October 6, 2007 More from Tough Traveler
Tough Traveler, an all-American company based in Schenectady, NY, offers a bewildering array of bags, packs, cases, and carriers. They were kind enough to send me a large carton of cordura several weeks ago and it contained some surprises. First of all, I was not as crazy about the Tri-Zip convertible carryon (full review here) as I expected to be. Still, it’s an impressive bag, and with a few minor tweaks could be much better. It has been highly reviewed elsewhere, and with good reason I’m sure. Tough Traveler has a great warranty too. All the Tough Traveler stuff seems to be extremely well made.
The box also contained the slightly trimmer (8” deep) Bi-Zip case - similar to the Tri-Zip but with two compartments and no backpack straps. It would make an excellent lightweight shoulder bag, but - inexplicably - it has no hold-downs.
The nicest surprise were two pure backpacks - The Super Padre large and medium. The large SP is borderline for carryon size but should just squeeze in - in most cases. The medium seems to hold nearly as much and is well under maximum carryon size. The are both extremely comfortable on the back thanks to an internal frame, great waistbelt, and lots of load adjustment straps. They are traditional pack designs so you’ll have to roll or stuff - not for the business traveler, but what a joy to carry. I could see wearing these all day with no discomfort. (See specs for these two packs at the bottom of this post).
The strangest thing in the box was, no doubt, the Cygnet three-way convertible. This engineering marvel is a shoulder bag, backpack, or rolling case - you decide. This one-of-kind case is pricey ($325) but impressive. It is quite trim without the dolly attached. It has less capacity than the Trip-Zip but does have a built-in garment bag (same as the optional Hang-Up for the Trip-Zip). I can’t say if this three-way bag is for you, but it is interesting. The removable dolly attaches to the bag with an array of velcro panels and straps, The bag weight only 6.5 pounds with the wheels, which makes it one of the lightest rollers out there. If you like something just a little different, the Cygnet might be for you.
SUPER PADRE Ergonomic Backpack specs:
Super Padre - Size Large
SIZE: 23”x12”x9”
Fits: Adults 5’3” - 6’3”
Capacity: 2,800 cu”
Weight: 2.6 lbs
Additional Features:
• Ventilated bottom pocket with mesh front provides more carrying space, and keeps damp items from getting musty.
Price: $156.00
Color: Teal, Black, Slate, Natural, Navy, Raspberry, Olive
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Super Padre - Size Medium
SIZE: 18.5”x11.5”x9.5”
Fits: 8 yrs old - Adults 5’10”
Capacity: 2,200 cu.”
Additional Features:
• Ventilated bottom pocket with mesh front provides more carrying space, and keeps damp items from getting musty.
Color: Royal, Teal, Natural, Raspberry, Slate
Reader Comments (4)
After reading the description of the Cygnet at the Tough Traveler site, it sounds like an interesting attempt at versatility (it can be wheeled, it can be carried with a shoulder strap -- or hand, and can be carried like a backpack). Are the backpack straps any more well-designed or comfortable than on the Tri-Zip? I wonder how versatile it really is on the road, especially if you need to separate the wheeled frame from the bag...
I believe the carrying comfort might be slightly better - since the bag is a little smaller and since it does not have the internal stays (which I'm not convinced help - the Aeronaut and eBags convertible both lack stays and are more comfortable on the back). The wheeled apparatus does separate quite easily - under a minute like the TT website claims. I'm thinking you wouldn't do much converting on the road. You'd probably choose before the trip whether you're going to go wheeled or not, like: trip with airports and cities - wheeled; trip in the country w/lots of walking on non-paved surfaces - no wheels.
Man, they do have a dizzying array of bags for sale. I like the ergo design on the Super Padre. I think too often people will just announce straps for a bag and assume comfort. For me, some basic ergo design on straps is a must as I've found it makes a huge difference.