WINNER!!! Janeen in Gainesville, FL

Yes! Giveaway time! We're giving away 2 Chrome Bags... Here are the two ways to win:

(1) Leave a comment on this post with (a) why you need the weatherproof goodness and (b)which size/color you love most!

(2) TWITTER! Follow @notcot and tweet your favorite size/color with #chromebags in the tweet!

I'll pick a random winner for each one on Monday (so get those in by Sunday midnight PST)!!!

OK, so moving along, WHY are we giving away Chrome Bags? Well they have a lifetime warranty, seatbelt buckles and straps, and a SECRET POCKET and are totally weatherproof! And that's just the classic messenger bag... that beat up one in the picture with the rabbid stashed away is my personal one that i've had for around 4 years now... that thing will survive about anything and has traveled the world with me... so when Chrome reached out saying they were into NOTCOT, i was absolutely giddy. And together we decided it would be fun to share the love with a giveaway to you!

Their company philosophies sum it up nicely: "Chrome was founded in Boulder, CO by a couple of guys who needed a bag that lasted forever. They began sewing in their garage using the toughest material they could find. A company came out of that with a philosophy of building stuff that would function well in tough conditions and would last a lifetime. There's not a lot of nonsense in our gear, just materials and construction that serve a purpose and last a lifetime. We stand behind everything we make." It's great to see they've been expanding the line, working their way into performance apparel and more new bags for 09 in the works... so for now take a peek at the details options on the next page!

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Tags: bag - gifts - giveaway - messenger - shopping

I have a thing for messenger bags and a fascination with bags made of out unexpected recycled materials (i think it started with Freitag in high school) ~ and throughout the life of NOTCOT, we've looked at so many... from truck tarps to sea sails to parachutes to jackets and more... but when i spotted this at Springwise, i did a double, triple, quadruple take...

Zirkeltraining ~ is a german line of bags, wallets, laptop sleeves, etc made from recycled vintage 1950's gymnastics equipment... from pummel horses to floor mats to rescue nets... with some truck tarps thrown in as well... Their photography is also eery but captivating... and the whole thing fascinated me until someone mentioned how many crotches have been on 1950's pummel horse leather... but still... i had to share it with you... so see more pictures on the next page!

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Tags: accessories - bag - gifts - laptop - leather - messenger - recycled - shopping

Incase Nylon Messenger Bag may be THE perfect messenger bag, their designers have figured out every tiny detail! I've gone through so many messenger bags (from Chrome, Timbuk2, Ordning & Reda, Tumi, a leather old J.Crew, Jack Spade, and more...) ~ but i'm totally impressed with how sleek, lightweight, and detailed this new Incase Nylon Messenger Bag is. As a 5'4" girl, it actually holds my 15" mcp and a lot of other stuff without making me look like a turtle (which is the case with my huge chrome one!) ~ the shoulder strap is sooo nicely cushioned, and brilliant detail to have the padded handle on the bag double as a key ring (good spare key stash?) ~ lots of pockets of varying depths and openings all around ~ and the biggest mystery to me when i first read about this... "plush faux fur" ~ turns out its a velvety soft lush black material to keep your iphone and laptop from being scratched! Nice that the stabilizer strap is completely detachable as well, and its a nice touch to have the large velcro pocket on the front, and that the clips on the main flap are sewn flat (not sure why that matters, but just a detail i really liked - aesthetically sleeker?). Anyhow, enough rambling from me, i took a bunch of pictures of the details for you to get a feel for it yourself on the next page!

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Tags: bag - gifts - incase - messenger - shopping

Flipping through the 2008 Incase catalog, these new Nylon Messenger Bags jumped out at me, and upon reading the details (see the catalog pages after the jump) i had to post it out of curiosity and intrigue. In two sizes (medium and large), both have a sleek yet textured look, weather resistant nylon and waterproofed lining, exterior weatherproof pocket and headphone port, topographic print lining, and i like how the edge goes up and around the clips... as well as a mysterious "plush faux-fur lining" (i wonder what that looks/feels like) to protect your goods. In the large model, there is even a removable notebook sleeve, removable hipsack (fanny pack?), interior bike pump tie down, and an "abrasion resistant skateboard attachment with molded skate bumpers". See more details and images after the jump!

It isn't easy finding a good subtle, rugged, stylish, black messenger bag. I've got quite the stash of them (from chrome to ordning & reda to random leather ones to timbuk2 to patagonia...), but it's been a while one has even really caught my attention.

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Tags: bag - fashion - incase - laptop - messenger - technology