First day with my new Co-Pilot

[nukediver]

My new Co-Pilot in the beautiful Black/Iberian color combination arrived Friday night, and first thing Saturday morning I was out the door and on the train to Manhattan with it. I didn't need to carry a lot of stuff, but when I actually packed the bag, I was surprised how much room was left, especially since my first impression was "this bag looks small!"

I carried the following with me all day, walking all over the city:

Main compartment on the back:

-iPad2 in Timbuk2 case
-medium Iberian Dyneema pouch with iPhone/iPad charger, and headphones
-Kindle 3 in a neoprene case
-Time Out New York magazine
-New York Review of Books newspaper/magazine (folded in half)

Organizer pockets in the main compartment on the back:

-glasses case
-Moleskine City notebook, Metrocard holder

Left front pocket:

Tom Bihn Clear Organizer Wallet (attached to key strap)
iPhone

Right front pocket:

-spare car key (attached to key strap)
-small Iberian Dyneema pouch filled with various toiletries
-small pack of tissues
-small hand lotion
-pens and pencils
-spork

Center pocket:

-full set of keys (attached to key strap)

Back slash pocket:

New York Times

There was still PLENTY of room left once I put all this in the bag. At lunch, I took off my thin fleece jacket, and folded, it fit in the main compartment of the bag easily. This still left the center compartment empty, other than a set of keys! I did not upgrade to the Absolute Shoulder Strap; the stock shoulder strap worked fine - it was very comfortable, and never slipped off my shoulder. I plan on using this bag every day; I will need to carry a little more than the above, so I'm eager to see how this will work out, but so far, I'm loving it!

[gmanedit]

Thanks for the location photo. I'll be looking for you!

[Badger]

That Timbuk2 iPad case coordinates really nicely with the Co-Pilot and Iberian OPs.

I think you need to get a red spork.

[Just]

I think you need to get a red spork.

While it'd match, I'm afraid she'd have a tough time finding it against the Iberian lining! :D

[Badger]

While it'd match, I'm afraid she'd have a tough time finding it against the Iberian lining! :D

Good point. There's nothing worse than being accidentally gored by your own spork.

[nukediver]

Good point. There's nothing worse than being accidentally gored by your own spork.

Good grief, I leave the forum for a few hours and now we're discussing spork gorings :-o

And yes, I suppose it would be hard to find if it were red!

[Just]

I actually have the same spork in the same color! :D

[ncb4]

OK, this is a stupid question, but why do you all carry sporks around with you? I could understand if you were bringing your own food, but nukediver didn't list anything like that in her list of stuff. (And boy, were you able to carry a lot in your Co-Pilot!)

Anyway, nukediver, I don't normally like black, but the contrast between the black and the Iberian Dyneema is so striking: I absolutely love it. The pouches you chose are perfect with it, of course. And even though I have a Co-Pilot myself, I remain amazed by how much you were able to pack in there, and still have room to spare. I hope you keep enjoying your new bag.

[Jenne]

I like to keep a spork with me in case the alternative is plastic-ware. One fewer piece of trash in the landfill. (I also keep food at work.)

[Badger]

I like to keep a spork with me in case the alternative is plastic-ware. One fewer piece of trash in the landfill. (I also keep food at work.)

I also often carry my own chopsticks, too. Somehow I didn't get the genes that allow me to separate disposable chopsticks without rendering them unusable. I have a hashibako that holds the chopsticks and also a spoon; with those, I'm set for all office dining possibilities. I've had a titanium spork on my Amazon wish list forever, though--it's smaller.

and +1 on nukediver's mad packing skillz. I'm especially impressed that the bag doesn't looks like it's bulging with all that stuff in there.

[nukediver]

OK, this is a stupid question, but why do you all carry sporks around with you?

@ncb4, One of my pet peeves is how wasteful we are as a society, and I'd much rather carry around my spork than use disposable plastic ware when I get takeout for lunch (which is often the case, since I'm on the road a lot). It's annoying that it's packaged as a set, and most times, people only use a spoon or a fork, then throw the rest away. Besides, I just love the word *spork* :-)

[backpack]

I have always used some kind of portable metal utensils mostly metal to wash after use. I tried the practice with my delightful better half but that resulted in the loss of most of my dessert forks and spoons. I now clean and reuse the strong disposable fork and spoons that are provided with take out meals.

I think a couple of Sporks are in order but I would be happier if they made a version with a securing mechanism such as an hollow ring between the spoon and the fork to which a lanyard could be attached.

I also saw sets of durable plastic spoon/fork/knife in many colors which could be right up my alley.

[ceepee]

Spork Gorings .... the solution :)

Good point. There's nothing worse than being accidentally gored by your own spork.

Light My Fire now do a case that holds 2 sporks, it even has a loop at one end that will accommodate the clip of a key strap :)

[nukediver]

Ooh, gotta get me one of those!

[backpack]

Do Spork's owners know if the utensil fits inside a Pen/Pencil Pouch?