Thought I'd give some initial feedback after finally trying out these bags on an almost-two-week trip to Israel.
As background:
I traveled solo and independently and, by design, visited four cities in Israel, taking buses or trains to get from one to another. Whenever possible I avoided taxis, both to save money and because I thought it would be an interesting experience to try getting around on city transport. This trip was all about self-reliance. I had an iPhone 6 with a working local SIM card and a generous data allowance, and this was my savior, since I could pull up Google Maps with transit directions at any point. I should note that almost everyone I encountered spoke English, but asking directions gets tedious. So doing some pre-planning, and having the phone with an internet connection, made all the difference for me. I had two long layovers in Zurich, where I had no working cell phone, but didn't feel like bothering with the expense for this relatively short time.
I airbnb'd all my accommodations, and this was wonderful. I liked all the places I stayed, and got useful tips (and had nice conversations with my hosts), everywhere.
Aeronaut 30:
This was my first trip with my aubergine/wasabi ballistic Aeronaut 30. It was GREAT. Fitting everything inside was a challenge for me, since I am not a super-light packer. However, I found this much easier to handle than the larger Aeronaut 45.
It held:
- Flattened daylight backpack
- Large A30 cube with most of my clothes, including a merino top :)
- PCSB with sleeping clothes/items, in one side compartment
- Stuff sack with underwear and socks
- Stuff sack with Ziploc 3-1-1 bag
- Empty laundry bag
- Quick dry towel
- Cube with snacks
- Lots of miscellaneous cubes, (TB, Eagle Creek or Northface) with various other items
- One real (paper) guidebook to supplement my digital one, and a small phrasebook
I also had a sweater and jacket that I almost always carried or wore, along with my sneakers. That time of year, Boston (where I left from), Zurich (which I transited through) and Israel were on the coolish side most of the time. The sweater was a very light, drapey thing that could be used for dressing up a tiny bit, and for covering myself in religious areas. It was actually from REI, and one of my favorite clothes items.
Let me be honest: The packed A30 was still heavy. Usually this was fine, but in certain circumstances, like walking around the Zurich Airport after hours of flying, I was tired and really wishing I'd brought a roller. There were no circumstances on this particular trip where roller bags got checked but having a soft bag was a plus, but that's specific to the airline and route I was flying. I could see circumstances being different on U.S. domestic flights or European economy airlines, and think the A30 will be invaluable then. On the Israeli trains or long-distance buses, there were advantages to having a soft-sided bag. I could slide it in the areas between the seats or, on the bus, slip it in front of me in a vertical position. I could also have placed it underneath in the bus, but chose to keep it with me. So I did like having this capability, whereas a roller bag doesn't 'squeeze' into a small space as easily.
While traveling, the A30 was a dream for unpacking and repacking. Using lots of organizers of different colors and shapes was key for me, as I could quickly grab what I wanted and remember where everything belonged.
I prefer it to the Western Flyer-style bags in its open compartment design. I found it much easier to pack quickly.
Daylight Backpack, in black dyneema:
Also my first time using this bag. I really liked it. Every day I was touring, I packed it up and left the Pilot. It held my Side Effect, a jacket, keys, coins in the Q-kit, iPhone, hand sanitizer, Jackery charger and cord, maps or parts of guidebooks, and anything else I needed. It was so light that it felt like nothing and was easy to access. Because of the flat shape I generally didn't have any trouble navigating crowded buses with it on.
In a few museums I was asked to check it, which was annoying. When this first happened, I rolled it up (so it didn't look like a backpack) and held it in my arms, and no one bothered me. After that happened I packed the packing cube shoulder bag [edit] in the bottom, and placed all my belongings into that if I was asked to check the backpack.
I kept important items, like cash and cards, in my Side Effect, which I think is important for security. In a few places like open marketplaces and the Mount of Olives, I was pre-warned about pickpockets, and then I swung it around to my front and kept a hand lightly on the point at which the zippers met. I had taken some small locking carabiners with me, but somehow didn't have them on hand for these days -- something to be more conscious of next time. In a more challenging security environment, I might have worn a money belt and kept only non-valuables in the backpack.
Pilot:
So, my plan was to take my new dyneema Pilot. This bag would hold my Side Effect, chargers, Kindle, iPhone, camera, glass case and spare glasses, passport, and other items I consider important and want to be sure to keep with me on planes, trains and buses (i.e., during transport from one place to another). I have used this bag successfully for commuting. However, when packed with everything I needed for the trip, it sagged and bulged out in a way that was unwieldy. I know that forum members have found tricks to solve this problem, but it was the day I was leaving and didn't really have time to work on it. So everything went into my ballistic Pilot, which was heavier but held its shape.
I like the Pilot's organization and think it makes a great underseat bag, but regretted the extra weight. Though it's fine for commuting, as a secondary bag, it was a little much. I almost fit everything I needed in the Co-Pilot, and really wish I could have made that work.
Final thoughts:
I think this style of packing all comes down to traveling really light. There isn't much I regret taking, but do see that I could have left a few items of clothing out. On the other hand, it wasn't always possible to do laundry and have everything dry in time, so I wouldn't want to pare down too much. I really appreciated the clothing when I had done a lot of walking and wanted a fresh outfit.
I was constantly adding layers and then peeling them off throughout the day, since temps fluctuated a lot, particularly in mountainous cities. Doing it all over again, I would have taken only tops that blended together well. Most of my items did, but there were a few outliers.
The A30 does impose a certain self-discipline. As the trip went on I cut down the guidebook and carried only the remaining chapters I needed, stapling the pages together. I bought one book of poetry I had wanted, but got almost no other souvenirs beyond a few postcards and a bag of spices. I was kind of refreshing to know that shopping wasn't an option. Two gifts were purchased and shipped directly to the recipients.
A final note: the Jackery charging bar was really important. Using my iPhone for navigation all day makes the battery wear down quickly. It never failed me!
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Originally Posted by maverick
