personal item debate: stowaway vs cadet

[sdophoto]

So I travel with my tristar and my camera bag is my personal item.
My partner uses an osprey ozone wheeled carry on and has an osprey bag as a personal item. i don't think it is most functional.

I have been debating between the stowaway and the cadet. i have looked at a few other in flight type bags such genius pack but keep coming back to these.

which is best....

I do not think he would ever use the backpack feature of the stowaway but I was wondering could you store anything in this spot when it was zipped up?

[afreen]

I do not think he would ever use the backpack feature of the stowaway but I was wondering could you store anything in this spot when it was zipped up?

You can store things in there, yes. I have with mine -- the items just have to be mostly flat and not be prone to damage from the shoulder straps and their attachments.

[weirdguy]

You can store things in there, yes. I have with mine -- the items just have to be mostly flat and not be prone to damage from the shoulder straps and their attachments.

I agreed with [@afreen].
I have a Navy/Grass Stowaway (not Cadet) but I have switched to DLBC for quite long time due to significantly slimmer and lighter bag, while also I'm trying to carry as little as possible. I usually slide in my laptop's power bank and infrequently used stuffs into that compartment.

Speaking of that, I just realized that the zipper of that compartment is not a water-repellant zipper unlike other compartments hence, putting electronics like powerbank in it and forget about it especially during heavyrain - is something that I need to be mindful about. On the contrast about the zippe, IMO I prefer the non water-repellant zipper because it is simply an ease to zip open and closed with one hand - just like my DLBC. I guess like anything in life, there is pro and con to every decision.

[G42]

If you're not using the backpack straps, not sure if it would ever be worth it to get a Stowaway vs any of the other mid-sized bags (Cadet, Pilot, Co-Pilot, etc).
The Stowaway is more expensive than those options, most likely due to the complexity of construction, all the features/zippers/straps etc.
The Cadet & Pilot have slightly more capacity for less cost and probably a more useful design if you're going to hand or strap carry...

If you haven't already, try using the 'compare' feature to look at three bags at once and you'll more easily be able to see

Good luck and let us know what you pick!

[cazique]

I checked out The Stowaway and was stunned by how tiny it was. That's not meant as a negative (or a positive, really) - I was amazed how much capacity TB could pack in such a compact bag. It didn't turn out to be right for me, but for someone who's looking for a more boxy bag with more organization than (say) a NFTD or other small duffel type bag, it could be downright amazing and unlike anything else out there.

[bouncing]

I haven't gotten my hands on the stowaway, but my review of the Cadet is kind of mixed. I returned it after getting one a while back. My Cadet complaints were:

1. The cell phone pocket, lined with soft felty material, is too small for larger phones.

2. The main laptop compartment is nice enough, but I couldn't really fit both my laptop and my over-the-ear noise-canceling headphones without bulging the bag. That to me was a show-stopper alone -- I want a fair amount of stuff in the cabin with me, but the headphones and the laptop are a bare minimum and the Cadet couldn't really fit them. I doubt very much you could fit an SLR with lenses in the Cadet -- certainly not without bulging it into weird shapes.

So, that's my takeaway. I'm sure the Cadet is a great bag for some people.

I haven't seen a Stowaway in person, but might I suggest something else to consider? A Pilot or Copilot! They're much more three-dimensional and will fit thicker items. My Copilot will even fit under the seat in front of me, which is amazing, because it leaves room for me to stretch my legs. If you haven't already, I'd consider a (Co)Pilot.

[Perseffect]

As someone who travels regularly with a Tristar, I think the Cadet, DLBC and Pilot/Co-Pilot work well.

I tried the Stowaway but kept going back to to Pilot. It was just too complicated. I prefer the bigger compartments of the Pilot.

So I’d recommend either the DLBC for super lightweight or the Pilot for bulkier odds and ends.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[cazique]

As someone who travels regularly with a Tristar, I think the Cadet, DLBC and Pilot/Co-Pilot work well.

I tried the Stowaway but kept going back to to Pilot. It was just too complicated. I prefer the bigger compartments of the Pilot.

So I’d recommend either the DLBC for super lightweight or the Pilot for bulkier odds and ends.

+1 to all this. I have done several trips with A45, Tri-Star, and/or my newly acquired Steel/Solar WF. For a 2nd bag (sometimes bag-in-bag, sometimes not) to carry computer and papers and stuff - out of a Cadet, Pilot and DLBC, my usage is roughly:

Pilot: Almost never
Cadet: fantastic bag, but just sold it because I just didn't use it
DLBC: pretty much all the time.

Seriously, get a DLBC. I don't think you'll be sorry.

[sdophoto]

thanks for these tips. I will look at the DLBC. I think the concept of being able to wear the stowaway as a back pack is cool but the look is stupid and I dont think I would ever wear it like that.