Ever Remove the Shoulder Rest from your Shoulder Strap?

[iluvmybags]

I purchased a Besace hobo a few months back and while I love the bag, it just won't stay on my shoulder when I'm wearing a coat. I think its the shoulder rest thats making it slip off. I was just wondering if anyone else has ever had this problem and/or if any of you ever removed the shoulder rest from any of your bags. Did it make it easier or more difficult to carry the bag on your shoulder or damage the leather strap?

 

[earswithfeet]

I purchased a Besace hobo a few months back and while I love the bag, it just won't stay on my shoulder when I'm wearing a coat. I think its the shoulder rest thats making it slip off. I was just wondering if anyone else has ever had this problem and/or if any of you ever removed the shoulder rest from any of your bags. Did it make it easier or more difficult to carry the bag on your shoulder or damage the leather strap?

I despise those thingies and always take them off. Takes some wiggling and pulling, but feels so much better without.
Heh, does that sound dirty to anyone else or just me? 👀

 

[iluvmybags]

I despise those thingies and always take them off. Takes some wiggling and pulling, but feels so much better without.
Heh, does that sound dirty to anyone else or just me? 👀

 

[iluvmybags]

I despise those thingies and always take them off. Takes some wiggling and pulling, but feels so much better without.
Heh, does that sound dirty to anyone else or just me? 👀

its weird because I don't think I ever had that problem with the City or First. Although it could be that I tend to carry those on my arm far more than shoulder whereas the Besace is always on my shoulder, so maybe I just never noticed it before

I actually did take it off the Besace and turned it around thinking that would make it more comfortable, so I don't think it'll be much trouble removing it

 

[Deco]

I purchased a Besace hobo a few months back and while I love the bag, it just won't stay on my shoulder when I'm wearing a coat. I think its the shoulder rest thats making it slip off. I was just wondering if anyone else has ever had this problem and/or if any of you ever removed the shoulder rest from any of your bags. Did it make it easier or more difficult to carry the bag on your shoulder or damage the leather strap?

Yes. I started a thread about this many years ago. I called it dethingyfying the strap. I don't care for the thingies as they cause sliding, except on the Neo Classic Cities which manage to stay on the shoulder remarkably well regardless.

 

[earswithfeet]

Yes. I started a thread about this many years ago. I called it dethingyfying the strap. I don't care for the thingies as they cause sliding, except on the Neo Classic Cities which manage to stay on the shoulder remarkably well regardless.

I never understood why they're called "weight distributor"? Which weight? Of the bag? The strap? Lol. Most useless bag feature I can think of...

 

[iluvmybags]

I never understood why they're called "weight distributor"? Which weight? Of the bag? The strap? Lol. Most useless bag feature I can think of...

I hadn’t realized thats what they’re called. I’ve always called them a shoulder pad & thought they were meant to make the strap more comfortable on a bare shoulder, even tho they’re not much of a pad, which is why I started calling them a shoulder rest

Weight distributor is kinda weird & confusing

 

[Deco]

I hadn’t realized thats what they’re called. I’ve always called them a shoulder pad & thought they were meant to make the strap more comfortable on a bare shoulder, even tho they’re not much of a pad, which is why I started calling them a shoulder rest

Weight distributor is kinda weird & confusing

I believe they're intended to be like skis, so your strap can enjoy the thrill of sliding off your shoulder in high speed. I see no other purpose.

 

[muchstuff]

I hadn’t realized thats what they’re called. I’ve always called them a shoulder pad & thought they were meant to make the strap more comfortable on a bare shoulder, even tho they’re not much of a pad, which is why I started calling them a shoulder rest

Weight distributor is kinda weird & confusing

Supposed to stop the strap from cutting into your shoulder if you have a lot of weight in your bag.

 

[iluvmybags]

Supposed to stop the strap from cutting into your shoulder if you have a lot of weight in your bag.

So I was sorta right - it is a shoulder pad w/o much padding

 

[Deco]

So I was sorta right - it is a shoulder pad w/o much padding

I need padding on my shoulder strap as much as I need padding in the seat of my jeans.

 

[english_girl_900]

Yes. I started a thread about this many years ago. I called it dethingyfying the strap. I don't care for the thingies as they cause sliding, except on the Neo Classic Cities which manage to stay on the shoulder remarkably well regardless.

I remember that thread! It's the reason I removed the thingys from both my Cities back in the day (haven't ever put them back on either).

 

[Deco]

I remember that thread! It's the reason I removed the thingys from both my Cities back in the day (haven't ever put them back on either).

Amazing. That was over 15 years ago. It sometimes blows my mind how long we've been a part of this community.

 

[charlottawill]

I think they're unsightly and detract from the look of a bag. If your bag is that heavy that it cuts into your should without it you may want to do a heavy purge of your bag contents. I know it's easy to carry everything but the kitchen sink in some bags, especially when you have kids, but I've found less is more when it come to the size of my bags in recent years.

 

[Deco]

I think they're unsightly and detract from the look of a bag. If your bag is that heavy that it cuts into your should without it you may want to do a heavy purge of your bag contents. I know it's easy to carry everything but the kitchen sink in some bags, especially when you have kids, but I've found less is more when it come to the size of my bags in recent years.

I think the original intent was to keep your strap from digging into your shoulders, as @muchstuff said, but took on a life of its own and became one of the signature design features of the moto bag, carried on even today with the New Classic and Cagole moto bags. They're even on the Firsts, so small they couldn't possibly be loaded up to dig into shoulders, but there you have it.