If you’re tired of your backpack and need something just a bit smaller to carry a day’s worth of stuff, including a water bottle, you might check out the Donner bag from Overland Equipment. This lies somewhere between a purse (it’s more versatile) and a backpack (it’s smaller).
I tested it out on a summer evening at an outdoor concert. While I carried food and drink in a separate daybag, I was able to load the Donner up with all the other essentials (cell phone, camera, wallet, etc.).
Available on Amazon for about $32
The interior has 5 pockets that help you keep everything separate (no scratching the screens on your cell phone and iPod) including business cards, glasses and pens. My favorite little extra is the key ring holder on which I can just snap my keys so they don’t get lost at the bottom of the bag.
What may be hard to discern from these photos is that there are 2 side pockets that are deep and thin, perfect for a water bottle or a thermos. There’s no flap to hold these in but the handle covers up the pockets so the bottles won’t fall out.
It has an exterior pocket in the back (that would lay flat against your body), but there’s no way to secure it shut. It seems like an ideal place to put a passport or some spare cash but because it doesn’t zip or Velcro shut, I’d be concerned about putting anything of value in it.
The straps are adjustable and are long enough that you can wear this over your head and shoulder for a bit more safety.