New things tomorrow: can't wait!

[itlnparrot]

inquiring minds...

2 things today... 1/2 check (co-pilot, #2 still coming).

Are more to be revealed throughout the week?

i.e. Diaper pad, diaper bag.

(I know... who cares about the above...but I'm up against it (a decision)... kiddo coming end of the month! )

[maverick]

2 things today... 1/2 check (co-pilot, #2 still coming).

Are more to be revealed throughout the week?

i.e. Diaper pad, diaper bag.

(I know... who cares about the above...but I'm up against it (a decision)... kiddo coming end of the month! )

actually, we had two new and very exciting introductions today - the tom bihn seattle factory video by dan bihn, and the co-pilot personal carry-on travel bag.

[gmanedit]

still brainstorming the Aeronaut strap retrofit

1. All that's needed is a rigid frame that fits the main compartment: two parallel horizontals connected by two verticals (or diagonals: the triangle is the most stable shape). The straps wouldn't even need to be attached to it. Bamboo is strong, renewable, and lightweight. If the verticals fit into holes or grooves on the horizontals, it could be disassembled for storage.

2. Or a piece of fabric with channels to insert rigid supports. Like a kite.

3. Or is a frame even needed? Are the straps to compress the contents, or to keep them from shifting around? If the latter, I see three places to run straps or cord through: the loop of the sewn-in label (is it sewn in strongly enough to take some tugging?) and two o-rings at the flap. Also, there are four loops where the snaps attach.

There must be a way to work binder clips into this somehow.

[sammyz]

1. All that's needed is a rigid frame that fits the main compartment: two parallel horizontals connected by two verticals (or diagonals: the triangle is the most stable shape). The straps wouldn't even need to be attached to it. Bamboo is strong, renewable, and lightweight. If the verticals fit into holes or grooves on the horizontals, it could be disassembled for storage.

2. Or a piece of fabric with channels to insert rigid supports. Like a kite.

3. Or is a frame even needed? Are the straps to compress the contents, or to keep them from shifting around? If the latter, I see three places to run straps or cord through: the loop of the sewn-in label (is it sewn in strongly enough to take some tugging?) and two o-rings at the flap. Also, there are four loops where the snaps attach.

There must be a way to work binder clips into this somehow.

I was thinking that a stiffened panel with snaps at the four corners could snap down to the end pocket snaps in the main compartment, you could even have the snaps be double sided so you can still snap down the end compartments. The straps could pass under that panel and wrap around. You wouldn't need gatekeepers with this configuration because you could just remove the panel entirely to remove the straps. Also, you would probably loose about a 1/4 inch of depth to something like that but if you were going to really need the extra 1/4 inch of depth you probably wouldn't need to be strapping the contents down (:

[Shiva]

Smart Alec: compression straps

Gmanedit said:

"You know what would benefit from external compression straps? The Smart Alec. When I got the Brain Bag, I was amazed that, fully cinched, it felt smaller than the SA (a.k.a. the Jetpack). Maybe I'll head over to the hardware store and see what they've got in webbing and quick-release buckles. Perhaps a belt around the barrel, with a strap attached to pull up the SA's floor so it doesn't stick out when the bag is flattened."

I have to say I agree. I have been using the Smart Alec quite a bit; and while it is a great bag to carry, having those side compression straps and pulling up the bottom of it would be of great use. I like backpacks; I have not liked the overly "sporty" ones that scream tourist. I like the materials and design of TB; but I really wish TB would consider offering slightly padded hipbelts and compression straps. And talking of straps: why not add simple web loops so we can store away all that awful dangling?!

I really really wish TB would rethink some of this design...cos there is very little in the outside market where one can get sleek looking backpacks. And, may I add, grown up adult ones?!!!

[maverick]

hi darcy!

i know i have the terms wrong, but i hope that despite that i can explain this effectively...

you know we have the four snaps that allow for the expansion of the main compartment space into the space for the side compartments. what if we had a small piece of webbing with a gatekeeper clip at one end and a two-sided snap at the other? this two-sided snap would attach to the snap at the inside bottom of the aeronaut one side and attach to the snap from the dyneema from the end pocket on the other.

you would have four of these little pieces of webbing with a two-sided snap at one end and a gatekeeper clip at the other end. and you could attach the compression straps to these gatekeeper clips.

the compression straps would be off-set a bit from their location in the updated aeronaut. i think they would still be usable.

what do you think?

thanks!

[leviathan]

I ordered an Aeronaut about a week and a half ago. After some shipping issues (UPS's fault!) it finally arrived and I was very excited to see it included compression straps! I'll be on tour with Josh Ritter all summer, flying this way and that. Needless to say I can't wait to use this beauty. And not have to check a bag ever again.

[Darcy]

I ordered an Aeronaut about a week and a half ago. After some shipping issues (UPS's fault!) it finally arrived and I was very excited to see it included compression straps! I'll be on tour with Josh Ritter all summer, flying this way and that. Needless to say I can't wait to use this beauty. And not have to check a bag ever again.

Congratulations on the new Aeronaut! What UPS problems did you have - did you email us about it? If it was a fault of UPS, we can refund you your shipping cost.

[leviathan]

Congratulations on the new Aeronaut! What UPS problems did you have - did you email us about it? If it was a fault of UPS, we can refund you your shipping cost.

UPS wouldn't leave the box at my door (apartment building) despite checking the box on their delivery slip to do so. So after three attempts it was sent back to you all. Casey emailed me to sort it out and it was sent out again. No biggie. I just moved clear across the country last week and my new place is apparently in a zone where they won't leave packages.

[Darcy]

UPS wouldn't leave the box at my door (apartment building) despite checking the box on their delivery slip to do so. So after three attempts it was sent back to you all. Casey emailed me to sort it out and it was sent out again. No biggie. I just moved clear across the country last week and my new place is apparently in a zone where they won't leave packages.

Ahh! Sorry about that. That's actually a situation where shipping wouldn't be refunded by UPS - it's up to the driver whether or not to leave a package, even if you tell them to, because if the package or lost/stolen, it's the drivers responsibility. Once a package or two gets lost/stolen in a neighborhood, it seems like the drivers don't want to take the chance.

[leviathan]

Ahh! Sorry about that. That's actually a situation where shipping wouldn't be refunded by UPS - it's up to the driver whether or not to leave a package, even if you tell them to, because if the package or lost/stolen, it's the drivers responsibility. Once a package or two gets lost/stolen in a neighborhood, it seems like the drivers don't want to take the chance.

I can understand that. I'm just glad to have my new bag in hand.

Now, how long until you all can lock down a cat hair-resistant fabric? I've had the bag 24 hours and it's already a Steel/White/Solar Aeronaut.

[Darcy]

Now, how long until you all can lock down a cat hair-resistant fabric? I've had the bag 24 hours and it's already a Steel/White/Solar Aeronaut.

That'd be quite the project. It really seems to come down to the particular kind of pet hair... We sent samples of a new potential fabric to be used for the Swift knitting bag to some testers with pets. 50% of them said it didn't attract hair at all and 50% said it was as good as a pet hair brush. I'm using a prototype Swift made out of the fabric, have pets and hair tumbleweeds of various sizes fluttering about my home (though I sweep almost every day) and no hair sticks to the Swift. Go figure.

[sammyz]

hi darcy!

i know i have the terms wrong, but i hope that despite that i can explain this effectively...

you know we have the four snaps that allow for the expansion of the main compartment space into the space for the side compartments. what if we had a small piece of webbing with a gatekeeper clip at one end and a two-sided snap at the other? this two-sided snap would attach to the snap at the inside bottom of the aeronaut one side and attach to the snap from the dyneema from the end pocket on the other.

you would have four of these little pieces of webbing with a two-sided snap at one end and a gatekeeper clip at the other end. and you could attach the compression straps to these gatekeeper clips.

the compression straps would be off-set a bit from their location in the updated aeronaut. i think they would still be usable.

what do you think?

thanks!

This is exactly what I was thinking and tried to also express (not so well). I was thinking that those snaps would be attached to a stiffening panel, but that probably isn't even necessary and your description sounds like a good solution.

The only thing I'd add is that you probably don't need to even involve gatekeeper clips at this point, the snaps themselves are removable so it would require even less hardware. I guess the question becomes whether the snaps themselves are strong enough to withstand the force of compression without pulling off. I personally don't need straps that compress very tightly, just to hold something upright to prevent it from sagging in an underpacked bag.

[maverick]

This is exactly what I was thinking and tried to also express (not so well). I was thinking that those snaps would be attached to a stiffening panel, but that probably isn't even necessary and your description sounds like a good solution.

The only thing I'd add is that you probably don't need to even involve gatekeeper clips at this point, the snaps themselves are removable so it would require even less hardware. I guess the question becomes whether the snaps themselves are strong enough to withstand the force of compression without pulling off. I personally don't need straps that compress very tightly, just to hold something upright to prevent it from sagging in an underpacked bag.

hi sammyz!

the only reason i thought of using gatekeeper clips is so that the same compression straps could be used rather than designing another one. but you're right - they're not necessary by any means.

as far as the snaps, i think they're pretty darned strong. i don't think the compression straps getting tightened should cause the snap to come undone.

[sammyz]

hi sammyz!

the only reason i thought of using gatekeeper clips is so that the same compression straps could be used rather than designing another one. but you're right - they're not necessary by any means.

as far as the snaps, i think they're pretty darned strong. i don't think the compression straps getting tightened should cause the snap to come undone.

They are particularly strong snaps. They certainly seem like they'd be strong enough for the kind of compression I have in mind at least, especially with a good portion of the force travelling along the horizontal axis rather than directly up.

I'm obviously not in textiles manufacturing, but I'd think that merely attaching a (potentially double sided?) snap to the end of the strap rather than sewing a loop for attaching a clip would be a relatively simple matter.

EDIT: I should probably also note (in case Tom or Darcy are reading) that in case there is no such thing as a male/male snap, I would be willing to sacrifice having the end pockets snapped in and let them be free floating in order to have compression straps