T30/Daylight Packing scenario + product suggestion

[bulletproofcharm]

First post, long time TB user!

Here’s the scenario - I love my Aeronaut and have had it for almost 10 years. However, I’ve always had two small nits. First, if you don’t fill it with a certain amount of stuff, it feels awkward/too big. And the. I’ve always felt it wasn’t optimized for one bagging for work - specifically when bringing a laptop. I always end up carrying a small messenger to handle this. One bag fail 🤷🏻♂️

So I finally pulled the trigger on a Techonaut 30. I feel I should be able to make this work for a broader range of packing scenarios - one of them being a true one bag set up. But I wouldn’t use it as an EDC when I get to where I’m going. Instead, I was thinking I’d pick up a Daylight briefcase and pack it in the T30 w/ my stuff. So - store the laptop in the Techonaut, and when I get to where I’m going, I’d use the Daylight as my minimal work carry.

Couple of questions:
1. Anybody here do this and have any thoughts? I’m guessing the Daylight takes up fairly minimal space
2. Anybody potentially try to use the Daylight as another packing cube?


MORE DETAIL/CONTEXT
The majority of my trips aren’t longer than a week, and I’ve found - for myself, at least - 45L is too big. So I end up going to smaller 25L (non-TB 🙁) duffel…and that’s usually a little tight! I have to work a bit to have that work out. And I definitely can’t onebag with it.

The T30 seems like it would give me some of that extra space I’m looking for when I pack the duffel and give me the ability to successfully onebag by virtue of having the dedicated laptop space. So now the only small piece I’m missing is a dedicated laptop bag for work trips.

Really, this falls squarely into the first world problem category…haha! I solve this by continuing to carry a separate laptop bag for those work trips. But I really only want to worry about keeping track of one bag! It’s the final step for my packing nirvana!

PRODUCT SUGGESTION
Has TB ever considered a Techonaut design with a drop floor expansion similar to what’s on the Aeronaut? I’m thinking something that would allow it to expand by 5-10L as needed. I think this would be the PERFECT setup, allowing wiggle room as needed

[bchaplin]

I think packing the DLBP in a larger bag should work really well! But you might want to invest in a sleeve or soft case to protect the laptop, as there is minimal padding. And you can definitely use the DLBP as a cube in-transit. Another option would be the Daylight Briefcase, which for me would have the same consideration of needing a protective sleeve.

As an aside, I see a lot of references to these discussions as first world problems, and it kind of amuses me. I went through a period of traveling frequently for work to West Africa, and my bags would receive attention from a range of people (from the scientists who were our collaborators to hotel staff who would offer compliments about colors and such). Everyone needs something to carry their stuff in.

[drobeson]

No padding in the DLBP is the problem. To be safe you would need to have a cache, and that isn't as "barely there" as the backpack. And if you're packing the cache you may as well have the laptop in it, so now you don't really need the laptop compartment in the Techonaut. I've accepted that I have to be a 2-bagger, using the Synik 22 as my EDC. What we all really want is a TARDIS bag, that's 20 liters on the outside and 45 on the inside.

[G42]

I have traveled with my laptop in a non-TB neoprene sleeve, inside the backpack strap area on the Aeronaut 30, with a Daylight Briefcase just laid flat (empty) inside the main compartment of the A30, for single bagging. I have also fit the laptop in sleeve inside the main compartment of the A30, inside the DLBC, laid flat - just depended on what I was bringing for any given trip.

Should work just as well in the T30.

My DLBCs are both 400d halcyon which is a bit thinner/lighter/more flexible than ballistic, but not by a lot. For my packing style, laying the DLBC flat vs rolling has worked better in the A30, but I'd consider rolling in the T30 because the sides of the main compartment seem to have more curved room after I tuck in the main A30 cubes I use for clothes, but I haven't tried it yet.

I usually take two bags on trips because of the work stuff I haul around. In those instances, I want the biggest/heaviest bag on my back (usu the A30 or T30) and often a Zip Top Shop Bag or Pop Tote under the seat, because it can hold a lot of random stuff, including bag-in-bag, and the handles make it easy to carry.

I have also single bagged with the 36L Brain Bag, carrying two laptops, for trips of a couple days. At the hotel, I remove the cubes of clothes and toiletries and personal laptop, cinch the side straps and carry that as my work bag. Sometimes, I think the BB doesn't get enough love for how well the bag works


And Welcome to the Forums bulletproofcharm !

[aungrl]

So, I do exactly this. I take the T30 with a halcyon DLBC packed inside, and my laptop in the laptop compartment of the T30. Upon arrival at destination, the DLBC turns into my work/laptop bag, inside a thing, lightweight, but well-padded neoprene sleeve. It works really well for me, and was the exact solution I've been searching for to make a one bag set up actually work.