Good design or bad

I get to see lots of new products. Between experience, and training, I can usually come up with  a thumbs up or thumbs down opinion as to usefulness and even success.

But this product has me stumped: the Pacsafe Venturesafe 150.

What do you think? Practical? Usefull? Ridiculous looking?

Comments

[MaxD]

Looks rather troublesome to me. Given the size of the bag, why not put the contents in your pockets and skip the bag?

[Alan B]

The most obvious functional problem with this bag is that it is not wide enough for a standard size magazine, even if it is long enough for, hmmm, a nice sandwich from Au Bon Pain, our favorite airline terminal food station. As for the aesthetics, the chances that my wife would let me wear one of these is zero! Similarly, the chances that I would use such a bag in any sort of business situation, double zero. Cost of the bag is about the same as the far more practical Tom Bihn Medium Cafe Bag, including shoulder strap wrap.

[Monte]

There's someone for everything, but I think this is about as useless as anything can be.

[Brad]

It's been done:

http://www.1bag1world.com/obow-light-travel-forum/post/1059923

[AndyW]

In some parts of Europe (Greece and around the Med) men all carry waist packs, but over their shoulders. This could be a big hit with those folks.
<p>
In the US, it seems too small to be an "acceptable" man purse.

[Frank II]

This is similar to the bag Brad linked to except it's Pacsafe's version meaning it's supposedly theft proof.

This one is definitely not a business bag. But as a tourist bag, does it stand out as too goofy? Personally, I think so.

I wish the old "fanny packs" would come back into style. Very efficient for everything I needed. But, wearing them now is like wearing a neon sign blinking "I'm a tourist come pick my pocket."

[Tub]

^ Or if here in the States, "I'm wearing my fanny pack because I'm carrying my gun,"

I think that pack looks ridiculous, but I can see it being useful if you have small children to hang onto, and like to keep your belongings close and not on your back. Size seems good enough for wallet, passport, small camera, phone, and kleenex. Someone will want it. I, however, look ridiculous most days and don't need any extra help.

[Dan]

To me, it's an odd shape and too obtrusive. It might be good
for a thermos of brandy.LOL.

[stevenshytle]

Let's see" a smartphone, camera, mp3 player, compact video camera, small flashlight, leatherman juice, couple pens, wallet, checkbook, small notepad. Sounds like a lot for light pair of pants and t-shirt to carry (excluding Scottevest products), but not enough for a full backpack. It would stow inside the luggage/backpack if you needed more size. It would come out of the luggage/backpack quickly if you needed to pare down quickly. Add to it that it doesn't look like a fanny pack and it seems likes a good idea to me.

[Paula S]

I saw this modelled on Magellans, a female wore it on her back. Not safe if someone behind you can unzip a pocket. Also an over-endowed female would have a difficult time wearing it front-ways.
When I travel, I never have any bag placed on my back if it has exterior pockets or easy access to the interior.

[tcl]

There are quite a few young moms in my area that still use the Gucci belt bag as a purse. (It was fashionable a few years back) The belt bag has a long pocket in the back that they keep #10 envelopes with signed permission slips, checks for karate classes and other documents for their kids, while the front pockets hold their wallet and phone. They usually sling it over their shoulder like a normal purse but occasionally I see them wearing it cross body when their hands are full of kids, dogs, groceries etc. I have never seen them wear it as a actual fanny pack.

However, as the bag was not designed to be worn on the shoulder, they usually have a hand on the strap to hold the bag in place. This pacsafe product seems to have a wider strap that helps keep the bag where it should be, whereas the other bag from the other thread looked too big and was trying too hard. As neither bag is Gucci nor Prada I doubt that the young moms in my area would even look at them twice.

There are times when I can see something minimal like this working and not look too dorky. But when you add too many things like water bottles and magazines, you just need to accept the fact that you need a regular bag.

[Mark]

I say "yes" to all three:

Practical, useful, and ridiculous looking.