Addax 26 - First Impressions

[Walker]

Thanks to everyone who posted photos and impressions of this bag.

I like it until the read the weight. Opps!

I would love this bag to use for day hikes. I do not need the padded laptop pocket for this purpose.

We need an Addax Guides Edition :) - no padded laptop pocket to help reduce the weight.

And I would not mind a smaller version either - around 15 to 20 L sounds about right. My beloved Synapse 19 (original Nordic) is at home in urban environments. The Addax looks to me like it is asking to hit the trail. But almost 2.5 to 2.625 lbs empty is just too heavy for me for ungulating on the trail.

[G42]

My goal when writing is to entertain myself (and hopefully others) while being (mostly) on prompt, I'm glad you appreciated it. :D

Well now Matthew, I have high expectations for the next time! 😊 (no pressure, no pressure)

[MatthewR]

My goal when writing is to entertain myself (and hopefully others) while being (mostly) on prompt, I'm glad you appreciated it. :D

[G42]

People

We have to talk

I am deeply disappointed that no one has pointed out or commented on the profound commentary (or sublime irreverent humor) evident in the Addax product descriptions:

"those times when your ungulate must fly"


I've been a wee bit busy this week and hadn't had time to read the full product descriptions until now, but the humor is appreciated

Whether it was MaiaH , others, or a team effort, I appreciate it!

I treasure the thought (don't ruin it) of thoughtful brainstorming of product and feature descriptions, with little winged ungulates spiraling overhead....

That is all

[Chicagoan]

Mine is a bump cap because it's for light industrial/manufacturing overhead protection, literally to protect from minor head bumps. It has the inside plastic cage to fit to the head and is a light build...

In my world, a hard hat is a higher classification of safety helmet... There's all sorts of classifications and OSHA requirements depending on the job... So mine is basically the step above wearing a baseball hat. You wouldn't normally use it on construction sites for example.


I'm trained to always have my wallet and keys physically on/attached to me at all times, so they normally never go into a bag. If you've ever had to evacuate from somewhere for any length of time and not been able to grab your bag, it sticks with you.


And you touch on the very thing...I prefer having extra space/capacity to be able to react to whatever errands & changes the day brings vs having the space be 'just enough'. Too much of my life involves change, so being prepared actually makes everything easier. My friends joke that if anything happens to check with me because I'm the one who's got the spare battery, granola bars, pen, Sharpie, bandaids, etc

Learn something new every day! Never heard of a bump cap before this thread. Thanks for the short lesson! :-)

We're cut from the same cloth - I started carrying a bag (in lieu of carrying my keys, wallet and phone loose in my trouser pockets) so I wouldn't ever have to cut something short and run back to my car, or run back home, if I was in the middle of something. I always maintain: never leave home wearing and carrying any less than you'd be comfortable walking back home in/with if your car breaks down.

Similarly, the Addax is a great bag to fit everything you need while leaving some extra room for whatever you might pick up along the way (or a place to put things you don't need and don't want to hand carry!).

[Cristina]

My friends joke that if anything happens to check with me because I'm the one who's got the spare battery, granola bars, pen, Sharpie, bandaids, etc

I am also this friend 🤣

Your explanation of a bump cap makes perfect sense (I’ve long envied how concisely you explain things). I wish I had a bump cap this past week at the allottment as I walked into a couple of things that were 2 inches lower than expected. (Oops!)

[G42]

Mine is a bump cap because it's for light industrial/manufacturing overhead protection, literally to protect from minor head bumps. It has the inside plastic cage to fit to the head and is a light build...

In my world, a hard hat is a higher classification of safety helmet... There's all sorts of classifications and OSHA requirements depending on the job... So mine is basically the step above wearing a baseball hat. You wouldn't normally use it on construction sites for example.


I'm trained to always have my wallet and keys physically on/attached to me at all times, so they normally never go into a bag. If you've ever had to evacuate from somewhere for any length of time and not been able to grab your bag, it sticks with you.


And you touch on the very thing...I prefer having extra space/capacity to be able to react to whatever errands & changes the day brings vs having the space be 'just enough'. Too much of my life involves change, so being prepared actually makes everything easier. My friends joke that if anything happens to check with me because I'm the one who's got the spare battery, granola bars, pen, Sharpie, bandaids, etc

[Chicagoan]

That bump cap has turned into the point I pivot on, for EDC bag choice with this new job. Normally I might differentiate between office days and travel/factory days, but so far it's been 80+% travel mixed with office, so I'm defaulting to being able to carry it. Even when I drive my own car and could leave the gear inside, still have to haul it into and around the plant, so better to just pack it all up.

It requires a more open style of bag to handle something that large/bulky, so the Cambiata (which I still can't believe fits it), Smart Alec, Shadow Guide, and now the Addax, all work for that. All my other daily carry stuff can be organized differently depending on the bag or I'm using organizers that move, like my chargers always live in a Snake Charmer.

I've had a total change of mind on the Cambiata - I'm used to only carrying as much bag as it takes to fit all my small EDC items, but trouble is, I usually have to pick up a thing or two from a store, and the mail and packages from our mail area on my way home and back upstairs to my apartment.

So, while it's VERY counterintuitive for me to carry around a mostly empty bag, it's way too helpful when I need the extra space for me to revert back to a smaller bag.

It's kind of a reusable shopping bag, and one that I can wear as a backpack.

Still don't think I'd ever find it comfortable to carry crossbody because of how tall it is, but I really do like it as a backpack.

And I get it! I can't use a bag for EDC unless there's a good spot for me to put my wallet and keys. If I have to take the bag off to reach them, or if I can't reach a door or checkout while I'm wearing the bag, it's a deal-breaker.

So, while I can't relate to carrying a hard hat (y'all call it a "bump cap" across the pond?!?) I can relate to how much personal priorities influence the bags we use most.

[G42]

Your work pack outs including a bump cap surely pose interesting tests for bags!

That bump cap has turned into the point I pivot on, for EDC bag choice with this new job. Normally I might differentiate between office days and travel/factory days, but so far it's been 80+% travel mixed with office, so I'm defaulting to being able to carry it. Even when I drive my own car and could leave the gear inside, still have to haul it into and around the plant, so better to just pack it all up.

It requires a more open style of bag to handle something that large/bulky, so the Cambiata (which I still can't believe fits it), Smart Alec, Shadow Guide, and now the Addax, all work for that. All my other daily carry stuff can be organized differently depending on the bag or I'm using organizers that move, like my chargers always live in a Snake Charmer.

[Cristina]

Excellent and thorough review and pics, G42. Your work pack outs including a bump cap surely pose interesting tests for bags!

[DWSeattle]

Reminds me of the Doughnut Wanderlust. It’s too bad that it can’t be rolled down to use as an under seat bag, like 18”x14”x8”. Nice shoulder straps!

[G42]

And light bulb moment...

...what if they made both side pockets full height and zippered, but installed a short, partial height mesh gusset at the bottom of the opening so it could hold a water bottle when the compartment was fully unzipped?

I got the 31 for testing but really like the size and capacity of the 26 - you fit a good amount of your things in it, and survived a one bag trip, which now has me wanting the smaller size for myself!

Ha! Great minds and all that... I mentioned the very same thing about the water bottle pockets to MikeV when I was there a week or so ago (Jose was out that day, so I missed meeting him in person... next time... but I was hovering there so long, they may not let me back thru the door 😆)

This is one of the bag styles, like the Shadow Guide, that I can theoretically fit both sizes...I quickly tried on the 31L at the Mothership for just that reason and I could totally carry that bag

[Chicagoan]

I clipped the roll top ends together like it was a dry bag, too!

Part of the stumbling process that comes with trying to understand a product that doesn't yet have a description, instructions, or technical specifications, or, as you put it - sausage making.

And I don't like the "Syn" prefaced bags for their tippyness - this bag and the Cambiata are more like the Luminary in that way.

Similarly, the bottom "tech" pocket was soemthing I used the same way as the zip-away mesh divider from the Luminary. It's nice to have something down there to separate things and keep them upright.

Ironically I don't find this bag stealing from Peter to pay Paul so much as the Cambiata does (I'm still trying to figure out what actually fits in the small bottom side pocket of that bag!).

And light bulb moment...

...what if they made both side pockets full height and zippered, but installed a short, partial height mesh gusset at the bottom of the opening so it could hold a water bottle when the compartment was fully unzipped?

I got the 31 for testing but really like the size and capacity of the 26 - you fit a good amount of your things in it, and survived a one bag trip, which now has me wanting the smaller size for myself!

Thanks for posting your review and pictures, G42! It's a lot of fun seeing how differently everyone experiences the same bag.

[G42]

Just a random comment...

To the best of my knowledge, we don't get the full product description ahead of time, TB is observing our reactions like mice in a lab (joke people, joke)...

So it's kind of interesting and fun to see how we react to the bags and features and what's actually in the product descriptions.
Like the comment about how the top can roll/fold back at the seam to make it easier to load. Never occurred to me for that, but as I used the bag and photographed it, folding back the top made it more 'work out able' to me. I'm currently in full obsessive geek mode learning to knit, and that was something I keyed in on.

Anyway, more on how the sausage is made 😆

[G42]

I'm on another trip right now with the ADX26 and a LZTSB (hopefully more pics later)... small private plane, car, factories, changing hotels each night... just left one factory and had been carrying the ADX26 with all my EDC including laptop for over an hour... I'm part pack mule and didn't notice it at all, I find it very comfortable to carry.

First photo above is my EDC load, looking down on bump cap



Solaris SE attached to the o-rings at the back, snacks in the pockets

EDC, plastic file thing, E/TC, SSC... Lots of room!



And not pictured, but I actually turned the roll top part inside out to show more of the inside, so interestingly if I ever wanted to more easily work out of the large opening, it's a good option.


ETA: just saw that there's an optional frame sheet - I didn't know about it or try it out and based on how it's carried for me so far (mostly with a laptop), I personally don't feel the need for one, YMMV