Little Swift as a day bag

[bchaplin]

Does anyone who has a Little Swift use it as a day bag? I'm debating what to bring to Brazil next week. I am usually happy with the Co-Pilot or a backpack, but for hanging out with family and such I actually want something a smidge more feminine. I LOVE my Little Swift and was considering taking that. My only concerns are (1) rain, since my past experiences in Brazil are that when it does rain, the heavens open up and you get a tropical downpour. Though I suppose a dry bag tucked inside for my electronics would help with that, and (2) pickpockets. However, I'll mostly be hanging out with family, and when we venture to Rio or whatever I could take care to secure my wallet to the bottom of the bag so it can't be lifted out.

I'm curious if anyone else has used a Little Swift on vacation. I also have a perfectly good Kipling purse that gets zero use, and I could stow in the suitcase as a backup. I bought it specifically for travel. The other con of taking the LS is that I value it too much to put it in my checked bag, so it will go in my carry-on, which is actually limited to 5kg, something I am struggling with as I pack. So I may end up leaving it home out of necessity

[ladyinblack1964]

I'm wondering about this too. I have a Swift and I'm afraid it would be too heavy as a day bag. Of course, I may simply have too much in it.

[adalangdon]

I'm not sure how helpful this will be to you, but I went through a similar decision making process when deciding which bag to take to Taipei as my day bag and packed neither of my lightweight LSes (dyneema or ultrasuede).

I had thought a lot about the rain issue too since the weather forecast was rain for the full 5 days, and I didn't think the LS would be a good choice for *really* heavy rain. The other cons for me were that I wanted to be more "hands free" (single shoulder bags and bending down to tie shoelaces... Not a good combo) and that even a dyneema swift would be heavier and less squishy than, eg, a dyneema MCB. The LS has cordura handles and a ballistic bottom which I didn't think were so great for packing. It's not that the LS is travel-unfriendly, IMO-- it's just that I had travel-friendlier bags in my cupboard for that specific situation.

(In the end I ended up using a SSB and SE, because it didn't rain. Bending down was a bit of a pain with the SSB, but it was so lightweight and looked acceptably feminine for the office visits. More feminine than my Grey S25 anyway, which was my planned rainy day alternative. In retrospect, this would have been a good occasion for a DLBP, but the organization of that bag wasn't clicking with me when I decided to sell it.

Also, I use the LS as a handbag a lot in Singapore but that's because I drive and/or have covered access to public transport; rain here of late has been heavy, heavy, HEAVY! It's easy to find stuff in and can hold a lot.)

[marytattoo]

Does anyone who has a Little Swift use it as a day bag? I'm debating what to bring to Brazil next week. I am usually happy with the Co-Pilot or a backpack, but for hanging out with family and such I actually want something a smidge more feminine. I LOVE my Little Swift and was considering taking that. My only concerns are (1) rain, since my past experiences in Brazil are that when it does rain, the heavens open up and you get a tropical downpour. Though I suppose a dry bag tucked inside for my electronics would help with that, and (2) pickpockets. However, I'll mostly be hanging out with family, and when we venture to Rio or whatever I could take care to secure my wallet to the bottom of the bag so it can't be lifted out.

I'm curious if anyone else has used a Little Swift on vacation. I also have a perfectly good Kipling purse that gets zero use, and I could stow in the suitcase as a backup. I bought it specifically for travel. The other con of taking the LS is that I value it too much to put it in my checked bag, so it will go in my carry-on, which is actually limited to 5kg, something I am struggling with as I pack. So I may end up leaving it home out of necessity

How about the SE inside a backpack? Then it could be your "feminine" purse. ..

[kkintea]

I took the LS to Berlin last year. It went to my work functions, on the back of a bike around the city, shopping, you name it. It did rain but nothing got through it. My other bag was a WF on that trip.

I would estimate I have the LS 90% of my travel. I love it at conferences and going around town too. It stands up on its own, doesn't look out of sorts underpacked, and can carry a lot in a pinch. I have always had it in use though -- never packed empty.

Hope this helps!


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[marytattoo]

So here's another suggestion that occurred to me and perhaps works under "hacks" - how about taking your LS, and in the bag take the SE strap so when you want to have a crossbody, you can just hook the strap to the inside o-rings.

I'd also put electronics in the plastic zipper pockets. Even my iPad mini fits.

[ceepee]

So here's another suggestion that occurred to me and perhaps works under "hacks" - how about taking your LS, and in the bag take the SE strap so when you want to have a crossbody, you can just hook the strap to the inside o-rings.

I'd also put electronics in the plastic zipper pockets. Even my iPad mini fits.

I'm not sure that I'd risk trying to carry a LS by suspending it from the O-rings since they're intended as tether points not load bearers.

[Ilkyway]

I think I read somewhere that the O-Rings are not meant to carry that much of weight. Hopefully the crossbody knitting bag will solve this.

Kkintea can I ask how you carried the LS on a bike? Did you but it on the bike handle or is it secure enough to stay on the shoulder?

Ilkyway

[midlife]

I use my Little Swift as a day bag all the time at home! It's got plenty of room without being heavy. When I travel, I can also roll it up in my carryon and pull it out later when I reach my destination. Lately I've been going back and forth to Chicago on the train to visit my grandchildren and the Little Swift has become my favorite traveling companion.

Have a good trip

P.S. I wish Tom Bihn still made the Little Swift I'd get another one in a heartbeat!

[marytattoo]

[I think I read somewhere that the O-Rings are not meant to carry that much of weight. Hopefully the crossbody knitting bag will solve this]

I was more thinking about quick things. Or, in a crowd where one could hold the bag against one's chest with a bit of extra support/security. But I wouldn't want to damage the bag.

[Pokilani]

I plan on taking my LS to Canada next month (and probably Maui in July), with my SE clipped to an o-ring inside with my valuables. I won't be taking public transportation because we'll have a car and I can always use my SE (or PCSB) cross body if I'm worried about security. I'll be in a small college town so I'm not too worried pick pockets on every corner.

I've not worried about rain with my Swift. I keep the button closed and always have valuables/electronics in other bags/pouches inside the Swift and have not had any issues with things getting wet.

I really like carrying a purse too so I hope it makes the cut with your 5 kg limit.

[kkintea]

I think I read somewhere that the O-Rings are not meant to carry that much of weight. Hopefully the crossbody knitting bag will solve this.

Kkintea can I ask how you carried the LS on a bike? Did you but it on the bike handle or is it secure enough to stay on the shoulder?

Ilkyway

I stealthily strapped it to the rear rack with a bungee cord.

On my bike here at home, I've taken up using a side effect as a handlebar bag secured with two 8" key straps (not my original idea). I just posted a picture yesterday of this setup in the "where has your bag been" thread.


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