that?

You're already following the set decorum by wearing a suit; it's not some mysterious "unspoken" rule that no one's heard of.

It's no different than wearing baseball caps with suits or using a track suit jacket as a suit coats. You just don't do that.

 

[Zstream]

stuff

What kind of office\industry do you work in?

Financial Institution (Fortune 100)

I'm in NYC and the office is filled with SVP's, Marketing, Client managers, underwriters, Auditors and a few technology folks.

I was in meetings with the CIO, VP of Finance, Directors, Department Leaders, CEO etc..

Suit and Tie....very conservative. Dark blues, white shirt. Conservative understated tie. None of that "skinny suit", "Stylish" cut bullcrap here.
(Fortunately our team gets away with business casual)

Dress shirt, pants and tie required always

 

[Red Storm]

Why is it always guys in pony tails, sandals and black tshirts that try to hide behind that?

You're already following the set decorum by wearing a suit; it's not some mysterious "unspoken" rule that no one's heard of.

It's no different than wearing baseball caps with suits or using a track suit jacket as a suit coats. You just don't do that.

Not wearing a suit. Wearing a simple two tone long sleeve shirt, no buttons, with my sleeves rolled up. Shock of shocks, nobody here cares.

 

[halik]

Not wearing a suit. Wearing a simple two tone long sleeve shirt, no buttons, with my sleeves rolled up. Shock of shocks, nobody here cares.

Oh well yeah, that's a totally different story. If you're wearing a suit or formal business casual (suit w/o tie or jacket), the backpack thing applies.

 

[pauldun170]

What kind of office\industry do you work in?

Financial Institution (Fortune 100)

I'm in NYC and the office is filled with SVP's, Marketing, Client managers, underwriters, Auditors and a few technology folks.

I was in meetings with the CIO, VP of Finance, Directors, Department Leaders, CEO etc..

Suit and Tie....very conservative. Dark blues, white shirt. Conservative understated tie. None of that "skinny suit", "Stylish" cut bullcrap here.
(Fortunately our team gets away with business casual)

Dress shirt, pants and tie required always

I'm at a very large, mature financial institution but I've seen the cultures at everything from investment firms to direct competitors.

If you are interfacing with folks at the CEO\CFO\CIO level then a briefcase would be appropriate.
Directors and department leaders...depends on the culture but at least here I wouldn't sweat bringing a back pack to an offsite meeting with department leaders or directors.

Looking at the 7 financial institutions in the top 100 (my company is there as well) I'm familiar with the culture with at least 4 (including my own).

 

[pauldun170]

Crap...just in case we work for the same company.
Stop screwing around on anandtech forums and get to work.

 

[SphinxnihpS]

Oh well yeah, that's a totally different story. If you're wearing a suit or formal business casual (suit w/o tie or jacket), the backpack thing applies.

Naw, I think grow up anyway. Stand out at work, and go out after work and pick up nice girls, who ALL like men in nice clothes that look like they have money.

 

[dabuddha]

I guess if you're not using public transportation, one of those laptop backups would work. To me, they scream "Rob me!" But that could be because I ride the DC metro twice a day

 

[dave_the_nerd]

Are you white?

http://stuffwhitepeoplelike.com/2008/03/11/87-outdoor-performance-clothes/

You can pretty much get away with any backpack as long as it has a prominent REI or Under-Armor logo on it. (Mine's a Coleman, but I'm poor.)

 

[TwiceOver]

I used an Ogio Metro when I carried a laptop, have since moved down to a Nexus7 and my phone.

I don't think they sell that model any more, but I can't say enough about the quality build of Ogio products. I also use one of their gym bags and it is solid.

 

[Miramonti]

A back pack for the business professional...only if it comes with a pair of heelies.

 

[phucheneh]

Your taste in men's accessories is now forever in question if you think ALL of those briefcases make you look like a tranny. Most of them are classics, and all of them are sturdy enough to last a lifetime.

Halik did us the favor of saying what I meant in a more straightforward way. Plenty of other quality manufacturers.

Are you confusing my link with the link I was replying to? 'Cause all of those Coach bags at the top of the page (I have a penis and am thusly not perusing their whole catalogue) were not square, had giant round leather loops for handles, and other general trademarks of what we call a 'purse.' Giant, trendy, whore purse, at that.

The best options have pretty much been exhausted in this thread. a) leather messenger bag (briefcase-esque)...b) cloth messenger bag (less classy, but functional and less 'childish'/mormom-looking)...c) backpack (only in certain environments).

$500 tranny-bag = no.

 

[darkxshade]

Arcteryx Blade 24

I want one but it's a freakin $170 bag :\

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q8iYuFARud0

 

[Miramonti]

Just because someone carries a sissy bag it doesn't make them effeminate.

 

[SphinxnihpS]

Are you confusing my link with the link I was replying to? 'Cause all of those Coach bags at the top of the page (I have a penis and am thusly not perusing their whole catalogue) were not square, had giant round leather loops for handles, and other general trademarks of what we call a 'purse.' Giant, trendy, whore purse, at that.

The best options have pretty much been exhausted in this thread. a) leather messenger bag (briefcase-esque)...b) cloth messenger bag (less classy, but functional and less 'childish'/mormom-looking)...c) backpack (only in certain environments).

$500 tranny-bag = no.

Legacy, Portfolio, Transatlantic are more my style, but none of those styles are terrible. If you're trying to be funny, OK, but otherwise you sound... young. At any rate, I'd rather look like a professional than a hipster child (even when I was one), so these are all upgrades to any backpack.

 

[phucheneh]

Dude, come on...

That doesn't look a little too effiminate for you?

FWIW, my bro-in-law, ex-Marine, deployed to Iraq like four times, plus many other overseas deployments, smaller than me but could surely kick my ass...he carries a small 'iPad bag' that, being smaller than a laptop bag, is kinda purse-y. He even thinks it's a little purse-like...admits that he learned the awesomeness of the man-purse while stationed somewhere in Europe. But it's still a fabric brick, and looks nothing like those leather hag-bags. Also he can back it up with the whole 'could kill you' thing.

 

[Abe Froman]

If you're going with a backpack, OGIO makes some nice bags that are clean looking and very practical. They come with pockets for all sorts of designated purposes. Laptop charger cable, sunglasses, etc... and if you're not sure what their intended uses are, there is a tag sewn into each one with a little icon.

We get them with our bags at work, but I'd still recommend it.

 

[phucheneh]

FWIW, I'm a cheap, utilitarian motherfucker and do not work in an office. I don't know what's business-chic. I just know what looks wrong.

Hell, here's what I carry crap in:

It's an at least ten year old (durable as hell) Eddie Bauer laptop bag made before laptop bags were a fashion accessory. Also before widescreens (gotta cram my semi-modern 15.4" in there). It would not go with a suit.

Neither would, IMO, any backpack, or any messenger/laptop bag that's not a clean, plain square with a single flap over the top. And no big loopy purse handles.

 

[Tobolo]

I use this one when I travel:

http://www.amazon.com/Wenger-GA-7305.../dp/B000NONHYY

Holding up fairly well so far, moderate travel but only about 2 yrs old

I think they have them at Best Buy.... err Amazon showroom if you want to go down and check it out.

My boss has used this one for about 5 years now and I would consider him to have heavy use. It has literally been all over the world and has held up quite nice.

 

[SphinxnihpS]

Dude, come on...

That doesn't look a little too effiminate for you?

FWIW, my bro-in-law, ex-Marine, deployed to Iraq like four times, plus many other overseas deployments, smaller than me but could surely kick my ass...he carries a small 'iPad bag' that, being smaller than a laptop bag, is kinda purse-y. He even thinks it's a little purse-like...admits that he learned the awesomeness of the man-purse while stationed somewhere in Europe. But it's still a fabric brick, and looks nothing like those leather hag-bags. Also he can back it up with the whole 'could kill you' thing.

It looks like a bag to me, though not one I linked to, and not really my taste (hate visible branding). Sorry I didn't swallow whole all our little cultural myths...