Steel as an interior

[al85]

Do any of you have bags with steel as an interior color (not steel Dyneema, just steel)? I've been eyeing the SCBs (in particular the navy/steel combo), but I don't know how well steel works as an interior. For full disclosure, all of my bags have a bright lining (solor or iberian) except for a linen/navy bag (which I no longer use because of the dark colored interior) and a steel/cayenne (which is currently being borrowed by my roommate). I namely worry about whether or not I'll be able to easily find items since there's less of a reflective/contrast between the contents and the interior color.

Thanks.

[rocketlackey]

I have both steel and iberian lined bags, and I can't say I have a preference. The steel is on a Co-Pilot (CP), so the compartments are small enough that I generally find things on feel and not sight. But really, both are plenty bright with a good light source and too dark without one. That even applies to the inside of my wife's ultraviolet shop bag.

That probably doesn't help you though. Sorry!

[marytattoo]

I have both steel and iberian lined bags, and I can't say I have a preference. The steel is on a Co-Pilot (CP), so the compartments are small enough that I generally find things on feel and not sight. But really, both are plenty bright with a good light source and too dark without one. That even applies to the inside of my wife's ultraviolet shop bag.

That probably doesn't help you though. Sorry!

I'd also say, what color accessories will you have inside? If they are bright, you'll look for that color. Also, how well do you like steel?

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[al85]

I'd also say, what color accessories will you have inside? If they are bright, you'll look for that color. Also, how well do you like steel?

Solar & Iberian, mostly. I don't mind steel -- it's the exterior to one of my MCBs -- I just think it might be too dark as an interior.

[marytattoo]

Solar & Iberian, mostly. I don't mind steel -- it's the exterior to one of my MCBs -- I just think it might be too dark as an interior.

You wouldn't have a hard time finding solar and Iberian things inside a steel.

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[Ilkyway]

Is your cafe bag that has steel as an exterior parapack? If so: cafe bags are so easily fliped inside out that you might do that to get a feeling how that steel woeks for you as an interior.

For what it's worth: the Co Pilod is lined with dyneema so dies not work as an example here.

Ilkyway

[al85]

My MCB is either steel ballistic or steel cordura. I bought it before parapack was introduced.

[AltruisticRobot]

I have a Daylight Briefcase with the steel parapack interior and I will say that I have some trouble finding darker colored stuff in it. like marytattoo said, if you have brightly colored accessories, it's not an issue. But when I first started using the DLBC, I had a heck of a time finding my sunglasses case inside it, simply because it's black - it's like my hand would kind of swim around it. Lots of cursing would be had and I would end up dumping the contents of the bag just so I could find my glasses and shade my eyes.

I solved the problem by putting my sunglasses case into a size 1 island stuff sack, looping a key strap through the drawstring and attaching that to an o-ring.

Hopefully the picture shows the darkness of the steel parapack against a brighter color well enough.

[al85]

That's very helpful @AltruisticRobot! Thank you.

[kkintea]

I also think steel parapack is dark as a lining color, especially in the cafe bag where there is a lot of vertical space. As an exterior, I absolutely love my steel parapack side effect.

[jujigatame]

My small Cafe Bag has a steel interior and it's fine for me. If you're used to something much brighter then it would take some getting used to but it's a small enough bag that stuff doesn't really have a place to hide.

[kathryn]

My Imago has a steel interior. Sometimes small, dark items will get lost, but I have most stuff like that tethered or clipped somehow. Also, it's a small enough bag that nothing can really get too lost--and I can find my every-day items by touch alone at this point

[AltruisticRobot]

I did as Ilkyway suggested and flipped my navy parapack SCB inside out and set it next to my MCB with steel parapack interior. Since you said you have a bag with a navy interior, this might help your decision more.


And for what jujigatme and Kathryn both said, it is a small bag, and therefore easier to find things by touch. But the way I am, I need to be able to see in there - vertical bags in general are harder for me to use because everything seems to pile up

[al85]

Thanks, everyone!