First, a huge thank you to all of you who have provided a ton of inspiration when it's come to bags, packing, and bag hacking! I am a long time lurker on the forums and am thrilled to be able to share a review of the renewed Luminary 12 so that you can figure out if it's the bag for you.
Some background: I have had a Steel Dyneema/Wasabi S19 for about 5 years; it's my all around travel bag and it's what I take to work when I have a lot to carry. It's overkill for most of my work days, however, so I have been waiting for the changes to the Luminary for quite a while. My main EDC is a Black Side Effect, which contains my phone, the Nik's Minimalist Wallet #4, keys, and earbuds, pen, etc. Essentially all those things that one would otherwise carry in one's pockets, if women's pockets were at all reliable! When traveling, I may instead use my Side Kick (also black) with my Synapse, because some places frown on backpacks. I purchased but didn't keep an original Luminary because it didn't fit my phone and it had no internal pockets. My need for a smaller yet padded and substantial backpack has had to be filled by backpacks from other companies, none of which has really hit the sweet spot for design and functionality.
I am 5'1" and my commute consists of a 3 mile walk plus a long commute via public transportation, and I've used the L12 in these conditions to give it the full spectrum of testing!
First, the exterior design: My original Luminary purchase was black because I wasn't a fan of the otherwise contrasting black piping on the front. This new version has piping that matches the color of the body, making it more uniform in color, which I personally like. I have been coveting something in Nebulous Grey since it came out (to the point of possibly replacing my S19 with one in Nebulous Grey), and opted for the Cloud lining because I like to be able to see what I've consigned to the bottomless pits of my bags. That said, the Dawn lining was really alluring!
The all-around zipper now has a small strip of ballistic fabric separating the zipper for the main compartment from the side pockets. While I liked the nearly invisible stitching that did the job on the original, this looks fine, and makes the zippers seem less fragile to me.
Those side pockets are bigger than they were on the original Luminary. The left side pocket is slightly smaller than the right. While I can fit my Moto G6 (in a bulky case) in the left pocket if I maneuver it carefully, my phone fits seamlessly in the right side pocket.
The straps are very comfortable, as they were on the original Luminary. They are padded and lined, and the smooth Ballistic back of the bag is gentle on my clothes and coat.
I love the padded back pocket. I wish the S19 had something similar, as it's far more secure than side pockets when I'm waiting for public transportation. It securely fits the portable keyboard I use to write documents on my phone, plus my Kindle Paperwhite in its case.
The interior: I LOVE the interior pocket at the top! Aesthetically, it hides the back side of the logo stitching, and it provides a more secure place for small items, such as my earbuds, a snack bar, and/or pouch of tissues. Maybe a little more depth would be great, but it's nice the way it is, as it doesn't become a hole where things accumulate.
The zippered divider is very handy. I like that it's easy to use (just slide the zipper over the tongue and zip downward) and easy to ignore. I didn't use it because the weight in my bag was well balanced, but I could see it being very handy.
Two other things I like: It's really a nice looking bag, and It stands up on its own when nearly empty!
On the road: How did it feel when walking with the bag fully loaded for several miles and commuting? It was compact, comfortable, and easy to get on and off when necessary due to the smooth back. The S19's mesh back creates a little friction.
We had some drizzly weather on a couple of the days, and the lining at the top gave me more water-resistance confidence than I have with my S19 due to the lining and that little pocket at the top.
What did I carry: Roughly, each day included a small umbrella, buff, beanie, bag with breakfast and lunch, 12 oz. travel mug, tissue, small shopping bag, and emergency nut butter. One day I had my 11" MacBook Air as well. Not shown (I forgot to take it out!) is my portable keyboard for my phone.
I've attached pictures of the bag in action, and this week I've been overstuffing it, because I needed to take some odd things to work. One day I had some print books (instead of my Kindle), another day I had a hard drive in a bulky enclosure.
I hope this helps! I owe a ton to all of you for inspiration and great photos!
Some background: I have had a Steel Dyneema/Wasabi S19 for about 5 years; it's my all around travel bag and it's what I take to work when I have a lot to carry. It's overkill for most of my work days, however, so I have been waiting for the changes to the Luminary for quite a while. My main EDC is a Black Side Effect, which contains my phone, the Nik's Minimalist Wallet #4, keys, and earbuds, pen, etc. Essentially all those things that one would otherwise carry in one's pockets, if women's pockets were at all reliable! When traveling, I may instead use my Side Kick (also black) with my Synapse, because some places frown on backpacks. I purchased but didn't keep an original Luminary because it didn't fit my phone and it had no internal pockets. My need for a smaller yet padded and substantial backpack has had to be filled by backpacks from other companies, none of which has really hit the sweet spot for design and functionality.
I am 5'1" and my commute consists of a 3 mile walk plus a long commute via public transportation, and I've used the L12 in these conditions to give it the full spectrum of testing!
First, the exterior design: My original Luminary purchase was black because I wasn't a fan of the otherwise contrasting black piping on the front. This new version has piping that matches the color of the body, making it more uniform in color, which I personally like. I have been coveting something in Nebulous Grey since it came out (to the point of possibly replacing my S19 with one in Nebulous Grey), and opted for the Cloud lining because I like to be able to see what I've consigned to the bottomless pits of my bags. That said, the Dawn lining was really alluring!
The all-around zipper now has a small strip of ballistic fabric separating the zipper for the main compartment from the side pockets. While I liked the nearly invisible stitching that did the job on the original, this looks fine, and makes the zippers seem less fragile to me.
Those side pockets are bigger than they were on the original Luminary. The left side pocket is slightly smaller than the right. While I can fit my Moto G6 (in a bulky case) in the left pocket if I maneuver it carefully, my phone fits seamlessly in the right side pocket.
The straps are very comfortable, as they were on the original Luminary. They are padded and lined, and the smooth Ballistic back of the bag is gentle on my clothes and coat.
I love the padded back pocket. I wish the S19 had something similar, as it's far more secure than side pockets when I'm waiting for public transportation. It securely fits the portable keyboard I use to write documents on my phone, plus my Kindle Paperwhite in its case.
The interior: I LOVE the interior pocket at the top! Aesthetically, it hides the back side of the logo stitching, and it provides a more secure place for small items, such as my earbuds, a snack bar, and/or pouch of tissues. Maybe a little more depth would be great, but it's nice the way it is, as it doesn't become a hole where things accumulate.
The zippered divider is very handy. I like that it's easy to use (just slide the zipper over the tongue and zip downward) and easy to ignore. I didn't use it because the weight in my bag was well balanced, but I could see it being very handy.
Two other things I like: It's really a nice looking bag, and It stands up on its own when nearly empty!
On the road: How did it feel when walking with the bag fully loaded for several miles and commuting? It was compact, comfortable, and easy to get on and off when necessary due to the smooth back. The S19's mesh back creates a little friction.
We had some drizzly weather on a couple of the days, and the lining at the top gave me more water-resistance confidence than I have with my S19 due to the lining and that little pocket at the top.
What did I carry: Roughly, each day included a small umbrella, buff, beanie, bag with breakfast and lunch, 12 oz. travel mug, tissue, small shopping bag, and emergency nut butter. One day I had my 11" MacBook Air as well. Not shown (I forgot to take it out!) is my portable keyboard for my phone.
I've attached pictures of the bag in action, and this week I've been overstuffing it, because I needed to take some odd things to work. One day I had some print books (instead of my Kindle), another day I had a hard drive in a bulky enclosure.
I hope this helps! I owe a ton to all of you for inspiration and great photos!
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