From the Editor's Desk: What's in my Berlin gear bag

Welcome to the Labor Day holiday! It's the unofficial end of summer (which, really, for where I am in Florida doesn't come until some time in October) and for us the official start of the fall silly season.

I'm headed off to Berlin, Germany, today for the IFA conference sort of the CES of Europe. It's my first time at IFAand my first time in Berlin, so this should be fun. (And looking at our schedule, it's also going to be the usual ridiculous amount of work.) If you've yet to do so, swing by Alex's IFA 2013 preview for a look at what we're expecting.

And now, following in the footsteps of Alex, Jerry and Andrew, a look at what I'm lugging over there with me:

The bags

Never mind the tech. (OK, we'll mind the tech in a minute.) The bags themselves may be the most important part of this whole endeavor. Like many others of us in this biz, I'm a huge proponent of Timbuk2. The San Francisco-based company has bags that are durable as anything out there and have a capacity that continues to surprise me. And should something go wrong, Timbuk2 has a warranty that can't be beat.

I'm currently using the 2011 Command Laptop Messenger Bag for nearly every event. I don't bother with any of the "TSA-friendly" stuff it's quicker and easier to just pull out the laptop than have to worry about haggling over whether I have to take it out of a "TSA-friendly" bag. (Find other Timbuk2 messenger bags here.)

For clothes and stuff, I use the Timbuk2 Copilot Luggage Roller, which I picked up earlier this summer. That kick-ass warranty I mentioned? Well, the handle (quite literally) flew off my three-year-old Checkpoint Travel Roller while in San Francisco for Google I/O. So I swung over to the store, and they swapped it out for this newer model. It took longer to cab it the couple miles to the store than it did to swap out the bag.

That's why I keep coming back. Timbuk2's not cheap, but then again it's not cheap. And you can't beat the service.

The gear

OK, on to the fun stuff.

The laptop

I'm now using a 2013 13-inch Macbook Air after upgrading from the 2011 model. The battery life has been a game-changer for me and I'm not even running OS 10.9 Mavericks yet. And you just can't beat the size and portability. But seriously, Apple. Bring back the 90-degree MagSafe 2 connector. I also keep a MagSafe>MagSafe 2 adapter in my bag, just in case.

The phones

The phones I take on trips vary, depending on where I'm going and what I'm doing. Quick trip to New York? Just one or two. If I'm going overseas and know I can easily get a local SIM card, I'll make sure I have something unlocked on me, and that usually means Nexus, which I also like having around for Photosphere purposes.

This trip, though, I'm rolling with the Moto X. I just love the size of the thing. It'll be interesting to see how the battery holds up when roaming. I've got the HTC One (AT&T) for backup, and because I'll have roaming data anyway. I've also got the Samsung Galaxy Note 2, but I don't plan on using it for anything more than comparison pictures with the expected announcement of the Note 3.

And I'm bringing the LG G2 as my unlocked Euro device should I find a German SIM. Plus, it does Photospheres. (LG calls them "VR Panoramas.")

The tablet

Is there any other choice? The 2013 Nexus 7, with the ASUS Premium Cover, which I only use when traveling.

The cameras

A little more than a year ago I foolishly upgraded to the Nikon D700. (I found a good deal on a used one on Ebay.) It's way more camera than I need, and my first time out of the gate with it was disastrous. (And halfway around the world in South Korea, no less.) A year later, and I'm more comfortable with it.

I usually shoot with a 50mm macro lens at home, but I'm going with my 50mm prime lens for the floor work, and my trusty 28-300mmlens for event work.

I use a CowboyStudio hand strapalong with a Black Rapid RS-7 strap. One more must-have is a Lens Pen for keeping things clean.

For video, I'm using the Panasonic HCV700M. It's small, it's light, it's got 16GB of internal storage and can use an SD card as well, plus a hot shoe for when I want to get fancy. It's simple enough to use, and the OISis a nice addition.

As a backup and for when I don't want to lug around the big stuff I've got a Sony RX100, on Alex's recommendation. It's a 20-megapixel point-and-shoot with an f/1.8 lens. It's ridiculously awesome, and I really should use it more. (And it charges via micro USB, which is great.)

Other odds and ends

Spare batteries and cables are a given, right? You can never have too many. And I always travel with a length of CAT5 as well. You just never know when you'll need it.

Here are a few other random things taking up space in my bag:

• External battery charger:I'm currently running around with the Samsung 9,000 mAhbattery,but you'll also find me with my trusty Anker Astro 2 8,400 mAh battery. It's got a built-in LED flashlight (and is way cheaper).
• Cleaning cloth: Wanna be the most popular person at the demo area? Have a cleaning cloth for getting fingerprints off a screen. I just toss one in with other orders from time to time.
• Microphone: Lugging around a traditional recording micwill get you some funny looks from security, not to mention taking up precious space and adding weight. When I'm on the road, I always have the Samson Go Mic. It's USB-powered tiny and sounds surprisingly good. We use it for podcasts as well as overdubbing.
• Headphones: I haven't quite figured out why I carry around two pairs of headphones, but I do. For my normal, everyday listening, I use the Bose MIE2i. For long hauls, I bring the Shure425s for noise-blocking. They're not as comfortable, but they block out engine noise nicely.
• XCom GlobalMifi:You can never have too much data when you're overseas, andU.S. roaming plans can get expensive. I did go with AT&T's300MBof data for $60, though. And to supplement that,XComGlobalhooked us up with some of its newZTEMifisto test out.
• Pebble smart watch: Mainly I'm using this as a Trusted Bluetooth device as an extra layer of security with the Moto X.

And that's it, more or less. The bags are packed, passport in hand. It's time to go to work. See y'all from Germany.

Via: From the Editor's Desk: What's in my Berlin gear bag