Do you have a favorite "on-shore" bag?

[murfturf]

I am looking for a new cross-body travel purse - one that is good for on-shore excursions. It would need to hold my camera, sunglasses, medication, small souvenirs, maybe some granola bars for kids etc. I have a Fossil I love, but it's worn out and not the color I need for this trip.

 

I'd love some suggestions! I've seen Baggelini, Keen, Kipliing, Le SportSac and also Fossil on shopping sites, but I'd like personal experiences. I want a black, or black/gray - this will be for a March cruise but also my new "travel purse" for other trips. Not leather probably.

 

Thanks!

[Floridiana]

ok, here we go. I took a cross body baggallini with me through China, turned out to be a bit too small. This bag has too many interior pockets that I did not use, but they made the bag heavy for its size. It looked really stuffed throughout the trip.

 

I have a new baggalini, not yet tested on a trip. It looks great and is the right size. It can be made into a backpack. It's called Lyon Crossbody.

 

What I need: an easily accessible small front pocket for toilet paper (South America and China!), an easily accessible but somewhat hidden pocket for my small camera. A safe pocket for passports, money etc. Additional space for snacks, a scarf and maybe even a thin sweater that becomes too warm during midday, but was needed early in the morning.

[cb at sea]

I just bring a canvas tote...not too big, or I wind up carrying everything for everyone! I can put my small purse in it, along with towels, and other beach stuff!

 

If we're not doing a beach, then I just carry my small purse!

[PNW Traveler]

I've used several brands as crossbody travel bags - Baggalini, Fossil, PacSafe, Haiku and Eagle Creek. The Baggalini bag has some great features, but really gets wet in a light rain. It now stays home. The Fossil bag doesn't have the best pockets and strap adjustability. It is also heavier. The PacSafe has the theft proof strap, but, again, not the best pockets. Haiku has great style, with color choices and even prints not found in the other brands, but the most recent cross-body styles don't have enough pockets and compartments for travel. The Eagle Creek (Courier) is good size, lightweight, has excellent pockets, durability, and can hold my small camera, phone, Kindle, small water bottle and travel documents. It is not as fashionable as some of the other brands, but currently is the one I use for major travel. Travel bag choices are very subjective and there are numerous choices depending on your travel style. I tend to do a lot of walking, enjoy taking photos, and always have a small water bottle with me. When in port I don't tote the Kindle, but always have a camera. I may have a foldable sunhat I can cram into my bag. I've had good luck at Zappos, Sierra Trading Post, Ebags, Amazon, and 6pm.com as online shopping sources. My local AAA store has an excellent selection of Baggalini bags.

[Willeve]

I have several Kipling bags for holidays, some larger than others. They are super lightweight, have strong, easy pull zips. They are water-resistant and wipeable, but if you do buy a light coloured one you can throw them in the washing machine if necessary. I have bought mine from Amazon in the past-they might not be the newest colours, but the styles are super. Highly recommend!

 

 

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[murfturf]

Wow - great replies so far, thanks! Will look at all those. I do need a crossbody, I can't just have an over the shoulder bag. I end up with a sore neck, shoulder etc.

[Willeve]

Most Kipling bags are across-body, they have easily adjustable straps that extend really far, or can be used as a shoulder bag.

 

 

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[mehitabel]

This Highway bag is the best recommendation I can give! I've had mine for almost 7 years now, and it's so capacious it could almost be a carry-on (but it's not nearly so large!).

 

Lots of zippered pockets, as you can see, comfortable when worn cross-body, which is how I almost always wear mine, and tons of room. On my last vacation, I had in mine: my wallet, my passport (it fits perfectly in the bottom zippered pocket), my makeup, medications, travel paperwork, pens/pencils/notepad, iPad, iPhone, and all the other assorted things that I just have to have right near me.

 

Because of the way it's designed, it seems to distribute weight very evenly across itself and across the body. And it is STURDY. When it's empty, it just rolls up. I love mine and it's a mainstay of my traveling.

[Hoyaheel]

I have two I use the most these days for leisure travel with lots of walking around - ebags piazza day bag and a pacsafe citysafe 200 (mine is older so the pockets are a little different but the general size is the same) that fits a light sweater or windbreaker if I need.

 

I have also used amerisafe healthy back sling bags - the larger sizes have long enough straps to be worn cross body - but I find I like the pacsafe for a larger bag these days.

 

PS I got one or both of them on a great sale from a daily ebags sale email.

Edited January 20, 2015 by Hoyaheel

[Bowie MeMe]

I have many many purses/carry-on bags. Always can stray to a new one that promises to be "wonderful". Most are on the shelf and I keep going back to the cross-body LeSport Sac with 3 sections. I match this with the zippered tote bag. The nylon material comes in prints for every taste. It is lightweight. The cross body strap is long enough for plus size woman (this is often a problem) and wide enough not to cause strain or cutting into the shoulder. The tote bag carries lunch, clothes, sweater, umbrella, etc. etc. etc. I even have a black tote bag very plain for the hubs to carry his stuff in. The best news is that the purse that goes anywhere also gets into all kinds of messes. The LeSport bags toss into the laundry with the rest of the clothes and ready to go. I have some sets of the bags that are 20 years old. The only one that ever had a problem was the time that fingernail glue got on the zipper! So many options can find the combination that works for you. Smaller purse goes into tote bag on airplane becoming the "seat" bag for long flights.

[NY2NH2008]

I have been using my Thirty-One Explorista crossbody bag. It has outside zipper pockets as well as mesh and inside pockets. Big enough to carry my camera, a wallet and store snacks or a layering shirt.

[Smilefy]

I have several Kipling bags for holidays, some larger than others. They are super lightweight, have strong, easy pull zips. They are water-resistant and wipeable, but if you do buy a light coloured one you can throw them in the washing machine if necessary. I have bought mine from Amazon in the past-they might not be the newest colours, but the styles are super. Highly recommend!

 

 

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I love Kipling. I think I have bags for my bags. I blame my grandmother for making me a bag lady, she always was giving me hand me down bags she had purchased. ;)

 

My purse is a Kipling cross-body bag that can fit a kindle and a guidebook and all documents when needed. Love that.

 

Second favorite would be my brother's Eagle Creek packable backpack. He took it on a trip to Europe as a backup and never needed it. Now it's mine :) It has padded shoulder straps, yet fits itself into a tiny pouch.

[VenusLady]

Kipling get my vote! I have loads of sizes!

You can fit so many items in them. I recommend the Kipling Syro. It's the perfect size for camera, phone, water, kindle and any other nik naks you want to pop in! Lightweight and comfy.

[awhfy]

Love my Le SportSac bag (with the sunglasses print😉). Also have a black & a beige Bagalini that I swear by for traveling (I have 3 different sizes of the black)

 

 

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[Hoyaheel]

I have a lot of lesportsac bags too (the large or XL weekender are usually the duffels I pack for a return trip checked bag if I'm thinking I'll be shopping on a trip - souvenirs go in my suitcase and dirty clothing goes in the duffel). I don't like the strap on my lesportsac shoulder bag for long trips - it can chafe. Though now that I have timbuk2 padded strap covers, I guess it wouldn't matter:p Same thing for the lesportsac tote - I love the bag but the plain nylon straps can dig into my shoulders if I carry anything heavy. I mean, I hiked gorges in China using it because I had nothing else with me, but it wasn't ideal;)

Edited January 20, 2015 by Hoyaheel

[slidergirl]

Right now, my choice for my everyday and travel bags are from Sherpani. The Verona model was the right size for me on my last European vacation. Comfortable, it had space for my iPad Mini, DSLR, water bottle, wallet, and umbrella. I am currently using their Sonoma daypack in the "Surfer Girl" pattern as my everyday-to-to-work bag. Sad that they don't make that one anymore (but, there are a few out on eBay…).

 

I bought a Kipling pack at the duty-free on a layover at Cairo - it is one of the daypacks. It looks small, but holds a ton of stuff - had to stop using it because I would put too much in there and it would get too heavy.

[royalcruz]

I love my Baggalini crossbody bags. They feel weightless and I love the compartments. I got them at TJ Maxx.

[sr4mjc]

I took this to Europe for 2 weeks, it was perfect. There's a pocket that held my iPad mini, lots of other pockets. I have it in black but may get another color too.

 

http://www.ebags.com/product/derek-alexander/top-zip-front-organizer/232377?productid=10185527

 

I also love the Kipling Alvar and have 3 colors

 

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001RYNRC6/ref=ox_sfl_cart_mbc_s2?ie=UTF8&psc=1&serverToken=Obidos

[murfturf]

So many choices! I ordered a bagallini big Sydney bag in cheetah, but was tempted by so many others!!! My favorite before was a canvas Fossil, but it's time to retire.

 

I am thinking I need a new spring/summer bag too! The black is for our city trips as well as winter. Loving all the reviews!

Edited January 22, 2015 by murfturf

[Hoyaheel]

A new bag for me just arrived with UPS yesterday:p A Timbuk2 crossbody bag I got 40% from Sierratradingpost - I think the total was $23? It's a grey herringbone nylon and seems comfortable - I think it will be a nice spring/summer break from my black as well! It has a zip around to expand the size if needed, and velcro straps in case you want to carry it on your bike handlebars. Cute! (I won't use that feature, but it's still cute! For those who bike or if you rent a bike while traveling?)

 

http://www.sierratradingpost.com/timbuk2-harriet-shoulder-bag~p~8370g/?colorFamily=02

 

I love all my Timbuk2 products - that ballistic nylon wears like, well, ballistic nylon. And I can throw my bags in the washing machine when I get back from a trip, as needed...

 

(PS this is called a shoulder bag but the strap is long enough to go crossbody on me, even though I am quite busty ;-)

Edited January 22, 2015 by Hoyaheel

[SadieN]

The few times we've gone to Rome I've either used the PacSafe or a leather purse.

 

I like the Ameribag. The biggest problem is the lack of a detachable strap. I have two medium ones and they hold more than you think they do.

The PacSafe are a bit heavy but my smaller one can hold a water bottle, maps, camera, phone, CC holder, emergency kit and huge coin purse.

I've mastered the art of the Clown Car Purse. :p Mine's similar in size to the CitySafeLS75.

 

register on ebags or Sierra Trading Post. There's almost always a coupon in the inbox.

[murfturf]

My purse arrived - and I think it's too big!

 

I will keep looking at all those suggestions, so many choices :/ But I do love shopping! I think I need to hit a Marshall's or Ross to see some in person this weekend.

 

So the "Big" Sydney Bag is too big, so back to the drawing board!

[marchand28]

I've been using an Iota sling sack that I got on Amazon. It folds up and fits in a pocket, but it's big enough to hold a beach towel. It is made out of a parachute type of material, so it handles sand and water very well.

 

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[cruisemom42]

I love my Kipling "Europa" cross body bag. I've had the black one for several years and then last year was able to pick up one in brown on a great sale.

 

It's light, comfortable, and seems to be the perfect size for me. You can fit a lot in it without having it look huge. I might have a small wallet, sunglasses, Kindle, possibly a small guide book, water bottle, small brush, cell, and maybe a small snack. Even with this, I have also been known to roll up a lightweight rain jacket and fit it in, or perhaps a scarf if I might need it (entering a mosque, for example).

[Host Star]

I have several crossbody bags.. no particular brand,, but I like the ones that have a place for your credit cards and money so I don't have to carry the wallet which makes any bag heavier.. just the camera, iphone, glasses, cc and$$... not too big, not too small, the latest one I got is from travelon bags.. has the slots inside for credit cards, etc... a water bottle would also fit..