Susan's Place Transgender Resources

Hey everyone! I know this is kinda random, but need a new backpack for school this year, and I was wondering what kind of backpacks/bags you all like.

Okay, so, pros and cons (for FTMs). (Feel free to add your own opinions in)
Traditional backpacks
     -are considered by all to be unisex
     -hold quite a bit of stuff
     -weight is distributed evenly across your back
          -pulls shirt oddly and makes it hard to hide boobs
          -constantly pulls your shirt up in the back
          -can't take things out without taking the bag off
Messenger Bag
     -Hold a good amount
     -Can access without taking bag off
     -Don't pull shirt awkwardly
          -Might "squish" boobs if it's too close to you (which also makes it hard to hide them)
          -Doesn't hold as much
          -Weight only on one shoulder
          -Might be considered feminine

So what do you think? (Opinions don't have to be only for school use)

Sling ones can hide hips, keeps your belongings closer to where you can see it, easily accessible, come in a larger variety of fabrics and styles...and is more age appropriate for those over 20(ish?).

Also, Indiana Jones had a sling type bag. WHO IS MORE MACHO THAN THAT?!*

I've got an old military bag which is a sling style (or one strap) bag. It can carry a lot of stuff and feels secure.


*I am aware that Chuck Norris is more macho and bad ass.

Quote from: Nygeel on June 18, 2010, 02:48:37 AM
Also, Indiana Jones had a sling type bag. WHO IS MORE MACHO THAN THAT?!*

Haha, true!  :D

Military bags are good for that; they have the messenger/sling bag type, while being undeniably "male".

I'm in HS so I just use a backpack. I don't like one-shoulder things much (reminds me of how my mom used to try to make me carry a purse) and my back doesn't need more abuse (uneven weight.)

See, I don't see that messenger bags could be considered feminine.  I think backpacks are more so.  I guess it depends on the way you wear it.  Women tend to wear bags slung off one shoulder with the bag under their hand.  Men (and tourists, unfortunately) wear them slung across the body, with the bag slightly to the rear.  And that seems to make quite a difference.

But I guess it is also what people wear around you.  Where I am, a manbag slung across the body is a typical blokey thing to see.

I like the look of messenger bags better than backpacks, so if I ever needed to carry a bag that's what I'd use. 

Quote from: Nygeel on June 18, 2010, 02:48:37 AMAlso, Indiana Jones had a sling type bag. WHO IS MORE MACHO THAN THAT?!*

I'm not saying I've pretended to be Indiana Jones whilst carrying my laptop case, but I'm also not saying I haven't. :D

I used to carry a plain black, large messenger bag. The strap across the body could sometimes, depending on load, make the chest look "bigger" (in the bad way).

The uneven load was really annoying, but it was easy to access. And it looked cooler.

I eventually ditched it for a backpack. I have to carry a huge amount of (quite heavy) stuff, do a fair bit of walking, and climbing in and out of trains with it (from the ground, not the platform).

Although I preferred the messenger bag (it was more my "style" - more subtle, more casual, less sporty), the backpack is much more fit for purpose.

If I need a casual bag on my days off - I take the messenger.

Everyday work? Backpack wins, hands down. I can take my hi-vis over-the-head style vest off and put it in the backpack without stopping walking or putting down the bag. It's all just practice :).

I think it all depends on what you're doing with it. How far you need to walk, what you need to carry, how often you need to access it on the move, etc. Find your priorities and you'll find what you need.

At the end of the day, the most masculine bag is the one that is functional more than fashionable :laugh:.

I've been using messenger bags for some time now and have it with the strap going across my body :)

I don't carry one, except to work, where i need a boatload of ibuprofen, toiletries (brush my teeth), and some paperwork.  So I carry a soft-sided briefcase there.  But it doesn't have a strap so that would make it less convenient for school.

For school I used a backpack. 


Jay

I have a brown messenger bag that I take with me when I need to carry a lot of crap. I don't usually carry a bag, especially when I'm wearing pants with big pockets.  That's something I've always hated about girl pants:  Tiny pockets!  They're useless!

I have both-- which one I use mostly depends on how big a load I have to carry, since the backpack is big enough to carry a stack of textbooks, whereas the messenger bag won't carry more than a few sketchbooks/notebooks/folders.

I've always worn the strap of my messenger bag across my body to even out the weight-- partially because it doesn't fall off as easily that way and partially because I already have back issues, which I don't want to make worse by only putting weight on half of me.

...my messenger bag gets read as a purse a lot, though, which is aggravating. It's a run-of-the-mill, fairly androgynous hemp messenger bag covered in witty buttons. I don't see anything overtly feminine (or for that matter, overtly masculine) about it, but apparently the rest of the world does.

I kind of want this shirt (http://www.snorgtees.com/images/ItsASatchel_Fullpic_1.gif) to wear with my messenger bag. XD

i prefer a backpack, it covers my butt ^-^ and it is alot easier on the shoulders when heavy. I still like messenger bags too though. it depends on the occasion.

I "prefer" a messenger bag when I'm out and about and don't have to carry much at all.
I "prefer" my could-fit-a-toddler-in-there-it's-so-big-backpack when I have more to carry.

I like the traditional backpacks. It's what I always use.
Messenger bags bug the hell out of me.

Briefcase.

My opinion, messenger bags scream purse, backpacks are great if it don't fit in a briefcase. If what you need fits in a briefcase and you don't need to be hands free, use that.


Buttons on a purse/messenger bag also scream female.

I'd like to think my messenger bad doesn't scream "purse" or "female", but I could be wrong... ???

(https://www.susans.org/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi116.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fo23%2Ftonita_kitty%2F100_2302-1.jpg&hash=47fe106ebe668ec35caf1865912d84d8ede58609)

Although, yes, there are messenger bags AND backpacks that don't look feminine, I just don't like strapping gear to my body in that way. I'd rather wear cargos with lots of pockets and put all my junk in there, or fill up the pockets of my hoodie if necessary. When I have to carry extra stuff, I'll either put it into my briefcase-style laptop bag, or as a last resort (bringing books to a friend, bringing lunch to work, etc) I'll use a plastic grocery bag, doubled if necessary for strength. But that's just my personal pref, and I totally believe that whatever anyone else is comfy with, that's what they should do.

Quote from: LucienOctopus on June 18, 2010, 12:55:42 PM
I'd like to think my messenger bad doesn't scream "purse" or "female", but I could be wrong... ???

Actually, that kind of thing is exactly what I was talking about.

Quote from: Crow on June 18, 2010, 10:10:25 AM

I kind of want this shirt (http://www.snorgtees.com/images/ItsASatchel_Fullpic_1.gif) to wear with my messenger bag. XD

:laugh:

In the way of weight/load, I figure the most I'll have to carry at a time (in worst case scenario) is one 1-inch binder, one 1/2-inch binder, a small textbook (about 1/2 wide), a composition book, and a small planner. At my HS, we have A/B days, so I only have to carry stuff for half of my classes at a time, and I have a set of books to keep at my house, except for my Chinese book.

Right now, I'm looking into a messenger bag because if I get a good sized one, it should be able to carry everything I need without annoying the crap out of me like my backpack does now. I can't bind at school, and regular backpacks pull my shirt at the sides right where my boobs are, and although I wear big shirts, they still show no matter how hard I try to arrange my shirt, you can still see them. I figure that as long as I stay hunched over (like I always do, and yes, I know it's bad for my back), a messenger bag won't do that.

There aren't a ton of guys at my school that carry messenger bags, but I've seen a few, and I'm not terribly worried about it looking feminine as long as I get one that's plain. Besides that, any girl that doesn't use a backpack uses a tote bag because it's more "stylish".

I prefer messenger bags, purely for the fact I can rummage through it without taking it off.

The only con is that the strap can nestle itself nicely inbetween the moobs and accentuate them =P but a binder usually solves that problem

I use a messenger bag because back-packs hurt my back and cause me to slouch.  Plus I've a pretty awesome messenger bag that has the English flag on it :D

I use a giant army satchel - it's actually a British WW2 bag, it has even seen action!  I think it is a very dudely bag.  Plus it fits all my sketchbooks and art stuff and whatever I need to carry to school, as well as my lunchbox which is a Lego suitcase thing. I mostly see guys using messenger bag type things.

The main reason why I have a messenger bag at times is because I can access it's contents without stopping, taking it off, unzipping this and that, rummaging, digging, finding, and drawing out, whatever I need out of it..
'course, when I'm walking 'round with it, it's notebook or sketchbook that I'm after..

Also, there's just something about walking 'round with a big (no really, really really big) backpack that makes me feel awkward. Only people 'round here that use 'em are school children and tourists.
Also, since I'm quite "chesty" the shoulder straps against the armpit area accentuate my chest more than the single strap of a messenger bag does.. even with the binder.

I have a messenger bag, I don't think it looks feminine at all.

Backpack.

Quote from: Nathan. on June 19, 2010, 09:21:41 AM
I have a messenger bag, I don't think it looks feminine at all.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8iawDvGfDBc# (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8iawDvGfDBc#)
Sure thing dude.
(just raging on ya) :)

It all depends on the bag, not all messenger bags look like purses, and even those that do don't necessarily make you less of a man.

Kiefer Sutherland isn't exactly known as a "pansy" but his bag is highly purse-like in this photo..
(https://www.susans.org/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fcm1.theinsider.com%2Fthumbnail%2F400%2F538%2Fcm1.theinsider.com%2Fmedia%2F0%2F517%2F3%2FKiefer-Sutherland-manpurse-3.jpg&hash=5bbdd2833729507ad65be7b2b9afeb694b71294e)

What I want is more like...
(https://www.susans.org/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.comcav.com%2Fcart%2Fimages%2FFAfieldbageyes.jpg&hash=674637c4fcee12b4e71173af0ca17e5902b38e5f)
because it has compartments for my art-supplies... (https://www.susans.org/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.comcav.com%2Fcart%2Fbmz_cache%2Ff%2Ff0e0b7bf3e9292f63a5e3eb32ebc9f44.image.72x80.jpg&hash=79a3206f74764834d015facceaf74a025a9c6314)

'course... I'll just end up making one...
like my old one...
Home-Made stuff for the win..

non-feminine messenger bag
or a drawstring gym bag
these things (http://www.heatonsonline.co.uk/photos/Additional%20PE%20stuff/drawstring%20gym%20bag.jpg)

Quote from: Miniar on June 19, 2010, 09:18:08 AM
Also, since I'm quite "chesty" the shoulder straps against the armpit area accentuate my chest more than the single strap of a messenger bag does.. even with the binder.

That's exactly the problem I have!

@cynthialee -  :D I think he's just holding it girly-like.  :P

@Miniar - It is true, if you look super-macho it's ok to carry a slightly "purse-ish" bag.  :P

I use messenger bags, two of which were bought from men's stores and were designed for male use. The mid-size one can hold a laptop. I just refer to them as my 'bags' or 'man purses'. I tried using a backpack for school but my chest tumors are so big that they extend into the armpits, especially when wearing a squishing sports-bra. It was hideously uncomfortable. A strap across the chest has always been more practical for me.

I am thinking, though, that as I enter early transition I may hold off on anything that comes across as "feminizing" until I look more masculine. It'll probably help me pass easier.