Need a companion bag for my Tri-Star!

[majesticj]

I have been deliriously happy with my Tri-Star over the past year. For the first 6 months of ownership, I was traveling for my weekly gig with 4 days worth of clothes packed into the Tri-Star and my laptop in a separate bag (Filson 256).

However, my travel patterns have changed recently. I seem to be doing more trips where the Tri-Star is either too big or too little -- too big for weekend trips to Europe, too little for 4 days when I have to be suited at the customer site. To alleviate the former, I'm getting a Brain Cell (which will alleviate some of the knocks my little Macbook has been getting being just loose in the centre compartment). To alleviate the latter, I'm looking at getting another bag.

What I really want is Tom Bihn's take on a tri-fold garment bag that is MLC size when folded and puts up as well as my Tri-Star if I have to put it in the hold (I fly on a lot of regional jets). As far as I can tell, though, Tom Bihn doesn't have a take on garment bags at all. None of the other companies mentioned in the same breath as Tom Bihn have anything satisfactory, either:

- Red Oxx has two options, both bifold. Neither seems substantial enough to not squish in the hold
- Briggs & Riley has a trifold option, but it's heavy and expensive. Also, the storage inside is weaker than I would expect from Tom Bihn.
- Tumi: you can get trifold and other storage with wheels, you can get trifold without other storage without wheels, or you can get bifold with other storage without wheels. Also, $$$

Anyone know of any other options?

[JohnDel]

Two possible options:

Patagonia MLC Burrito (its really a bag, not a food item)

Lands End cotton canvas garment bag - no longer made that I know of but occasionally available on ebay, craigslist, etc.

[backpack]

The Aeronaute fits a suit really well.

Check you tube for ways of folding a suit.

I am able to fit 2 suit jackets (one Medium size in wool, one XXL in light weight polyester) in a Backpack Packing Cube for the Aeronaut.

It surprisingly takes very little space, the more time taken to fold the suits to minimize wrinkles, the better the suits look when taken out of the Backpack Packing Cube.

I have a trifold with no wheel in the last brand mentioned in the first post.
The bag is not only very expensive, it is so heavy, even empty, that it can double as weight exercise equipment.
Forget running or even fast walking with the flimsy shoulder strap included. This is a check in bag only, which is not reassuring because the zippers are exposed to the elements and do not close all the way.


Since travel size restriction have been in place the thing is relegated to storage and used during moves to protect suits.

The minute Tom Bihn creates a garment bag the weight lifting trifold is going to a charity shop.