Considering a Daylight Briefcase...really close push me over

[thepinched]

I've been looking for a good briefcase/laptop bag for home-work-home. I don't travel for work. So I don't need massive amount of space, but I like organization. I use a backpack now as I have spots for everything. But papers slide down into the bottom to be forgotten for weeks.

My carry would be:
Macbook Pro 13 Retina
1/4in wide folder
Moleskin notebook
bluetooth headset
pens, keys, gum, checkbook, smaller items like this.
Zojirushi 20 ounce water bottle

I could just carry the water bottle in my hand. Would make it easier if it went into the bag.

i have considered the DLBC, Pilot and cadet. The Cadet and Pilot seem like a lot of space. Maybe I'm wrong. But the lack of structure for the DLBC is a concern.

Thoughts - suggestions?

[kayaking]

I love my makers bag for just this purpose. When I travel with my laptop I'm typically providing tech support for workshops so I have lots of bags going and just put the laptop in one

[thepinched]

Interesting option - pretty sizable bag...I'll take a closer look.

[Fulton]

I love my makers bag for just this purpose. When I travel with my laptop I'm typically providing tech support for workshops so I have lots of bags going and just put the laptop in one

+1. This is becoming a regular EDC bag for me. I like my DLBC and love it for short business trips where it packs in my Western Flyer and comes out for meetings. But the Makers Bag eats a water bottle, lunch and papers with much more capacity. If anything, I wish it were a touch longer so a letter-sized file fit more comfortable with a water bottle.


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[marytattoo]

if you aren't a fan of messenger-style flaps, go with the pilot. if you get Halcyon, it will look "slimmer". some of us prefer bags that open at the top. although I'm using a makers bag right now, it's not my favorite bag because I'm not fond of flaps.

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[thepinched]

i looked at the maker's bag. i like the functionality of it. but the flap is a deal breaker for me. I hadn't thought of material making the pilot look slimmer...more research needed. I did look at the Ristretto...it has the flap and missing more organization i think.

[Squirrel]

At the moment I use a Ballistic Pilot as my work bag. It carries a 13'' Macbook, iPad air, sometimes some papers in the main compartment. Water bottle or thermos in the front center compartment, Side Effect with phone, wallet and other essentials in one of the front compartments.

I like that I do not have to dig around too much, that everything has its spot. Especially when I am not in my office but visit some other site I feel everything is safely contained but very accessible.

I like that the water bottle compartment is centered which balances the load nicely.

In addition to every day use I think the Pilot makes a great personal item when traveling by plane.

I haven't use a Daylight Briefcase so I can't compare the two.

[tpnl]

If it helps, this is what I can comfortably put in my DLBC (filled to medium capacity):



I posted on it when the DLBC was introduced (if you have not already done so, have a look through the whole thread to see the great ways people are using their DLBC):

What I carry in my DLBC

IMHO, you can fit everything you need in the DLBC. As for organization, there are 2 useful pockets in the front (in addition to the veritical slash pocket in the front) and one in the main compartment. If you want more specific organization (e.g. dedicated pen holders), you can get some Field Journal Notebook (FJN) inserts which fit great in the front pockets - See moriond great post of the new Halcyon DLBC, 13" MBA and FJN insert:



The new Black (Dark Grid) Halcyon Daylight Briefcase

As for the 20oz thermos, based on the dimensions, it is similar in size to my Life Factory 22oz water bottle. This bottle will fit sideways in the front slash pocket and the back pocket. However, it will bulge. But, I think you could still fit what you need as well as your thermos.

For fun, I tried out another option for carrying a waterbottle / thermos that I really like. I put my water bottle vertically in the middle of the back pocket. As the DLBC has 2 zippers, you can tighten the opening from both sides to keep the bottle snug. Also, there are 2 O-rings in the back pocket to which I added a TB backpack waist strap and cinched it around the water bottle to keep it from swaying around too much while still being able to get it out easily. Now, this is a little bit of overkill but I am sure you can think of something similar - maybe bungie cord or just a length or paracord (TB sells these as well).

For further good insights into using the DLBC, weirdguy did a great review of his use of it as an EDC for a year:



Another about Daylight Briefcase, after 1 Year of Using as Work EDC

Now, for me, I do like the Pilot if I am carrying a water bottle / thermos. I agree with marytattoo that it can still look very thin with the bottle in it and I like it for keeping its shape (ballistic version).

Hope this helps
Cheers!

[Pokilani]

I really love my DLBC. I have the MB too, but it's pretty big.

Here's a thread I started with the DLBC as my mobile office. I could have easily fit a small water bottle (eg 16 insulated kleen lantern).

https://forums.tombihn.com/general-b...e-help-tb.html




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[thepinched]

I read those threads. And reread them.

Wow now i am further split between the Pilot and DLBC. On one hand the Pilot would just be easier to load up but far bigger. With the DLBC I would have to plan space. I could always walk from car to office w the water bottle in my hand. not a huge deal breaker. smack my head!

[thepinched]

Very good use of space...very organized!

[thepinched]

Can anyone confirm if the Daylight Briefcase has any internal organization? Or are they all just zippered pouches?

[luvdabags]

On the front outside of the bag, there is the angled zipper pocket, and the full width zipper pocket above it is divided in half vertically. Inside the main compartment is a full width slide pocket with elastic top and loops for a computer cache to hook to if you have one.

[thepinched]

Gotcha - so that's why you need to add various organization pieces.

[moriond]

Can anyone confirm if the Daylight Briefcase has any internal organization? Or are they all just zippered pouches?

If you're asking whether the Daylight Briefcase has separately stitched down pockets for pens, separate notebooks, business cards, etc., like the Cafe Bags, then the answer is no, it doesn't. But this doesn't mean that when you use it you lack organization. I'd rather use the Field Journal Notebook inserts for pens and the FJN pocket insert sized for small notebooks/planners to add my organization, place them where I like (probably in the main compartment, in my case) and be able to shift them and their contents (plus anything I attached to an organizer pouch) to other locations/bags/desktop rather than have this configuration permanently stitched into the bag.

I like the fact that I can access my Kindle by just separately unzipping one of the front compartments on the outside of the bag, without having to open the main compartment where my laptop is stored, and that I can do this easily, one-handed, even while the bag is on my shoulder and while I'm walking. I can't do this with the heavier zippers on the Pilot, and also because if I put my Kindle or an iPad Mini into one of the front compartments, the zipper action goes around a corner. On a Maker's Bag I'd have to reach under the flap. Either of those bags is great if I want to carry more items: if I were routinely carrying blockier items, like camera lens components, they would fit in the Pilot. Or, if I needed to double that bag to take along clothing for an overnight trip along with my laptop, notes, Kindle, etc. in the same bag, the Pilot would work fine for me. If I needed to carry more bulk in books, the Maker's Bag would handle that. But, if I want my organization, easy access, and just enough space for a more minimalist carry, I'll choose the Daylight Briefcase.

I can store additional papers and notes in the back zippered pocket, which completely closes, in addition to using the pocket that runs the length of the main compartment, opposite where my rMB 13 laptop might sit. But I love the fact that this isn't the only use of the back pocket. Because it has a design that can expand more to fit its contents, unlike the straight open pocket of the Pilot and other earlier bags, I can also decide to store a sweater there, if I'm at a conference with overly air conditioned rooms.

I also love the easy access to the diagonal front zippered pocket (which I can again access easily with one hand, even when the bag is on my shoulder and I'm walking), to pull out letter envelopes, itineraries, boarding passes, etc. or to easily store receipts. An iPad air can also slide into this compartment.

I think it's just a question of which bag best fits your needs. (I have all the bags that were discussed above, and other briefcases like the Cadet, I also like to have organization inside my bags).

HTH

moriond