What do you carry in your ID?

[Pord]

I was thinking of making my very first, of soon to be many, purchases. I really like the style of the ID. Everything I have seen looks great. I was wondering what everyone else on here thought. What do you use you bag for? Do you hack your bag in anyway? Pictures would be nice, just so I can get a feel for how much this bag can really hold. Also, what upgrades has this bag received over the years? Will we see more color combinations of this bag?

Thanks so much.

[ScottE22]

Hey Pord -

I've been a lurker and occasional participant around the TB forums for almost three years and finally bought my first bag. As luck would have it, I purchased an ID in black/steel/wasabi. It arrived this week and I absolutely love it. Just when I thought I had everything loaded and organized the way I wanted it, I found two more pockets plus remember the one on the flap.

This is a great bag.

I'm not quite ready to post a "what's in your bag," but my daily carry involves a Moleskine notebook, an Action Method notebook, the occasional textbook or two for grad school, and (on rare occasions - soon to be more rare when I can get an iPad) a 13" or 15" MacBook Pro. The 15" fits fine in a Marware sleeve.

Don't wait three years like I did... The ID is a great bag.

[dbradford]

Hi guys. I had my ID stolen here in the Philippines where I live for now, but I can tell you my experiences up to then. I carried in the laptop portion a 10' inch umbrella, plus a small Tupperware container with a face towel, and any additional purchase like groceries. whatever went in to space. Seemed like it opened a little easier. I'd also carry my 13' Macbook in a neoprene sleeve. In the compartment with pockets, I carried a cell phone, two pens, a nylon wallet, and a passport. In addition, I carried a medium sizeed Swiss Army knife, a Leatherman tool, and a 2 AA Mag-Lite. In the front zippered comparment, I had a zippered coin purse, and a 2 zippered nylon mesh organizer, atttached to a 8" Key Strap.

In addition, I had my keys, a keychain flashlight, and a keychain compass on Key Straps. I would keep all my important paperwork in a Horizontal Freudian Slip. I used the water bottle pocket a lot.

It was okay, with some caveats.. I don't know where you live, but when I had it here in SE Asia, when I went out during a hard downpour (I mean HARD rain) water did find it's way in to the laptop zippered compartment. I didn't have my Mac in there, but I was glad I didn't at the time. Also, it was wet through the zippered flap pocket. From then on, I would close the zippers by having them meet in the middle of the track under the flap, which seemed to help. I found myself wishing for more room when I was carrying the Freudian Slip, and I was shopping at the same time. Seemed like I ended up carring most of the bags by hand, which sort of defeats the purpose of having the bag. However, when it was empty, I've carried groceries, a leather flight jacket I have, and up to 6 kilos of laundry. I think I've weighed the loaded Id, and had it up to 9 kilos!

I got it as an everday carry, with the option of using it to carry paperwork, a toiletry bag and 2-3 days of clothes for short trips, with it being able to be used empty for shopping trips to get groceries. It was big enough to create problems in small aisles in stores (I've managed to knock over a few displays with it) and in crowded transportations you had to be careful with it.

I loved it, and I'm really angry it got stolen. I'll get a new one at some point, just not here. No sense in getting something for the Pinoys here to steal again. I use a Large Cafe bag everyday now, but it's problematic size wise. I had to go to Hong Kong recently, and trying to pack everything for 3 days was a nightmare. That's why I posted a wish list, or TB options on designs. I don't do it to see my words in print, but from real world (Third world more like it) experience, things that might work out a little better.

Everything on the bag held up to what the Philippines dishes out, the bag was a little dirty on the outside, that's about it. As far as zippers, buckles, straps, those were all fine so far.

I say go ahead and get one, I think you'll be happy!

Cheers,
David Bradford

[Pord]

Thank you for all the replies so far.

[MagicTiki]

The ID is my favorite go-to bag for daily use to and from work. I have a black/steel/cayenne that is about 2 years old, and I use both the Absolute Shoulder Strap and the Q-AM strap depending on my needs... when I am traveling, I tend to use the Q-Am because it is easier to cinch the bag close to my body when moving through airports, markets, etc.

As far as a typical payload, I have found that the ID is just big enough for my needs without being too big to manage. I usually carry a 6x9 sketchbook, a lunchbag, and a horizontal freudian slip with the required folders, papers, etc. in the main compartment. The smaller pockets are loaded with the usual day-to-day extras: sunglasses in a case, iphone, iphone accessories (in a padded pouch), mints, pack of tissues, and my contact lens accessories as needed. I also carry my work laptop (IBM Thinkpad T60) and power brick when required... but usually I don't carry that in a laptop sleeve. I do have a TB soft cel for it, but it really takes up a lot of space in the bag that makes it difficult to fit much else in the main compartment - some folders and a book or two.

When I travel, a whole host of options go in the ID: a couple of books, light jacket, small umbrella, rain hat, extra bottles of water, a camera... the size is perfect for flexibility. I make frequent use of the o-rings as well to strap on additional pouches or lanyards for keys and the like.

I'll echo David's comments about size in the main compartment: a Freudian slip or a laptop does take up much of the available room. If I need to carry a lot of big stuff, I go to my Brain Bag.

I hope this helps!

[Pord]

The ID is my favorite go-to bag for daily use to and from work. I have a black/steel/cayenne that is about 2 years old, and I use both the Absolute Shoulder Strap and the Q-AM strap depending on my needs... when I am traveling, I tend to use the Q-Am because it is easier to cinch the bag close to my body when moving through airports, markets, etc.

As far as a typical payload, I have found that the ID is just big enough for my needs without being too big to manage. I usually carry a 6x9 sketchbook, a lunchbag, and a horizontal freudian slip with the required folders, papers, etc. in the main compartment. The smaller pockets are loaded with the usual day-to-day extras: sunglasses in a case, iphone, iphone accessories (in a padded pouch), mints, pack of tissues, and my contact lens accessories as needed. I also carry my work laptop (IBM Thinkpad T60) and power brick when required... but usually I don't carry that in a laptop sleeve. I do have a TB soft cel for it, but it really takes up a lot of space in the bag that makes it difficult to fit much else in the main compartment - some folders and a book or two.

When I travel, a whole host of options go in the ID: a couple of books, light jacket, small umbrella, rain hat, extra bottles of water, a camera... the size is perfect for flexibility. I make frequent use of the o-rings as well to strap on additional pouches or lanyards for keys and the like.

I'll echo David's comments about size in the main compartment: a Freudian slip or a laptop does take up much of the available room. If I need to carry a lot of big stuff, I go to my Brain Bag.

I hope this helps!

What size pouches would you recommend for the ID? There are three O rings correct?

[dbradford]

Don't hold me to that, I can't confirm that for you Pord. But I think there's four, three in the main pocketed compartment, and one in the front zippered compartment. I had 2 8' inch Key Straps for a keychain compass, a keychain flashlight, a 16" inch Key Strap for my keys in the main compartment, and a medium sized double zippered nylon mesh bag in the zippered pocket attached to it's own 8" inch Key Strap.

[MagicTiki]

I believe there are three rings: two in the front (not zippered) pocket where you find your pen slots and organizer pockets, and one on the zippered pocket on the flap.

I like the small pouch size myself for the ID because it is big enough to hold an assortment of odd stuff (iphone accessories, medicines, mints, etc.) without being so big that is restricts your ability to get into the other pockets. But that's me.

[Pord]

So 3 not 4 O Rings right?

[Berkeleyan]

In addition to the 2 o-rings in the compartment under the flap and 1 o-ring in the flap panel pocket, there is one in the zippered pocket under the flap, and 2 additional o-rings in the laptop compartment. So 6 o-rings total. I find I don't use the ones in the laptop compartment much, simply because they would get in the way of the papers and files I need to lug about in addition to my laptop. But all the others see a good deal of use. With pouches they make organization effortless. I'm hooked. I would admit this to nobody else but people on this forum: I have 5 mini pouches and one small pouch, plus the key strap, and I use them ALL THE TIME.

[dbradford]

You can email Darcy or TB customer service and get them to confirm how many O-rings are in the bag. I believe TB has changed the amount over the years in their bags. I'd do it, but I'm a few time zones over from most of the folks here.

[Pord]

Darcy confirmed: 6 O rings.

[Pord]

I am sorry to keep this thread alive. Does anyone carry shoes and gym clothes in their ID?

[maverick]

I am sorry to keep this thread alive. Does anyone carry shoes and gym clothes in their ID?

depending on the type of shoes, you could fit shoes and a change of clothes in a small packing cube in the id. but you wouldn't be able to carry much else (the shoes taking up a good bit of space.

[MtnMan]

The ID also has a waist strap, correct?

How many of you ID owners use your ID's waist strap?

A long way down the road, I'd like to build up money to buy a new briefcase (maybe an ID) for my parents. I like the features and the price.