Road Buddy Pre-Order and updates to Daylight Backpack and Maker's Bag

[defi]

Ordered both sizes of Road Buddies. I've been waiting for ages for them to potentially re-emerge from retirement. I do wish there had been a bit more of a heads up for something that unexpected, to have time to budget (fortunately had some money from picking up a lot of extra shifts these last few weeks).

[G42]

defi they have been hinting about the Road Buddies for a good while, but unless you have time to read the Forum posts, blog comments, insta, Twitter, FB, etc really regularly, it's definitely easy to miss, so I completely understand.
I think they're wary of committing to an offering too far ahead of time when they're dealing with all the supply chain shortages, inflation, etc ( including two of the bartack machines breaking(!)), but that's just the vibe I get.
FWIW, I think most items cycle back into circulation either thru TB or the secondary market, but it does require a lot of patience and there are some rare combos that just stay hard to get and some seem to grow on people over time.
Once you get the bags (and please share what colour combos you picked!) let us know if they meet your expectations, how you use them etc.
I'm particularly curious as to how folks use the RB60 since it is pretty big!

[latchford]

Bought my first Daylight Backpack! The Contour straps + Night Walk Halcyon were the final push for me to add it to my one bag travel setup.

[GrussGott]

a Road Buddy in Verde, I just bought three of the larger-size Q-kits, because I am really fond of the 1050d fabric

Ha, x2 on the verde RB and 1050 q-kit! THey got me with that too ... I don't really need another pouch but verde 1050 so sold.

[GrussGott]

I'm particularly curious as to how folks use the RB60 since it is pretty big!

I'll be very curious about this - the thing that sold it for me is the dual shoulder strap clip options:


By including that set on the side for a thin profile, it makes the bag very carryable I'd think ... I went for the 60 because I already have lots of 30-40L bags and I find they usually become "overflow" bags. For example I've been using a WF as my personal item bag, and the T45 as my main bag. For longer trips I'd love to check a bag and I don't like rollers so if the RB60 can be relatively slim for its size it should be the perfect addition.

It's this pic that sells it for me:


But, yes, I'll look like a sherpa with this bag on one shoulder, the WF on the other, and a T45 on my back ...

I just went through SLC like this, except with a YD, and then I also added my wife's backpack on my duffle shoulder because she got gum on it in the overhead and didn't want to touch it until it was properly sanitized. So I walked from B gates all the way to A gates carrying 4 bags looking like a goof who can't pack and not fitting on the walkways.

Luckily I have a high shame tolerance.

[G42]

So I walked from B gates all the way to A gates carrying 4 bags looking like a goof who can't pack and not fitting on the walkways.

Luckily I have a high shame tolerance.

Ha, as long as you can carry it all without damaging yourself or others, doesn't matter what anyone thinks; no shame needed.

That option to shoulder carry on the narrow side is indeed cool and it's the only side I use on my RB36, if I'm not handle carrying.

[Tonya]

I do want one of these but am really torn about which size to get. The 36 seems more practical for a 5’2” person, but it does overlap with a lot of other capacities of travel gear I already own. Either would be primarily for road trips. But I wonder how the 60 would pack up in a car where space is at a premium. On the other hand, when not in use, I could probably use it nest other bags inside, helping with my closet situation. Hmmmm. Any advice is appreciated.

Although I'm taller than you at 5'5", I'm also dealing with this dilemma. I noticed that no one really answered you outright, and I wish TB would do a "which size RB" video like they did with the Synapses. Those videos are so helpful because the 60 looks HUGE in the photos in a side carry, but photos can be really deceptive. I'd rather have a little too much bag with car travel, but not too too much.

[bchaplin]

I went for the 36. I can barely carry a stuffed-full A45, so my feeling is that that something 60 liters would be awkward, even loading it into the car, and transporting it on arrival.

[bartleby]

I'll be very curious about this - the thing that sold it for me is the dual shoulder strap clip options:


By including that set on the side for a thin profile, it makes the bag very carryable I'd think ... I went for the 60 because I already have lots of 30-40L bags and I find they usually become "overflow" bags. For example I've been using a WF as my personal item bag, and the T45 as my main bag. For longer trips I'd love to check a bag and I don't like rollers so if the RB60 can be relatively slim for its size it should be the perfect addition.

I'd only wish TB had also put a handle on this side of the bag as my experience with the RB36 is that in some situations I need to grab the bag in addition to shoulder carry e.g. adjusting it in narrow spaces or when the shoulder strap slipped down a bit or when I want to change from shoulder to hand carrying. But I guess this would also need some reinforcement on this side which makes the construction more complex.

I just went through SLC like this, except with a YD, and then I also added my wife's backpack on my duffle shoulder because she got gum on it in the overhead and didn't want to touch it until it was properly sanitized. So I walked from B gates all the way to A gates carrying 4 bags looking like a goof who can't pack and not fitting on the walkways.

Luckily I have a high shame tolerance.

Haha, could have been me

[Traveltech]

Bought my first Daylight Backpack! The Contour straps + Night Walk Halcyon were the final push for me to add it to my one bag travel setup.

jealous! When I went to order my DLBP the Nightwalk was gone…

[ittoujuu]

I'd only wish TB had also put a handle on this side of the bag as my experience with the RB36 is that in some situations I need to grab the bag in addition to shoulder carry e.g. adjusting it in narrow spaces or when the shoulder strap slipped down a bit or when I want to change from shoulder to hand carrying. But I guess this would also need some reinforcement on this side which makes the construction more complex.

Seconded. The only thing I wish was different about the Road Buddy's design is that I wish the handles were on the "back" like they're oriented on the Aeronaut. I can't really think of any situation in which I'd want to carry it in the wide profile (by either strap or handles), rather than the narrow profile. Like, isn't that the point of the cross-section being a rectangle instead of square like most other duffels? I'd gladly give up the lash straps on the back side if the handles could be there. At least the shoulder strap attachment points are pretty unobtrusive, so we can have them on the top and back.

[Tonya]

I went for the 36. I can barely carry a stuffed-full A45, so my feeling is that that something 60 liters would be awkward, even loading it into the car, and transporting it on arrival.

It does seem huge but all bag liter sizes aren't created equally. A lot depends on the shape and layout. I think TB does it better than most. I've got an LL Bean duffel that's supposedly 90L and it's nowhere close. I think they measured the largest dimensions and then calculated the liters like a box.

I really love duffel bags and we're mainly campers and car travelers, so I'm kinda tempted to get both the 60 and the 36, but I'm still thinking. If it's like most of the other preorders, I tend to think myself right out of a purchase. It's too much pressure for me knowing that I can't really change my mind later and go with a different size, color, etc.

[thepatternslave]

All the photos showing how the bag functions use a black bag. It's very difficult to see what's going on with the bag and how it's organized.

[G42]

All the photos showing how the bag functions use a black bag. It's very difficult to see what's going on with the bag and how it's organized.

If there are any specific photos you'd like, please sing out and hopefully some of us could help, before the pre-order closes

[Tonya]

If there are any specific photos you'd like, please sing out and hopefully some of us could help, before the pre-order closes

I'd LOVE some photos that compare the 36L to the 60L side by side, if anyone has those!