It was a good Monday morning

[plume]

Hi everyone,

Okay, I'll get in the spirit of sharing. I didn't take photos of my Synapse in Ecuador or my new Co-Pilot loaded up as a camera bag, so when a nice TB box arrived at my office early this morning, I used my phone to snap a (not great) picture of the goodies within. For your vicarious vibes, behold: Western Flyer in Navy/Solar, Breve in Navy, Kindle pouch in Cork, PCSB in Iberian, a medium OP in Ultraviolet, and a luggage tag.

[ncb4]

What a haul! I'm not sure what kind of work you do, but I can just see you walking into a conference with the Navy pair of Tri-Star and Breve; quite smart and professional-looking (both you and the bags). Though if you take any of these bags to Ecuador, don't forget the pictures.

[plume]

It was a rather extravagant purchase, but with good motivations. I usually travel with a RedOxx Sunchaser and either my Purple/Wasabi SCB or the Synapse. Hauling through the nightmare of the Miami airport--welcome to Survivor: American Airport version--convinced me that I need a bag with backpack straps. Then the Navy WF was back in stock, so I snapped it up.

Well, why let the shipping charge go to waste? I was recently given an IPad, I have a Kindle, Walker of this forum recommended the PCSB as an alternate camera bag (with insert, for lighter loads around town), and I wanted to see a good expanse of Iberian, as I'm considering buying an Iberian Co-Pilot for my niece. I was curious about UV, and the luggage tag is just cute. See, all good reasons for "the haul."

As for work, I am the head of a conservation organization and don't do much business travel that isn't within a day's drive. But I do travel on vacation, and I'm a very light packer. The Sunchaser, at 19 x 9 x 9 with a single compartment and outside pockets, is often too large (even with the SCB inside), and it's not a good bag when less than full. The Western Flyer seemed the perfect fit--about the same capacity as the Sunchaser, but with more structure and thus the ability to hold its shape when half-empty. And of course it has those backpack straps for use when full (I may still feel like an energetic teenager, but my left shoulder is definitely 58).

[kmcg]

I agree: the navy set looks great. I really like how the black trim adds a subtle zippiness (not intended, but a good pun, I guess :))

Do you have a camera insert for the PCSB already? What a good idea for a bag that won't weigh you down!

[WhiteStar]

Okay if that is the regular size Tom Bihn box I'm surprised at how small the WF is! I always imagined it being way bigger!

[Badger]

Okay of that is the regular size Tom Bihn box I'm surprised at how small the WF is! I always imagined it being way bigger!

The WF is small--I remember being dismayed when I first saw mine. However, it holds a surprising amount of stuff. It looks fantastic in Navy, I gotta say--nice haul!

[darbs]

The BF uses the RO Sunchaser as well. We don't do a lot of flying, mostly road trips like you and you are right, it isn't so great when not full. I'd love to see your packing list for the WF vs. the Sunchaser. I have used his a few times, but don't love it. Oh, and that Navy is stunning! :)

[plume]

I agree: the navy set looks great. I really like how the black trim adds a subtle zippiness (not intended, but a good pun, I guess :))

Do you have a camera insert for the PCSB already? What a good idea for a bag that won't weigh you down!

Honestly, I wanted a Cardinal Breve (not available, so I also contemplated a cork one) and would have had a hard time choosing between Navy/Solar and Forest/UV if the latter were available for the WF. I do love the solar, though, and am perfectly content with the navy, which, as many others have noted, is a lovely color. And should I need it for a business trip, I'll be subtly zippy (thanks, kmcg) and nicely professional.

I've ordered a camera insert from Courierware (a Vermont company) that Walker (in another thread) says fits in both the Co-Pilot (mine is Forest/Steel) and PCSB. It's wider than both bags, but the "give" of the fabrics should enable it to nest inside. I'll use the Co-Pilot for my full camera kit and as a camera/field bag on excursions and the PCSB for the basic camera kit around town (no heavy birding lens), when I don't have to carry much else but a wallet and keys.

[plume]

The BF uses the RO Sunchaser as well. We don't do a lot of flying, mostly road trips like you and you are right, it isn't so great when not full. I'd love to see your packing list for the WF vs. the Sunchaser. I have used his a few times, but don't love it. Oh, and that Navy is stunning! :)

Hi darbs,

I suspect I'll just naturally gravitate toward using the bags for different kinds of trips, though I'm curious about how the WF will handle hiking boots and big bird books, which were the awkward, weighty items on my last two trips. I do like the Sunchaser and have taken it to England a few times, to China for two weeks, Ecuador, etc. But even that little bag gets heavy when full (and I use the OpTech/Absolute strap--happened to have one around from an old camera bag). In any case, I'll post a comparison when I take the WF out for a spin.

[Walker]

. . . I've ordered a camera insert from Courierware (a Vermont company) that Walker (in another thread) says fits in both the Co-Pilot (mine is Forest/Steel) and PCSB. . . .

The mini Courierware camera insert does fit inside the PCSB and the Co-Pilot. I am NOT crazy about it and I think it is overpriced for what it is. But I have not found a similarly-sized insert. Photos below. The empty space next to the black pouch is where I put my LX5 (used to take the photos). The black pouch carries the 14-140 mm Panasonic micro four thirds lens. If I had it mounted on the camera, I put the camera with the lens up (its hood reversed) in that larger space in the camera insert. I put the 17 mm lens in the big pouch and puts that in the smaller section of the camera insert.

The mini TB padded OP carries spare battery (perfect for 2 spare batteries for the GH2 - I only have 1) - and a collection of 1 GB SD cards. I had them forever from older camera models and I just keep them around "just in case".

The last photo is the camera insert inside my Co-Pilot. There is plenty of room left inside the bag, even with the Camera insert inside.

Cannot go without this plea: I HOPE Tom considers making a smaller model of the Camera I/O for the micro four thirds system. There is a definite gap in the market for this. I do have the Camera I/O. Shrink it by 2 to 3 inches on the length and width, keep the depth (i.e. front to back measurement the same) - and it will be great for the micro four thirds.

[moriond]

Honestly, I wanted a Cardinal Breve (not available, so I also contemplated a cork one) and would have had a hard time choosing between Navy/Solar and Forest/UV if the latter were available for the WF. I do love the solar, though, and am perfectly content with the navy, which, as many others have noted, is a lovely color. And should I need it for a business trip, I'll be subtly zippy (thanks, kmcg) and nicely professional.

Your Navy set looks great, as everyone else has said. I ordered the Breve in Cardinal, then wondered about whether I wouldn't have rather opted for Cork, when that option quietly showed up a month or two later (but after I had already taken off the tags).

Thanks for posting the camera insert pictures with the packing cube shoulder bag. I have this, too, and the Iberian looks stunning.

moriond

[plume]

Thanks, Walker, for posting the pictures! I understood you weren't crazy about the insert and thought it overpriced, but as you noted, it's the only one available at the right size. The one Domke insert that is the right width is unfortunately too tall. My insert will be here in a day or so, and I'll follow your lead with my Oly EPL-2 and assorted gear.

I second the desire for a TB camera I/O that fits a smaller bag and a smaller camera!