Houston we have a problem :)

[BWeaves]

Travel Tray - Large. It holds things easier. I find the small one too fiddly.

Shop Bags are infinitely useful. I like the large ones better than the small ones. It's also a great way to try out all the colors.

A30 in ballistic. I've traveled for a week using an A30 and didn't even fill it up. It was also about as heavy as I could carry. The A45 is just too big and heavy. I want wheels if I'm going for a bag the size of an A45.

I also like my ballistic WF even better than my A30.

And I love my Medium Road duffle (aka Doggienaut36, D36) even more than the A30. It's just that little bit bigger than the A30, but doesn't have backstraps, which I don't use anyway. It's much lighter than the A30, but holds more.

I have both SE and SK. I like the SK better for an everyday purse, but the SE fits nicely in the front pocket of my Pilot. So, if I'm traveling with my Pilot, I'll bring my SE as my travel purse. If I need to carry more stuff, I'll use my SK, and it fits in the end pockets of my A30 and D36 with room to spare.

[kieri]

A45 in ballistic for me - either I travel with the Smart Alec as my only bag (same basic size as the S25) or I use a small handbag and carry the A45 with the intention of checking it.

[mcumeda]

I love bags too. I have a GR1 and GR2 as well as a Synapse. The Synapse is easily my favorite one. It can be when it needs to be and compact when it isn't full. The GORUCK bags are nice and rugged, but the Synapse is my go to bag. Good choice!

[Ilkyway]

My takes on some of your questions:

A30 vs A45: I never use either of them in backpack mode so if you consider doing that this answer might be wrong. But carried by the handle the Aeronouts underpack nicely somif you only want one of them I'd go for the lager one and just not fill it up if not needed. That way you have the extra space for when you need it. In backpack mode I have read that an underpacked Aeronout can be a bit uncompftable. I always have a daypack so my back is already occupied with that.

Laundry Stuff Sacks: I only use thouse for car travel. For flights I use the eather packingcubes as they are the lightest and put one Nightflight Travelduffle Packingcube inside for my underwear. And as items get used the NFTD-Packingcube than becomes the dirty-stuff place. This way I can seperate stuff out but carry less weight.

Travel Tray: I use several around the house but for travel I prefear the medium Yarn Stuff Sack. I can clip it ieasily to an O-ring or if I travel with the Smart Alec like right now to where the Upper Modular Pocket attaches to the lid of the SA. It is floppy so it does not look as neet as a Travel Tray but that does not bother me. It sits on my nightstand in the hotel and contains my hearbuts (man Las Palmas is a noisy city!!!) my audiobook-device tissues and a hair elastic.

SE vs Side Kick: I use a Side Effect as a hip-bag ever since I ordered my first on a daily bases. It might not be the most elegant way of carrying it but it is so very practical. I have tried on a Side Kick in the same way and it way compftable no problems there. But somehow I felt it was too kuch of an eye catcher. It made me selfconcios if that makes any sense. Tough my hight (6'2) should make it look less bigish. It might just be my head but I could not do it. I love the Side Kick for all its organisation and often have one in my backpack of the day as a bag-in-bag thing. To summerise: it works like a hip-bag but I feel I like the SE better (purely from an optical point of view).

Ilkyway

PS: all the love for the Travel Tray on actuall travel here made me determind to try one out on my next travel :-)

[Nef]

I love bags too. I have a GR1 and GR2 as well as a Synapse. The Synapse is easily my favorite one. It can be when it needs to be and compact when it isn't full. The GORUCK bags are nice and rugged, but the Synapse is my go to bag. Good choice!

Hi. Sorry to hijack the thread a bit but could you possibly help me out here? I am also interested in the synapse (most likely 19) but the GoRuck GR1 21L got me interested too lately. I really honestly don't carry anything with me other than 2 bottles 1 klean kanteen for water and 1 contigo for coffee but I have a timbuk2 messenger which even with those two bottles gets annoying and heavy to carry. So my daily carry would just be two water bottles lol but it would expand to hold diaper duty after work whenever needed. Just wondering your opinion I guess. I really like the organization of synapse and how I could have one main bottle in the water bottle compartment and have the smaller coffee tumbler in the other. Other pockets could be used for diapers and medicine/first aid and any change of clothes for the little one. But I like how the GR1 looks and that it is real rugged and the organization although different could work as well. Thanks!

[mcumeda]

The gr1 is an awesome bag, but it is not great at holding bottles since there is minimal organization and features. The synapse is overloaded with clever features and thoughtfulness. You could use the internal or external webbing to help keep the cups upright in the gr1. You could use buy a camera insert and instead of using it to keep lenses organized, you could use it keep your cups upright.

Something like this. https://www.amazon.com/Camera-Protec...=Camera+insert

I used my synapse as a diaper bag, and it was awesome. I knew where everything was and could get to it quickly. You can do it in the gr1, but you'll have to use pouches to help organize.

Let me know if you have any questions!

[carl0]

Agree with the above, the Goruck bag has no "built in" bottle holders. I use a carabiner to hang mine from the molle inside.

[Travelman505]

Hi. Sorry to hijack the thread a bit but could you possibly help me out here? I am also interested in the synapse (most likely 19) but the GoRuck GR1 21L got me interested too lately. I really honestly don't carry anything with me other than 2 bottles 1 klean kanteen for water and 1 contigo for coffee but I have a timbuk2 messenger which even with those two bottles gets annoying and heavy to carry. So my daily carry would just be two water bottles lol but it would expand to hold diaper duty after work whenever needed. Just wondering your opinion I guess. I really like the organization of synapse and how I could have one main bottle in the water bottle compartment and have the smaller coffee tumbler in the other. Other pockets could be used for diapers and medicine/first aid and any change of clothes for the little one. But I like how the GR1 looks and that it is real rugged and the organization although different could work as well. Thanks!

I own a few Goruck packs, the GR1 (both the 21L and 26L), the 32L Kit Bag and I have the forthcoming 45L GR3 on order. I also have a few TB bags - both Aeronouts, the Synapse 25 and the Pilot, and a slew of Red Oxx bags. TB has a different organizational philosophy for its bags than either Goruck or Red Oxx. TB bags and packs have many compartments, sleeves, etc., somewhat constricting one as to how to pack. Goruck and Red Oxx, on the other hand, employ less organizational features, allowing much more freedom and choice as to how to pack and organize. I tend to prefer the latter approach.

All three companies produce top quality bags and packs. And, while TB gear is exceptionally well made, Goruck packs are "bomb proof" and, it could be argued, Red Oxx bags are actually over-built. As a result, TB bags tend to be lighter than either Goruck or Red Oxx.

The water bottle issue is not an issue with the Goruck. The GR1 has wonderful MOLLE webbing, allowing one to easily attach any number of pouches or other items to the pack, including water bottle holders. Goruck sells its own holder and there are many others on the market, but this is the one I prefer: MIL-SPEC MONKEY STORE It is very secure, ultralight, will hold any size bottle (including the 32oz Nalgene), and folds flat when not in use. Hope this helps.

[chungliwen]

I love love love my Travel Tray (L). Have a ballistic A45 too, which is my main travel bag. Will be getting a S25 once the colour I want is back in stock.

Travel tray feels like one of those so simple yet "why didn't anybody think of this" things.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[BagHabit]

So today I received the clean/dirty travel sack and a small travel tray (still not large since I became obsessed .

This is not helping my obsession. Every time I receive something, I want more stuff.

I really "need" some sort of travel bag for a trip later next week. Just have to decide which one??

Also, I am guessing others go through this.... I see all sorts of amazing colors I want, but somehow end up buying black and or cloud in everything. So boring. I have to branch out

[BagHabit]

Question. Halcyon vs. Aether cubes. Who likes which and why?

Also, I have a million packing cubes (from someone else ). I am thinking of getting a Aeronaut. Does wanting the cubes made for this bag make me insane? Probably....

[FoxValleyDame]

Welcome to the obsession! My must-haves that are used constantly are:

Shop Bag (large or small depending on load) - Everyday carry tote
Side Kick - everyday carry purse, nestled inside shop bag
Aeronaut 30 - weekend travel bag. Will get A45 for longer trips.
Most used accessories - small travel tray, cubelets, large snake charmer (diaper kit), double organizer pouches of all sizes, halcyon organizer pouches of multiple sizes, mini q-kits, size 1&2 stuff sacks, clear quarter packing cubes (art supplies), clear 3D organizer cube.

Like you, I'm normally drawn to black and grey colors (especially with my wardrobe), but I happily branched out into more colors since I've found Tom Bihn. I love the aubergine ballistic and am super happy that I got it for my A30 and side kick...it is a subtle purple color that is both unique and classy. But I also love the black halcyon for my shop bag since I carry it everywhere and need it to go from casual to business settings.

I feel your dilemma with the packing cubes. I have a ton of packing cubes from other brands (ones that fit perfectly in my A30 already) so I haven't pulled the trigger yet on Tom Bihn ones. But I am tempted to throw them on every order anyway. I personally would probably go the aether route for the weight savings. Plus I really like the aether colors offered.

Good luck with your purchases! Be careful...it's a slippery slope (in a very good way) into the Tom Bihn world once you get exposed to the quality!

[slbear]

I have and A30 and so glad I bought the large PC for my shirts and pants. It fits perfectly as the first layer in the main compartment. Small clothes go into an Eagle Creek half cube, and it fits well on top with room beside it for the large Travel Tray and whatever else I need for a given trip.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[BagHabit]

I have just ordered way too much stuff I have honestly lost my mind. Up until today, I had not even created my account. I just did and saw the total of what I have ordered in the last two weeks and almost passed out.

I need to take a break

[BagHabit]

question.

Many of you love the shop bag. Halcyon or Ballistic?

Thoughts?

Muchas Gracias!