Favorites & Regrets ? Slow to love?

[AHesting]

Regrets:
SK: This bag is just a little too small to carry everything I need for a purse and just a little too big to be a bag-in-bag. I want to love it, but it's hanging in my closet.
PCSB: My regret is only that I can't find a way to use it regularly. I have one in Fjord, which is gorgeous, and I need to keep working with it to see if I can make it more useful to me.

Took Me A While:
DLBP: I waffled on purchasing this for a while and was considering the S25 for my EDC. I decided to try the DLBP about 2 months ago and am SO happy I did! I love this pack. It's lightweight, sleek, comfortable and holds a ton! I love it so much.

Old Faithful:
Swift: I have two of these to house my larger knitting projects and I adore them. I love how Tom collaborated with knitters to make the perfect knitting bag. It was my gateway into the TB world.

SE: This is the perfect bag-in-bag PLO for me and I have 3 of them. I use them with the wrist strap and put them in my EDC DLBP for work or my Swift for knitting dates or a shop bag for a football game/track meet, etc.

MCB: When I just need a purse (not a work/knitting/shop bag with a SE inside), this is my go-to. I can easily fit everything I need into it, including a full size water bottle and a knitting project. It's just perfect.

Small Snake Charmer: This lives in my DLBP (or whichever work bag I happen to be using). One side holds my computer charger, phone charger, ear pods, air pods and flash drives. The other side holds first aid stuff and lip balm.

Star Power:

For the reasons I listed above, I'd have to nominate the SE, DLBP and Swift.

[bb93fo57]

Regret: None, really. There are bags I have re-homed, certainly, but even if they were’t right for me at a particular time, I’ve appreciated everything about them and they’ve helped me to better understand and refine my packing / traveling style. Every one has been well-built and thoughtfully engineered. Some of the ones that initially didn’t float my boat eventually became my favorites if I held on to them long enough.

Took Awhile: Night Flight Travel Duffle. Just didn’t get it at first. Now it is an ATF… a little brickhouse of a mini-Aeronaut that fits anywhere. It has served me well when traveling super light on budget carriers with restrictive personal item allowances: I have used it as my only bag on trips as long as a week and a half and dig everything about this bag.

Old Faithful: Co-Pilot. A CP was my first TB bag. I sold the original ballistic one I had and now carry one in Noirdic Halcyon. Used to think it was too small. Now I know it is just right. Also, the A30: my perfect bag for longer trips.

Star Power: Small and Large Shop Bags. I always fold a Small up in the bottom of my larger personal item when traveling to use at the destination, always have a Large in my car for grocery runs, etc. So unassuming and so versatile. Also, the Q-kit: love that little pouch. Finally, the Western Flyer: when the A30 looks a little too casual, the WF steps in to deliver awesome organization and impeccable versatility along with its more professional vibe.

[FlyEaglesFly]

I know this thread has been quiet for a year and a half, but I just stumbled upon it and love it...

REGRETS I would have to say the SE. It just isn’t the right shape for what I need to carry. I thought that might be the case, but I wanted something Wilderness and I figured it made sense to buy something I didn’t already have. I still use it from time to time (love the color), but it just isn’t quite right for me.

TOOK A WHILE Small TT - I read, researched, etc. but it still took a while to figure out my way to use it.

OLD FAITHFUL SK, TC/EC, Halcyon Mini Organizer Pouch - used daily in some combination. The TC/EC is perfect for sporting events with very limited bag size restrictions and fits everything I really need. I upgrade to the SK if I want to carry my Kindle or iPad mini. Sometimes I just clip the pouch with my ID and credit card to my keys, then out the door we go. I also love stuff sacks and my A30 with laundry packing cubes.

STAR POWER DLBP...oh, how I love it. Wonderful for travel, great for EDC, and one was gifted to my brother after her admired it on a trip to Portugal. I love using it with pouches and organizers knowing they are attached and will not get lost while on a trip. Comfortable, roomy, well designed.

[kemote]

Ooo, I love that this old thread was bumped. Great discussions.

Regret: Pilot. This was the second TB bag I've ever purchased and I just did not get along with it very well. Getting it in halcyon was probably the biggest mistake. It was pretty floppy and anything packed in it immediately potruded through the bottom of the bag when carrying. Just felt too droopy. I tried to use it as my EDC to the office and it felt awkward and obviously couldn't store as much as I need but I wanted to give it a shot. I think the Pilot is best used as a secondary bag but I never got around to trying that before I rehomed it. I think the design is great for what it is but it just did not work for me.

Took Awhile: Tri-Star. Still attempting to warm up to this bag, I want to love it. I have done everything in my power to pack it as flat as possible but the Tri-Star bulge is real. It feels awkward carrying it around packed out because of the shape it takes on, it just feels like carrying around a blob. Although I have not left the house with it yet, I am scared to death that I am going to become a victim of the dreaded gate check at the airport because it just looks so massive fully packed out. In my test packing experiments, it also can just barely fit more than my WF can so why the use for both? Time will tell if I decide to keep it but right now I am leaning towards rehoming it.

Old Faithful: Synapse 25/Synik 30. Not much to say beyond what has been said so many times on this forum. It's just the greatest backpack of all time. I recently rehomed my Synik 30 because the laptop compartment didn't work for me so I bought a Synapse 25 instead and it's just such a great backpack.

Honorable mention to the Travel Laundry Stuff Sack. Always there when I need it and it performs exceptionally well for it's function. It also fits almost anywhere in any of my bags so it comes with me on every trip.

Star Power: Western Flyer. In my opinion, the single greatest "one bag" for traveling. The WF's layout is exactly how my mind works when it comes to packing. It just works and it does it in such a small footprint. I will never have to worry about being asked to gate check this bag and to me, that's worth its weight in gold for someone that is carry-on only. The fact that I can fit pretty much anything that the Tri-Star can fit is a testament to the great design of this bag and it's a joy to carry around. My favorite TB thing, hands down.

Honorable mentions go to the HLT and the Monster Truck. Both solid accessories and underrated.

[Go Navy]

REGRET: The Co-Pilot in the heavy nylon. Sold it and bought another Co Pilot in 525 ballistic. Regret: laundry stuff sack. Somehow seems bulkier than other solutions.

Took Awhile: Daylight briefcase. Was looking for something simpler for EDC vs. the Co Pilot. Still haven't figured out how/when to use the Daylight briefcase. I might end up selling it. Medium Cafe Bag: Never liked bags with a big flap over them, but this has now been my standard EDC and I like it.

Old Faithful: My Co Pilot in 525 ballistic. This is my "go-to" bag for airline travel carry on.

Star Power: None, yet. Received my new SideKick three days ago, so it is too new to rate but initial impressions are positive.

[nsh]

Regret: Giving up my Buzz. I miss it. I just didn’t feel like I “needed” it so I gave it up to a good home. The ones on EBay now are so pricey...Any old Buzz that wantS a home- I will open mine to you ha.
Edit: I bought a Buzz on eBay after all. The end.
Took awhile: Medium Cafe Bag.

Old Faithful and Star Power: Parental Unit. My ride or die bag. It just works so well with how I live my daily life. A place for everything and everything in its place.

[Go Navy]

Regret: Giving up my Buzz. I miss it. I just didn’t feel like I “needed” it so I gave it up to a good home. The ones on EBay now are so pricey...Any old Buzz that wantS a home- I will open mine to you ha.

Took awhile: Medium Cafe Bag.

Old Faithful and Star Power: Parental Unit. My ride or die bag. It just works so well with how I live my daily life. A place for everything and everything in its place.

Huh? What's a "Buzz"? I don't see it in the lengthy, nearly impossible to memorize acronym list.

[nsh]

https://www.tombihn.com/blogs/main/remembering-the-buzz

[moriond]

Hi Go Navy

nsh is referring to the redesigned (2007 version) Buzz, that she got for use with her first child. That’s the version described in her linked blog post.

Huh? What's a "Buzz"? I don't see it in the lengthy, nearly impossible to memorize acronym list.

I sill have the original Buzz sling backpack that I bought in 2004:
There was both an original and redesigned Buzz. Here's a picture of my original Buzz for the 12" Powerbook:

The original Buzz (sling style) backpack is a great bag of this type.


This is my Plum Buzz from 2004, before the later redesign to have it hold laptops of up to 15" in size. You can see other examples of pictures in the old Remembering the Buzz thread. About the only thing I missed in the old design is O-rings in the main compartment, and I get around that by using a Medium Cafe Bag Freudian Slip, which also lets me access the O-rings in that Freudian Slip's pockets.

HTH

moriond

My redesigned (2007) Buzz was Sapphire/Steel/Black (like the pictures in the linked post) on Remembering the Buzz. See also, the Blog post

For the original Buzz, they also did a small lot of left-handed Buzzes. This size is surprisingly handy for current small laptops and tablets. I can easily swing it around, while still wearing the strap, to access the front pockets. (It's easier on this size Buzz than the re-designed model.)

HTH

moriond

ETA: I copied the content of my 06-20-2018 post I’ll add that not only is the original small size suited to the smaller current tablets and smaller laptops, but the phone pocket in the front sling strap is still usable, since I use the iPhone SE.

ETA2: The 2007 version redesigned Buzz in Crimson/Steel/Black is still the EDC carry for one of my friends. (it at one time also accommodated a 15” MacBook Pro, but then went back to carrying 13” Mac laptops (both before and after; the “after” including a 13” MacBook Air, and the current 13” Retina MacBook Pro Touchbar model).

[melminimalist]

I had already posted my thoughts a year and a half ago, but some things have changed so I’ll update my response.

Regret: synapse 25...I know, it’s tough to actually say out loud especially considering I have rebought and sold the bag FOUR times. But it just doesn’t work for me, I love the way it carries, I prefer the low profile turtle-esque shape it takes, its the built in storage. I don’t need it and it takes too many liters away from the main compartment.

Slow to love: medium cafe bag, I was dead-set against open flap bags, the idea that things can easily come out due the openess was a turn off. I took a chance on a medium in viridian for a recent road trip and love it.

Old faithful: still my packing cube side bag in sitka

Star power: still my A30 packing cube backpack, but tied now with my pop tote and small ghost whales, ghost whales are amazing! I would love some ghost whales in the small and large pouch sizes (the A5 is close to a medium pouch size already).


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[tuskegee7294]

I had already posted my thoughts a year and a half ago, but some things have changed so I’ll update my response.

Regret: synapse 25...I know, it’s tough to actually say out loud especially considering I have rebought and sold the bag FOUR times. But it just doesn’t work for me, I love the way it carries, I prefer the low profile turtle-esque shape it takes, its the built in storage. I don’t need it and it takes too many liters away from the main compartment.

Slow to love: medium cafe bag, I was dead-set against open flap bags, the idea that things can easily come out due the openess was a turn off. I took a chance on a medium in viridian for a recent road trip and love it.

Old faithful: still my packing cube side bag in sitka

Star power: still my A30 packing cube backpack, but tied now with my pop tote and small ghost whales, ghost whales are amazing! I would love some ghost whales in the small and large pouch sizes (the A5 is close to a medium pouch size already).


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I feel you on the S25...I’ve bought and sold that bag at least three times. I now have a Synik 22 & 30 and am resisting the urge to sell (last time I sold something, NFTD, I ended up regretting it) either.


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[luckyprincess1112]

Favorites & Regrets ? Slow to love?

Regrets:
Not buying more mini yeomans
So far I’m not sold on my HLT 2, had it for awhile but I don’t need it for chargers/cables so not being used atm.

Slow to love:
Luminary 12- this was a love/hate relationship at first until I realized how to use it and pack it. Love how it feels on and love the looks of it.

All star: Travel Trays any size. Everyday use. Sits beside my recliner/bed/car seat with all my daily essentials like lip balm/eye drops/ daily meds etc..
LZTSB/SZTSB daily usage
And pick up truck, my tt goes in middle while my sanitizer/Lysol, masks in one side and water in other side.

Old Faithful:
Moved up to a luminary 15 and this has been my go to bag but have a Synik 22 otw so we will see.


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[bbcamp]

Regret: No regrets, but there are bags I just don't use anymore, like my Empire Builder--since I don't go into an office anymore. (Trust me, this is actually a win)

Took Awhile: Western Flyer. It felt awkward at first, but its flexiblity grew on me. So did the form factor: at first it seemed awkwardly big, without being able to carry as much as my Aeronaut 45. Many years later, it was my one-bag choice for the last big trip I took before the virus hit.

Old Faithful: My beautiful Imago. It has been KIA now for over a year, and I still mourn. I keep looking, but I have never found a small messenger bag like it. Sigh....

Star Power: The Aeronaut (in both 45 and 30!) and the travel tray. Oh, and the Daylight Briefcase. What can i say? Now that my Imago has died, if there were one TB bag I would save in a catastrophe, it would be my Aeronaut 45. (OK, I might stuff a couple of travel trays, my DB and a Ristretto into it on my way out the door....)

[Chris D.]

Old Faithful: My beautiful Imago. It has been KIA now for over a year...Now that my Imago has died,

What happened to the Imago? Can TB fix it?

[Jeff A]

Regrets: Zero regrets from buying any TB product. With that being said, I've never truly fell in love with the Icon. I've tried and tried as an EDC. My main issue is the top zipper is not on top which prevents it from opening up all the way from the top like other bags.

Took Awhile: The Western Flyer until I learned how to pack it better. My first attempts turned it into a football, haha! I'm still not in love with the Side Effect, currently holding toiletries for road trips. I know most everyone loves their Side Effect but it's either too small or too big.

Old Faithful: My first TB product was my black cordura Synapse 25 with wasabi interior about 5 or 6 years ago. This bag has done it all for me. I think a Synik 30 will be in my future. Sad that I missed the Guide's Edition versions Also my linen/navy SCB that my kids got me for Father's Day a few years ago. Two Co-Pilots have gone on many flights and are just perfect carry-on bags. Two large shop bags, now I need a zippered shop bag and a Monster Truck!

Star Power: Maker's Bag, HLT 2, both Road Buddy sizes and my newly added Luminary 15. This is a killer EDC backpack that holds my iPad Pro w/ Magic Keyboard in the padded laptop compartment, as well as my daily stuff. I used both my RB 36 and RB 60 the past couple of weekends for road trips and they were an absolute pleasure to use!