Can you recommend an alternative outer talit bag?

Question

I need to replace my outer talit bag - the one that most people have as a brittle, transparent, zippered bag with gold piping (e.g.). I am tired of having these bags break on me, and I don't have a designer inner bag to display, so transparency is unnecessary for me.

Can you recommend an alternative? It doesn't necessarily have to have been designed to be a talit bag.

Requirements:

• Tear-resistant
• Waterproof
• When wet on the outside, easy to extract contents without getting them wet
• Lightweight (ideally, I could fold it up empty and put it in my pocket)
• Space for a talit, tefilin, and a couple of books
• Not too ugly to carry into the synagogue on Shabbat

Optional:

• Special compartments for talit, tefilin, books, etc.
• Nice-looking Jewish design on the outside, or the ability to add one
• Shoulder strap, or at least the hooks for one

Update:

On further reflection, and after considering Aaron's answer, I'm thinking that what I'm looking for is like a "stuff sack,"but preferably with more in the way of internal compartmentalization and external strappage, and looking less like a gym bag.

Answer 1

Based on your description, the first thing to hit me was those Neoprene laptop sleeves. A quick Google showed that it's hard to find ones that are large enough. (Tefillin are kind of bulky, not flat like a laptop)

Then I saw it... a Neoprene diaper bag. no kidding. The one I saw from BuiltNY was very expensive and took up too much space with customized pockets that probably aren't suitable for talit/tefillin. However, that basic black Similac diaper bag you probably have around somewhere meets most of your criteria

1) It's tear resistant
2) Being nylon lined, it's waterproof
3) Seems like contents are easy to extract even if wet.. never actually tried
4) Certainly light weight when empty, but not pocket size.. I don't know what would be
5) Plenty of space for talit, tefilin, and a couple books
6) The basic black kind is attractive enough
7) Has two compartments... use as desired
8) Shoulder strap included

That said... I think there's a market for a neoprene Talit/Tefillin carrier.

EDIT: here are some links to a couple products I found:

• Based on your feedback, if the cheap diaper bag isn't durable enough, then here's the link to the neoprene diaper bag that seems very sturdy and includes the nylon draw string feature internally that like the "Stuff sack" you linked to.
• A link to a large bank bag would be flatter (they only picture the smaller size) and somewhat foldable.

Answer 2

I always found army surplus bags perfect for everything. Hundreds of different sizes and shapes, materials, and usually any color you want as long as it's green. EBay and other places.

Isaac suggested some recommendations: I find the Swiss Army bread bags nice. You've seen them. They fold like, interestingly enough, a clam. One side is leather and in some cases even cow hide, the other a heavy cloth, and some are made with a vinyl instead of cloth that makes it water proof, or at least water resistant.

I carried my esrog and machzor in a gas mask bag this past yontif. A strange shape that forced the esrog container to one side and the book to the other. And unusual markings to keep you interested on the walk to shul.

On eBay, look under collectibles, military, and search bag. Unusually under personal effects. I prefer ones from the 60s and before, and I find the ones from European countries have interesting looks to them.

Answer 3

I use a laptop bag for my tallit. I don't put the tefilin inside the velvet tallit bag, instead I bought a smaller tallit bag that only holds the tallit (It's about 1/3 the size - you will need to learn a new folding style for the tallit).

Then I arrange the items inside the laptop bag - they fit perfectly plus a siddur. The smaller tallit bag is almost exactly the same length as a laptop.

Answer 4

I use the 4 Liter Sea to Summit Lightweight Dry Sack (archived version of page). This is big enough for 2 pairs of Tefillin (4x4) and a pocket-sized soft-cover siddur.

They make bigger sizes (this particular model goes up to 35 liter capacity).

As for your requirements:

• Tear-resistant - hard to say, they don't advertise it as such, but I haven't had any problems.
• Waterproof - Yes. The one I use is not intended for submerging in water, but they make others that are.
• When wet on the outside, easy to extract contents without getting them wet - I think so.
• Lightweight - yes
• Space for a talit, tefilin, and a couple of books - Depends on the size, but yes.

• Not too ugly - that's up to you. They do have a variety of colors though.

• Special compartments - only one.

• Nice-looking Jewish design on the outside, or the ability to add one - No
• Shoulder strap, or at least the hooks for one - kind of. The one I have has one D-Ring, and when it is closed a handle is formed. They make other kinds that do have more rings and such.

As you can see here, there are many variations on this theme available for purchase. Any camping/outdoors store should have some in stock. Some may be closer to what you're looking for.

Answer 5

It seems to me, that with your edits, that you described a "gym bag" perfectly. Perhaps all you need is a basic gym bag which you can decorate?

Answer 6

A tallis bag tote. If you do a search for this combination of words, you will find a product that should suit your needs, available on websites and at well-known Judaica stores. They are available in different sizes and the extra-large one should be able to hold your tallis, tefillin and at least one book.

Answer 7

When I asked for recommendations for a bag that could easily hold my Tallith and Tefillin, my laptop computer, and my lunch without busting at the seams, someone recommended this "Bag of Holding".

Answer 8

I have always loved all the various bags and sacks you can find on At the Front, a company that makes World War II reproductions. Take a look at this page. Unfortunately, all of their products are a bit pricy, but they last a lifetime. Everything they make is of durable canvas.

Here's a picture of my musette bag which I purchased from them. I use this bag for carrying my heavy seforim and tefillin when I go on trips.

This is what the bag looks like. A nice "U.S." printed on the front in traditional U.S. Military fashion of yesteryear. There is an adjustable carrying strap, also made of canvas like the rest of the bag. All of the buttons and clasps are made of metal. This bag will last a long time. Mine's a reproduction, but my brother has an original and it is just as sturdy today as it was 70+ years ago.

The inside of the bag has two large divided sections, and two smaller pockets. both are great for carrying large seforim (even a full-size Gemara), and especially a bag of tefillin and a siddur.

On the back of the bag there is a large map pocket that I think would be perfect for a tallis. Note that all of these pockets probably look small in the pictures but that they are actually quite large.

Plus I must mention that although they are not waterproof, these bags will deflect water if they're spilled on. The water just runs off when something like a water bottle is spilled.