I CANNOT believe no one has started this topic,aka the annual tradition, yet. We're at T Minus b36vdays people!
As little as possible goes into my ThinkGeek Bag of Holding (messenger bag)! On Thursday, I'll start off with a pen, something to write on, a 5-hour energy, and a bottle of water. After Thursday (or maybe later in the day), I'll go without a bag most of the time.
I'm lucky enough to be staying at the JW again, so it's easy to take any purchases back and take a break.
Got my Final Fantasy TCG decks/trades and Supershow decks as well. Gonna have my Wild Bill’s Soda mug as well hanging off my backpack’s clip.
What kind of bag are we talking about? If it is the suitcase and backpack that I will travel to Indy with, only clothes. That way I can maximize the amount of loot that I can bring back.
I usually carry an empty messenger bag in my haversack, so when I find cool stuff at the dealer hall, I have extra space to carry it.
Usually my backpack has a small game like palm island, 2 water bottles, notebook w\pen, ear buds, hand sanitizer, iPad and battery pack to recharge cell or iPad as needed. Will probably keep a couple disposable masks in there as well.
I did a test run at Origins with literally carrying nothing, and it ... O.K. it lightly failed. I loved the freedom and the "not being overheated immediately from having a messenger bag heating me up," but the first thing I bought was from a booth that had absolutely nothing in the way of bags, so my choice was to walk around with both my hands full or head back to my room immediately, haha.
Aside from any individual-specific needs like medication or whatever, I am convinced I have whittled my bag's contents logistics down to the smallest possible requirements: a pen, a pencil, dice, silver and black Sharpies for potential autographs on dark or light surfaces respectively, and a couple of granola bars or jerky strips or whatever. Probably need a drink of some sort though I tend to favor things I can finish and recycle rather than continually having something heavy in the bag.
I have a standard backpack that I use during conventions. Works pretty well, and I found out at Origins that it keeps its contents dry (got caught in a massive downpour on the way back to the hotel after the convention closed Sunday, and nothing got wet).
Typically it'll contain: -My convention binder (with my organized play PCs' sheets and notes) -Any books I need that day for games I'm running or playing in -Binders for any adventures I'm running that day -Dice bag (of course) -Notebook (notes I've taken during seminars at past conventions, which gets added to whenever I attend another seminar or talk to someone in the industry) -Whichever book I'm currently reading
I'll pack a few snacks (not just for the sake of munching but in case my blood sugars drop fast and hard), probably a couple Cokes (ditto), some spare masks (because I know I'm going to sneeze at least once and goober the thing up), and probably a couple of eyeglass-repair kits (because it never fails that a lens'll fall out at a critical point during a game). Oh yeah, and a book for that downtime between games and when the Exhibit Hall isn't open.
I usually have a water bottle on the outside of the bag, but inside it:
It looks like a lot written out, but most of it is small enough that if I was a woman it'd all go in a decent-sized purse and nobody would bat an eye.
Battery Pack Snacks Water bottle Throat lozenges Deodorant Fresh socks Ibuprofen and Tums/Gaviscon Hand sanitser and spare mask(s) Headphones Measuring tape Pouch with dice, laser line, tokens, etc. Pen & paper
All fits nicely in the man-bag I use for work
^^ That ^^ Don't forget an extra mask in the bag this year. Some of those ear-straps just aren't built to last.
I figure I better reply since I started this thread so that I should at least have the common courtesy to post.
For me the right question is what’s NOT in my bag, not what is in it. DECADES ago, pre kids pre move back East, I spent a lot of time hiking in the Cascades and Olympic ranges. The rule of thumb for comfort was to never carry more than 20% of your body weight. I take that rule to heart but I apply a 4-5% rule for Gen Con. For me that means about 8 Lbs max for a day on the floor.
Now don’t laugh but I no longer use a backpack. The past 5+ Cons/Years has been all Mountainsmith Day Lumbar pack. NO it's not a fanny pack LOL. It has a messenger bag shoulder strap, but if it gets too heavy I can use the padded hip belt and lord straps to wear it on my waist. To be honest I barely know it’s there. Empty it weighs about 1 Lb 6 oz.
Thursday: NO BAG! I spend my entire day in the Dealer Hall so I am borrowing a water bottle holster from my neighbor. It can hold (2) bottles and has a small pocket for stuff, and NO it is not a fanny pack. If I need a bag I will buy a game. Now if I actually following through with buying a Wild Bills mug, see my try something new thread, I might need something to haul it around in or I know I will set it down and lose it
Friday & Saturday: Mountainsmith
Sunday: My highly collectible ThinkGeek Convention bag of holding.
Quick rundown
First aid kit Bag of pre cut apples, and peanut butter tube. (2) snickers bars, better that energy bars & one HELL of a diabetic kick (1) 1.5 lt water and a 750 ml backup bottle. Sadly this is the only time that I used store bought water. IMO there is no need to carry an empty bottle with me all day (1) pen (1) mechanical pencil Shadowrun day, Friday, when I have about 100+ d6 in a dice bag :) No tablet just my Note 10+ which is almost as big NO external battery I have (2) new options here. My Note 10 still has some good battery life. I'm either going to put it into heavy battery saver mode where I can still take pictures, text, and Tweet or I might pay the $40 to upgrade early to a new S22 Ultra. I think I have only used the external battery pack once during Gen Con. (2) bottles of hand sanitizer, instead of the one I normally carry on the outside of my bag (2) replacement facemasks instead of the ZERO I have carried in years past (1) card box full of tissue paper. Great for story minis that I buy during the day.
Based on past experiences, as little as possible:
snacks (jerky, trail mix, protein bar) blister care antacid ibuprofen small water bottle hand sanitizer extra face masks large shopping bag my white cane (when I'm not using it)
Every year my husband claims we won't need the shopping bag because all of the vendors have bags. Every year we end up using the shopping bag to consolidate a lot of small purchases.
By large shopping bag do you mean the kind that AEG gives out where 3 grown ass adults could stand in it?
I have one of those nylon ones that folds up into a tiny pouch, but unfolded, the bag is 33in x 18in x 10in
And I've used my empty bag that I carry for that purpose exactly zero times. Go figure.
I seem to carry pretty much wwhat every one else carries with these added items
Lens Cleaners for my glasses. I seem to get my glasses filthy every year so I keep several packets in my bag
Wet wipes for bathroom useage. The mens toilet see4ms to runout of tp when I go to use the bathroom so having a travel pack of those keeps me nice and clean
Extra padding for my socket for my BTK prosthetic I also keep lotion so I dont get chaffing
Foldable had to keep the sun off my fac when out side at the food trucks and to walk back to the hotel
Sunglasses for same