It's 8 AM on a Sunday and I'm sitting in the airport. This will make my 4th week in a row traveling. I have 2 more to go before I can begin to recover. At age 43, traveling is beginning to become a burden.
There are many things that I could write about but one in particular is going to get my attention. My sling pack. There has been much talk recently about wearing backpacks while in a suit. I am of the camp that you shouldn't do it, but not for the reasons that most have been stating. I don't do it because it messes up the jacket. I could care less about how it looks. (oh, I have tattoos too so feel free to complain about that too).
There will always be those people who will complain because a person does not look "traditional" or "professional." My question to them is, are you paying my consulting fees for fashion advice or for the 20+ years of experience I bring to the table? Don't get me wrong, I will wear a suit when I am talking to your "c-suite" or slacks and a company polo or button-down the rest of the time. As a representative of my company, I do not get to do what I want. With that said, when I show up carrying, in my hands, a sling pack, back off.
You should be asking "Why is this guy carrying a sling pack?" The easiest way to answer that question is with a video from my friend Tom Moore. His AIDE 2016 presentation, Minimalistic Physical Assessment Kit, changed my life in a couple of ways. One is that I now use a sling pack for everything; work, hiking, and sight seeing.
I hope his presentation is helpful. If you want a sling pack for yourself, I recommend the Overwatch Sling Pack from Yukon Outfitters. Track it on Woot! to get the best deal.
