Synik 30 instead of Smart Alec (smaller people)

[Marubex]

Hi, I have been using my smart Alec as a two bag solution. But it’s a pain to get my laptop/iPad in an out for without messing everything else.
I love how much o can stuff in and how comfy it is for short-ish periods.

I am 5’3”, and have read Synapses and Syniks (larger versions) don’t to well for short people?

If you are around my height please share your insights ..

Another question, how usable would the extra 4L be? Do they make a difference? When using as travel bag( clothes and all).

Thank you!!

[G42]

Hi, I have been using my smart Alec as a two bag solution. But it’s a pain to get my laptop/iPad in an out for without messing everything else.
I love how much o can stuff in and how comfy it is for short-ish periods.

I am 5’3”, and have read Synapses and Syniks (larger versions) don’t to well for short people?

If you are around my height please share your insights ..

I'm 5' 4", but more importantly, my torso length is less than 20", which is how tall the Synapse 25 and Synik 30 are. I have tried both and find them both doable (ie, they don't hurt), but not comfortable. I would not normally want to carry them every day since they are too tall for me.

If you haven't done this already, grab a friend & a tape measure and measure your torso length... it's a better indicator of the fit to your back than your overall height... REI has a good instruction, see below:
https://www.rei.com/learn/expert-adv...sting-fit.html

I greatly prefer the height of the Synapse 19 and Synik 22... the Smart Alec fits me well too - all are shorter than 20". I've used the SA for business & personal travel and put the laptop up against the back panel. Everything else is in cubes, so whilst it's not super quick to pull out the laptop, it doesn't mess with my other packing to remove it. To put it back in, I find it's easiest if you lay the pack on it's face and hold the top open, slide the laptop in against the back panel. Of course, this works way better if you don't pack it completely jammed packed.

How are you packing your SA? Cubes or rolled or ? Is the laptop against your back or the outside?

The Brain Bag is also less than 20" vertical, but wide, deep, and heavy.

[Marubex]

Thank you G42. Yes I also slide it toward the back. It depends what I am carrying, sometimes it is with cubes, others would be filled with camera equipment in dividers? And everyone’s jackets/ random things we might need during the flight.
Will try to measure my torso length

[Marubex]

Hi! I still haven’t decided so, though about asking some more questions if you don’t mind!

I’ve asked someone to measure my torso and it is somewhere around 19.5”
On most pictures I’ve found people always seem to wear the synapses/syniks low.

Is it by design? Can they be carried higher and does it affect the comfort?
As I get older I tend to carry my backpacks higher.

Thanks again and sorry for all my back and forth!

[G42]

Hi! I still haven’t decided so, though about asking some more questions if you don’t mind!

I’ve asked someone to measure my torso and it is somewhere around 19.5”
On most pictures I’ve found people always seem to wear the synapses/syniks low.

Is it by design? Can they be carried higher and does it affect the comfort?
As I get older I tend to carry my backpacks higher.

Thanks again and sorry for all my back and forth!

Generally you want to wear a backpack higher up, with the straps on both shoulders and loaded in such a way that the weight is kept close in...that may mean putting heavier things more in the center than bottom of the pack. A hip belt that is sized & secured such that it can take some of the load is also helpful.

How this all works in the real world depends a lot on what you are carrying and your body size, posture, and preferences... and the bag.

FWIW, I wear my S19 and SN22 fairly high up my back because I feel more comfortable and secure that way and I think it's easier to maintain a correct posture. I also like using sternum straps if I'm carrying for any length of time, to help keep the straps in the right position.
YMMV

[Marubex]

I appreciate taking the time to respond G42!
Do you have any pictures of how it looks in “high wear” mode?!

[rmedek]

There's a limit to how high you can wear the Synik, because the straps come together at the body fairly close. I've tended to wear my backpacks lower in the past; I like wearing the Synik higher because it's quite comfortable and does a great job of distributing the weight in that position. That said: here's a vid I made for another thread. I'm wearing this about as high as I usually do, and the bottom of the Synik is hitting my belt. I'm 6' 2". If I was 5' 3" I don't know that I would love carrying this bag around, but then again I don't know how it compares to a Smart Alec, which in photos looks to be similar in size.

[Marubex]

Thank you rmedek.
Yes it worthies me whit my height I might not find it comfortable

[G42]

Sorry, I don't have any photos of how I carry it.

Have you watched this video that TB made...? It shows folks of different heights carrying the S19 and S25... remember that the Syniks are the same vertical height as their Synapse siblings
(ok, alliteration is fun: snazzy Syniks are spacious Synapse siblings)

https://vimeo.com/108250716

At the very end of the video you can see folks of various heights wearing the bags. Note that the S19/SN22 are 16" tall and the S25/SN30 are 20" tall and whilst we see the height of the people, we don't know their exact torso height. If you pause the video though you can see how they are wearing the bags at different locations on their backs and how much relative space is left above and below.

You mentioned in a different thread that you aren't in the US, which does make it more difficult as usually these things come down to personal preference after trying the bags...
Maybe you can try to find someone in your area to meet up with. Some folks in Australia recently had a meet up.

[aungrl]

I’m afraid the Synik 30 will be too long for you, unfortunately. It’s my dream bag, perfect in all ways - including the total capacity - and I tried really hard to make it work. But, at 5’1” and a 18.5” torso, when fully packed - as I would use it in ‘real life’ if I was doing one-bag with it - it wasn’t comfortable to wear for even a short period of time. Sadly, I had to return it. Anticipating the Trinity, and hoping that might be dimensioned in such a way that it will work for me. I had a Smart Alec - my first TB bag! - years ago, and while the height was just about perfect, it wasn’t quite large enough - for me - for one bag travel.

[Marubex]

Thanks for all the replies. Now they’ve made it more complicated to decide with th GE !
Decisions, decisions!

[haraya]

Follow-up question on this thread - does anyone have a picture of the Synik 22 next to a Smart Alec?

I am considering the 22 as a substitute for the SA on trips where I (try to) do carry-on only - I was on a trip recently where the SA was my personal item, but it didn't work very well as a laptop bag once at my destination (too bulky, looked far too huge and shapeless when I was moving around the city). I am <5 feet, any thoughts on whether the GE SN 22 would look more sleek than the SA on a petite frame? (Am also pondering whether the internal tie-down straps will help keep it more compact both visually and w/r/t center of gravity.)

[gqb]

For me the components of "sleek" are overall size, depth and colour/texture.
Info: I am 5ft 6 and a half, so average height for a woman, but all of my other dimensions are generous (!)

The SN22 is much shorter than the SA and looks quite a bit smaller, it looks more like an urban day sac on me. I have used the SA as a day sac around town, but it does have that look of "I'm carrying quite a lot" even when cinched down with the elastic bungee, so I do know what you mean.

A fully packed SN22 might actually be deeper, i.e. stick out from your back further, than a fully packed SA.

Finally, I think black or dark coloured bags with a solid texture always look sleeker than brightly coloured bags or those with pattern (e.g. original halcyon)

No point my taking photos of me with the bags on, as we are not the same size person, but hopefully someone else can help with that part.

[haraya]

Thank you, I appreciate your perspective! Glad to hear that it's shorter than the SA. Would tend to agree with you that black/dark-coloured bags look sleeker. In particular, I'm considering the GE version in nebulous grey as the different-coloured trim seems to me (at least from pictures) to break up the bulk of the bag somewhat. (For some reason I feel as though the grey will be slightly dressier than the black GE, as the contrast is not so great between the grey and the coyote. Though neither of them would be "formal".)

[Marubex]

@haraya, did you end up ordering the Synik?