Can anyone recommend a backpack to comfortably carry hard hat, safety boots, lap top and folders on trains/tubes/buses etc. I know its not high on the critical scale but it would make my life easier. Thanks in advance.

There are no bags to everything but this one shown in the picture is good.

I have such a thing and its sized for carry on luggage (BA and Lufthansa sizes, don't know about the other airlines). it has a zip so it can be opened book fold gaining access to two separately zipped compartments for your stuff. it also has a padded laptop pocket which can be accessed separately from the main. the straps can be stowed and a shoulder strap used instead. there are two pockets on the front for small stuff. It wasn't that expensive but did come from a sports equipment retail outlet with a particularly bad reputation at the moment (although that was unknown when I bought it). I've had it about three years now and it's the most travelled piece of luggage I've ever owned!

I use a typical sports bag with long strap and two carry handles. Very lightweight and right size for aircraft cabins. Boots, hat, High-viz and even my orange flashing light if I need it. Room for lap top as well. In my opinion back packs are prone to theft as it is behind you, my sports bag can be carried over the shoulder and always in full view.

FS101 - Please can you tell us the type/s of work situation for which you need to take a flashing orange light? It's possible that quite a number of us forum users are curious (possible euphemism for being nosey!) as to what they might be. However, I'll take the plunge and risk flaunting my ignorance and/or lack of imagination by actually asking you !!! :-) Also, don't tell anyone (!), but another reason I have for asking is that recently I bought a battery-powered orange flashing light/beacon device from a German-owned store chain. As someone who likes gadgets and hadn't bought one for a while, I couldn't resist buying it, especially as it was the last one in the store - and at reduced price! It has a wide choice of lighting patterns and brilliance levels including an impressive rotating strobe effect, and now I need to think of some good uses for it. One contender is putting it on the roof of my car (helped by the magnets within it) in the event of a breakdown, especially in a vulnerable location where it could complement my car's hazard indicators in warning drivers of approaching vehicles. However, I'll need to check first whether such a use would contravene road traffic regulations. Please can anyone suggest other uses for the beacon? If nothing else, such postings will help keep this thread visible on page 1 of this Discussion Forum and thereby help it to reap further responses of the non-digressive variety! Graham B p.s. In a nod to a recent posting on the "Pet Hates" thread in the IOSH Social Forum (only for IOSH members), those who do wear largish backpacks/rucksacks should consider refraining from doing so while they are going round inside a museum or art gallery!

Thanks for all your replies people, I think I am going to go down Gerry's route and try some safety shoes and hat on the outside of the bag. Apart from anything else it will save others from having to see my odd smelly socks when I only just make the train on the way home and am desperate to get my boots off.