Feb 03 2007
The Big Purple Backpack
While I was packing for my trip to Cape Town, I realized I needed something to use as a carryon.
I was going to be spending about 30 hours each way in transit, which meant I needed something that could fit:
- A few paperbacks
- Toiletries
- Backup clothes (in case I’m stranded at the airport)
- Snacks
- Camera
- Purse
I had one backpack in mind. I had last used it to travel to Europe. I took it out and realized, huh, it wasn’t going to do the trick.
I thought about assortment of cheap duffle bags – the kind you get when you go to trade shows. Blech.
I remembered my Big Purple Backpack.
I purchased it back in 1992 when I went back to school to get my degree in computer science. Purple was my color.
I needed something that could stand up to hauling a backbreaking load of textbooks.
I purchased L.L. Bean’s Deluxe Book Pack. In purple.
It wasn’t my intention, but I became easily recognizable on campus by my backpack. It was purple. It was big.
Two phrases I heard repeatedly:
“Wow. That backpack is bigger than you are.” (Insert nail into right eye)
“Whoa. You could fit into that pack.” (Insert nail into left eye)
The more creative types would say:
“You look like a backpack with legs.” (Sorry. No more eyes left to insert nails into.)
If it was cold or wet (and it was generally one or the other) I’d be wearing either my hot pink jacket or my shades-of-purple Gore-Tex shell. I called my jacket color magenta but I was surrounded by guys. All my jackets were hot pink to them. You could spot me across campus.
As a computer science major I stood out for several reasons:
- I was a woman.
- I was an older student (mid-20s)
- I was cute (at four-foot-ten-and-three-quarters, cute is what I’m stuck with and I’ll get even cuter with age-related shrinkage)
- I lived in the computer labs (not many people, much less women stayed in the labs until 3am)
- I had a Big Purple Backpack.
After I graduated, the pack became my laundromat supply bag. I finally stopped using it a couple of years ago when I got my own washer-dryer (bliss…sweet-sweet-bliss!)
I dig my Big Purple Backpack out of the closet. It’s still in decent shape. The plastic coating on the inside has stiffened up and worn away in spots but it’s in good shape.
I wash it and pack it. It fits everything with room to spare.
The Big Purple Backpack was back in action.
You can spot it in these 2 posts: Confusion In Cape Town and Intermission Between Stalls.
As someone who, on too many occasions to say, has provided cheap crappy duffle bags to convention attendees, I take offense at your comment calling them cheap. We can call them cheap, but for those that take them to, is offensive and not good form.
Any ideas on what to do with them?
DigitalRich
Hi, Rich – To be honest, my cheap duffle bags were my company’s cheap duffle bags so I think I can get away with it!
Ooh, you left yourself open there when you asked me what you could do with your bags. Good thing I’m not that kinda gal!
Some serious ideas of what you could do with those bags:
Create Emergency Preparedness kits. You could have one for the car (I keep a change of clothes, blanket, water, jumper cables in mine) and one for each member of the household (change of clothes, some cash, list of phone numbers, etc.)
Donate them to a shelter or service for foster children. I once read about how someone donated luggage or backpacks to foster or older adopted children. Not having to carry your belongings in a garbage bag is very empowering.
I hope this gets the ideas rolling for you!
Purple backpack owners, unite!
I’ve had a purple backpack for many years. It’s the backpack I used freqently when I went back to school to get my Library and Information Science degree and it’s a perfect size to carry a book and laptop during the infrequent times I fly. It’s served me well.
There came a time recently when I had to upgrade. I searched military surplus stores for a large, simple, and heavily constructed pack. I settled on a black number billed as an Austrian Army rucksack. Built out of thick canvas, it expands to enormous size and has wide, comfortable shoulder straps.
http://members.arstechnica.com/x/dietrologia/backpacks.jpg
I love it, and at $29 it was a real bargain!
Hey, d – Wow. I had no idea there were other Purple Backpack owners. I wonder if this qualifies as Freaky?
I checked out your link. I did edit your comment to get the link to show up so that others could see it, too.
Yep, it’s purple. A very discreet purple. It looks in good shape.
It’s Australian replacement is ginormous. I think it may actually dwarf my Big Purple Backpack.
$29?! Whatta deal!
Backpack from college – wow! As I moved a little while ago, i’ve been going through stuff I haven’t been through in many, many years. So, I just found mine again. While it wasn’t purple, nor was it LL Bean, it did bring back some memories of those times. Mine is a green, i suppose a forest green from Eddie Bauer.
It was nice to come across again as I was able to use it on a pre-holiday cruise I took for my carry-on. I could tuck all my meds and electronics (camera, mp3 player, etc.) in there, and have them with me. I’ve since started carrying it around to cart all my usual bits of junk I might need again. I haven’t started putting the work notebook in it yet, but that might come around some time.