What’s In Her Bag: My Everyday Work + Errand Backpack

by Molly Hurford | Jul 3, 2019 | Gear, Lifestyle, Women Specific

I am SO excited about this new feature I’m starting on TheOutdoorEdit: The ‘What’s in Her Bag’ section. Each week, I’m going to feature the everyday/gym/race day/sport-specific/food bag of an athlete that I love. I’ve been obsessed with the ‘what’s in her bag’ articles since the days of Jane magazine in the early 2000s (I still have a page ripped out that featured Mary Kate and Ashley’s purses, to be honest) and I’ve been dying to do something similar, but with badass female athletes. I have a couple that are going up in the next couple weeks and I just love the blend of tools for sport, from workout wear to fuel, plus certain makeup staples and fashion choices. To me, that combination is just so cool: I know some people get grumpy when we merge fashion and makeup stuff with training and fitness, but you know what? We contain multitudes. It’s OK to wear makeup before, during or after a workout, it’s OK to skip it. You do you. *End rant.*

ANYWAY. I figured it made sense to use myself as a guinea pig for the first one. So, I’m starting with my everyday bag—it’s what I carry with me to run errands, when we head to Toronto or to an event, or I’m just running over to a friend’s house to meet for a run or something. It’s just my everyday staples, essentially. I’m going to do a deeper dive into my running, cycling, toiletries and travel kits in later posts, but this is just the go-to daily essentials. So, let’s dive in! What’s in my everyday errand/work backpack?

Timbuk2 Custom Backpack: OF COURSE my custom backpack is just a bunch of black and gray (with some reflective side paneling!). I love this thing, and it’s been through A LOT of years of serious wear and tear. This is the daily backpack because I almost always have stuff to bring to the post office or back to the library, and I do most of our grocery runs on foot so I’m always toting it home packed with potatoes, veggies and meat.

Neutrogena Ultra-Sheer Sunscreen: I wasn’t really picky about sunscreen until I realized recently that with so much running and sweating, I was breaking out like crazy whenever I wore super cheap stuff. The Neutrogena spray is the only one I’ve found so far that doesn’t clog up my pores, and actually is pretty darn sweat-proof. I prefer something like Origin’s tinted moisturizer with SPF normally, but I always have the spray in my bag for when I haven’t put any makeup on.

Nuun + water bottle: I will always have a water bottle because I will never drink enough otherwise. I bring nuun tablets along as well for a) electrolytes when I’m running a bunch and need extra electrolytes and b) for when you’re somewhere where the water tastes like $hit and you need to mask the flavor slightly. They’re also great for if you’re at a bar and maaaaybe have one more drink than you should have and want to avoid a headache/hangover. Just saying.

Cycling cap: Never leave home without it.

Oakley Frogskin Lite: These sunglasses have been with me for 2 years now and no other pair has come close to replacing them. (They’re in my 5 things I wear pretty much constantly list here.)

Rapha wallet + travel doc holders: I love the Rapha wallet for how much I can keep jammed in it. Business cards, Shred Girls stickers, an SD card and a USB stick (I am forever needing one or the other), a tiny bag with a few Tylenol capsules and Pepto Bismol capsules (Girl Scouts are always prepared), a couple bandaids, a bit of cash, etc. — it’s my emergency kit and it’s awesome. I also really love their travel holder, and if you’re a frequent international traveler, it’s worth the splurge.

MacBook Pro: I do miss my MacBook Air for when we’re on the road, but the Pro is just so much better for everything I use it for! The battery is surprisingly good and while it’s a bit heavier, the computer itself just works so much faster than my Air did, even after 2 years of constant use. (The POW comic book case is here.)

Gore lightweight raincoat: Even in the summer in Ontario, we get insane rain storms, so I try to always have a packable rain coat jammed in my bag. This one from Gore works well, fits great, and weighs pretty much nothing. It’s great for riding and running, but it’s also ideal as the emergency jacket. (I put it in my run pack as well!)

Notebook + Pen: All day, everyday. I don’t journal as much as I wish I did/do in my #bestself fantasy, but I like having it on hand for when the urge does strike. I’m also an obsessive list-maker, so it’s nice to have around.

Klean Recovery Single-Serve: Not that I drink this on every walk, but I try to have some kind of emergency stash of protein on hand for those hangry moments. Also ideal for having with you when you forgot to pack something specific for post-run with a friend.

Tracksmith Fells Layer: I’ve been looking for a good henley for A LONG time, and I’m super stoked to have found it in a run-specific top. This has been in my bag since Peter got it for my birthday a couple weeks ago because it’s the perfect layer for when it gets just a bit chillier in the evening, and it’s fine for both when I’m wearing a running outfit or jean shorts and something more hangout-y. Not sponsored, just obsessed.