Inspired by Phil Schneider’s recent “what’s in your bag” article, I thought I’d publish my own and give our readers a glimpse in to the bag of an IT guy.
Though my kit changes from day to day, these are what you could typically find on me whether I’m on site or working remote.
Let’s compare!
1) Dell Inspion 15-7537
Though it wouldn’t be my first pick it does the job. With a dual core 4th generation i7, 16GB of ram, 500GB SSD and a discrete graphics card it holds up against the strain of virtualization, multiple live remote sessions, video/audio editing and some minor gaming.
2) NazTech i9BT Bluetooth Headphones
These are fairly new for me and have been incredibly versatile. The noise active noise canceling works great whether I’m listening to music or just using them to drown out ambient noise and having the ability to be either wired or wireless makes using them during heavy loads on the system possible (I find that the Bluetooth card on my laptop is fairly weak and quickly disconnects devices when there is under stress).
3) Rite In The Rain 770F notebook
I love a good notebook and Rite In The Rain makes some of my favorites. Having a durable notebook that can live in my bag without getting destroyed is important and I love the fact that they are water resistant. I got hired on for the company that makes them over a year ago and seeing the way the company is run has inspired me to use the product that much more.
4) Razer DeathAdder Chroma USB Mouse
Even though Bluetooth mice are king when it comes to mobility I have yet to find a mouse within my budget that feels as comfortable and works as consistently as my Razer. I also have a Razer BlackWidow Stealth mechanical keyboard but that stays at my desk.
1) Essential Oils
Call me a hippy but these have been essential for me when it comes to focus, pain relief and general health. Not a technical thing but diffusing a few oils to help me with my ADD has been huge for my productivity.
2) Business card holder
In reality I haven’t had as much need for these lately but it’s been nice to have with me when I’m at a conference.
3) Pens
Black Sharpee Pen (Fine Point), Rite In The Rain No. 97 Water-Proof Pen (Black Ink), Promotional Swag Screwdriver (8 bits built for PC work, easily one of the most useful swag items from a conference I’ve gotten).
4) SoundPEATS QY7 Bluetooth In-Ear Headphones
Great sound, super light weight and a decent battery life. These are my backups and what I use while working out or when I’m on a phone call.
5) Altoids Tin of Holding (+5 Storage Capacity)
I use an old Aldoids tin to keep my flash drives, Micro/SD cards, twist ties, wireless dongle and velro straps in one place. The tin holds up well and helps me keep all the tiny things together.
6) Mints, Glass/Screen Cleaner
Nothing like coffee breath to make an end user cringe when the IT guy comes to work on their computer, right? The screen cleaner is designed for treated glass so it leaves no residue and doesn’t damage the display.
7) LifeCharge 16,000 mAh Battery
2 USB ports and can charge my devices multiple times. I recently got this and have been impressed with how long a full charge will last.
8) Gerber Suspension Multi-Tool
I’ve had this for years now and wouldn’t leave home without it. The case has been replaced a few times and no longer attaches to my belt but the tool works like a charm.
Not Pictured: Samsung Galaxy S7 (T-Mobile)
Easily my most used of all devices my phone goes with me just about everywhere. It’s nice to have quick access to Google/TechNet/Spiceworks/Reddit if I’m stumped on an issue and with the Slack app I’m able to connect with my boss on the fly. The battery life, performance and camera all round out give me the best phone I’ve owned to date.
I’d love to swap my laptop out for a Chromebook after I build out a new desktop for the office to reduce the weight and replace the DeathAdder Chroma with a Mamba Wireless Mouse, but am pleased with the gear I’ve got right now.
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