I'm thinking about getting a new pair of headphones to use at work. What I want:
- Great audio quality (primarily for music)
- Microphone
- Can connect to my Mac without any special adapters

I currently have the Plantronics Gamecom 367 and it sounds great. It's really perfect for my needs, other than it has a standard 3.5mm mic plug that doesn't work with line-ins on Macs, so I have to use an iMic with it. Or would something like this work with my current headset? [www.amazon.com] Though hopefully I could find one that looked better. Yes, it's a special adapter, but it's cheap an unobtrusive enough... I just don't want to get another iMic.

Wireless would also be cool, but not required.

The other thing I need to get is a backpack. I have two, but one is primarily for camera gear and the other is pretty cheap and tearing out from the top. What I want:
- Something I could bike with in the rain - possibly a waist strap?
- Big enough to hold a laptop, a pair of shoes and a change of clothes, but not too big.
- Comfortable
- Would be nice if it had a slot or something to help hold a 15" MBP on its own.

That said, perhaps I should just get one that's good for taking on the bus, still hauling the laptop and other random stuff, but get a rack and saddle bag(s) on my bike so I don't have to carry stuff on my back.

Thanks!

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If you're going to wear that headset a lot i'd be tempted to look at your wireless options. I have nice sony headphones but wish they were wireless.

What kind of bike do you ride? How long is the commute?

I think you're better off with a pannier bag. I think they make pannier bag / backpack combos although i doubt they're terribly good backpacks.

A MBPr + shoes + change of clothes is going to be on the big / heavy side. I leave shoes, pants, and laptop at work.

You can get rain covers for nearly any bag.

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Stax electrostatics

Ken Rockwell approved...

Best headphones ever...



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 08/07/2014 11:15AM by freeradical.

For a backpack with a waist strap, don't look at 'laptop bags'. Look at honest backpacks. The best suggestion I can give you is.. go to a decent outdoors store and try some on. Even while astride one of their bikes. Toss a few weights in there and see how it feels.

I insist on at least a sternum strap for my backpacks so they don't flobble around. And I cinch them up so they are comfortable on my back. What IS it with people walking around with their backpack whacking them in the tush like they're a WWII fighter pilot with those funky parachute bags on their butts ?

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mattkime
What kind of bike do you ride? How long is the commute?

I'm slowly converting my mountain bike into a commuter bike. It's a MY98 Bianchi front suspension bike. Chromoly frame... comes in at about 21lbs. I've got some wtb graffiti tires on it.

It's a little under 8 miles, though I'm considering only doing it one way for the time being.

Quote

A MBPr + shoes + change of clothes is going to be on the big / heavy side. I leave shoes, pants, and laptop at work.

That might get complicated.

Quote

You can get rain covers for nearly any bag.

That might be a good idea.

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Quote
freeradical
Stax electrostatics

Ken Rockwell approved...

Best headphones ever...

Sure. No mic though, and let's just say even if I could drop a 0 from the price tag, I wouldn't want to pay that much.

Quote
cbelt3
For a backpack with a waist strap, don't look at 'laptop bags'. Look at honest backpacks. The best suggestion I can give you is.. go to a decent outdoors store and try some on. Even while astride one of their bikes. Toss a few weights in there and see how it feels.

I insist on at least a sternum strap for my backpacks so they don't flobble around. And I cinch them up so they are comfortable on my back. What IS it with people walking around with their backpack whacking them in the tush like they're a WWII fighter pilot with those funky parachute bags on their butts ?

Thanks. I was hoping to just get a good review of one so I can buy online. It's not that easy for me to get to a store these days. But that's probably what I should do. I think I probably will stick with a real backpack rather than a laptop specific one.

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For headphones, check out Sennheiser Momentum or Focal Spirit.

8 miles will be a pretty good commute.

I'm a fan of my deuter bags. get a sleeve for the laptop. I have a futura 28 with a build in rain cover.

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Quote
Bixby
For headphones, check out Sennheiser Momentum or Focal Spirit.

No mic on either of those. Then I have to have two headsets :/

Quote
mattkime
8 miles will be a pretty good commute.

I'm a fan of my deuter bags. get a sleeve for the laptop. I have a futura 28 with a build in rain cover.

I'll probably only do it one way, since it's mostly downhill that way Maybe when I get in better shape again I can try the climb. If I was single or just didn't have kids, being exhausted when I got home wouldn't be such a big deal. But I don't want to do an 8 mile climb then get plastered by two kids.

Those bags look promising. I'll undoubtedly use it for many other things as well.

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The Wirecutter has great headphone reviews!

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Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 08/08/2014 11:57PM by Rolando.

You are incorrect, both headphones have mics in the cable and are designed to work with iphones etc.

Quote
Bixby
You are incorrect, both headphones have mics in the cable and are designed to work with iphones etc.

My mistake. Thanks for the correction. They're probably more than I want to spend, but I'll take another look.

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