Discussion of New Colors, New Designs

[dirkhaun]

Can I confirm, the only difference to the interior lining, is to the bottom of the main compartment?. Also are more photos of the A30 going to be added, as there only seems to be 2 at the moment. Thanks

Where are you looking? On the product page, below the photos where you select the colour, there are now updated photos of the bag in use and with various views inside. The ones of the Steel/Zest variant should give you a good idea of what's lined and what's not.

[Jaffa]

I havent been online for most of this year, so may have missed this, but A45 and T30 bags still seemed to be lined in the lighter weight lighter colour combinations. Are these going to be changing as well in the future?

[Jaffa]

So Ive been thinking of getting a A30 for years (before it went out of stock), as I always liked the fact all the interior was lined in lightweight lighter colour combinations. Can I confirm, the only difference to the interior lining, is to the bottom of the main compartment?. Also are more photos of the A30 going to be added, as there only seems to be 2 at the moment. Thanks

[GrussGott]

MEH - don't like that change. My Aeronaut sits on an antique timber surface much of the time. I love that the buckles tuck in, and don't scratch anything.

The added black binding around the buckles could rub and catch on my clothes, when in backpack mode. I'd much prefer the smooth back.

Will the new buckles stick out when the straps are stowed? A more low tech solution would be to add a description, and pics on the website, and use video to show the backpack straps being taken out and clipped on.

Are adults really "incapable" of finding and clipping in a backpack strap?? And is that minority pushing unwanted change??

For the price point of the Aeronaut I'd be expecting the "single panel" referred to by Mike could become a DOUBLE panel of fabric, a piece of shell and a piece of halcyon sewn together back to back.

Agree with all of this ... I'd been waiting on the new A45 but without more pictures of how exactly the straps work, I'm probably not in - the smooth back & sides is the sole reason to get the bag for me, and it kinda reminds me of moving the PCSB buckles from the side to the front/back due to some people who complained. Bummer

Hidden is feature not a bug!

So the question is, does this buckle ALWAYS stick out, or can you push it in?

[bijoux]

The other notable change to that panel is in how the bottom shoulder strap buckle is attached to the bag. We'd heard from customers for years that they couldn't easily find that buckle, often thinking it was missing! It was designed to be hidden, and it was really hidden. The new design allowed us to add the small bits of binding to that opening, allowing the buckle to be easily found.

MEH - don't like that change. My Aeronaut sits on an antique timber surface much of the time. I love that the buckles tuck in, and don't scratch anything.

The added black binding around the buckles could rub and catch on my clothes, when in backpack mode. I'd much prefer the smooth back.

Will the new buckles stick out when the straps are stowed? A more low tech solution would be to add a description, and pics on the website, and use video to show the backpack straps being taken out and clipped on.

Are adults really "incapable" of finding and clipping in a backpack strap?? And is that minority pushing unwanted change??

For the price point of the Aeronaut I'd be expecting the "single panel" referred to by Mike could become a DOUBLE panel of fabric, a piece of shell and a piece of halcyon sewn together back to back.

[KCam]

Thank you, MikeV
Would definitely like to see photos of each Aeronaut color combo with the main compartment open. Though I miss the halcyon it could be an interesting look.

[MikeV]

Thank you, MikeV, for the explanation. I thought it odd that the photos of the Aeronaut color combinations showed an open side compartment and not an open main compartment as it always had before. Perhaps given this change/update, photos of the open main compartment would help folks make decisions. And to clarify — are all the main compartment 200d liners that same gray color regardless of exterior color choice? Thank you.

Ah- that should have been more clear. That panel inside the main compartment will be the same as the exterior of the bag- here at the factory we refer to the exterior of bags as the shell and the interior of the bags as the lining

[hedd]

Thank you, MikeV, for the explanation. I thought it odd that the photos of the Aeronaut color combinations showed an open side compartment and not an open main compartment as it always had before. Perhaps given this change/update, photos of the open main compartment would help folks make decisions. And to clarify — are all the main compartment 200d liners that same gray color regardless of exterior color choice? Thank you.

He mentioned that they match the shell material in weight and color, at least that is what I understood.

[KCam]

Thank you, MikeV, for the explanation. I thought it odd that the photos of the Aeronaut color combinations showed an open side compartment and not an open main compartment as it always had before. Perhaps given this change/update, photos of the open main compartment would help folks make decisions. And to clarify — are all the main compartment 200d liners that same gray color regardless of exterior color choice? Thank you.

[hedd]

Thanks MikeV this clears things up. I can see how a single panel of 200d Halcyon getting rubbed on both sides (by the straps and load) would be a weak point. It's too bad because it was much more cohesive and attractive when it matched the pockets. We all love halcyon!

[MikeV]

These are great questions and comments regarding the lining inside the main compartment- I'm sorry this wasn't covered in the blog post, or anywhere else!

Here's what's going on- that panel on the Aeronaut has always been a single panel- it used to be a single panel of 200d Halcyon and now it's a single panel of the shell material for the bag. The change was driven by a desire for improved durability on that panel in a few key spots- along the bottom of the inside of the bag, where the side pocket zippers are attached, and how the shoulder straps are attached. It is constructed such that the face of the fabric is inside the bag, and the urethane coated side is inside the shoulder strap stash pocket.

There are a couple of engineering changes to the back panel of Aeronauts that were made to improve the ease of construction, and make the bag more intuitive to use. One of these changes is in how the shoulder straps are attached to the bag- they used to be sewn into a seam joining the 200d lining material (the same panel as the lining in the bottom of the main compartment) and a piece of Original 400d Halcyon- the 400d being used for extra strength. In re-thinking the construction of these bags, that seam was eliminated and the shoulder straps are attached directly to that panel and covered with webbing for the needed strength, then bartacked. It is a strong attachment, with increased durability to the bottom panel inside the bag.

The other notable change to that panel is in how the bottom shoulder strap buckle is attached to the bag. We'd heard from customers for years that they couldn't easily find that buckle, often thinking it was missing! It was designed to be hidden, and it was really hidden. The new design allowed us to add the small bits of binding to that opening, allowing the buckle to be easily found.

[John1970]

Agreed. the Halcyon feels luxurious and turns it into a very intentional piece of luggage instead of a bunch pieces of fabric sewn in the right shape. I was looking at old pictures and youtube videos, and it looks like at some point there was halcyon on the sides and bottom, and then just at the bottom, and now just ballistic at the bottom? It kind of reminds me of the grab bag interior now.

Wow. What a letdown if that is the case. Truly head scratching. I would have expected TB to acknowledge this change in design in its blog post identifying all the upgrades to the prior version.

[hedd]

oh dear that's a big disappointment... hopefully not a permanent change to A30? The halcyon lining is half the fun! MikeV

Agreed. the Halcyon feels luxurious and turns it into a very intentional piece of luggage instead of a bunch pieces of fabric sewn in the right shape. I was looking at old pictures and youtube videos, and it looks like at some point there was halcyon on the sides and bottom, and then just at the bottom, and now just ballistic at the bottom? It kind of reminds me of the grab bag interior now.

[bijoux]

Looks like these re-designed Aeronauts don’t have the lining in the main compartment like the previous version.

oh dear that's a big disappointment... hopefully not a permanent change to A30? The halcyon lining is half the fun! MikeV

[GrussGott]

Oh that actually may have talked me out of it.

MikeV Can someone talk about the interior liner or is it written somewhere?

It looks like the end pockets are lined with halcyon, but the interior is lined with 200D ballistic in the same color as the exterior of the bag??

thanks!