What's in your backpack/fannypack/purse

Haterot

This will be my 1st time at Pax. After watching some YouTube and catching a special on G4 (HD channel we get at home) I noticed just about everyone carrying some sort of container (minus swag bags).

So, simply asked, whats everyone carrying around? And more to the point what SHOULD you be carrying around while at Pax?

BigRed

Haterot wrote: »

This will be my 1st time at Pax. After watching some YouTube and catching a special on G4 (HD channel we get at home) I noticed just about everyone carrying some sort of container (minus swag bags).

So, simply asked, whats everyone carrying around? And more to the point what SHOULD you be carrying around while at Pax?

Theres no bag check so no place to store things. If you buy something, get lots of swag, or need something with you (food, medicine, etc) then thats whats the bag is for. Epically if you don't want to go back to your hotel that much.

A lot of people don't have much in their bag, because it slowly fills up as the day goes by from swag/purchases :P

mentok1982

Bag:

Umbrella
Plastic Ziploc bags (for portable electronics if it rains)
Charging stuff
PAX schedule/program
Room for schwag


Pockets:

Wallet
Personal media player
Camera
Cell phone

kaldonis

I just carry my laptop around in my backpack and leave the rest of the space for swag/purchases... the laptop is nice for taking a break in the sumo lounge since PAX sets up free wireless internet.

November6

I have my usual day-to-day backpack with;
Laptop
Camera (small point-shoot)
DS
iPod
Chargers for all the above
Headphones
Water Bottle

This year I might try and bring my DSLR but the backpack is much larger and last year even though I have a great backpack, it was getting rough on my back after being on my feet for nearly 8 hours.

ShineyBlueShoes

Well so far I'm thinking about getting something along the lines of this bag. In which I'll probably be sticking:

DS
Umbrella
Game CD's if I need any for the BYOC
Camera and/or Camcorder
Nalgene Bottle


Sure there will be more but don't want to fill it up too much so it's not that much to carry and got room for swag like everyone else.

Dopeski

Oh that reminds me! Where can I find a nice small backpack? I need somewhere to store my DS and my many games. :-)

bowlofpetunias

I'll be leaving my laptop at BOYC so, I'll probably have messenger bag with the essentials: DS, Umbrella, Camera, and Towel (most essential).

Haterot

Do you use one of those laptop cables and lock your system down?

bowlofpetunias

Of course, not that I don't trust people but why not. The only pain comes in making sure I remember the combination.

Moe Fwacky

How has nobody posted this yet?

DoctorArch

I plan on using my classic Jansport backpack for most of PAX, occasionally dumping excess schwag into my car or hotel room.

Inside my bag I'll have my Nalgene, a couple of cliff bars, my small cd case for byoc, my DS, and one of those new ds game portfolios from Hori.

Sl1pstream

Inside "the bag" (messenger bag):

Nintendo DS
HTC P4350 (used as both a cell phone and a way to keep my eye on upcoming panels)
Digital Camera
Zune (although I might leave that in the hotelroom safe this year, it's not like I actually used it during PAX last year)

The rest is room for swag.

SergeantAuberie

Thrift Store = Ideal place to get a bag of any size, shape, color, etc. Plus, they cost about a dollar or two, so if it gets a strange smell, gets covered in mud or rain, or lost somehow, you won't miss it.

In my bag last year: DS, cellphone, camera + chargers these things. And COOKIES (for handing out to the lovely forumers and anyone else I encountered). Bags are also nice in case you get leftover Subway, or some kind of packaged food/drink that you don't want to hold, and for swag, although they hand out large bag-things, which are nice too.

BrokenAngel

Wow, I feel like a packrat now... My purse consisted of:

My pretty pink DS and small game case
A digital camera
Cell phone
Wallet
My little travel pack thing I throw in every purse, which has a mini first aid kit, tiny silverware, a swiss army knife and tons of other little helpful things
A snack bar
A can or bottle of bawls/pop/gatorade/ect
Pen and paper for getting peoples handles, email addys, phone numbers ect.
A deck of MTG
A set of gamers dice

And lets not forget.... Swag!

Minja

I dont like carrying around a bag durring PAX (mostly cause Im working a lot), all I carry is credit card + ID + room key and a phone...(come rob me, I dare you).

Kyouteki

Let's see, what did I have?

I had a point and shoot camera and my cell phone in my pocket. In my backpack, I had:

* UMPC (for periodic upload of pictures to flickr
* Nintendo DS and games
* Digital Camcorder

The rest of the room was for all the swag!

VThornheart

Last time I came, I didn't bring a bag.

But that was in the long long ago, and I hear there is much more swag to be gotten now than a human can carry with bare hands.

TimeCruiserMike

what shall reside in my bag totally depends on what i'll want to get signed by famous person's in attendance . . . My DS, cellphone, wallet, camera, food and any other items i bring for my personal use while at PAX shall reside in the pockets on my BDU

ShineyBlueShoes

I found a spiffy messenger bag at work today while I was closing, Halo 3 and canvas with a small masterchief portrait and was kind of neat. Didn't get to check the price on it before the registers closed so I'll have to in the morning but it seemed nice and nerdy without being too over the top. Only thing is I don't care one way or the other for Halo really and have only played 3 once so hopefully it's nice and cheap.

Edit: Found a decent picture of it on the manufacturers site here. Think it's actually pretty tactful and kind of artsy for something that's just there to feed the rabid fanboys with too much money. Especially if I can get it for less the $20. Though it doesn't have those big pockets on the side that are great for water bottles like the other bag I was looking at.



Haha, look at that figured out I could just link it.

Cynd3rCyn

I had a little laptop bag that I brought with me. I kept my camera, batteries, and essentials. (Has two drink holders on each side) It did get pretty full with all the free t-shirts and fliers and such, but it was better than carrying the swag bags they hand out. Those hurt my arms and hands.

QuizMaster

Last summer, my backpack was falling apart. I knew by the Fall, I'd have to get a new bag. But I didn't in time for PAX. Luckily, around the same time, certain Canadian beer companies had a promotion where they were selling cases of beer not in a box, but in a backpack/cooler. So that's what I decided to wear.....before learning I wasn't going to get enough Bawls to require cooling.

Unfortunately, it doesn't have any pouches (just the main storage space), which turns out to be important. Because every time I wanted to get something out of my bag, I had to go through:
Swag, MTG deck, DS + game cases, envelope of great importance (room key, monies, etc. inside), swag/clothes which belong to friends, camera, snack, merchandise (shirts, books, CDs), PAX booklet/schedule.

bowlofpetunias

BrokenAngel wrote: »

Wow, I feel like a packrat now... My purse consisted of:

My pretty pink DS and small game case
A digital camera
Cell phone
Wallet
My little travel pack thing I throw in every purse, which has a mini first aid kit, tiny silverware, a swiss army knife and tons of other little helpful things
A snack bar
A can or bottle of bawls/pop/gatorade/ect
Pen and paper for getting peoples handles, email addys, phone numbers ect.
A deck of MTG
A set of gamers dice

And lets not forget.... Swag!

I'll have a few of these this year. My friend got me really into MTG recently and now I'm always excited to play someone.

Relativiox

I'll likely just be using my camelbak to stay hydrated.

KaitouAyashi

Let's see...

My bf preferred the backpack, so I took the messenger bag. We also brought the laptop bag that contained everything needed for BYOC (cables, lock, thumbdrive, headphones) - it stayed in the BYOC room.

In addition to copious amounts of swag, the messenger bag I carried all over PAX contained the following:

-DS case w/DS and games
-bottled water
-Vitamin C drops
-Stride Gum
-My own personal PAX Schedule, generated online that some awesome forumer created
-Beef jerky and/or dried fruit
-Extra bottle of BAWLS
-cell phone
-wallet, hotel key
-chapstick/lip balm
-baseball hat
-comb
-lotion

Basically anything I thought I'd need from the time I left the hotel in the morning until well, 2am the next day. Because anything can happen at PAX, and you never know who you're going to meet up with, where you're going to be invited or how long you're going to be there.

VThornheart

bowlofpetunias wrote: »

BrokenAngel wrote: »

Wow, I feel like a packrat now... My purse consisted of:

My pretty pink DS and small game case
A digital camera
Cell phone
Wallet
My little travel pack thing I throw in every purse, which has a mini first aid kit, tiny silverware, a swiss army knife and tons of other little helpful things
A snack bar
A can or bottle of bawls/pop/gatorade/ect
Pen and paper for getting peoples handles, email addys, phone numbers ect.
A deck of MTG
A set of gamers dice

And lets not forget.... Swag!

I'll have a few of these this year. My friend got me really into MTG recently and now I'm always excited to play someone.

Sweet, it's on!

We should start an MTG thread for PAX here.

I, for one, am eager to bring my old Ink-Treader Nephilim deck out of cobwebs, if you guys don't mind playing with a set that's no longer standard. (It was all standard before that latest set came out... all Ravnica/Guildpact/9th Edition cards)

ShineyBlueShoes

I'm going to bring my goblin deck from a decade ago and kick all your butts!

Haterot

Is it me, or is the DS like some sort of passport for every PAX attendee? Seems like everyone has got a DS.

skarsol

Haterot wrote: »

Is it me, or is the DS like some sort of passport for every PAX attendee? Seems like everyone has got a DS.

That's a fairly accurate statement.

Moe Fwacky

Yup, and most people who have thought about getting a DS usually end up picking one up for PAX.

ShineyBlueShoes

Wait... didn't you steal that statement...

AHA, you did you quote ninja you!

delwyn wrote: »

Ok, I'm a DS noob, but it seems like they're almost a passport to get in the door at PAX

Ended up grabbing that bag though since it only ended up running me $15 (yay) and just kind of looks like an artistic splotch unless you stop and look at it.

strangemusic

the Bag last year (Queen's University bookshop-issue, guaranteed to not break under the weight of five biology classes) contained:

DS and games
Headphones
Water
Keys
Bawls
Camera
Telephone
A folder containing the PAX Handbook and personally done-up schedules of panels/events of interest
Swag/Purchased stuff (far too much)
Lots and lots of those tasty Haze mints
Earplugs (for concerts... I have tinnitus)
Deodorant stick (this is important!!!)

I found that carrying too much stuff was a serious pain in the ass. I'd heartily suggest PAXing in minimalist fashion, especially because you're bumping into people all the time with a big bag hanging off you. For this year I think I should get a portable camcorder... so many things are better captured in video form.

Haterot

ShineyBlueShoes wrote: »

Wait... didn't you steal that statement...

AHA, you did you quote ninja you!

delwyn wrote: »

Ok, I'm a DS noob, but it seems like they're almost a passport to get in the door at PAX

Ended up grabbing that bag though since it only ended up running me $15 (yay) and just kind of looks like an artistic splotch unless you stop and look at it.

I steal only form the best.

Ok so everyone (but me) has a DS, but whyyyyyyyyyyyy?

Qs23

I don't have a DS. And Thanda even let me borrow his old DS for PAX. I think I used it like twice.

ShineyBlueShoes

Long as you fess up.

Mystral721

Not just gaming, but DS's were also used in lieu of lighters to show love during concerts: http://www.flickr.com/photos/thekiko/1308718969/in/set-72157601827609412/

Not to mention some game companies were sending game demos to people standing in line for concerts and panels. That reminds me - I gotta brush up on my Mario Kart for this PAX! Or will Mario Kart be out and some new FOTM game be in?

b0wser

Dopeski wrote: »

Oh that reminds me! Where can I find a nice small backpack? I need somewhere to store my DS and my many games. :-)

You're from Abbotsford, that's decent. (Well, it's Abby, I can't really say it's decent here)
Valley Combat and Tactical on South Fraser near Dogwood might have something.

If not, I'd recommend looking at some of the options that Mountain Equipment Co-op has, since they've got a good variety of bags at low prices. You could check out their store in Vancouver or browse online at http://www.mec.ca

mare_imbrium

skarsol wrote: »

Haterot wrote: »

Is it me, or is the DS like some sort of passport for every PAX attendee? Seems like everyone has got a DS.

That's a fairly accurate statement.

I have asked my husband probably half a dozen times since I got my DS Lite (when they were first released) if he would also like to have a DS and he has always said no. I think it was the day after we booked our hotel for PAX that he told me he wanted to get a DS and so we're going to get him one of the new cobalt/black ones.

ShineyBlueShoes

I'd like one of those, I like the color but meh I can't go for a downgrade in screen quality from mine. Hopefully mine never breaks, probably cursing mine to finally get hinge cracks by saying that.

Moe Fwacky

Wait what? The Cobolt have different screen quality than the other Lites?

ShineyBlueShoes

Should. The Crimson/Black ones had ones that were only marginally brighter then the phat DS screens and I think, not 100% certain on this bit, but even the original colors went to the other screens. Sure it was a supplier thing or something where the actual screens changed or something and I can't see Nintendo going back to the other ones randomly if that's the case. Haven't seen them given any indication that they're going to.