What’s in My Tech Backpack — Autumn 2024

Home » Blog » Gadgets » EDC » What’s in My Tech Backpack — Autumn 2024
Photo by bruce mars on Unsplash
Photo by bruce mars on Unsplash

It’s been a while since I last wrote one of these, and there’s a lot to talk about since my last “What’s in my Tech Backpack” article.

I know I’ve said this before, but as a tech and gadget enthusiast, I love seeing and sharing this type of content, especially as you can find some incredible stuff.

For those of you who are unaware, outside blogging, I work a full-time 9 to 5 job as an IT Engineer, so many of the things in my bag are related to my day job.

So without any further ado, here are the things I carry in my tech bag this Autumn…

Disclaimer: This article contains affiliate links, which help me earn commission by linking to products.

My Bag

Starting with the bag itself, I think that my previous everyday bag, the MENOS Backpack, is fantastic, but I needed something that will fit more things inside.

I happened to be visiting my local Mountain Warehouse store where I discovered the Vic Laptop Bag, and it turned out to be exactly what I was after.

The bag itself is 30L which is perfect for the things I carry with me to work and, due to the way it’s laid out, it leaves me with plenty of room for extras. I find this great as it allows me to carry extra items whenever I need to. I even use for when I need to pick up a few things from the supermarket next to my local train station on my way home.

The bag has three compartments, including a laptop compartment which will comfortably fit laptops up to 15-inches, a front compartment that features areas for your pens and smaller accessories such as notebooks and power banks. The main compartment features a pocket where I keep my iPad and notepad.

The bag also features a small pocket for accessories such as keys. But I decided to use this pocket to hold a waterproof backpack cover. Based on my experience with the Vic laptop bag so far, the bag copes well with light rain, but when it comes to heavy rain, I tend to use a waterproof backpack cover.

The bag also has two external bottle pockets which are elastic.

I’ve had this bag since around February and I think that it is a fantastic bag, it offers great quality, it’s comfortable to wear, and it can fit a lot inside.

As for the Men’s backpack, I use that as my secondary backpack, like when I don’t need to carry much into the office. A larger backpack can be more convenient, but when you commute by train regularly, sometimes it’s nice to carry a smaller bag.

Laptop and iPad

Moving on to the main tech devices I carry in my backpack, I currently use a Dell Latitude 5340 laptop which features a 13th-generation i5 processor, 16 GB of memory and 500 GB of storage.

As this laptop was provided by my employer, I didn’t really get a choice of laptop, but I think it’s perfectly capable and more than enough for my job. I like it because it’s 13-inch and fits perfectly in my bag.

I primarily tend to work from home, but I am expected to visit the office on a weekly basis. I tend to commute by train which gives me an hour each way to be productive. That’s where my iPad Pro comes in.

I like to use my iPad to write blog posts, research things for upcoming blog posts and learn new skills. 2 hours per day, 4 to 6 hours per week on the train gives me a lot of time to be productive.

I currently use an 11-inch iPad Pro 2nd generation along with the HOU keyboard case. I think that the 11-inch iPad is ideal for when working on the train as tray tables tend to be small and the 11-inch iPad Pro doesn’t take up much space.

I’ve had the HOU keyboard case for a while and while it is showing its age (I think I mentioned that last time), it’s still in working order. I like this keyboard case as it features a comfortable keyboard and a trackpad that supports gesture controls, which makes a real difference.

But as both my iPad and the keyboard case are showing their ages, I am seriously considering upgrading my iPad to an iPad mini.

Headphones and Earbuds

My main everyday earbuds are the Apple AirPods Pro 2nd generation, which, I think, are phenomenal and a part of my everyday tech carry.

They are perfect for commuting as they block out most of the noise around me and their sound quality is superb.

I tend to use the AirPods Pro for when outside the office, such as commuting to and from work, or going for a walk during my break. Speaking of which, I highly recommend checking out Endel as it really makes a difference, especially when commuting or going on long walks.

At my desk, I use the Edifier WH950NB headphones, which offer great sound quality and decent active noise cancellation. They also feature Multi-point Bluetooth, which allows me to connect two devices at the same time.

I find them perfect for work as their battery life is good, which allows me to attend several meetings and calls throughout the week. They are also comfortable to wear, even with my glasses on.

Accessories and Gadgets

Moving on to accessories and gadgets, my current mouse of choice is still the Logitech MX Anywhere 2. The mouse is in good working order apart from the scroll wheel which can be a bit temperamental from time to time. But I guess that’s to be expected considering the fact that it’s not a new mouse.

In terms of the power bank I use, I primarily take the Anker 622 Magnetic Battery if I’m going to my main office. If I’m going further, I either take the Xiaomi Mi Power Bank 3 Ultra-Compact 10000 mAhor the UGREEN Nexode 20000mAh power bank.

One of the most recent additions to my everyday tech carry is the Goodmans 3 in 1 portable wireless charger, which will charge my Apple Watch, AirPods Pro and my phone. This wasn’t a purchase I was planning to make, but when I saw it at my local B&M store, I just had to try it out.

My current charging plug is the Duracell 30W Fast Charging, Plug which I picked up at a local shop when I needed a charging plug. I also keep an Apple USB-C to lightning charging cable and a UGREEN USB-C charging cable.

Moving on to non-tech accessories…

I use the Linus Tech Tips water bottle which not only looks good, but it keeps my drinks cold for hours. I’ve had it for a while now and can honestly say that it was worth the purchase.

I use the MOMSIV Blue Coffee Cup, which I find great for drinking out of and easy to clean.

I still use the Crook Handle Umbrella from M&S, which is still offering great quality for the price.

In terms of tools, I use the iFixit Minnow precision screwdriver set, which is great due to its size, quality and the fact that the screwdriver head has a sim tool. I also use a basic 6 in 1 screwdriver from Asda. I like it as I don’t have to worry about losing small bits.

I also carry a basic A5 notebook I use for quick note-taking. Speaking of which, I tend to carry two pens with me, a Stainless-Steel Parker Jotter pen and a BIC 4 Colours Original Pen.

Final Thoughts

This time around, I decided to go into more detail about the things I carry in my tech backpack. Hopefully, you’ll find this kind of content interesting.

I purposely excluded my everyday tech carry items, as I have a dedicated article that talks about them.

If you are reading this article in the future, I invite you to check out my dedicated Everyday Tech Carry and What’s in My Backpack pages, which I update regularly.

Let me know if you found something interesting in this article, and please share your favourite items from your backpack, I want to make this article a place for readers to discover new tech and gadgets.

Disclaimer: This blog post contains affiliate links. Dom is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.co.uk. You can find out more about the affiliate links I use on my affiliate disclaimer page.