Need a Baggallini report, please!

[bleeps]

Move over crocs, here comes Baggallini!

On another post, someone listed her Baggallini messenger bag (available at ebags.com) as a "must have." I am eager to hear from someone who, ideally, made the switch from a waist-pack bag to a Baggallini messenger bag.

I love my waist pack (worn in front) for hands-free and instant access benefits. What's hard is that it's just a *little* too small, and once we buy water bottles I'm lugging those around. I have a tiny nylon bag that I can take out and use to carry purchases -- I attach it to the belt of the waist pack. By this point, trailing an extra bag and water bottles, I look quite fashionable and so much for hand-free.

How hard/easy is it to manage a bag that sits on your back? Is the inconvenience outweighed by the benefit of being able to fit everything in one place? Eager for reports!

 

[LiteBrite]

Hubby's had the black one for about 3 years now, and he loves it. He uses it everyday, as his "man purse", and he has also used it at Disney. It's held up very well.

I don't think it's hard at all for him to balance it on his back. Lots of times he just slings it over one shoulder, kind of like just using one strap on a regular backpack, but when he's going to be on the go for a while (like at Disney) he puts it over his head like you're supposed to, and at that point he is totally hands free. No special "balancing" effort required.

 

[bleeps]

No special "balancing" effort required.

Thanks LiteBrite! What I'm wondering is if he finds himself, once he IS wearing it the official, right way, having to continually turn it around/take it off to access stuff? I feel as though I'm always having to dig through my waist pack for something (usually, of course, for DH or DS, not for me!) but maybe I'm remembering wrong -- maybe we're sitting down or hanging out (at a restaurant table or on a bench?) when I'm getting stuff, so the convenience of extra space just to carry things would pay off....


Also, could you (or someone) tell me -- is there a tiny pocket on the strap itself (the part in front) where park passes could go? It looks as though there might be a pocket for a cell phone there, but i'm wondering if that would work for park passes/photopass....

 

[Selket]

The Baggelini bag is nice but for a nylon bag it is heavier than I would have thought. It is the buckle on it (if memory serves) that makes it so heavy. I did carry it for one of my WDW trips last May but haven't worn it since!

The heaviness of the buckle part really annoyed me. And having to turn the bag around to access it. You can carry it where the bag part is on the front of you but then it is really on the front of you - like you've got a little pregnant pouch there! I like the bags that hang more on side of the body and curve around to fit.

There is indeed a little pocket on the strap that I think is meant for a cell phone. It doesn't close so tightly however - I was afraid my cell would slip out and I'd think the same thing about passes.

If you have a local luggage store perhaps go and try one out first!

 

[bleeps]

it is heavier than I would have thought. It is the buckle on it (if memory serves) that makes it so heavy. I did carry it for one of my WDW trips last May but haven't worn it since!

The heaviness of the buckle part really annoyed me. And having to turn the bag around to access it.

If you have a local luggage store perhaps go and try one out first!

Thanks for your feedback -- this really helps. I will try to find a store that carries these; at least I know now that baggallini's do have some drawbacks that would make me hesitate to just order on online.

 

[bjakmom]

bleeps - I have used the baggalini messenger bag for the last 2 trips and it is my favorite 'park' and 'mall w/grandkids' bag so far (and I've gone through a LOT of fanny packs/backpacks/slingbags,etc in 35 years of visiting WDW!).
Thanks . . . I never thought of keeping my park passes in the padded zipper compartment on the strap! I just measured it for you and tried putting a pass in there - it is 2"x8" and there is even a little nylon compartment at one end - the passes fit perfectly - and hopefully that will keep my passes from endlessly demagnitizing from either my credit cards, clip sunglasses, camera batteries, cell phone (I have yet to figure out which of these is the culprit- but it is very annoying! ).
My cell phone fits in the side pocket- my cell phone pocket has a very secure velcroed flap that closes it - there is also a mesh pocket on the opposite side which holds a small water bottle. I also like the zipper compartment along the 'back' side of the bag - that is where I keep my $$, passport, ccards - because, whether I wear the bag on my back or across my chest in the front (which I "geekily" do because I also get tired of having to take the bag off of my back to juggle cameras, pins, etc) that pocket is always right against my body and totally unaccessible to anyone else who might be jammed in around me. As LiteBrite says, I also find it easy to carry on one shoulder, too. If I am travelling with little ones or carrying swim suits or change of clothes, I need another bag which I store in a locker - the baggalini is smaller than most backpacks, but I boycotted carrying the big backpack around after a few trips - they just get heavier and heavier as the day goes on!

 

[Hopefully]

HI, I have a question about Baggallini's too.
I have bad arthritis in my neck and anything that pulls or is heavy really bothers me. Even a shoulder bag purse is a problem. Given that how would a Baggallini work for me. It looks interesting, but I am a bit worried too.
Thoughts?

 

[Selket]

I have to make a correction to my earlier statement. The pocket on the strap of the Baggalini bag IS secure - it is a zip up pocket so it would be safe it seems for passes, etc.

I was getting it confused with another bag I have - and I like the other bag better except for the pocket on ITS strap! That bag is the Wise-Walker by Nomadic. It is smaller than the Bagallini but it fits more on the side rather than in back of you. I can't find a site online that sells them - it is a Japanese made bag (from what I can tell) and I found mine at the Container Store.

Sorry for the confusion!

 

[bleeps]

Thanks . . . I never thought of keeping my park passes in the padded zipper compartment on the strap! I just measured it for you and tried putting a pass in there - it is 2"x8" and there is even a little nylon compartment at one end - the passes fit perfectly

And thanks to you -- again, your feedback really helps. I know that as the 'keeper of the passes' (and, keeper of the fast passes) for my family, if I don't have secure and easy access to passes, I can't manage! I think I'm really going to have to hunt down a store that carries these so I can try one on.

It should be easier, shouldn't it? Maybe we need to put our heads together to design THE perfect parks bag, and then make our millions (and finance all our future trips, which we could then write off as 'research') when we market these wonder bags online

 

[Robindianne]

What about the Bagalline large wallet type bag? It can go on one shoulder or across your body. It wouldn't be much bigger than a fanny pack but maybe could fit most things in it and wouldn't be around your waist. Anybody have one of these and if so, do you like using it?

(oh, also could go around the waist if desired - strap changes I guess)

 

[swkmom]

I was wondering about the large wallet type baggalini bag as well, anybody have any experience with this one?

 

[Experiment #626]

I have ordered a BAggalini Messanger Bag for my upcoming trip in April. The best deal presently on the web is at ebags where the total is less than $32 with free shipping.

 

[Pugrpooh]

If you're a AAA member, you can get another 15% off at ebags, including free shipping.

 

[reader]

Also on ebags, take a look at Travelon's microfiber messenger bag. I've used one for several European trips and love it! Fits securely/safely & comfortably. Big enough to hold what I need but not too big. And it looks stylish! I prefer this to a backpack because it's more secure from those around me and easier to get in & out of (like my camera!). Just ordered a new fun color for my upcoming WDW trip. USually mousesaver discount or AAA.

 

[disneyjunkie]

Can someone post links for the various bags?

 

[Poodlebud]

I bought a Baggallini on ebay for our trip last summer. My back and neck tends to get sore easily and I found that the strap on my Baggallini would cut into my shoulder and make my back sore. I ended sewing extra padding onto it, which helped some. Also, I carried the bag part in the front, it was more comfortable that way and I had easier access to my stuff.

 

[Msslaydbug]

I just ordered this last night along with the Jansport Half Pint. I always take a version of the half pint (they also have another smaller one that is more sportier) and I love it. It has a front pocket that includes a clip for keys also includes compartments like a little wallet. The back part is large enough for all kinds of things. I am going to test both of them out and see how they do. I like the choice of colors you have with bagallini.

 

[Ilovestitch]

I use these Bagallini's when I go to WDW. They are a small zippered pouch that folds out into a big duffle/carry on. I put one or two in my suitcase and then we use one for dirty clothes during the trip. We use the other one for souvineers. They are very durable.

 

[LiteBrite]

Thanks LiteBrite! What I'm wondering is if he finds himself, once he IS wearing it the official, right way, having to continually turn it around/take it off to access stuff?

Hubby says that he finds it pretty easy to just swing it around to the front to access his stuff. He also says the ease of this manouevre would depend on how loosely you wear it, but he finds this ability to be the main advantage of the one shoulder strap design over the traditional backpack.

 

[mvav269]

If you're a AAA member, you can get another 15% off at ebags, including free shipping.

How do you get the AAA discount on this site

Thanks