What’s in my bag: Philipp’s all about that hemp

A small shoulder bag used to do me fine. With the advent of handheld gaming PCs, there’s hardly any room left for a thermos mug. That’s why I usually always have my rucksack with me these days. So I might as well fill it with a few extras.

Hemp for carrying, not for smoking

After almost a decade of using a Peakdesign backpack, I swapped the bulky thing for a 30-litre model from 8000Kicks. It’s waterproof thanks to its industrial hemp fibres, offers space for several steam decks and can be rolled into a smaller size when it’s not filled to the brim. It’s even large enough for a medium-sized food shop. The backpack also has several large and smaller compartments to fit a laptop, keys, a water bottle and so on.

It’s not a toy

Well, maybe it is. But I also need really the Steam Deck OLED for work. I often struggle to find the time to game long enough to write a review. So every minute counts and that’s why I like to complete a mission or two on my commute to work. And because I want the display, analogue sticks, etc. to remain intact for as long as possible, I always store my Steam Deck in its case. Unfortunately, I don’t have the new slim one, so a bulky backpack is almost unavoidable.

A Macbook for a change

I’m usually more of a Windows person. And as long as there’s no equivalent, dedicated gaming operating system, my PCs will continue to run on it in the future. But when I was looking for a new notebook a year ago and couldn’t find a satisfactory one, I decided to buy a Macbook Pro. Although I’d prefer a 2:3 format display like the Microsoft Surface for working, I can also live with 16:10. The beautifully finished device includes a long-lasting battery, an SD card reader and more than enough power. It also helps me broaden my horizon. Admittedly, I do get a little annoyed when I hit the wrong key combination because I’ve switched from Windows to MacOS.

Pixels in my hand and on my ears

For music and podcasts, I rely on the Pixel Buds Pro – I’ve since switched to the Pro 2 gewechselt. Die machen alles etwas besser. Mir gefällt das kompakte Design sowohl der Buds als auch vom Case. Ausserdem harmonieren sie perfekt mit meinem Pixel 8 Pro – and the Pixel 9 Pro. They’re simply a tad better at everything. I like the compact design of both the buds and the case. They also work perfectly with my Pixel 8 Pro – and with the Pixel 9 Pro. I also got upgrades there, too. I used to swear by obscenely expensive over-ear headphones. But I now listen to podcasts more than music, so I’ve been using the small earbuds for years. Not least because they’re just easier. I can wear them under my helmet when I’m cycling, or in one ear when I need to keep an eye on the kids, plus they fit easily in my pocket.

Double the power

When I’m out and about for longer, I rely on the nerdy Powerbank Shargeek 100. Although it’s a bit overpriced and heavy, the transparent design makes up for it. And the fact I can see how much power’s going in and out has often proved useful. This makes it easy for me to check whether a USB cable is faulty or if there’s another reason why a device is charging slowly or not at all.

If there’s a power socket nearby, I use the Hyper-Juice charger. Thanks to its 100 watts, it charges my Macbook or Steam Deck quickly and easily. And with two USB-A and two USB-C ports, it also has me covered for charging several devices at the same time.

If you’re curious to see the contents of other people’s bags, check out the other instalments of the What’s in my Bag series: