Grab Bags

[bchaplin]

A month in, and I wanted to add that I appreciate the Zeitgeist even more as time goes by, although I'm not carrying it as a daily commuter bag. It has earned a coveted spot near my front door. It's great for transporting books, for instance, and its small size makes me comfortable taking it places...

[bchaplin]

That’s a long flight! But I have done regular train rides since May 2021 (totaling 10 hours a week) as part of my commute (and have PCR-tested negative every week throughout), and I think the same principles apply. Stay masked whenever possible, disinfect hands before and after touching your mask,...

[bchaplin]

Nope, everything was in stock (ie, the correct buttons had appeared underneath each item in the wish list, and they didn't sell out at any time in the purchasing process). I just clicked the top button once but nothing happened, then tried it again, and decided to add them individually by clicking the...

[bchaplin]

The ability to pick our own colors is what convinced me to give the pocket pouch another try, so I'd vote for keeping that option, even if it means that a specific choice will sell out. I would suggest just making more of the popular choices from today, if your materials allow that. (And that's an interesting...

[bchaplin]

I did manage to get everything I wanted, and I think the key to that is desiring colors that are not popular! I had preloaded all the items into my wishlist. When they showed as available, clicking the button to move them all to the cart did not work, so I clicked each one individually, but that was...

[bchaplin]

My usual "PLO" in terms of organizing is the Side Kick, and that goes into my Paragon, which is my daily carry. I take a lot of things to work. I did try out both of the minibags, and they are too small for me as an EDC. So I see using the Zeitgeist for non-work occasions, where I want to...

[bchaplin]

I have to add: of the two mini-backpacks Tom Bihn sent me, after reviewing them, I ended up keeping the Zeitgeist and giving the Paradigm to my sister. She seemed to really like it! She does a lot of short trips, like going into DC for the day (as she lives nearby), and it's just big enough to hold...

[bchaplin]

Just to make it real, if he excuses himself to go to the bathroom, let him know that he has to wait until the flight attendants have removed the food cart from the aisle, and then put the "buckle your seatbelt" sign back on due to turbulence

But seriously, if you're making...

[bchaplin]

PaulT00 No personal issues, but if I’m carrying prescription drugs and flying internationally, I do sometimes peel off the label from the bottle and add it to the bags. I don’t remember ever being challenged on it but better safe than sorry. Lately I’m just doing road trips so it doesn’t matter....

[bchaplin]

It depends on the length of the trip, but generally I take the number of pills I'll need (plus maybe a few extras) from each bottle, and place them in a small plastic bag -- the kind that you can get from a pharmacy, an inch or two in each dimension. And label them with a sharpie. If the pills are in...

[bchaplin]

Great post, Cristina ! I think there are two ways of doing things: some of us keep our belongings 'encapsulated' in pouches and minibags so that they can easily be moved from one pack to another, and some spread things out for easier access. For the latter, the Paradigm and Synapse/Synik lines might...

[bchaplin]

Hi, bartleby . A question for you, now that you've probably had time to compare all three bags: the Paragon, the DLBP and the Zeitgeist.

For me, I had settled on the Paragon as my everyday commuter bag, and actually ended up getting a few of them so that I could alternate, since I walk...

[bchaplin]

Surrealle : I tried out my Zeitgeist on my commute today for the first time. It was so tiny compared to the Paragon that it almost seemed like a toy! The Zeitgeist basically fit everything I needed, but just that, minus the spare umbrella or sweater I usually carry. Contents were: HLT-1, and Small...

[bchaplin]

If I was willing to sacrifice the dried beans I stashed away from mid-2020, I could answer this question in a scientific way. Does anyone remember what the company uses to determine the volumes?

[bchaplin]

Aww, that looks so nice! I was never able to get the DLBP to work for me as a daily carry, but have always wondered about it in ballistic. This morning I was deciding between my Paragon and the Zeitgeist, and I would have appreciated an option in the middle of the two, as I was not able to get my umbrella...

[bchaplin]

The official specs say it is 9.4" (w) x 5.3" (h) x 4.1" (d). I don't have a Synapse 25 but can try it out in my Synik 22 tomorrow!...

[bchaplin]

I think that's due to the angles in my photos - sorry! There is a taper. Excuse my messy kitchen in the background; maybe this helps a little? It still doesn't show it completely, but the bottom is definitely wider then the top part, just like the product photo.

...

[bchaplin]

I think that Tom Bihn described the Grab Bag as a cross between a 3D cube and a Snake Charmer, but honestly, the only resemblance to the 3D cube I can see is that it has a single section. In shape and size, it's much closer to a Snake Charmer, just without the divider or mesh sides. Here is my UV 3D...

[bchaplin]

Disclaimer: I received this bag from Tom Bihn in exchange for my feedback.

Tom Bihn was kind enough to send me a Grab Bag, and I've been playing around with how I might use it in everyday packing. If others who have one would like to add to this thread, please feel free! (Or of course,...

[bchaplin]

hamiltee : I don't know if I'll still have power after Henri barrels through, but the quick answer is that the back compartment of the Paradigm and the main compartment of the Zeitgeist seem to be similar in size. The large Snake Charmer I have, lightly filled, is fine in either one (the photo above...