Comments on: Quick Take: Tom Bihn Packing Cube/Backpack

By: Dave

Dave — Wed, 10 Feb 2010 16:03:24 +0000

I came across this when researching carry on bags suitable for ryanair. It’s amazing how much better the American stuff is to that generally available here in the UK. I like the look of the Tom Bihn pack – especially the shoe compartment. Eagle Creek is the brand more available over here and I’ve got some of their two sided packing cubes and the older packable day bag. I tend to pack the day bag over a cube when packing into my carry on bag rather than using the stuff sack it folds into. I then use the two sided cube inside the daybag as an organiser when I’m out for the day – it also gives a bit of padding and helps with organising the bag.

By: Till

Till — Wed, 03 Feb 2010 08:40:06 +0000

I received the A. Saks and the TB cube/backpack introduced in this post. here is a first impression review of the A. Saks and some packing notes:
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum.....oming.html

I have even done a quick and dirty test pack of the TB. It will easily fit a pair of jeans, a pair of pants, 3 t’s, a sweater and a pair of shoes size 9 filled with socks. Perhaps one could even stuff some briefs in there, too. I just didn’t try it.

It fits very nicely in the A. Saks, so I’d say my idea works. Yeah! The yellow and black color scheme looks striking to boot. :)

The TB did come with a key strap for me. I like it. I do not see any reason to turn it around for packing cube use. Why would one forgo the nice shoe compartment feature just to hide the backpack straps? BTW, those things are looooong. An ogre would slip right into them. I may shorten those.

The EC Compass bag is nice, too. But I was disappointed not to find a pen loop. I think a pen loop is more important than a key lanyard which it does have. Color and construction are very nice. It won’t be as easy to cut the shoulder strap off because if I do that there is no real attachment point on one of the side for another shoulder strap. The idea is of course, to only bring one shoulder strap along that can be used either on the big carry-on bag, the computer case or the Compass bag.

In the Compass there are four compartments (all zippered). The main compartment is divided into another slip compartment, its main part and a felt lined sunglass pocket with zip. Nice. From the specs the Ipad will not fit, indeed. There is a headphone passthrough for an mp3 player, though. There is also a handle/loop/hanger that will come in very handy when I want to attach a carabiner to use it as inflight baggie.

Whether it is very useful as a daypack in town, I don’t know. Perhaps in the summer when I am not wearing any jacket. Otherwise I always have a jacket that is big enough for any maps, glasses and techno gadgets or guidebooks I might carry. For the summer, this might be handy.

By: Till

Till — Thu, 28 Jan 2010 08:22:49 +0000

Yes, darn it. Gonna get an Ipad for sure. You probably read my post on OBOW. It’s about the best netbook out there in terms of size, weight, features, battery life. Love it. I’ll be able to go to a conference and do a presentation with it. No need to carry 2.5kg of Macbook plus PSU anymore. Weight savings of 1.4kg at least. That’s huge! On short trips the Iphone itself will do!

I got the Compass to put it as an organizer inside my Valoroso horizontal garment bag. It doesn’t have any pen holders and such. It will be a good inflight baggie, I hope.

By: Chris

Chris — Wed, 27 Jan 2010 20:03:03 +0000

Till,
The Compass looks pretty nice – I need to go home & measure my Kindle. Looking forward to your review. Not quite big enough for the iPad though :)

By: Till

Till — Tue, 26 Jan 2010 09:24:46 +0000

Just ordered the A. Saks 21 EXP and the TB Aeronaut packing cube. I still find the Aeronaut packing cube a bit expensive at $43 ($35 plus $8 shipping). Ebags charged sales tax for the A. Saks. Darn it. So after all make that $180. Still a good deal. I have the Incase sleeve and the EC folder plus other packing cubes. That should be one very practical combo. I also ordered an Eagle Creek Compass for $17.50. Now that’s a really good price. I may cut the fixed shoulder strap off and use that as my inflight baggie. It fits in the exterior pockets of my travel anorak and coat and also in the exterior pockets of the Valoroso horizontal garment bag. It provides a bit of padding which I like.

I’ll report back.