Birding field bag (1 Viewer)

Here is a youtube video my friend made of me showing a field bag that I recently purchased. This short video simply shows the features of the bag. It took me a while to find a nice light and relatively small day bag for bird watching and this bag seems to do the job for me. It's actually marketed as an 'urban messenger bag', but I use it for birding of course. I was tired of bringing along my own small handbag, binocular case and a water bottle. This bag can carry all of this stuff and, since I have a couple pairs of binoculars that are not waterproof, the bag comes in handy to just quickly place back in the bag in case of sudden rain. The best feature of the bag is a neoprene pouch designed for an iPAD, but is a perfect place to put the binocular. We tried to cut the video down and not make it too long.

Maybe someone else here will be interested in a type of bag like this:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zNORBj95H0o

~ Beth

Looks like a nice bag for field use, Beth. Good ones are surprisingly hard to find.

I like a shoulder bag because, unlike a backpack, you can swing it around and access the contents without taking it off. I wear it behind me not on the side.

Here's one I just found to replace my old beater:

http://shop.eaglecreek.com/vagabond-courier/d/1222_c_411

It looks to be about the same size as your Mountainsmith. The outside zippered pocket is the perfect size for a Sibley's Western/Eastern. The guidebook sticks out just a bit and you can reach around and grab it without looking.

Ah, the Clif bar. I've had one too many of those over the years. Now I can only stomach them while backpacking because when you walk 15 miles with 35 pounds on your back EVERYTHING tastes good.

Mark

Kammerdiner said:

Looks like a nice bag for field use, Beth. Good ones are surprisingly hard to find.

I like a shoulder bag because, unlike a backpack, you can swing it around and access the contents without taking it off. I wear it behind me not on the side.

Here's one I just found to replace my old beater:

http://shop.eaglecreek.com/vagabond-courier/d/1222_c_411

It looks to be about the same size as your Mountainsmith. The outside zippered pocket is the perfect size for a Sibley's Western/Eastern. The guidebook sticks out just a bit and you can reach around and grab it without looking.

Ah, the Clif bar. I've had one too many of those over the years. Now I can only stomach them while backpacking because when you walk 15 miles with 35 pounds on your back EVERYTHING tastes good.

Mark

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thanks Mark. That Vagabond pack is real nice too. I try not to carry too much for just out and about birding for the day. Yeah, I really prefer a shoulder bag too as opposed to the backpacks or slings b/c with the shoulder bag it seems you can access your stuff easily and quickly as you say.

I don't love those cliff bars either but they really fill you up if you don't feel like breaking for lunch. I usually get a bite to eat somewhere eventually then go back to birding if I feel up to it.

I've used the bag the past few weekends and I really do like it...nice and light

~ Beth

No noisy velcro!!

oetzi said:

No noisy velcro!!

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yes ! and that was one of the selling points for me when I first checked it out at the store.