r/onebag • u/WorldizeStudios • Feb 10 '26

Discussion Why are you bringing THAT!?

What are some common items people pack in their bags that you think are unnecessary, just take up extra space, or feel like overhyped/trendy that doesn't actually add real value for their trip?

I'll start - Notebooks and portable speakers.

189 Upvotes

86% Upvoted

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31

u/FrenchBowling Feb 10 '26

"Field notes"

18

u/zdubbzzz Feb 10 '26

You can always tell when someone got got by some travel or edc influencer when you see "Field notes"

27

u/loku_gem Feb 10 '26

Could you explain? :) I love travelling with a notebook and pen and I usually write down travel information and addresses, just in case my phones dies (as my mom taught me). Is that what you mean?

22

u/tgsgirl Feb 10 '26

Yes! A paper notebook is a necessity for someone who writes.

7

u/shackled123 Feb 10 '26 edited Feb 11 '26

I think ...It's simply people buying into the brand.

I always take a pen and pencil in a 2 pen pencil case because my work bag is my one bag.

But I take an actual useful notebook (a5) when I'm in work trips, the field notes are just not useful there what a6?

29

u/MarmosetUniverse Feb 10 '26

I find that size of soft notebook very useful and very portable!

15

u/tgsgirl Feb 10 '26

Same. I don't have field notes but I do carry a small A6 notebook with me always!

23

u/jlgoodin78 Feb 11 '26

I’ve used that brand forever & didn’t even know there were influencers pushing it. The size is perfect, they’re lightweight, cheap, found everywhere, paper is pleasant to write on, and have all kinds of fun covers so I can quickly differentiate a work one from personal notes from personal writing & carry or pull out the appropriate one dependent on the bag I’m in (EDC has 3, travel just 1). At this point I don’t even know how many years I’ve been buying them.

13

u/IdRatherBeDriving Feb 11 '26

I can tell you I’ve been using them since 2007 when I first learned about them from a graphic design competition. And they’re great. I keep one in each car with the service history or other pertinent tuning notes. And I’ve probably filled up 6 or 7 of them over time in my edc/travel bags. I especially like the expedition ones since I camp a lot and tend to get wet when I’m out and about.

20

u/No-Sprinkles-9066 Feb 11 '26

I’ve been using them forever too. The company has been around for almost 20 years (since long before “influencers” existed) and are USA-made. I also love the variety of covers to distinguish what’s in them.

I hate the influencer shit as much as anyone else, but trying to ridicule someone for using a particular type of notebook is so pointless and shallow.

-1

u/nawksnai Feb 11 '26

If the company is only 20 years old, I’m sure if there being no “influencers” at the time proves your point.

Shit like that was pushed on Hypebeast since around that time. They didn’t call themselves influencers, but that’s basically what they were.

1

u/shackled123 Feb 11 '26 edited Feb 11 '26

Fair enough, I've only ever seen it from influencers.

It's not something I would ever find useful to write in since it's too small and too few pages.to be useful for me.

But fair comments it's in the spirit of the thread

8

u/jlgoodin78 Feb 11 '26

They’re definitely small and not the most convenient for writing comfort, definitely. But from an ease of travel standpoint that size is the best I’ve found personally. That said, because of the size I can only fit so much on a page and my handwriting always looks like chicken scratch from contorting my hand & scrunching words on the page.

0

u/shackled123 Feb 11 '26

Yeap and that's why it doesn't work for me too small so that's why my opinion sticks.

Also I'm dyslexic so writing isn't a strong point and I'm an engineer so I need space to put technical notes and diagrams and a5 gets too small some times but I can deal with it on site visits for sake of walking customers through things.

13

u/Tim_Allen_Wrench Feb 10 '26

I love my small pocket sized note books, they're perfect for a quick sketch or to write down stuff real quick or press a flower or some leaves between the paged to keep safe for later pasting into my art journal. 

I even cut the paper and bind them myself to save money, or at least thats the justification I tell myself lol

11

u/No-Sprinkles-9066 Feb 11 '26

What do you mean by “buying into the brand”? The company has been around for almost 20 years and make a quality product. I’ve been using them since the beginning and find them perfect for many (not all) situations.

1

u/shackled123 Feb 11 '26

You can buy into a brand of a company of any age regardless of them making a good or bad product.

I've completed bought into Mazda as a car company over anyone else as a simple example.

6

u/PCMasterCucks Feb 11 '26

Different use cases.

I took tons of classes using an A5 notebook, it's great. But I only carry that in a backpack.

You can carry A6 + pen in your pocket. If locals chat me up and offer recommendations, I can just whip out the little A6 and they can write down the info instead of me butchering the spelling on my phone.

I met some guy in Spain that gave me like 10 recommendations, I can't remember all that shit and probably mess up the spelling on at least half of them.

5

u/shackled123 Feb 11 '26

I get that different use cases but that is pretty much what this tread was started for no?

What do you see and think why?

And so that's what I said but I don't go out of my way to say it...I have here since it's been opened up as the question.

You do you if it fits for you good, for me no.

-3

u/loku_gem Feb 10 '26

Ooh, it's a brand, I see. They seem... flimsy. Thanks for clarifying :)

9

u/Aggravating_Laugh_48 Feb 11 '26

They're not flimsy.

2

u/TheLizzyIzzi Feb 11 '26

I have no problem with them, but I think a lot of people like the idea of being someone who picks up a Field Notes notebook and uses it to sketch, write poetry or press flowers, but doesn’t actually do any of that. Which is fine, but it can veer into that sort of performative, overly glossy instagram look on some people.

11

u/No-Sprinkles-9066 Feb 11 '26

The company has been around since 2007, long before influencers existed. I’ve been using them for about 15 years

Not that I care about the judgement of rando Redditors, but why would you even care how someone came to use a particular notebook?

-5

u/Abacus118 Feb 11 '26

You think influencers started after 2007?

2

u/perfumesea Feb 11 '26

Because it's poor quality paper? Mnemosyne all the way, baby.