Original Small Shop Bag

I have both a black and purple original Small Shop bag (I like to switch it up) which I use exclusively as an EDC for work. It's handy for carrying my work laptop and charger along with my lunch, purse (Side Effect), a Cubelet used as a med kit and other bits and bobs. I clip my keys to a small strap fastened to one of the O rings. Work folders easily slip in there too. I've tried it as a travel bag - not very successfully because apparently travel bags need to be attached to my body, i.e., backpacks & crossbody bags, so I don't forget them. A few years ago, I left the purple Small Shop bag in an airport sitting area twice on the same trip!- luckily the people next to us saw I left it behind and brought it to me as we stood in the boarding line (yes, both times). It's also easy to clean, I use very diluted dish detergent to wipe it and rinse then hang to dry.

This is the first tote I reach for to carry anything. I use when I'm camping, hauling stuff to the car, to work, to friends' houses, for road trips, to the beach, to hold a large knitting project. It's easy to dig through because it stands up on its own pretty well. I also love that the strap is short enough that the bag doesn't drag on the ground when I carry it in my hand (I'm short) but long enough to also carry on my shoulder. And the interior pockets are the most functional of any tote I've used. They're sized to hold a 2L water bottle so I use them to separate out anything I want to grab easily like a scarf, sunglasses, or gloves.

I love these bags! Because the price makes them a bit of an investment for me, I initially bought one large and one small one to try them out, and found the smaller one perfect for heavy groceries. The straps go over the shoulder for carrying and are padded enough to be comfortable even when loaded with canned goods. Over time I've bought 6 of these babies and the older ones are virtually in the same condition as newer ones. I love the really bright colors, the ultraviolet halcyon, and my very favorite, the wasabi halcyon which sadly I haven't seen offered for some time.

This versatile bag does not touch the ground when I carry it.

The internal pockets are superb for separating tall bottles or thermoses.

You can gain an extra bit of space by turning the bag inside out and having the pockets on the outside!

It is easy to see all of the contents inside.

The padded handles on this bag are very comfortable even if the bag is heavy.

The colours are gorgeous. I use this bag for casual/everyday use as well as for shopping.

Two Small Shop Bags plus a backpack is my preferred carry for walking home from the grocery store (see item #1 about the bags not touching the ground when full).

An Everyday Cubelet fits in one of the internal pockets, making this a great bag-in-bag situation.

These bags are sturdy!

Did I mention they're gorgeous?

My small original steel dynema is almost 9 years old and I still use it a few times a week. Great shape for shopping and the padded handles make carrying a bagful of groceries much nicer. The internal sections/divisions are a great feature for me; my smoothie stays upright in one section, my drink bottle in the section on the opposite side, while all my work stuff fits happily in the larger center section between the two. I’ve bought two more over the years and figure I’m set for life! It’s a great bag.