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[bchaplin]

I just looked, and wish I hadn't. Two combos that I would have gone wild for if they had been offered on the Smart Alec: Coyote/Moab and Black/Fjord....

[bchaplin]

I'm curious about this too, but either way am pretty convinced that I will get the RB36. If nothing else, I keep hearing that the way it sits makes it easier to "live out of" than the Aeronaut/Techonaut bags, and this is important to me when I stay in airBNBs or guest rooms that don't have...

[bchaplin]

Thanks for this comparison! Yeah, the Road Buddy 36 looks pretty spacious when viewed next to the Aeronaut 45 (which is already on the large side for me).

Hoping my comment will bump this thread so that others will see it.

[bchaplin]

I do want one of these but am really torn about which size to get. The 36 seems more practical for a 5’2” person, but it does overlap with a lot of other capacities of travel gear I already own. Either would be primarily for road trips. But I wonder how the 60 would pack up in a car where space...

[bchaplin]

The aspect of the gatekeeper clips I like is that the fabric on the bags that they attach to is not that obvious when they're removed. But yeah, I am ordering a new Smart Alec after not having one for a long time, and I will either keep the UMP and LMP attached or not over the long-term -- it's too...

[bchaplin]

That seems like a good safety feature!...

[bchaplin]

When I first got the Paragon I was interested in this question too! I mostly use my Techonaut 30, and my recollection is that it did not fit. It could, possibly, in the A45, if the side partitions open enough. Hopefully someone with both bags can answer this.

[bchaplin]

One thing that is counterintuitive, but seems to work for me, is to chop up any fruits into a Tupperware. An intact apple keeps better, but somehow having it in pieces makes it more inviting to eat (and share). I like to add raisins to the container; they get soft and taste better than they do straight...

[bchaplin]

Yeah, if I was carrying one and someone asked me about it, I'd probably just call it a "backpack". The Paramour thing is funny but more of an inside joke for us Tom Bihn people.

[bchaplin]

I know colors are very subjective, but I've never understood mixing grey (like Northwest Sky or Cloud) with a warm tone (like Coyote, Ursa, or Burnt Orange). To me, they clash, particularly if the grey has a blue undertone.

[bchaplin]

Here is my black Paragon next to my Red Blend Zeitgeist; analogous to the Paramour and Paradigm.

Excuse the messy backdrop:


and the Zeitgeist IN the Paragon:
...

[bchaplin]

Oh, I just missed the part about the S19! I don't have that, but maybe someone else does.

[bchaplin]

The width and height of the Paragon and Paramour are identical; the only difference I can see (from the product pages) is the depth due to the 3D pocket of the Paramour. The Zeitgeist and Paradigm have the same dimensional relationship. So, for example, I could photograph my Zeitgeist against one of...

[bchaplin]

Those are beautiful! Particularly the Verde one!

I just ordered my "new" Smart Alec... the best combination for me was Ursa/Sangria -- I would have loved an all black 1050d, or Coyote, but I'm not crazy about the grey interiors. Hoping this one works out! I have a Grab Bag in...

[bchaplin]

I think the Wilderness might even have more of a sheen than Deep Blue. They are both nice colors. You may also want to consider the interior colorways as part of your decision-making process.

As for height, I'm 5'2" and the Smart Alec was ok for me. But I sort of remember that the...

[bchaplin]

Even if they are currently testing something, that is probably a time-consuming process. So my guess is that there wouldn't be an announcement for a while.

That said, I'm holding onto anything I own in 400d Halcyon now ...

[bchaplin]

There is a picture here that seems to show that (looks like 6 points to me, if you page down a bit):
https://forums.tombihn.com/forum/tom...alec#post78089

[bchaplin]

Fantastic photos and explanations, thank you!

I did not try the Shadow Guide when they were released -- in fact, I don't think I've seen them in person, because the lack of a top zipper unnerved me a bit, though I don't know if my reservation about that is justified.

I traveled...

[bchaplin]

Thanks! These pictures are great and answered my own questions about the lower modular pocket. They make me wish I'd jumped on getting an entire setup when the pockets were available in matching colors, because that's such a nice look. But on the other hand, there are some improvements that might make...

[bchaplin]

I'm usually just carrying one (larger) bag, like a backpack. But I'm very fixated on colors -- one of the reasons I like Tom Bihn so much, I think! So I'm happy if all my pouches complement each other, and the interior color. Currently I prefer the greens and browns, so my collection has shifted to...