With school about to begin for the kiddos, we’ve been stocking up on stuff for Pre-K and 1st grade. It made me think: what do I use as a hybrid home/office worker? I’ve got it pretty dialed in, and happy to share. Keep in mind: I’ve evolved into a hardcore soft-copy guy. I rarely travel with documents/folders/materials, instead opting for the soft copy versions. I do, however, write out a to-do list every morning, and I like taking notes with pen and paper.
Given that, here’s what I like:
From top left:
1. Topo Designs Session Backpack: Topo Designs is so good. They have nailed the colorways that harken back to the 80s-90s climbing craze, but with updated designs that work perfectly for today’s minimalist attitude. Embrace your inner Deadhead here, folks. This Sessions backpack is just what the doctor ordered.
2. Paper Mate Flair Pens: I like to use these as a baseline. I make a to-do list every morning using a darker Flair pen, and work through it with #8 and #9 (notes/updates/etc). The yellow and orange work well as highlighters.
3. Anker Power Bank: A lifesaver. Plain and simple. I always travel with one of these, and keep one in my briefcase. They’ll power up your phone/laptop in no time. The key is to keep it charged…don’t forget.
4. Jones Sports A1 Backpack: For those that like a little more subdued backpack, Jones crushed it with the A1 (they A2 is good too, especially if you spend a lot of time in airports). I like the sleek profile and the multiple interior pockets and organization. It’s tough as nails, and a good price point.
5. Macbook Pro: Undefeated. I upgrade about every five years, and am amazed at how many advances/speed/battery power are offered. They just work.
6. B5 Spiral Notebooks: They aren’t expensive, but they are exactly what I like. I’m 100% in on spiral, so they lay flat. I like the size (10″ tall), and the grid lines. I go through about one a quarter.
7. Sony Noise Cancelling Headphones: I’ve tried a few and am very happy with these from Sony. They are extremely efficient at noise cancelling, and the bluetooth doesn’t skip, there is a microphone built in for Teams/Zoom calls, and the battery life is very impressive. A bit of an investment, but I’ve found it to be well spent money.
8. Pilot Precise V5 Pens: Old school, but I love them. It ain’t broke…
9. Bic Clics: A bit of a cult following, but for good reason. We love them here at our Fort.
10. Kind Bars: I always throw a few of these in the bag for snacks or subduing any hangry outbursts.
11. Topo Designs Accessory Bag: Staying organized INSIDE the bag is key, and these bags from Topo are great. I use Medium to hold pens, etc.
12. Miir 20 oz. Water Bottle: Cooler than Yeti. The profile is thin enough that it slides nicely into a bag or cup holder. Plenty of alternate top options on Amazon for coffee or water consumption.
13. Hudson Sutler Heritage Briefcase: At this point, Hudson Sutler is making the best duffels, bags, totes, etc. on the market. Their waxed stuff is the best on the market, and the price point is extremely digestible. Their briefcase is the PERFECT size for the office. It’s extremely well constructed and thoughtful design, like the rest of their collection. And ~half the price of competitors in their segment.
What did I miss?
Bough a UCON Acrobat back pack in Paris last month. It was kind of rainy and I needed a bag. I think it’s made out of recycled bottles or something and kind of feels like rubber. But as a long time Filson guy, I really like it. Perfect size for laptop, notebook, and cables. Looks nice too.
My wife is a 1st grade teacher and she’s got me hooked on the flair pens. My handwriting somehow looks better with them.
How does the Hudson Sutler stack up to comparable Flison bags?
Interesting on the flair pens. I like a heavy pen. Tul gel pen in 0.7 or 1.0. For notes and journaling, I use a Rhodia journal. For my weekly planner, a Leuchtturm A5. Both have thick paper so the heavy pen doesn’t bleed through.
My handwriting, cursive particularly, has improved a lot as I’ve gotten older. I’m glad schools are bringing cursive back,
Nice to see an reasonably priced alternative to the Filson Original Briefcase. Glad I got mine before Filson started jacking their prices up. I believe this was the price point I got my Filson at years ago.