Using a Side Effect inside a Cafe Bag

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Whilst I wait for my big TB order to arrive, I'm wondering what else I can replace... *lol*

My current EDC is a Scaramanga leather "saddle bag" - it's gorgeous but nowhere near as capacious as its dimensions suggest, since the thick turned-out seams eat up a lot of space. I can just fit my iPad Mini with ultrathin keyboard (or my Kobo in its case) plus wallet, keys, reading glasses and a few other essentials, but if I go shopping I often have to haul leisure items out and replace them with a compact shopping bag or two. Also there are no organisation options apart from the single outer pocket (which is a bit fiddly to snap shut), so it's not really safe for carrying on holiday.

I don't want to massively increase the amount of stuff I carry, but I was wondering if a SCB with a SE clipped inside would fit the bill? Keep essentials in the SE ready to haul out for a quick trip to the supermarket, then add the iPad (in cache) in the SCB for when I'm out and about. Would a small cafe bag be big enough, or would a medium be better?

TIA!

[Moose]

I don't have a SCB but do have a MCB. I use my SE in my MCB exactly as you've described. My SE is my bag within a bag (no bag problem here). It holds all the essentials including a fold up key chain tote for a quick stop someplace. Getting it in and out of the MCB is easy. I do hook it to an O ring.

Looking forward to learning if the same is possible with a SCB.
Moose

[hamiltee]

An SCB is my EDC. Personally, I think an SE inside an SCB would be a bit much. Hopefully, someone who uses that set up could give you better feedback.

Here's what I carry in my bag:


I corral all the small items into a #2 Stuff Sack and load up the SCB like this. Note: I did add my iPad mini with Logitech keyboard in a homemade cache to the back.


If I put all the loose bits normally in the Stuff Sack and the interior SCB pockets into the SE, here's what the inside looks like:


I would probably be better off leaving the eyeglass case outside the SE (or getting a small case). With the SE inside, the SCB seems bulkier and less roomy.

The SE is the same height as the SCB, so the SCB will close well. There's probably room for a water bottle next to the SE inside the SCB. However, because the SCB and SE have such similar dimensions, I personally feel there's more room and ease of access by not using an SE inside your SCB. Inside the MCB is another story...

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Thanks, hamiltee, that's really helpful! I'll maybe consider a medium cafe bag as a future option. Plenty of time, though - first I have to play with the SE, S19 and TS that are winging their way to me right now

[daisy]

I'm still moving into my MCB. I've been trying it out using it just as described - with my SE inside as added organisation and ready to pull out when I want to travel lighter.

The SE fits neatly in a horizontal position in the MCB but sits a bit low in the bag if on the bottom - it fits well sideways but then one cannot access it w/out removing it from the CB. As I like to carry a water bottle, I'm trending towards relocating my phone and wallet to pockets in the CB so I don't have to access the zipped up SE - then there is plenty room for the water bottle beside and the ipad behind.

The SE is a bit big to be practical inside my SCB.

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Thanks, Daisy - it's definitely looking like the MCB is the way to go.

I see from the description that it has 2 o-rings - I don't suppose they're placed so that you could suspend the SE between them, like in the "airplane seat bag" thread?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[hamiltee]

Here are some pics of the SE and the MCB. You can see the location of the 3 O-rings:


And how the SE might be suspended:


The SE inside the MCB:


On my recent airplane travel with my SE, MCB, and TS, I did keep the SE horizontal across the top of the MCB with all my other stuff, including an iPad mini in its case, on the bottom. (A magazine fits very nicely in the back, exterior pocket of the MCB!) As Daisy said, in the horizontal position with nothing else, the SE slips to the bottom. The SE is also a snug fit horizontally at the mouth of the MCB, and the 2 key straps confound that a bit. When I kept it horizontal at the top because the bag was full, that was a convenient position and I only used one key strap. Like Daisy, my tendency would be to place the SE vertically into the MCB.

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Thanks for the ideas and photos - can't wait to have a play! Not that I'm going to be placing another order until I've had a chance to try out the first batch of accessories.

No, really, I'm not. My bank account is already crying quietly in the corner

[hamiltee]

Thanks for the ideas and photos - can't wait to have a play! Not that I'm going to be placing another order until I've had a chance to try out the first batch of accessories.

No, really, I'm not. My bank account is already crying quietly in the corner

You say that now. Resistance is futile...

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Oh, I'm not saying I'm not going to order again soon. Just not until after the first batch arrives. For one thing, I want to see all the colours in the flesh so that I can decide what to go for next. I have a bit of a steel/olive/UV theme going atm, with a dash of plum and wasabi (very Japanese!)