Addax 31 - a great adding to the TB portfolio

[bijoux]

I could be wrong, but my understanding is that the Aeronaut redesign started while Tom et.al. were still there... It's been in the works for quite some time.

It's my understanding that Tom, Darcy had left many months before the updated Aeronaut release. Even though it may have been started while Tom was there, the end product is definitely under the helm of Cindy, Jose etc. :rolleyes:

[bijoux]

bijoux Regarding lining and all that? While reviewing the Addax 31, I sent a rough draft of my review to Maia, who forwarded it along to Jose - we exchanged a few emails back and forth, but I did learn that the Cambiata was mostly a Nik design with some minor input from Tom, and last-minute simplifications and improvements from Jose. Point being, I was very mistaken in assuming a new bag came from a new designer, but the timing was so concurrent I just assumed they were related to another. They weren't. So the first original design from Jose is the Addax and NOT the Cambiata. Jose's a smart dude, and the design is informed largely by his personal experience as a bike commuter - so all the features come straight from practice, and not theory. By a bike commuter, for bike commuters (and whomever else can find it useful). Sometimes it's just easiest to go straight to the horse's mouth for some clarity, and that's what I did - I flat out asked Jose in an email who designed the Cambiata, and he gave me a straight answer.

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Totally agree. In my question I've tagged MikeV, but maybe the horse's mouth (so to speak) is now Jose. Can we tag Jose in the forums? Chicagoan

[epeterson]

epeterson all really good points!

I think it might be worth you trying a T30 at some point, just to see it. For that bottom pocket, I either put a second pair of shoes plus misc. or it's a great spot for the laundry cubes. They keep everything squared off and for me at least, the squish thing doesn't matter to my undies, PJs, t-shirts, etc.

The BB does have a lot of cool features and I've single bagged with it. The compression straps are great.
For my physical size, it's very very wide across my body, which is probably why I don't carry it as much.

Thanks -- and yeah, it's possible I'll try one at some point. It feels weird to me to put stuff in the pocket because there's a pocket that needs to be filled, as opposed to actually wanting something to be separated in its own pocket, if that makes any sense. But, we'll see.

[Hooahclitus]

Thanks for the awesome review bartleby! I’m curious what your take is on the addax vs the synik if you had to pick only one between the two.

Im in the market for a synik as a general purpose bag for edc and travel, but now am considering the addax instead.

Thanks!

[MikeV]

Totally agree. In my question I've tagged MikeV, but maybe the horse's mouth (so to speak) is now Jose. Can we tag Jose in the forums? Chicagoan

bijoux- your feedback is absolutely being heard. Bags take a long time to develop, and we do a lot of testing in between the different steps in the design process. We worked through several iterations of the new Aeronaut design and I don't anticipate an Aeronaut 3.0 developing any time soon. I know that's not the news you're hoping for, and I'm sorry for that. It's more likely that this feedback could influence future designs than any immediate change to the Aeronaut.

[G42]

Welcome to the Forums Hooahclitus !

[Hooahclitus]

Welcome to the Forums Hooahclitus !

Thanks! Pleasure to join the community.

[moriond]

One of the differences between the Addax and the Shadow Guide is the water bottle access pocket at the side on the outside. Another comment regarding dimensions -- the Shadow Guides bottom was actually an oval, and I think they used the largest dimension for the width of the bag. I've only tried the smaller Addax, but I can say that compared to the Synik design, it's easier to fit slightly larger laptops into the Addax because of the more rectangular outline of the backpack -- the new 14" Mac laptops just fit in the Synik 22 but there's more room in the Addax to maneuver a larger laptop into the opening.

moriond