Friday
Feb082008
February 8, 2008 Me & Tom in London
Back in January I took a quick museum-hopping trip to London and good old Tom Bihn was right there with me. At least it felt that way. We took three TB bags: the Aeronaut, new Western Flyer, and a Large Cafe Bag (borrowed from my son) for everyday use. It was my wife’s first one-bag experience. Usually we’re leading student trips and they all check bags, so she saw no point in going carryon-only. But a rare trip when she’s travelling only with me meant she could give one-bag a try. She’s sold. Skipping baggage claim and jumping straight onto a train from Heathrow was a delight. Crowded lifts, stairs, and escalators are much less hassle without a 30-pound rolling bag in tow. Ditto for wet streets and uneven sidewalks. Watching others struggle with their own personal baggage train on the Underground was further confirmation. Carrying everything on our backs or shoulders (at about 15 pounds per person thanks to her heavy textbooks) meant we could shop hotels. I wouldn’t recommend it in peak season, but we were able to get a much better rate by walking up to half-empty hotels than by reserving online. And the less you’re carrying - meaning you can turn and walk down the street - the easier it is to get a good rate.Future posts will include a long-term test update on the Aeronaut, new review of the the Cafe Bag, and thoughts on winter clothing.
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Reader Comments (3)
Hi Brad,
I've been going over the Tom Bihn website and I really like all three of the products you mention.
I'm now trying to decide whether I should go for two aeronauts or 1 aeronaut + 1 western flyer for my husband and I. We'll be spending at least four weeks in Spain this summer and maybe we'll need the extra space on the aeronaut...
Could you share what you packed on the western flyer?
Alexandra,
I may be able to post my London list tomorrow. I'll be adding more pictures of the Flyer as well - including some that show a side-by-side comparison of the Western Flyer and Aeronaut.
That would be great!!