Hi fellow Bihnions, obviously it's review time!
Now that the revised Luminaries arrived some folks – like myself – might be wondering how they compare to the Daylight Backpack as these three are the smallest backpacks in the TB collection. Thus I focus on the comparison here.
So here we go: On the left a DLBP (16.5 liters) in Nordic/Northwest Sky Halcyon, in the middle the Luminary 15 in Nebulous Grey/Island and on the right the Luminary 12 in Deep Blue/Coyote. The DLBP and the L15 are roughly of similar size while the L12 is considerably smaller.
An obvious difference of the DLPB and the Luminaries is their profile: While the DLBP has the shape of flat rectangle the Luminaries are of a half-moon shape thicker at the bottom and slimmer at the top.
The most striking difference of the DLBP and the Luminaries is their construction. The DLBP has a rather simple, straightforward design while the Luminaries are more sophisticated. The DLBP has just two compartments: The main compartment with two pouches on the back panel and a large zippered outside pocket. The zippers are YKK zippers (not water repellent) with plastic sliders.
The Luminaries have four major compartments: The main compartment with a bottle holder and a small zippered pouch on the inside of the front panel, a padded laptop compartment on the back and two side pockets. The zippers of all the major compartments are water repellent with metal sliders.
The side pocket on the right is a bit taller than that on the left side (actually, not the pockets are different but the size of their openings which is why the size of the objects you can put inside is different). I could fit my rather bulky planner (6.5” x 4.3” x 1” / 165 x 110 x 25 mm) in the right pocket of the L15 and a rather large phone (5.8” x 3” / 147 x 74 mm) in the left pocket.
In the L12 my planner did not fit in any of the side pockets. The large phone fit in both pockets. Here it is in the right pocket and a smaller phone (5.1” x 2.6” / 130 x 65 mm) in the left pocket.
The bottle holder can be fixed to the back panel with a designated zipper which is especially useful when the bag is underpacked because it keeps the bottle in place (so clever, I really love this detail!).
Due to their more complex construction and their deeper profile, the Luminaries can stand on their own – empty or packed – while the DLPB is a lot more pliable (at least in the Halcyon version) and can only stand on its own when it is packed accordingly.
Another important difference applies to the straps: While the Luminaries have curved padded straps that can be fastened with a sternum strap, the DLBP has simpler, non-padded webbing straps without a sternum strap (it wouldn’t work properly because the webbing straps are not stiff enough).
So, let’s get to the nitty-gritty: My primary use is EDC. Since I tend to carry a lot of bits and pieces I do really love the TB Freudian Slips to be better organized (I use one in my Smart Alec and my S25 too). Furthermore, if I want to use my bags for a different purpose, where I don’t need all my office stuff, I just take out the Freudian Slip and all the things stay put in one place. Thus, for the DLBP and the L15 I use a Medium Cafe Bag Freudian Slip and for the L12 a Small Cafe Bag FS both of them in Island :-)
My external hard drive fits in a small organizer pouch. The FS has a zippered pocket on the back where I put my adapters for the HDMI and VGA cables, the papers (can’t do without) fit in the lower back pocket.
In addition, I pack my MacBook Air 11” (in a simple neoprene sleeve), a VGA cable (they are always missing when you need them) a mini organizer pouch for my USB drives, a water bottle (1 liter non-insulated), my phone, my planner (I am still doing paper and pencil), sunglasses, my wallet (a rather big one as we rely a lot on cash here…) and a light jacket.
First the L15:
I stowed the computer into the designated padded compartment (takes laptops up to 13” size), my planner, sunglasses and phone went into the smaller exterior pockets, the mini organizer pouch is clipped to one of the O-rings and the rest went into the main compartment. My wallet (4.5” x 3.7” x 3” / 115 x 95 x 30 mm) fits exactly in the zippered interior pocket on the inside of the front panel and that is exactly the place where I want to have it.
All fits very well and the bag is not overpacked. There is still some space – although not much – left for some smaller items. To give you an impression of the inside organization (jacket is taken out as it is stowed on top of all the other things):
Now let’s put the same stuff into the DLBP. As recommended by TB I put the jacket into the lower pouch on the back panel to have some back padding.
My planner, phone and wallet went into the upper pouch on the back panel, the mini organizer pouch is clipped to one of the O-Rings, the rest went into the main compartment except for my sunglasses that are stowed in the outer pocket.
Again, everything fits nicely and – given the 1.5 extra liters of capacity compared to the L15 – there is a bit more space left for additional things.
Now, despite the fact that with my 6’ I am too tall to be in the target group for the L12 I wanted to try out its size. Since its volume is only 12 liters it means that I had to reorganize my things. Thus, I took the Small Cafe Bag FS which unfortunately cannot accommodate my power supply and papers. The Medium Cafe Bag FS would technically fit as well, but I found it rather too big for the bag. My Macbook Air was also be too big for the laptop compartment (even without the sleeve) so it went in the main compartment with its sleeve.
The L12 swallowed all these things: My planner went into the laptop compartment, my sunglasses and phone in the exterior pockets, the rest went into the main compartment. Unfortunately, my wallet does only fit upright in the small zippered inside pocket and thus, I cannot close the zipper (Nik’s Minimalist Wallets would be handy here!).
Ok, it does feel a bit overpacked and I would not want to pack like this every day. Thus, it would be more suitable to take my 9.7” tablet instead of the laptop because that fits into the padded compartment. The power supply is also smaller which saves some additional space.
That fits and feels much better!
However, as is explained in the official bag description, the L12 is meant for smaller folks (up to 5’10”) because the padded shoulder straps are too short to be worn comfortably by taller individuals.
As I sometimes have to carry a bigger laptop (13.3”) that does not fit into the designated compartment of the L15 I also tried the following configuration (this time with a rather bulky 0.7 liter insulated bottle).
Both the L15 and the DLBP had no problems with that load.
Finally, I also tried a configuration for a lightweight weekend trip. Thus, I packed some clothes (t-shirt, underwear, shorts) into a medium Tristar Packing Cube and added my toiletries, a light sweater and a light jacket, my IPad, my camera, phone & wallet (in a 3D organizer cube) and sunglasses as well as adapters and power supply (in a small organizer pouch).
Fits perfectly into the L15 as well as in the DLBP! Again, while the L15 is rather packed, the DLBP has some space left for additional items.
Now to the look & feel part, feelings first: Given the difference in construction I wasn’t surprised that the L15 carries much more comfortably than the DLBP. The padded straps do a very good job and the padded back adds to the comfort. Especially with heavier loads (e.g. my bigger laptop which is rather a schleptop) these details unfold their full potential. Compared to that, the DLBP is a bit rougher but I was surprised that it is much more comfortable than I thought from just looking at the rather thin straps (they are quite broad which helps a lot). What I really miss on the DLBP is a sternum strap. Especially when carrying lighter loads the straps tend to slip from my shoulders so I had to put them back in place quite often. When the bag was fully packed and heavier that wasn’t an issue. However, I thought that some anti-slip material on the inside of the straps would be great.
My friend Paul (6’3”) wearing the L15 and the DLBP. I had a hard time convincing him to hand the L15 back to me…
In terms of design I have a very clear and simple opinion: I think that the Luminaries are the most elegant bags in the current TB collection!
I especially like how three of the pockets are unobtrusively integrated into virtually one zipper resulting in a very clear overall appearance. Thus, the Luminaries are a true masterpiece in elegantly concealing their functionality. The lines do remind me a little bit of the Smart Alec (crossing fingers for a return!) as the piping resembles the shape of the SA’s front panel and lid. In comparison, the DLBP is much more straightforward, you immediately understand how this bag works, it hides nothing, what you see is what you get.
Taken together: Both bags have their specific merits. To me the Luminaries – especially the L15 – are great EDC bags if you’re looking for something smaller. They are also good for a minimalist getaway. Especially if you often need to carry a laptop or a tablet their superior carrying qualities really pay off. The decision between the L12 and the L15 is a matter of your size and the size of your devices and stuff. I took the L12 out a couple of times e.g. when I went to a friend’s birthday party and the only thing I had to carry was a bottle of champagne which – by the way – was a great test for the bottle holder! Despite my 6 ft that worked fine. But if you have to carry heavier things and if you’re taller than 5’10”, the L15 is definitely the better choice.
In comparison, I think that the DLBP is rather an all-purpose bag that is incredibly light (Halcyon – I really love the look and feel of this material!) and packs very small so that you can take it as an additional bag when you do one bag travelling or if you need more space for a spontaneous shopping burst. To me the concept is related to that of the Road Buddy and the Yeoman Duffle: simple but smart. As others have remarked already a couple of times here in this forum: the DLBP is certainly suited to serve as an EDC. Compared to the L15 you also get some extra space as the volume of the DLBP is a bit larger. Personally, I would prefer the stiffer structure and the higher carrying comfort of the Luminaries for using it as my daily EDC but that again depends on the loads you’re about to schlep.
Now that the revised Luminaries arrived some folks – like myself – might be wondering how they compare to the Daylight Backpack as these three are the smallest backpacks in the TB collection. Thus I focus on the comparison here.
So here we go: On the left a DLBP (16.5 liters) in Nordic/Northwest Sky Halcyon, in the middle the Luminary 15 in Nebulous Grey/Island and on the right the Luminary 12 in Deep Blue/Coyote. The DLBP and the L15 are roughly of similar size while the L12 is considerably smaller.
An obvious difference of the DLPB and the Luminaries is their profile: While the DLBP has the shape of flat rectangle the Luminaries are of a half-moon shape thicker at the bottom and slimmer at the top.
The most striking difference of the DLBP and the Luminaries is their construction. The DLBP has a rather simple, straightforward design while the Luminaries are more sophisticated. The DLBP has just two compartments: The main compartment with two pouches on the back panel and a large zippered outside pocket. The zippers are YKK zippers (not water repellent) with plastic sliders.
The Luminaries have four major compartments: The main compartment with a bottle holder and a small zippered pouch on the inside of the front panel, a padded laptop compartment on the back and two side pockets. The zippers of all the major compartments are water repellent with metal sliders.
The side pocket on the right is a bit taller than that on the left side (actually, not the pockets are different but the size of their openings which is why the size of the objects you can put inside is different). I could fit my rather bulky planner (6.5” x 4.3” x 1” / 165 x 110 x 25 mm) in the right pocket of the L15 and a rather large phone (5.8” x 3” / 147 x 74 mm) in the left pocket.
In the L12 my planner did not fit in any of the side pockets. The large phone fit in both pockets. Here it is in the right pocket and a smaller phone (5.1” x 2.6” / 130 x 65 mm) in the left pocket.
The bottle holder can be fixed to the back panel with a designated zipper which is especially useful when the bag is underpacked because it keeps the bottle in place (so clever, I really love this detail!).
Due to their more complex construction and their deeper profile, the Luminaries can stand on their own – empty or packed – while the DLPB is a lot more pliable (at least in the Halcyon version) and can only stand on its own when it is packed accordingly.
Another important difference applies to the straps: While the Luminaries have curved padded straps that can be fastened with a sternum strap, the DLBP has simpler, non-padded webbing straps without a sternum strap (it wouldn’t work properly because the webbing straps are not stiff enough).
So, let’s get to the nitty-gritty: My primary use is EDC. Since I tend to carry a lot of bits and pieces I do really love the TB Freudian Slips to be better organized (I use one in my Smart Alec and my S25 too). Furthermore, if I want to use my bags for a different purpose, where I don’t need all my office stuff, I just take out the Freudian Slip and all the things stay put in one place. Thus, for the DLBP and the L15 I use a Medium Cafe Bag Freudian Slip and for the L12 a Small Cafe Bag FS both of them in Island :-)
My external hard drive fits in a small organizer pouch. The FS has a zippered pocket on the back where I put my adapters for the HDMI and VGA cables, the papers (can’t do without) fit in the lower back pocket.
In addition, I pack my MacBook Air 11” (in a simple neoprene sleeve), a VGA cable (they are always missing when you need them) a mini organizer pouch for my USB drives, a water bottle (1 liter non-insulated), my phone, my planner (I am still doing paper and pencil), sunglasses, my wallet (a rather big one as we rely a lot on cash here…) and a light jacket.
First the L15:
I stowed the computer into the designated padded compartment (takes laptops up to 13” size), my planner, sunglasses and phone went into the smaller exterior pockets, the mini organizer pouch is clipped to one of the O-rings and the rest went into the main compartment. My wallet (4.5” x 3.7” x 3” / 115 x 95 x 30 mm) fits exactly in the zippered interior pocket on the inside of the front panel and that is exactly the place where I want to have it.
All fits very well and the bag is not overpacked. There is still some space – although not much – left for some smaller items. To give you an impression of the inside organization (jacket is taken out as it is stowed on top of all the other things):
Now let’s put the same stuff into the DLBP. As recommended by TB I put the jacket into the lower pouch on the back panel to have some back padding.
My planner, phone and wallet went into the upper pouch on the back panel, the mini organizer pouch is clipped to one of the O-Rings, the rest went into the main compartment except for my sunglasses that are stowed in the outer pocket.
Again, everything fits nicely and – given the 1.5 extra liters of capacity compared to the L15 – there is a bit more space left for additional things.
Now, despite the fact that with my 6’ I am too tall to be in the target group for the L12 I wanted to try out its size. Since its volume is only 12 liters it means that I had to reorganize my things. Thus, I took the Small Cafe Bag FS which unfortunately cannot accommodate my power supply and papers. The Medium Cafe Bag FS would technically fit as well, but I found it rather too big for the bag. My Macbook Air was also be too big for the laptop compartment (even without the sleeve) so it went in the main compartment with its sleeve.
The L12 swallowed all these things: My planner went into the laptop compartment, my sunglasses and phone in the exterior pockets, the rest went into the main compartment. Unfortunately, my wallet does only fit upright in the small zippered inside pocket and thus, I cannot close the zipper (Nik’s Minimalist Wallets would be handy here!).
Ok, it does feel a bit overpacked and I would not want to pack like this every day. Thus, it would be more suitable to take my 9.7” tablet instead of the laptop because that fits into the padded compartment. The power supply is also smaller which saves some additional space.
That fits and feels much better!
However, as is explained in the official bag description, the L12 is meant for smaller folks (up to 5’10”) because the padded shoulder straps are too short to be worn comfortably by taller individuals.
As I sometimes have to carry a bigger laptop (13.3”) that does not fit into the designated compartment of the L15 I also tried the following configuration (this time with a rather bulky 0.7 liter insulated bottle).
Both the L15 and the DLBP had no problems with that load.
Finally, I also tried a configuration for a lightweight weekend trip. Thus, I packed some clothes (t-shirt, underwear, shorts) into a medium Tristar Packing Cube and added my toiletries, a light sweater and a light jacket, my IPad, my camera, phone & wallet (in a 3D organizer cube) and sunglasses as well as adapters and power supply (in a small organizer pouch).
Fits perfectly into the L15 as well as in the DLBP! Again, while the L15 is rather packed, the DLBP has some space left for additional items.
Now to the look & feel part, feelings first: Given the difference in construction I wasn’t surprised that the L15 carries much more comfortably than the DLBP. The padded straps do a very good job and the padded back adds to the comfort. Especially with heavier loads (e.g. my bigger laptop which is rather a schleptop) these details unfold their full potential. Compared to that, the DLBP is a bit rougher but I was surprised that it is much more comfortable than I thought from just looking at the rather thin straps (they are quite broad which helps a lot). What I really miss on the DLBP is a sternum strap. Especially when carrying lighter loads the straps tend to slip from my shoulders so I had to put them back in place quite often. When the bag was fully packed and heavier that wasn’t an issue. However, I thought that some anti-slip material on the inside of the straps would be great.
My friend Paul (6’3”) wearing the L15 and the DLBP. I had a hard time convincing him to hand the L15 back to me…
In terms of design I have a very clear and simple opinion: I think that the Luminaries are the most elegant bags in the current TB collection!
I especially like how three of the pockets are unobtrusively integrated into virtually one zipper resulting in a very clear overall appearance. Thus, the Luminaries are a true masterpiece in elegantly concealing their functionality. The lines do remind me a little bit of the Smart Alec (crossing fingers for a return!) as the piping resembles the shape of the SA’s front panel and lid. In comparison, the DLBP is much more straightforward, you immediately understand how this bag works, it hides nothing, what you see is what you get.
Taken together: Both bags have their specific merits. To me the Luminaries – especially the L15 – are great EDC bags if you’re looking for something smaller. They are also good for a minimalist getaway. Especially if you often need to carry a laptop or a tablet their superior carrying qualities really pay off. The decision between the L12 and the L15 is a matter of your size and the size of your devices and stuff. I took the L12 out a couple of times e.g. when I went to a friend’s birthday party and the only thing I had to carry was a bottle of champagne which – by the way – was a great test for the bottle holder! Despite my 6 ft that worked fine. But if you have to carry heavier things and if you’re taller than 5’10”, the L15 is definitely the better choice.
In comparison, I think that the DLBP is rather an all-purpose bag that is incredibly light (Halcyon – I really love the look and feel of this material!) and packs very small so that you can take it as an additional bag when you do one bag travelling or if you need more space for a spontaneous shopping burst. To me the concept is related to that of the Road Buddy and the Yeoman Duffle: simple but smart. As others have remarked already a couple of times here in this forum: the DLBP is certainly suited to serve as an EDC. Compared to the L15 you also get some extra space as the volume of the DLBP is a bit larger. Personally, I would prefer the stiffer structure and the higher carrying comfort of the Luminaries for using it as my daily EDC but that again depends on the loads you’re about to schlep.
Also coveting an Iberian Synapse or Copilot
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