emelius Posted January 24, 2011 Report Posted January 24, 2011 still haven't had the pleasure of freedom groping a Tom Bihn up close...but I will say that I'm extremely happy with my Red Oxx Sky Train & Gator bag... the Gator Bag does count as a personal item...seeing as you can't use the pockets for beverages any longer, you can stuff them with socks etc....put boxers on the bottom...in conjunction with the Sky Train you can get a solid week's worth of clothes in there, but I prefer going with maybe a four day package planning on one laundry service... the separation of the compartments also allows you to keep your cleans from your dirties if you're on the move...say if you want to keep your bagged sandy Vibrams from your dress slacks...the compression straps are splendid... I enjoy very much booking a window seat on the longest leg of my journey then snagging the aisle seat as close to the exit as I can get for the last transfer...I have the Gator on my lap, wait for the bing (sometimes jumping the gun a little) & grab the Sky Train from the side handle & then DART down the aisle as far as I can before I'm slowed by the quickest elderly person... I'm understandably single, though...can't imagine this working traveling w/a group...
Driftwood Posted January 24, 2011 Report Posted January 24, 2011 Looks nice Mike! I am still heavily leaning towards the Aeronaut. The only thing I fear is that I would overstuff it so it was bulging and then they won't let me take it on the plane since it was larger than the "maximum" carry-on (this would be more likely to happen to someone like me because the bag would look bigger on me, being 5'2", than a normal to large sized male). Now that I write this, I realize that I worry way too much. The aeronaut is slightly trapezoidal, and the way it is structured, it really seems to avoid bulge even if you pack it pretty full. My wife is about 5'2" and loves hers, it doesn't seem too large on her at all.
boomana Posted January 24, 2011 Report Posted January 24, 2011 I'm not sure if it' the material or how it's constructed or both, but it's impossible to make the tri-star really bulge. When I got it, just to see, I tried to cram as much in as I could. It seems to go inward, rather than outward, if that makes sense: if you pack a section too much, it takes away internal space from another area, not bulge outward. I don't know if that's true for the aeronaut or not. In a couple weeks, we're going to have all the bags together, so will see. Just bought a med. cafe bag in black/steel for when I don't want to carry my heavy, big leather purse. Also picked up a few key straps, the wallet, and a couple organizer pouches.
shellylh Posted January 24, 2011 Report Posted January 24, 2011 That is useful. I wonder if my husband would kill me if I went ahead and bought both the Tri-Star and the Aeronaut.
boomana Posted January 25, 2011 Report Posted January 25, 2011 Okay, just did a little test, since my mother was telling me that my bag was too small to pack for anything other than an overnight trip. I took my dad's clothing (he's about 6' 220 lbs) and bundled wrapped them in a large packing cube: one pair heavy khakis, two pair dress slacks, five heavy polo shirts, one lightweight polo shirt, two button-down shirts, two t-shirts. I could have fit in one more pair of slacks and/or a couple lighter shirts. This all neatly packed into the rear third of the tri-star with no bulging in or outward. I also tried it with my own clothes: one pair of jeans, one pair heavy khakis, two sweatpants, one big fluffy but lightweight sweater, one cotton cardigan, four long-sleeve cotton shirts, one blouse, three t-shirts, three camis. Again, it all easily fit in the large packing cube and simply slid into the rear third of the tri-star. I love this bag! Shelly, depending on what else you need to bring with you, because you're small, I don't know how much more space you could possibly want. I think guys have a bit more to deal with, especially if they have to pack suit or sports coats, and because their shoes take up so much more space. If I were a guy and had to do any kind of business travel I'd get the airboss, if only for the extra space that would allow for a suit coat. If I were just pleasure traveling, I'd have a hard time deciding between bags and it would probably come down to personal taste, leaning more toward the Skytrain or Aeronaut for the backpack options.
shellylh Posted January 25, 2011 Report Posted January 25, 2011 (edited) Nice Vicki! I may try the tri-star after all! I have been looking at the Zephyr a lot, it is nice. Edited January 25, 2011 by shellylh
Currawong Posted January 25, 2011 Report Posted January 25, 2011 (edited) Okay, just did a little test, since my mother was telling me that my bag was too small to pack for anything other than an overnight trip. I took my dad's clothing (he's about 6' 220 lbs) and bundled wrapped them in a large packing cube: one pair heavy khakis, two pair dress slacks, five heavy polo shirts, one lightweight polo shirt, two button-down shirts, two t-shirts. I could have fit in one more pair of slacks and/or a couple lighter shirts. This all neatly packed into the rear third of the tri-star with no bulging in or outward. I also tried it with my own clothes: one pair of jeans, one pair heavy khakis, two sweatpants, one big fluffy but lightweight sweater, one cotton cardigan, four long-sleeve cotton shirts, one blouse, three t-shirts, three camis. Again, it all easily fit in the large packing cube and simply slid into the rear third of the tri-star. I love this bag! Shelly, depending on what else you need to bring with you, because you're small, I don't know how much more space you could possibly want. I think guys have a bit more to deal with, especially if they have to pack suit or sports coats, and because their shoes take up so much more space. If I were a guy and had to do any kind of business travel I'd get the airboss, if only for the extra space that would allow for a suit coat. If I were just pleasure traveling, I'd have a hard time deciding between bags and it would probably come down to personal taste, leaning more toward the Skytrain or Aeronaut for the backpack options. Being the total bag nut that I am, I should have posted earlier. You did get me looking at these bags, and comparing the Skytrain to the Airboss, there's not much in it between them except the layout and one larger + one smaller pocket vs. three pockets respectively. The Skytrain also has stowable shoulder straps like my Eagle Creek and other bags which I like, and has marginally more internal volume. I'm thinking, for airline travel, a box-shaped bag rather than my usual back-pack style bags for maximum volume. What bag I've been taking tended to depend on whether or not I was taking my Nikon and computer, both of which put a serious dent in the amount of usable space I have for anything else. My usual carry-on bags are an older Eagle Creek equivalent to the Twist 35 Connect or a Crumpler Customary Barge camera/laptop bag. Neither of these are the most efficient shape and I had to be cautious with the former not to make it look like it was bulging too much when checking in. Ideally, I'd most likely consider something like the Crumpler Period Charmer, as I much prefer wheeling a bag around airports than I do having one on my back, which is tiring. The thought has come to mind to get an Air Boss and a small, collapsible luggage trolley, however. Now I'm going to have to go and window shop at a local store that has Eagle Creek since I have spare time tomorrow. Edited January 25, 2011 by Currawong
VPI Posted January 25, 2011 Report Posted January 25, 2011 What I have found is that once you take out the apparatus that allows the bag to roll it is so much lighter that carrying is not that big of a deal. You also can fit more stuff if you are willing to shoulder a bit more weight. The bags popular in this thread are equipped so as to allow the most comfort possible while carrying a bag around an airport and considerably more comfort than when you have to carry the heavy rolling bag up and down stairs, which is usually when I regret them the most.
tyrion Posted January 25, 2011 Report Posted January 25, 2011 This was kind of my feeling. The roller bags are heavy so I don't want to carry them and they roll so why carry them. I'm hoping that with the weight savings on the Airboss and the flexibility in different carrying methods, I will prefer this to my roller bag.
boomana Posted January 25, 2011 Report Posted January 25, 2011 Amos, my bag weighs just over three pounds, so if I load it up with with 15 or so more pounds of clothing and whatnots, carrying it around with an excellent shoulder strap and/or the backback straps is still easier,in my opinion, than lugging around a wheeled carry-on. I've had both. My last carry-on was a really nice, small wheeled thing. When I finally killed it a month ago, I knew I wanted one with no wheels this time. It's so much more practical. If it comes to the point I can no longer carry 20 pounds around, I'm going to have them wheel me around the airport instead. You may have much heavier stuff than I take with me, so I'm not passing judgment, but just sayin'.......
Currawong Posted January 26, 2011 Report Posted January 26, 2011 Good points indeed. This is why I like the Eagle Creek, as it has the shoulder straps as well as the wheels for when I get home and have to carry it up the stairs. I don't feel the handle and wheels actually add that much weight. I have a problem with my neck (and my physiology in general) that means I don't like carrying anything on my back for very long. If I didn't have that problem, I'd be happy with the Crumpler.
The Expanding Man Posted January 26, 2011 Report Posted January 26, 2011 I am about to give my newly acquired Tri-star it's maiden voyage. I'm heading off to Kalgoorlie, Western Australia for a three day business trip later today. The bag was a joy to pack, and is a quality product. I shall report back when I return. I'm looking to streamline as much as possible the taking of short 2 - 3 day business trips.
boomana Posted January 26, 2011 Report Posted January 26, 2011 The medium cafe bag I ordered (black/steel) is apparently back ordered, and there will be a delay of months. I didn't want any of the other colors they had in stock, so I picked up a Little Swift instead.
boomana Posted January 28, 2011 Report Posted January 28, 2011 I was looking for recommendations on travel towels and bumped into site that's actually devoted to people who like to talk about using only one bag for travel (we are not weird at all by comparison). I found this quote entertaining: Tom Bihn products are OK but in general I prefer Red Oxx bags. The Bihn customer is most likely a liberal yuppie (who perhaps does likes Kool Aid) while Red Oxx customers are conservative beer drinkers (and most likely ex-military). Built tough for real men (and women). Hoo Rah!
The Monkey Posted January 28, 2011 Author Report Posted January 28, 2011 Is that One Bag, One World? Oh, and please let me know your travel towel findings.
boomana Posted January 28, 2011 Report Posted January 28, 2011 It is. I had no idea that such sites existed until today. Some good information, but talk about zealots.......
tyrion Posted January 28, 2011 Report Posted January 28, 2011 I don't know, my Glock 36 and Kimber .45 fit nicely in my Bihn ID and Restretto. I guess that makes me a gun toting liberal yuppie.
Dusty Chalk Posted January 28, 2011 Report Posted January 28, 2011 I don't drink conservative beer, and I am ex-military in the same way that people are ex-primordial soup.
The Monkey Posted January 28, 2011 Author Report Posted January 28, 2011 Mike, how do you like the ID? I love mine.
The Monkey Posted January 28, 2011 Author Report Posted January 28, 2011 Does anyone have experience with sling bags? http://www.tombihn.com/page/001/PROD/100/TB0152
philodox Posted January 28, 2011 Report Posted January 28, 2011 The Tom Bihn and Red Oxx bags both look great! So hard to decide though. :/ I've been thinking about getting a new bag for a while, and was thinking about playing the geek card and going with... http://www.thinkgeek.com/computing/bags/aaa5/ ...but these look to be very well made, and that one is of unknown quality. For the price, I'm not expecting much.
mrarroyo Posted January 28, 2011 Report Posted January 28, 2011 I like that "Bag Of Holding", could be use as a "weekender" ...
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