TB Pilot vs Ristretto for iPad for work

[Hmoody]

I'm looking for advice on my EDC bag. I'm currently using a Ristretto for iPad (older version) as my EDC bag. I don't have quite enough room in the bag to hold everything I need. I'm a Professor (but don't carry a laptop from home to work) since all of our classrooms have computers in them. When I need a laptop, I use my Synapse 19. I carry an iPad, portable speaker (UE Mini Boom), cables, pens, scacks, Moleskine, and a bunch of other stuff. I'm also 69 years old.

Would you recommend I upgrade my EDC to the Pilot?

[moriond]

I'm looking for advice on my EDC bag. I'm currently using a Ristretto for iPad (older version) as my EDC bag. I don't have quite enough room in the bag to hold everything I need. I'm a Professor (but don't carry a laptop from home to work) since all of our classrooms have computers in them. When I need a laptop, I use my Synapse 19. I carry an iPad, portable speaker (UE Mini Boom), cables, pens, scacks, Moleskine, and a bunch of other stuff. I'm also 69 years old.

Would you recommend I upgrade my EDC to the Pilot?

Welcome to the forums, @Hmoody. I think you might be able to carry your load in the (smaller) Co-Pilot, based on your listed contents, but suspect other forum members can comment on this. Take a look at this dafacto blog article from someone who switched from the Ristretto to the Co-Pilot, detailing his reasons and experience.

HTH moriond

[Gumby]

I can't compare it to the Ristretto, but I use a Co-Pilot to carry pretty much everything you mentioned -- and I still have room to spare.

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD

[Mausermama]

A Pilot would certainly handle all of that and more. A Co Pilot would also work most likely. If you are wanting to keep things on the lighter side, I would encourage you to consider purchasing a Dyneema bag. I carry a Pilot in Nordic Dyneema to my classes. I originally bought a Co Pilot but decided to return it in favor of the Pilot, because the Pilot allows me to carry files. The challenge with the Pilot is that it is easy for me to over pack it and then have too much weight to hoist.

[nukediver]

I often carry a similar load in my Co-Pilot and it works really well, and I also have room to spare. And ditto on the Dyneema - it's light and durable.

[moriond]

@Hmoody, The Co-Pilot basically outperforms the Ristretto for iPad here for your purposes in the way the bag is laid out, which makes it possible to fit in the shape of the UE Miniboom speakers in a way that the Ristretto for iPad, with its wider, but less deep remaining space in the pockets cannot. That was the main point of the dafacto blog review that I linked you to. I do not own the UE Miniboom speakers, so I am answering based on my memory of the size of those speakers, as well as having looked up the dimensions on Amazon (3.9 x 3.3 x 6.3 inches/99 x 84 x 160 mm)

For comparison, you can read my post and view the picture in the Packing Cubes for Co-Pilot thread:



The Co-Pilot dimensions are 12" x 10" x 5" / 300 x 255 x 125 mm and the small fabric packing cube for the Western Flyer placed in the back compartment is 3" thick (11.7" x 8.6" x 3" / 298 x 218 x 75mm), the Side Effect (Black Dyneema/Wasabi) and 3D Organizer Cube (Wasabi Dyneema) are about 2" thick. That's a full size iPad in a cache stuck into the back pocket of the Co-Pilot. Your UE Miniboom speakers are only 3.3" thick and occupy about a third of the length of the back pocket. We haven't even mentioned the front water bottle pocket and the two front side zippered pockets, since this post was answering a question about packing cubes (for clothes, etc.) used for the Co-Pilot. You can also fit in 8.5"x11" papers in a "poly file folder" from Staples or other source. (I use the old Levenger files, but I've also found some folders that randomly went on sale at a local office supply store for $0.41 each last week). Be aware that there was some discussion about variations in fit according to Co-Pilot material in threads like Co-Pilot as Every-Day Carry, but I've found the Levenger files (and these) to fit in both the Ballistic Nylon (Steel/Solar) and Dyneema Co-Pilots.

The main consideration may be whether you want to carry much more than a Co-Pilot will hold: for example, if you want to also carry a 13" laptop and a binder of papers, or a change of clothing. The Pilot (13 liters) holds 30% more than the Co-Pilot (10 liters). Think of the Co-Pilot as holding a little more than half what your Synapse 19 will hold, and the Pilot as holding about 2/3 the Synapse 19 capacity.

For more details, see @itsablur's Pilot vs Co-Pilot video review.

HTH. moriond

[Hmoody]

These tips are exactly what I needed. I think I'll go with a Dyneema Copilot. Thanks y'all.