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God help me - I nee...
 

God help me - I need a smart manbag

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[#13535461]

Accompanying the daughter to Buckingham Palace for the Gold DofE celebration in a couple of weeks. She's at uni so all the tickets and bumf have come to us, so I'll need to take that, my forms of ID, phone, wallet etc down with me on the train. Just a bit too much to get away with cramming it into suit pockets.

What A5 sized manbag for a (potentially wet) royal occassion?


 
Posted : 08/05/2026 1:58 pm
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 DrJ
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Just make sure it's not mistaken for a bomb.


 
Posted : 08/05/2026 2:42 pm
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Posted by: MoreCashThanDash

Accompanying the daughter to Buckingham Palace for the Gold DofE celebration in a couple of weeks.

No idea on a manbag, but just wanted to say well done & congratulations to your daughter!


 
Posted : 08/05/2026 2:54 pm
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You really can't do it with pockets? Scrap the wallet for a start - who carries one of those nowadays!. ID can be small - driving licence? Add passport if you need two forms. Ticket. Done. Photograph any bumph so it's on your phone.

Alternative - is your daughter carrying a bag that you can offload stuff into?


 
Posted : 08/05/2026 3:31 pm
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shoulder bags + suit looks like skoolboy or a SPAD from the thick of it. get a briefcase!


 
Posted : 08/05/2026 3:40 pm
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If it was good enough for Ted...


 
Posted : 08/05/2026 3:41 pm
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the only good thing about wearing a suit (IMO) is having a multitude of pockets in the jacket!


 
Posted : 08/05/2026 3:50 pm
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Posted by: MoreCashThanDash

What A5 sized manbag for a (potentially wet) royal occassion?

Carrier bag will give room for a cagoule


 
Posted : 08/05/2026 3:55 pm
ayjaydoubleyou, hardtailonly, leffeboy and 2 people reacted
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How about something like this manbag from Beaumont Bags? I've got one of their big satchels for work and I'm really happy with it, especially for the price. 


 
Posted : 08/05/2026 4:08 pm
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Honestly, you don’t need one. Suit pockets are fine from experience. Well done to your daughter. Enjoy the day. 


 
Posted : 08/05/2026 4:09 pm
kelvin reacted
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Maybe look at Alpaka


 
Posted : 08/05/2026 6:19 pm
 eddd
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Man bags make you look like you're there to sell drugs


 
Posted : 08/05/2026 6:20 pm
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Bloody brilliant work by your daughter!

However, I think you need to ask her for packing tips as what you have described all sounds like it would very easily fit in suit pockets - wallet (with id, surely?) goes in trousers pocket, phone goes in the other trousers pocket or inside jacket pocket.

Tickets can surely fit in another pocket?

Can you not photograph the bumf so it is on your phone and save carry that? You could also send the pictures to daughter...


 
Posted : 08/05/2026 6:30 pm
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Forget the manbag.Just carry a sign saying,'Scrap the Royal Benefit Fraudsters!'Report back here afterwards.


 
Posted : 08/05/2026 6:32 pm
alastairb reacted
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Posted by: timmys

Scrap the wallet for a start - who carries one of those nowadays!

Where do you put the various cards that you usually carry? I’ve got enough cards to put into two wallets, one has a variety of loyalty cards, the other has my driver’s license, debit card, building society card, and membership cards for NT and RSPB. Where, exactly, am I going to put them that’s safe? Enquiring minds want to know. 🤔


 
Posted : 08/05/2026 7:01 pm
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Some valid and deservedly barbed comments and suggestions - I will see if I can squeeze all the inconveniently A5 sized official  paperwork into the suit pockets, but I don't want to ruin the look of the suit (says the man who is not 100% confident that he will squeeze into the suit himself). There will also be house and car keys in the mix. Although I could carry it all down to London and then hand it on to daughter when we meet up there.

Yes, very proud of what she's achieved - MrsMC went to the palace when Jnr got his Gold award, daughter was adamant she wanted me to have my turn when she went, bless her.


 
Posted : 08/05/2026 7:12 pm
Cletus and tractionman reacted
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Posted by: MoreCashThanDash

very proud of what she's achieved

rightly so, it's a big achievement, my son's done the expeditions parts just the volunteering stint he needs to do next for his gold 🙂


 
Posted : 08/05/2026 7:28 pm
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When the King comments about the state of your manban bag remind him he should pay his taxes.


 
Posted : 08/05/2026 8:29 pm
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Posted by: CountZero

Where do you put the various cards that you usually carry? I’ve got enough cards to put into two wallets, one has a variety of loyalty cards, the other has my driver’s license, debit card, building society card, and membership cards for NT and RSPB. Where, exactly, am I going to put them that’s safe? Enquiring minds want to know. 🤔

Google Wallet on my phone.


 
Posted : 08/05/2026 8:35 pm
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Posted by: CountZero

Posted by: timmys

Scrap the wallet for a start - who carries one of those nowadays!

Where do you put the various cards that you usually carry? I’ve got enough cards to put into two wallets, one has a variety of loyalty cards, the other has my driver’s license, debit card, building society card, and membership cards for NT and RSPB. Where, exactly, am I going to put them that’s safe? Enquiring minds want to know. 🤔

Google Wallet can hold the vast majority of those cards. 

And for one day, ditch the RSPB membership card.

I have a photo stored of my license. I have an emergency £10 in the back of phone case.

While I do take a wallet on longer work trips so I can take work credit card and driving licence as ID, day to day I never really take a wallet with me now.

 


 
Posted : 08/05/2026 8:42 pm
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Leave house keys stashed inside vehicle and just carry car key. And dump any other keys/acoutrouments attached to car key.


 
Posted : 08/05/2026 9:01 pm
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Ah, I missed the A5 size bit...that isn't going to fit in a suit jacket!

Any chance it can be strapped round your body? Might cause an alarm with a pat down though.

And Google Wallet for pretty much all cards, so it all goes on a phone.


 
Posted : 08/05/2026 9:33 pm
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Posted by: monkeycmonkeydo

When the King comments about the state of your manban bag remind him he should pay his taxes.

The king won't be there, clue is in the name

 


 
Posted : 08/05/2026 9:39 pm
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Seriously what is so bad about taking a bag on a long day trip when travelling by train? If I was doing this I would want to take my kindle, a power bank and a bottle of water and it would all fit nicely in my Crumpler Free Wheel sling bag. 
This is not made any more otherwise I would strongly recommend it to the op.


 
Posted : 08/05/2026 9:50 pm
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Solve two problems with one stone.

Sporran. And the kilt adjusts so you don't need to worry about your suit not fitting.


 
Posted : 09/05/2026 6:22 am
poly reacted
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I have one of these

in black. It’s great for phone, wallet, sunglasses, keys etc etc. who wants all that in their pockets

I don’t use the cross body strap, you have to draw a line somewhere 


 
Posted : 09/05/2026 6:44 am
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To the embarrassment of my kids - i can help answer this one -

I bought one of these in Singapore a few years ago, rather than lugging a rucsack around in 100% humidity and too much heat - it gets used a hell of a lot nowadays, really nicely made and super practical. 

The little wraps go in a side pocket


 
Posted : 09/05/2026 7:57 am