What's in my bag? — Amantha Imber

About the bag

Gorman backpack: my backpack of choice is from Melbourne-based designer Lisa Gorman. Half of my wardrobe is probably from Gorman, so I was very excited when she started making backpacks. I don't think this bag is available anymore, but I love it so much. It is lightweight (being made out of a parachute-like fabric) and I love the bright print. My only wish is that it had more pockets, but that's easily solved through purchasing an internal bag organiser so things don't get lost.

What's inside the bag

Mix Pre 6: I host the podcast How I Work, and pre-COVID, I would do quite a few interviews outside of my studio. Many podcasters opt for the Zoom H5 or H6, but I found the Zoom wasn't great for tuning out background noise. I've been using the Mix Pre 6 for over a year now, and it's my sound mixer of choice for recording all podcast interviews. While it's slightly more expensive than the Zoom, I find it eliminates nearly all background noise and produces amazing sound quality. I also use the Mix Pre 6 in my studio for recording back-ups. It hasn't failed me yet!

Logitech Keys-to-Go: I like to keep my backpack as light as possible, so when I don't want to lug around a laptop, I pack this portable keyboard. It connects via bluetooth to my iPhone and allows me to use my iPhone as a computer and type things quickly. The keys are smooth and the pressure feels just right, making for a top notch typing experience.

Logitech spotlight: another Logitech device! As part of my work at behavioural science consultancy Inventium, I do a lot of keynote presentations (well, more so pre-COVID). I feel like I have tried every presentation remote on the market and this is the one that I stuck with. I never leave home without my Logitech Spotlight — it's by far the best presentation remote I've used. It's simple to use and works 100% of the time. And it feels so light and comfortable in my hand.

Uni Mechanical Pencil Kuru Toga Roulette Model 0.5mm: I love a good mechanical pencil and this one has had over 4000 5-star reviews on Amazon. I figured that 4000 people can't be wrong so I bought one. The pencil is very comfortable to write with and is incredibly precise (as you would expect from a mechanical pencil). The only problem is that my 6 year-old daughter loves it as much as I do, so it often does disappearing acts from my bag...

Fressko coffee cup: For many years, I was on the hunt for the perfect take-away coffee cup — one that keeps my coffee warm and is easy to wash. And something that looks good too. I finally found that mix in Fressko. The cup is insulated and keeps my coffee hot for a couple of hours. And unlike some cups that have fancy lids that are hard to clean, Fressko keep things simple and the cup and lid are quick and easy to wash.

What's in YOUR bag?

We want to hear about unusual and unusually useful items that you carry in your bag. We are especially interested in the specialized bags of doctors, athletes, repair techs, artists, gardeners, hikers, etc. Start by replying to this email with a photo of the things in your bag (you can use your phone). If you get a reply from us, fill out the form. We’ll pay you $50 if we run your submission in our What’s in my bag? newsletter and blog.