Everyday Carry: Weekend Edition

*An inside look at my everyday (weekend) carry for 2024.*

It's been a long time since I posted a general-purpose everyday carry (EDC) post on the blog. While I started 2024 with an entry sharing my 9-to-5 EDC post (virtually unchanged as of today), I hadn't done a more general EDC since 2020, when I wasn't going out at all (cuz Covid). Some items from previous posts remain familiar, the tech's been updated, and some things are brand-spanking new; here's my 2024 EDC: Weekend Edition.

The Bag: Shinjuku MESSENGER Bag

**Size:** Compact (11.5” (l) x 2” (w) x 10” (h); 1.3 lbs)
**Material:** Brown Waxed Canvas
**Price:** USD 229
**Link:** Shinjuku Messenger Bag

Purchased mid-2024, my bag of choice has been the Shinjuku Messanger Bag by Waterfield Designs. As I am not currently developing lectures & courses and am doing less design work outside of the home, I wanted a more compact bag that would carry my iPad Pro and still have space for other accessories and gear. The bag didn't need to be too large, but I wanted something that could expand a bit if needed (something the Leather Muzetto from 2020 lacked).

The Shinjuku Messenger has been perfect in that respect. With a 3.8L capacity, the bag is compact. Still, it features a squared design and a sizeable central compartment, maximizing the space for oversized items like books, AirPods, or water bottles. The large compartment features a separate padded pocket for your tablet to slide into and a small zippered pocket for storing more precious items while out and about.

There is also an external pleated space with two additional storage pockets for even more organization, and the front flap covering the bag features additional zippered space for even more small odds and ends.

The bag also features an adjustable nylon strap and a handle to easily lift and carry the bag.

Why do I like this bag?

First, waxed canvas bags are my kryptonite. Something about the pristine tech inside distressed bags is a Siren's call to me. Second, I trust the brand. A bag from Waterfield has never let me down, and all of my bags from them have withstood the test of time in terms of durability. Third, I like carrying around tech and a bag that balances size, space, and weight while protecting the technology inside, which is a challenging feat. And last, I primarily wanted an iPad-focused bag for weekends, which meant I was leaning towards a compact bag to have with me as I run around town for 3-6 hours at a time. The Shinjuku bag ticked all those boxes.

Anything I don't like about the bag?

If I were to make two minor modifications to the bag, I would add a slot for a pen and make the tablet sleeve 1-.2 inches wider to accommodate an iPad Pro inside a protective case. Yes, I know the bag already has a padded pocket for the iPad. Still, I double-dip on protection and prefer carrying my iPad Pro inside a protective zippered case to avoid dirt, dust, and whatever else life throws at it.

The Tech: M4 iPad Pro

**Size:** 11-inch (9.83” (h) x 6.99” (w) x .21” (d); 0.98 lbs)
**Specs:** Silver | WiFi + Cellular

I wrote my first impressions about the new 2024 iPad Pro a while back, and I continue to be smitten by this tablet. All three tablet sizes (6.9, 11, and 13-inch) have their strengths, but the 11-inch iPad continues to be the Goldilocks tablet with the most versatility and fit across use cases.

Since I have decreased my design work outside the home, the iPad Pro is ideally suited as a compact planning, writing, reading, and content-consumption device. Out and about town, you would find me planning out the week's tasks, grading, writing/editing upcoming entries (like the one you’re reading right now), responding to emails, reading, listening to music, planning trips, creating Freeform boards, and editing photos. I wish some apps existed on the iPad Pro, and I want file management and navigation to be a little more sophisticated. Still, there is often so much noise about what the iPad could be better at that I focused on dedicating my iPad Pro workflow to its unique strengths. The result is that I have found using the iPad to be a far more pleasurable experience than in the past when I would try to contort it to do things it blundered performing.

The choice to get a model with cellular has also been a worthwhile addition. Often, coffee shop, cafes, and bars either have shoddy WiFi, block VPNs, or lack connectivity altogether, so connecting without frustration or needing hot-spotting has been a godsend. I have a grandfathered share plan that gets me a good deal, but otherwise, I would consider getting a pay-as-you-go eSim since I need only a couple of gigs of data per month.

Accessories for the iPad include:

Apple Magic Keyboard
Apple Pencil Pro
AHASTYLE Duotone Case for Apple Pencil
Digi-Tatoo Magic Keyboard Cover (I prefer using a Silicone key cover to help limit dust from getting under the keys and natural oils from marring the look of the keycaps).

Audio: Sky Blue AirPods Max

Purchased: December 2020

These aluminum cans, purchased over 3.5 years ago, are still my daily headphones at work, at home, and around town. I've used them so much that I burned through the battery on my first pair and needed an out-of-warranty replacement set for $100 last November.

I rotate between these and using a pair of AirPods Pro 2, sometimes around town but always while travelling. I'm pleased that the AirPods Max fits comfortably inside my bag when I need a serious-looking set of headphones to give the illusion that I am seriously focused on something. After years of use, I've comfortably adjusted to the weight and find the noise cancelling and comfort superb.

Accessories for the AirPods Max include:

Desing Wish Headphone Bag (perfect little neoprene drawstring bag for the AirPods Max for keeping dust and crumbs away from them)

Specs: Ray-Ban | Meta Headliner Glasses

**Material:** Shiny Black frames with Green lenses
**Price:** USD 299

NGL, I had difficulty deciding whether to purchase these glasses because of my feelings toward Meta. One look at any of Meta's apps' privacy reports reveals that the company collects all the information under the sun about you. I went ahead, knowing that I would be showing some of my locations to the company, but I turned off any contacts, voice recordings, AI features, and cloud uploading to keep these glasses as contained as possible. I was okay enough with that compromise - Meta now knows I take an obsessive amount of photos of my dog.

However, the glasses have been delightful to use as a product. First, they're subtly designed and look exactly like a pair of Ray-Bans. The only indication that these are 'Smart Glasses' is if you notice the camera where the endpiece/rivets usually go. I've worn mine for months and haven't had anyone notice anything until it was pointed out to them (but don't worry, a light and audible shutter click go off to indicate that a photo or video has been taken to alert people). Otherwise, they are stylish designer glasses; their innoxious design is part of their charm.

Second, they're surprisingly good speakers for listening to music or podcasts. They connect to Apple Music (or Spotify) and project sound into your eye well enough that the people around you can't detect it unless you are in a quiet room or blasting music. The volume is adjustable by sliding a finger alongside the right rim of the glasses. A photo/video capture button takes satisfactory 12MP wide-angle portrait photos and 1472 × 1968 videos with saturation cranked up to 13/10. Don't rely on filming your most precious moments with these glasses and you won't be disappointed. Still, they do great in a pinch for capturing a piece of data, a quickly passing moment, or even just the vibe of your surroundings (I've shot a few videos at concerts, walking down streets, and during a few recent sporting events to memorialize a recent trip).

There are also features like posting to Instagram, live WhatsApp calling, enabling sharing your view with people, and AskMeta, which allows you to ask your glasses what they see in front of you (in one case, it responded, "an adorable Boston terrier" when I asked it that in front of my dog). I don't use any of these.

The glasses are rated for '4 hours' of music and interaction, but I had them last an entire day with a few quick calls and photos taken. The case, which serves as a storage case and battery bank, can recharged the glasses up to seven times on a single charge. Otherwise, they remain a great-looking, comfortable, ambient pair of glasses to wear around town.

Hydration: A6 memobottle

*Memobottle (12 fl oz.) in a blue silicone case, Meta RayBan Sunglasses, iPad Pro, AirPods Max, and a Waterfield Design pencil case.*

I've noticed a tendency to only pay attention to drinking water if it's readily available. To solve this, I've started carrying a water bottle from Memobottle, which holds the equivalent of a pop can of water in a slim, flask-like vessel. It's been a lifesaver in helping me stay hydrated on the go while staying compact and reducing bulk in my bag.

The only social issue I've run into is that everyone who sees you drink out of it will give you dirty looks because of how much it resembles a liquor flask. You could drink straight moonshine out of a Stanley Mug and not draw any attention to yourself, but the second something looks like a flask, it must by virtue of that alone, hold liquor in it.

I love the water bottle; it's pretty expensive for what it is, and be prepared to draw an annoying amount of concern from others by owning one. Cheaper knockoffs exist online, but I didn't want to risk the seam breaking with the bottle around all my tech, so I opted for this known brand.

Cables & Thochekes: Waterfield Pencil Case

*The various dongles, knickknacks, and other kitschy things inside my pencil case.*

I use an old "Stylus Pencil Case" from Waterfield Designs as my compact cable and tchotchke holder. The pencil case conveniently fits inside the water bottle holder inside the Shinjuku Messanger and holds the right amount of cables for trips around town (for trips out of town, I often carry a larger gear bag with more cables).

Inside the pencil case, you will find the following:

Apple Watch Magnetic Charger to USB Type-C Cable (0.3m) - A really convenient dongle for charging the Apple Watch. Sadly, it appears Apple is no longer producing the 0.3m version of this charger.
USB-C to USB-C Cable
USB-C to Lightning Cable—I still use AirPods that require a Lightning port, so I'm forced to carry this cable around.
Anker Nano 3 GaN charger with 2 USB-C ports.
Silver Apple-branded Tornado Rollerball pen from Retro 51. These pens are available at the Apple Park Visitor Center as an exclusive piece of Apple merch that is only available out of that location. You never know when you might need a pen to write something down, so I keep one tucked away.
Whoosh cleaning spray (0.3 fl oz) and cloth.

Inside the Pink iPod Sock, I store smaller odds and ends, including:

Micro-USB to Lighting Adapter - I have only used this once or twice, but it's cute, so I keep it around.
A 3.5mm headphone jack port to USB-C dongle.
An old Apple pencil dongle (I can toss that).
A 3.5mm to Lighting dongle (I can probably toss that too).
A spare Apple Pencil tip
A SIM Ejector tool on a Cactuar keychain
USB-A to USB-C dongle
A lucky penny
And a Canadian Quarter from the 2010 Vancouver Olympics.

In Sum

My everyday weekend carry is designed to help me travel light, remain focused, stay hydrated, and have fun while running around town. All of these pieces move around—from this bag on the weekends to my work briefcase Monday through Friday—so I tried to keep pieces as modular as possible so they can be thrown from one bag to another in as little time as possible. This keeps switching bags from feeling like a hassle and saves me from needing to buy redundant cables and accessories.

Every Day Carry: Weekend

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