Opinion: Man-purses are about to catch on bigtime

Seth Weintraub
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January 29, 2010
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Women are set.  Just throw your new iPad into your big-ass purse and be done with it. 

I'm planning to get Apple's new gadget. The biggest decision is whether to wait for 3G or get one on March 26th. (Who are we kidding? I'll be camping out at the Apple Store on release day).  The real question is: How am I going to schlep one of these things around? 

The point of the iPad is that I can take it places where my MacBook Pro doesn't need to go.  I'm thinking weekend trips, vacations, coffee shops, etc. 

The Europeans are also set.  They have the European carry-all because there (in France at least) you need to carry your car registration with you everywhere and your driver's license is the size of a passport. It's socially acceptalbe and dare I say? hip. You can fit an iPad into one of those.

But what about us American guys? 

Fanny pack?  Negative.

Unless anyone has any better suggestions, it is looking like my only option for carrying one of these around is going Euro. Not that there's anything wrong with that.

 

 

Comments (52)

9to5Mac Noob (not verified) | January 29, 2010 - 11:42am

Get the ole Indiana Jones side bag :)

RR (not verified) | January 30, 2010 - 6:23am

Last summer, while I waited for my iPad to come out, I got one of these: Tumi
Alpha Flap Zip Cross Body. Perfect for the pad and it looks more like a small book bag than a purse, not that there is anything wrong with a purse. R

nikolas (not verified) | January 29, 2010 - 11:54am

is the 26th March official?

boden (not verified) | January 29, 2010 - 11:56am

I use a carrier satchel It works well. Might I suggest a briefcase for those of you scared to carry a pouch.

9to5Mac Noob from Croatia (not verified) | January 29, 2010 - 11:59am

Well, it is normal in most european countries that ALL people carry with them self's a identity card with picture and drivers license (if you got one), and NO they are not the size of a passport. They fit in a normal wallet. So I think that europeans, like myself, will have some sweeet problem carry iPad around.... ;)

9to5Mac Noob (not verified) | January 29, 2010 - 12:01pm

I don't really need style tips from an insurance company.

I had a 12" iBook for years, and I carried it in a small laptop bag. The fact that it looked like a so-called "man purse" didn't bother me at all... hell, I was going to carry what was right for me, not what some dolt told me to do. I carry what I need and want to carry.

9to5Mac Noob (not verified) | January 29, 2010 - 12:01pm

Try a ScotteVest

Woody | January 29, 2010 - 5:01pm

Holy Crap! They've already got an iPad ready line! LOL!

9to5Mac Noob (not verified) | January 30, 2010 - 7:30am

Ya, they're right on the coattails of Apple.

9to5Mac Noob (not verified) | January 29, 2010 - 12:07pm

I'm the manliest man there is, and I'm seriously considering a new purse. What has Apple done to us?!

Bruce (not verified) | January 29, 2010 - 12:09pm

I know the company Universal Leather Design, based in Canada, is already working on some leather pouch designs for the iPad. Some have shoulder straps and some have short straps. Nothing is posted on their site but I'm sure they'll tweet about it soon.

www.mycustomleather.com
www.twitter.com/mycustomleather

jbwzrd213 (not verified) | January 29, 2010 - 12:12pm

I'm sticking with the old backpack. Why not?
Hey, I can pull it off. I'm still only 18. =D

Zaphod (not verified) | January 29, 2010 - 5:28pm

hell yeah, i'm only 30 and i still use my old backpack! works great. lots of pockets :)

uhhh... (not verified) | January 29, 2010 - 12:16pm

how much different will it be than carrying a 12" powerbook or netbook? i know people are excited to get this thing in their hands but come on, anything better to talk about? dig a bit deeper on that flash story

this is dumb.

9to5Mac Noob (not verified) | January 29, 2010 - 12:18pm

I was waiting to scroll down to see the joyoftech comic. If not everyone has seen their suggestions for carrying the iPad: http://www.geekculture.com/joyoftech/joyarchives/1348.html

taoprophet420 (not verified) | January 29, 2010 - 12:33pm

You could just carry it in a bookbinder or fit it into a small brief case. I think messenger bags are handy either way.

9to5Mac Noob (not verified) | January 30, 2010 - 1:57pm

Yep. As a motorcyclist, I started using messenger bags years ago.
They're functional, cool, and hold your shit.
Besides, you get into your 40s like me and you don't give a rat's ass what anyone thinks.
OTOH, being 6-4, 240lbs probably keeps a lot of the remarks quiet! :)

Murse (not verified) | January 29, 2010 - 12:35pm

I like my bag, or as my girlfriend calls it, my "Murse" LOL we just need more of them to be manly. But yeah a small laptop bag would work too

boden (not verified) | January 29, 2010 - 12:37pm

Me Thinks Straight Male doth protest too much...

9to5Mac Noob (not verified) | January 29, 2010 - 12:40pm

Looks like he got moderated. But this made me giggle:

Straight Male (not verified)

Woody | January 29, 2010 - 5:02pm

Oh, that's freaking FUNNY!

Bart (not verified) | January 29, 2010 - 12:48pm

I carry my backpack with me a lot -- to and from work, traveling, etc. -- because I can drop my laptop and binder in it as well as all the incidentals (like tissues, pens, gum)...

Actually, now that I think of it...I guess my backpack IS my man purse, lol!

I've never had a carrier satchel -- but I think they look fine when guys carry them.

9to5Mac Noob (not verified) | January 29, 2010 - 12:48pm

um... backpacks?

9to5Mac Noob (not verified) | January 29, 2010 - 1:26pm

Hey, if Jack Bauer from 24 can use a satchel I certainly can.

Ramone (not verified) | January 29, 2010 - 1:31pm

"It's not a purse, it's a satchel!!!" Can't believe that movie hasn't already been quoted!

9to5Mac Noob (not verified) | January 29, 2010 - 1:58pm

You could also carry it in your newly formed vagina.

nooby-nooby-doo (not verified) | January 29, 2010 - 1:58pm

Oh boy! You Americans are so MANLY, with you moustaches, shark fishing paraphernalia and Starbuck's coffee. In England, we call these things, "record bags". They of course don't actually hold any records, but they do impress our fellow menschen, and are great for posing; "Hey bro, what's in YOUR record bag"? "An iPad of course!" "Dude!!" :D

Facescar (not verified) | January 29, 2010 - 6:27pm

1) What "moustache"?
2) shark fishing? Really? Have you ever been here?
3) Starbucks coffee will never make someone feel manly.

9to5Mac Noob (not verified) | January 29, 2010 - 2:03pm

Get a Freitag!

9to5Mac Noob (not verified) | January 29, 2010 - 2:22pm

Oh no...a man purse! What's next American men all wearing Speedos at the beach?