Small padded bag for electronics

I prefer to carry my laptop back and forth to work using a backpack because it is comfortable for me carrying the weight. One problem with most backpacks is their storage areas are typically just big pockets where things can be jostled. When it comes to storing my iPod, this worries me even though I have the iPod in one of those neoprene cases. So what I ended up doing was using this small zippered pouch that came with a battery charger I bought. I gives some protection and allows me to store cords and ear plugs with the iPod. I was thinking it would be nice to upgrade this pouch with something nicer when I realized that I don't know if such a thing exists.

I'm thinking that TB has a few items that come close but nothing specific. The organizer pouches would work but they aren't very protective. The Kit would offer more protection but it's not really a good size for this use. The Snake Charmer also might do it but again it's not going to protect. So maybe it's an opportunity. So here's some ideas I had.

First I was thinking it needs some padding. Maybe not as much as a laptop but if that can be done it wouldn't hurt. I think if I could just get something for my iPod with padding that made me feel safer about it in a backpack I'd get it right away. Second it should have a good sized zipper so you can get your stuff easily. Third, the size should be in the ballpark of the gizmo you wish to store. Only problem here is you want to meet the needs of more than just an iPod. You might consider a Nintendo DS or a P&S digital camera.

Well, that's all I had. If anyone else has thoughts please let me know.

the padded organizer pouches are great, and one of them is currently home to my canon powershot...

however,t hat would depend on what size ipod you have

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Originally Posted by scholar

the padded organizer pouches are great, and one of them is currently home to my canon powershot...

however,t hat would depend on what size ipod you have

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I suppose the padded organizers would suffice but I don't have one so it's hard to tell how much padding they have. I think I'd prefer something with some actual width to it. Maybe not as wide as The Kit but something along those lines.

Hi pretzelb,
I have a padded organizer, and it provided excellent protection for my digital point-and-shoot riding in a minimalist backpack on assignment in New Zealand and Thailand this fall. If you have a larger iPod, you'll probably be happiest with a medium padded organizer. If you've got some flavor of Nano, the small will do. If you're not going to be happy, you'll know right away, and the TB return policy is most reasonable. I read your wish list, and thought to myself: That's the padded organizer pouch to a T!

http://www.tombihn.com/forums/bag-reviews/897-small-padded-pouch.html

I have a few pictures of a small padded pouch there. The Nintendo DS Lite fits quite snuggly in the small pouch. Every now and then I would worry that it would get scratched as I squeeze it past the zipper, but so far, so good =)

I have used the padded pouch to travel with my small external hard drive, and felt it was well protected enough (and it was; it works).

I actually put my ipod in a normal small organizer pouch, because I've already placed it in a hard casing. If it didn't have a casing though, the padded organizer pouch would likely be its home.

Maybe the current padded organizers are good enough (thanks for those pictures) but for some reason I still think I would prefer something that had some width to it's base. I use the clear organizers for several purposes so I do find the pouch useful, but in this case some bias on my part wants the gizmo bag to be wide instead of thin. I wish I had a good reason for this bias but so far nothing comes to mind.

If you look at this battery charger you will see the cheap pouch I currently use. It's nothing special at all but it's a good size and it has a base that allows it to stand on it's own if you wish. The only problem is that it doesn't have any padding or a handle of any kind. I think if a "new" padded gizmo bag were made with a small handle it could not only have a place in a wide open backpack but also be used on it's own as a camera bag or small cell phone / wallet bag.

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Originally Posted by pretzelb

I'm thinking that TB has a few items that come close but nothing specific. The organizer pouches would work but they aren't very protective. The Kit would offer more protection but it's not really a good size for this use. The Snake Charmer also might do it but again it's not going to protect. So maybe it's an opportunity.

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I agree with the other comments in this thread that the small, padded organizer pouches would probably fit your requirements, but I also think there's a place for a smaller version of the Kit. I gave one of these to my father for his MacBook power adapter and mouse. I can imagine that having this shaped, and more three-dimensional design would be useful for a variety of purposes. I might add a short tab where the zipper ends so that you could also clip this pouch to a D-ring or loop a lanyard through it.

What if you re-appropriated the eM² for the purposes you described? Would that work?

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Originally Posted by Just

What if you re-appropriated the eM² for the purposes you described? Would that work?

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Too large for pretzlb's purposes, I think.

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Originally Posted by moriond

Too large for pretzlb's purposes, I think.

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Yea, that's way to big. I'm thinking something just bigger than a large iPod or a typical point and shoot digital camera. The padded pouches are probably the right size but as I said I'd like something with a base or width to it, though I have no real reason why I think that would be a good idea. It sounds like it's not something that others find interesting though so perhaps it's not as good an idea as I thought.

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Originally Posted by pretzelb

I'm thinking something just bigger than a large iPod or a typical point and shoot digital camera. The padded pouches are probably the right size but as I said I'd like something with a base or width to it, though I have no real reason why I think that would be a good idea. It sounds like it's not something that others find interesting though so perhaps it's not as good an idea as I thought.

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I'd actually find a smaller version of the Kit more useful, as noted in the suggestion linked to my earlier post. This would be sized better for small cameras and electronic components like the original iSight -- devices which are about 5" or so in length, and which would bit better into a style pouch about two-thirds the size of the Kit (8.7" x 4.7" x 3").

I don't use the Kit as a cosmetics case (one of the original reasons the Kit was designed, according to its web page), and even if I used it for toiletries I'd want something smaller. Some of the nice features of the Kit are its shaped design, which fits the hand well, and the wider base. That means that items like iSight don't roll around, and its also easier to pick out some items from the bottom than with the regular pouches. (I do make more use of the regular pouches, though, because they're a better general size match, and can be clipped to D-rings, etc.) YMMV.

I'm all for TB coming up with some sort of smallish padded electronics pouch that has an inch or two of depth to it, but in the meantime, you might check Waterfield Designs. They have lots of pouches along those lines for ipods, cameras, PSPs, etc. Prices are pretty steep, but they're well made. I personally prefer the style/design of the Tom Bihn line to those of Waterfield, but if you can't wait (or if it's not in Tom's plans), you might check WF out.

What about the padded organizer pouches? Those should handle the "smallish padded electronics pouch" part. And then you could put them into a Snake Charmer. Though, I'd prefer a slightly re-designed Snake Charmer (as I described here:

A bag idea for PDAs

You might try the Clear Quarter Packing Cube to hold different padded pouches.

The Packing Cube has a loop that you can use to hang.

I love how the Cube is lightweight and with it's two pockets it is wonderful.

Can anyone give feedback on whether the mini padded organizer can hold these items, separately of course:
- An iPod classic (the new ones, which are pretty slim)
- A Canon SD800 (one of the small point & shoot digitals)?

Both items measure much smaller than the mini padded organizer, but given that they have some width & the organizer's zipper probably cuts into the usable space some, I'm not sure. I've been wanting a low-profile protective home for my camera & iPod for a while, & the mini padded pouch looks like it could be perfect. The small looks too big, like the items would swim in it & like I'd never use it b/c it would be too bulky.