Making bags stand out/easy to identify

[Bogiesan]

Knotting parador is a fun little hobby, true. But you can easily replace your TB pulls with a $5 kit:

https://www.tombihn.com/products/cor...nt=16560980743

You can find zipper pulls in the travel section of an department store or outdoor shop. They are also online at most of the luggage suppliers. Eagle Creek has a wide selection as do some REI stores. I'd go for tags, though, but TB's are ever so boring:

https://www.tombihn.com/collections/...nt=16409108935

[Rei]

Greetings,
Would you share photos of each of these knots, please? I learned to make the dragonfly knot and several others, but I'm always on the lookout for a great zipper pull knot. Thanks! elisa

Here my bag with his current knot-zip-puller "configuration":

main pocket: man (with cobra knots) + cobra
water pocket: dragonfly (with purple and blue bead eyes)
middle pocket: 2 beads on simple Mathew walker
side pockets: diamond
bottom pocket: dragonfly (with yellow and green bead eyes) + I-dunno-the-name
(details in spoiler at the bottom )

Spoiler for Here the detail:

Cobra
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hL41UBj6j6I


Dragonfly
cobra knots
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c8yi5ixTo9Y


Diamond
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2vYVP4AzMu8


Man
diamond knot + cobra knots
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LCLFOtqLSJQ


2 diamond beads
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IbVf7xZpQrk
with 2 simple knots at the end


I-didnt-know-the-name aka Teardrop
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AukKjIdBzeI
the front is quite pretty, the back is quite ugly (burnt&glued)


Bonus

single Mathew walker
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a5C2ruRpGGQ
Mathew walker (2 strands)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SK4GzDSgCfo


Man V2
diamond knot + snake knots
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zbB9wQF1qNw


Twisted Dragonfly
homemade creation: keep starting with the same side of the cobra knot for the body


the Ring
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BgHTjMccVdI


Here the first batch of knotted zip pullers from one 5-yard coyote cord (from TB)
(then I destroyed the cobra knots to mix the coyote cord with a red&reflective cord)

Erratum: the single Mathew Walker was not on my GES25... but on my Snake Charmer

[AlaskaGirl]

Here my bag with his current knot-zip-puller "configuration"

Greetings,
Very nicely done. Bravo! I've done a four strand Matthew Walker knot before, but the Simple version looks very nice. I'll have to try it. I love the beads, too. So many great ideas!

Thank you, a dozen times, thank you for sharing! elisa

[Rei]

Greetings,
Very nicely done. Bravo! I've done a four strand Matthew Walker knot before, but the Simple version looks very nice. I'll have to try it. I love the beads, too. So many great ideas!

Thank you, a dozen times, thank you for sharing! elisa

Thank you Elisa!

But... the single Mathew Walker was not on my GES25... but on my Snake Charmer sorry my mistake (with the beads there are 2 simple knots at the end of the coyote cord)
(I edited my previous post)

[rmedek]

I prefer low-profile, black bags, but if I’m checking them or otherwise would like to easily identify them, I use gaff tape.

Gaff tape is a little like duct tape, but it has a matte cloth surface and is easy to remove without leaving a tape residue. Traditionally it’s black but you can get it in a variety of colors, including fluorescents. A strip of bright green gaff tape with my name in Sharpie is perfect most times, and when I don’t need it anymore I peel it off and have my low-profile black bag again. I buy gaff via Amazon but locally it’s available at most music or camera stores.

[GrussGott]

Here my bag with his current knot-zip-puller "configuration":

WOW! You'll never have to worry about, "uhh, sir? I believe you've accidentally grabbed my bag"

[GrussGott]

I prefer low-profile, black bags, but if I’m checking them or otherwise would like to easily identify them, I use gaff tape.

I used to do that and then, quite by accident, I discovered something both low profile but extremely effective:

One time a few years back we had travelled on 5 one-way flights in a row, picking up luggage each time - after each leg I had attached a paper tags with string. The tag would get ripped off, but the string stayed and each time I was attaching the tag to a different handle. By the time we were half-way back on return, there were little white strings hanging from most of the handles.

I watched about 20 people approach our bag on the carousel, see the strings, and then back away. Genius! The strings are only about 1 inch long off of each handle attach point, but they might as well be a strobe light on the carousel. Ever since then, the same thing happens every time - people approach the bag and then immediately turn away, yet on the street they're almost invisible.

Also, it's funny because one time coming back from europe, 3 people were trying to figure out if the black bag with rainbow ID strap was theirs or not, but ours was in the clear

[KMP]

This has been very helpful; thanks for the replies...

I’m going to go with bright paracord for my zipper ties (our favorite local outdoor store, Hilton’s Tent City has it).

To respond to a couple of points others made here: unfortunately, the Empire Builder seems only available in dark colors (black, or a metallic dark blue?) but I found a source for a reflective strap, which I’ve ordered. This bag will never get checked, but there were good ideas for marking luggage that would; I purchased my primary checked bag from a vendor that provides an option to custom-embroider the handle, so my name and city is there in bright orange - don’t think that’s going to get misplaced, though at a slight loss of privacy.

This has been a terrific help, again thanks for all the great comments!

[aedifica]

For the "walking around at night" issue, would you be interested in attaching a light to the bag (or to its shoulder strap)? TB doesn't sell the Guardian Light anymore--if I remember right, it was because their supplier stopped making them--but there are similar clip-on lights available elsewhere. This style looks the same as the ones TB used to sell, and it can clip onto a 1" or a 1.5" strap.

If you're not sure and you'd like to see one first, I can show you one of my lights sometime--let me know.

[KMP]

I found something called a “frog light” - and it’s now attached to the bag. Will see whether that feels sufficiently safe!

[experimentjon]

For carry ons, I like this on the top grab handle. https://countycomm.com/products/inst...lective-2-pack

[Blisscosity]

I prefer low-profile, black bags, but if I’m checking them or otherwise would like to easily identify them, I use gaff tape.

Gaff tape is a little like duct tape, but it has a matte cloth surface and is easy to remove without leaving a tape residue. Traditionally it’s black but you can get it in a variety of colors, including fluorescents. A strip of bright green gaff tape with my name in Sharpie is perfect most times, and when I don’t need it anymore I peel it off and have my low-profile black bag again. I buy gaff via Amazon but locally it’s available at most music or camera stores.

Yes I am that boring person that has every TB thing in black ballistic or black Halcyon.
Thanks for the gaffer tape reference! I never thought of this and I love this tape!!!! I, too, love the look of the black TB bags (there are too many TB designs that I really don’t like because of all the zippers - I love using them but don’t like the aesthetic). I’m totally going to use this tape next time I have to check something in!!!

Also I use hot pink reflective paracord and Matthew Walker knots on all my zipper pulls. I think it looks nice and lets me add some girly to my Matrix-inspired all-black vibe.

Thanks for sharing!


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