Tri-Star packing cubes vs Western Flyer packing cubes for Synik 30

[pelicularities]

Hello everyone, I have a Synik 30 and am planning to get either Tri-Star cubes or the upcoming Synik 30 cubes (formerly Western Flyer packing cubes) to go in the Synik. Does anyone have the Synik 30, Tri-Star cubes and Western Flyer cubes and can help answer my questions?

1. How well do the Tri-Star cubes fit into the Synik 30 compared to the Western Flyer cubes? In particular, I see that the Tri-Star cubes are longer, narrower and flatter. Does the extra length interfere with zipping up the bag?
2. The front panel of my Synik 30 is usually fully packed. The Western Flyer cubes work out to a larger capacity, but they're also a bit thicker than the Tri-Star cubes. How well do two fully-packed large Western Flyer cubes fit into a Synik 30 with a fully-filled front panel and a laptop in the laptop pocket?

I'm considering picking up a Tri-Star at some point, and it would be great if I could use the Tri-Star cubes for both bags instead of having two sets of packing cubes – but it's more important to me that the packing cubes fit well inside the bag.

[Titus]

I don't have a Western Flyer or a Synik 30, but I do have a Tri-Star and a Synapse 25 (both in OG Halcyon). I have one large, 2 medium and 2 small Tri-Star halcyon cubes. I generally don't put my laptop in the Tri-Star, if I travel with it I'll carry along my Pilot or DLBC as a second bag instead. I often use my large Tri-Star packing cube in the Synapse and it fits and closes just fine, so there shouldn't be any issue with the Synik 30. I like that it fills the full width and height of the Synapse and helps keep it from going egg shaped. In the Synapse there is just enough space to squeeze a second one in, but there wouldn't be room for a laptop as well (I haven't seen a Synik 30 in person, so it may be quite a bit roomier than the Synapse - not sure). Hopefully that helps.

[craigmcclellan]

I don’t have any WF cubes, but I do have an S30 and Tristar cubes.

I have easily gotten a Tristar Packing Cube Backpack (with my main clothes), an A45 TLSS (underwear and socks) and a TS small cube (with shoes) in the main pocket along with some smaller items in books and crannies. It’s crazy how much you can fit in that bag.

[pelicularities]

Thanks Titus and craigmcclellan ! Looks like Tri-Star cubes are the way to go.

[wolpertinger]

Well, there's a post about the new release and seems like the WF packing cubes and the SN30 packing cubes are the same:

https://forums.tombihn.com/forum/tom-bihn-forums/general-bag-discussion/340533-bummer-debut-and-restock-june-28?p=340546#post340546

[bartleby]

I took a few comparison pics to illustrate the difference between the Tristar and the Synik 30/Western Flyer large packing cube and how they fit into the Synik 30. The difference is not vast, more or less an inch in each dimension. In terms of volume I found slightly differing information on the specs page: Both are around 10 liters. However, in the Packing Cube Dimension section the Tristar PC has 9.5 liters in volume and the Western Flyer 10.5 liters whereas in the Bag Details section both are the same. Here you see them side by side: Tristar PC on the left (Wasabi) and Western Flyer PC on the right (Island).



The Tristar PC is a bit wider and longer, The Western Flyer PC a bit thicker:



I packed both with the same amount of clothes: A pair of jeans, a chino, 4 T-shirts, 2 shirts, 4 briefs.




Here is how the Tristar PC fits into the Synik 30: You have to squeeze it as it is a bit too long (not ideal for my taste):



In contrast, the Western Flyer PC fits perfectly:



Just in case you want to use both: You can stack them and can still close the bag (that makes 4 pants, 8 T-shirts, 4 Shirts, 8 briefs!):





And of course, you still have some space left in the front bags for some socks and accessories Shoes however, will be difficult.

Personally, I like the Western Flyer PC more as I can use the extra thickness better than the extra length and width of the Tristar PC. I think the Western Flyer PC is ideally suited for the Synik 30 so it doesn't surprise me that they renamed it (although I do hope the Western Flyer will stay for quite a while!)

[Perseffect]

Thanks for the info everyone. This is just what I was looking for. I’m in the process of buying a Synik 30 but have Tristar and Cubes for that already.

I prefer to use the Eagle Creek Medium Folder in place of the ‘large’ PC along with small and medium cubes. I can see how this will work in the Synik. Can’t wait to try it out.

[polarium]

As someone who currently uses the Synik 30 and WF Packing Cubes (don't have the TS PC), it fits perfectly on the inside. However, one thing I noticed is because of the long shape, the shirts/pants sometimes sag a bit downwards in the packing cube even with the tightening straps.

If I could redo it, I'd use 2 smaller packing cubes instead of one larger one for the Synik 30, as I can separate shirts and pants easier without the slight sag.

[moriond]

I don't have a Western Flyer or a Synik 30, but I do have a Tri-Star and a Synapse 25 (both in OG Halcyon). I have one large, 2 medium and 2 small Tri-Star halcyon cubes. I generally don't put my laptop in the Tri-Star, if I travel with it I'll carry along my Pilot or DLBC as a second bag instead. I often use my large Tri-Star packing cube in the Synapse and it fits and closes just fine, so there shouldn't be any issue with the Synik 30. I like that it fills the full width and height of the Synapse and helps keep it from going egg shaped. In the Synapse there is just enough space to squeeze a second one in, but there wouldn't be room for a laptop as well (I haven't seen a Synik 30 in person, so it may be quite a bit roomier than the Synapse - not sure). Hopefully that helps.

For people who want to see the use of the Synapse 25 with packing cubes, take a look at Badger 's 05-12-2016 Synapse 25 kitted for summer travel thread. Those show the old Aether Packing Cubes for Aeronaut 30 (the all fabric version in Carbon Aether before that was retired). There's also some commentary from me about alternatively using the Tristar packing cubes (mostly substituting the Medium Packing Cube for TriStar in all-fabric Carbon Aether in the packout). That tends to work better if you want to add a packing cube which is thinner to leave space for Packing Cube Shoulder Bag or slim laptop additions inside the Synapse 25. With the Western Flyer small packing cubes or the Aeronaut 30 packing cube combinations there's more room to slip in a 3DOC, or now the HLT1 or 2 or Grab Bag, etc at the top. And these do work in combination with the Eagle Creek packing cubes.

HTH

moriond

[moriond]

Thanks for the info everyone. This is just what I was looking for. I’m in the process of buying a Synik 30 but have Tristar and Cubes for that already.

I prefer to use the Eagle Creek Medium Folder in place of the ‘large’ PC along with small and medium cubes. I can see how this will work in the Synik. Can’t wait to try it out.

The corners of this folder hit the curved limits in the Synapse 25. (I really wish I could just point to old pictures or working links) but the 15" size Eagle Creek folder can fit inside the Synapse 25 -- it's just less useful. And that size can also fit into the back pocket of a Pilot (the folding board can act as a stiffener). The 18" (Medium size) Eagle Creek Folder can work in the Western Flyer (just fits) but some of the older Eagle Creek designs for the Medium size EC folder are less well sized for the Western Flyer, There's a whole discussion about this after @Taminca's pictures of the Western Flyer packout since the Silnylon version is shown there fitted into the Large WF Packing Cube (you can also use the Folder w/o putting it inside the large WF Packing Cube, too. This folder works in the Synik 30 (squarer corners) but not in the Synapse 25)

HTH

moriond