A30, guidance please!

[tessa.vanz]

Hello all, I'm pretty new to the TB 'community'. My partner recently moved across the country and I'm hoping to be able to fly and visit him easily. For my most recent week long trip I packed in a non-TB (adidas) 24L duffle and pretty much maxed it out.. and my shoes didn't fit

I'm thinking the A30 is going to be the most functional as my main bag, and most versatile going forwards with potential travel to EU. I currently own a DLBP in Aubergine ballistic, Travel cubelet in aubergine, MCB sized Freudian slip, large dawn travel tray, wasabi deluxe spiff kit and small A30 laundry packing cube.

Basically I'm looking for advice on which material I should go for (I love the look of the black halcyon with wasabi, but think ballistic may be a better choice), opinions on colours, and packing accessories (side kick vs PCSB), etc.

Thanks!!

[pure5152]

Check out this forum thread, and specifically @Pokilani 's great post comparing the two fabrics!

https://forums.tombihn.com/questions...s-halcyon.html

TL;DR: Ballistic has better structure, whereas halcyon is more floppy but weights substantially less (although halcyon's more flexible fabric makes it easier to overpack, possibly offsetting any weight savings if you tend to overstuff your bag). From personal experience with both, I'd recommend ballistic - the more rigid fabric just makes it more usable when trying to live out of it.

[Denises]

As the proud owner of an original halcyon with wasabi A30, I'd say go for what you love. I've taken my A30 on several international trips which have included plane, train and bus travel. It's stood up very well to this. I use an A30 packing cube backpack and a small packing cube for my clothing, and I have found it easy to live out of the A30.

[aedifica]

Welcome, @tessa.vanz! I live across the country from my partner too--we've been making it work long-distance for almost four years!

As far as Side Kick vs PCSB: it depends on how you expect to use it most and what you want to put in it. Do you have plans for how you'd use it? The PCSB is really more of a packing cube that can be a purse as needed; the Side Kick is a purse that would make a fairly bad packing cube (not impossible to use as a packing cube, but far from ideal). So if your plans are purse-ish, I recommend the SK unless the things you want to carry in it are too big for the SK.

You're probably aware that the Aubergine Aeronaut 30 is a thicker fabric than your Aubergine DLBP and Travel Cubelet (1050d vs 525d). The two fabrics don't have quite the same sheen, which means that in some lights they seem to be just slightly different colors--I mention it in case that would bother you if you were going to use them together. I think Aubergine looks nice with Burnt Orange and Steel, and if I liked Verde I would probably also like Verde and Aubergine together. (I tried to like Verde but I prefer a darker green.) Your Wasabi items would go with any of those colors too in my opinion. I'm not as sure about Dawn--it keeps going well with colors I would have thought it would go badly with, and sometimes goes badly with colors I would have thought it would go well with. :-)

[tessa.vanz]

Thanks all for the amazing answers!

You’ve lead me down the rabbit hole of aubergine 525 vs 1050, I knew they were different but didn’t realize that it would impact colour! I do love the aubergine I have, but it may bother me if things don’t match (oops).

I think I probably want a side kick but I don’t want to want a side kick, if that makes sense? Haha I’ve never held the 1050d ballistic so I’m a bit worried about how thick it will be.... hmm. Too bad I’m not closer to Seattle!


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[aedifica]

I’ve never held the 1050d ballistic so I’m a bit worried about how thick it will be.... hmm. Too bad I’m not closer to Seattle!

You can ask them for a fabric sample! It's not the same as seeing a whole bag in that fabric, but sometimes it's a lot better than nothing. Or you can order the bag to see if it's right for you; here's the return policy. Another entry in that FAQ answers the question "How do I try out a bag without making it 'used'?"

[tessa.vanz]

You can ask them for a fabric sample! It's not the same as seeing a whole bag in that fabric, but sometimes it's a lot better than nothing. Or you can order the bag to see if it's right for you; here's the return policy. Another entry in that FAQ answers the question "How do I try out a bag without making it 'used'?"

Thanks! I’m in Canada so I’d be worried about ++ shipping costs to return I’m also planning a trip sometime in August so I should order soon... I really need to stop being so last minute! I think my heart is leaning towards the black halcyon/wasabi, just trying to figure out my small bag companion now! Wishing the side kick was available in 210 ballistic so I could get it in dawn.


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[backpack]

Thanks! I’m in Canada so I’d be worried about ++ shipping costs to return I’m also planning a trip sometime in August so I should order soon... I really need to stop being so last minute! I think my heart is leaning towards the black halcyon/wasabi, just trying to figure out my small bag companion now! Wishing the side kick was available in 210 ballistic so I could get it in dawn.


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Since you currently own a DLBP and a Travel Cubelet in Aubergine, why not get a Side Kick in Aubergine? You are lucky that there are pictures of the Island interior in the product webpage. Northwest Sky is a very light gray that is great for inside visibility.

[tessa.vanz]

Since you currently own a DLBP and a Travel Cubelet in Aubergine, why not get a Side Kick in Aubergine? You are lucky that there are pictures of the Island interior in the product webpage. Northwest Sky is a very light gray that is great for inside visibility.

I kind of want more versatility? I don't really know if that's a good enough reason though haha! It is a really great colour though. hm. Stuck between doing the PCSB in dawn or the SK in aubergine. I think the SK is probably more practical. I love my travel cubelet and have used it every day since it came in the mail, but sometimes I want to bring my ereader or bullet journal but don't feel like I really need my whole DLBP

[backpack]

I kind of want more versatility? I don't really know if that's a good enough reason though haha! It is a really great colour though. hm. Stuck between doing the PCSB in dawn or the SK in aubergine. I think the SK is probably more practical. I love my travel cubelet and have used it every day since it came in the mail, but sometimes I want to bring my ereader or bullet journal but don't feel like I really need my whole DLBP

The Side Kick is definitely bigger than the Travel Cubelet and will hold your bullet journal and e-reader. It is like two Travel Cubelets side by side length wise.
Unlike the PCSB, you cannot use it for packing stuff.

The PCSB is more flexible and can hold tons of stuff like 3 paperbacks, even 4, if they are not too wide, or, a week or two worth of socks, you will be able to fit your bullet journal and your e-reader in the PCSB but I strongly suggest that you place your e-reader in a protective case if you are going to carry it in the PCSB.

I will say get both the Side Kick and the PCSB.