Gear Review: Battle Lake Outdoors--Sports & Travel Bag, Small

A few weeks ago, one of our readers alerted me to a bag that he thought looked very similar to a Tom Bihn Aeronaut

Except for the large front rectangular pocket, it looks something like the Aeronaut, especially with those two end pockets.

So, I contacted the company, Battle Lake Outdoors, to see if they’d be interested in sending one for review. They were, they did, and here it is.

First, let’s get the big question out of the way. It is not an Aeronaut, it is nowhere near an Aeronaut and if you turn the bag around, it looks the same. And…no backpack straps whatsoever.

But wait. Don’t stop reading. This is still a bag to consider.

Let’s get the specs out of the way. It measures 22 x 10 x 8 (2200 cu in) according to the website and by my calculations weighs about 1.3 lbs empty. It’s made of 1000d Cordura Plus  and has YKK zippers throughout. (Top of the line in material and zippers.) The bag is unlined but does have double stitching.

There are five zippered external pockets—two large rectangular ones, two end pockets and one smaller zipped pocket on the outside of one of the end pockets. The other end pocket has an external open pocket that has a key fob.

It comes with a shoulder strap and the bag has not two but four “D” rings to allow you to choose how to carry it. There are end pulls that are attached to the top of the bag, not the actual ends. The main compartment has a large u-shaped zippered opening.

The bag is made in the USA (Minnesota) and costs….are you ready…….$67.

In a nutshell, this is a bag to consider if you are very good at packing light, don’t need any real bells and whistles, like lots of external pockets, and don’t need  backpack straps.

I’m not sure how well it would stand up to the rigors of constant airline checking but with this bag you shouldn’t have to check it. (Although, when packed to take photos, the bag measured 21.5 x 17 x 9.5 which is oversized as a carry-on for most airlines. Pack carefully.)

If you plan to carry a computer or tablet, don’t rely on the bag alone for cushioining. I’d suggest some type of padded case.

The bag comes with a shoulder strap but do yourself a favor and get a Tom Bihn Absolute Strap especially since there are no backpack straps. I also wish the main carry handles were a little longer. They’re very short.

With all that, this is still a bag I can recommend. Even if you’re just looking for a good quality gym or overnight bag, this is a good, affordable choice.

The company has lots of other bags and travel related products all of which are made in the USA.

You can buy the bag directly from Battle Lake Outdoors.

Comments

[Alan]

It looks much more like the Redoxx Beano bag rather than the Aeronaut to me. No doubt it is not made as sturdy as the Redoxx, but hey, you can't beat that price for an American made bag!!

[Brett]

I would also recommend the Switch Pack from Battle Lake Outdoors ... I think of it as a poor man's Western Flyer, and at less than half the price.

The handle straps are very rudimentary and it's not padded at all, but it holds a good bit and has backpack straps. There is an internal slot that will fit an iPad with room to spare and will barely hold a 13-inch Macbook. The back section is five inches deep and will hold a lot of bundled clothes, and in the front section I use two small Battle Lack packing cubes, which are as well-made as the bag. The company's website is not the best and it's hard to tell what the bags actually look like from the photos, but the Switch Pack is a nice, attractive bag. It fits easily into the overhead bin of any plane I've been on.

One big difference from the Western Flyer (I think) is that the bag doesn't unzip all the way; it unzips on two sides, making a triangle-shaped opening. I have not had any problems with that.

[Brett]

Oh, forgot to add one thing: the backpack straps come with an odd sort of attachment. It's like a female-female coupling but I could not figure out how the company intended for them to work and ended up buying a couple of carabiners and using those as attachment points.

[Russ]

Thanks for the info, Brett. I was hoping to see more info and opinions on this company. The Switch Pack definitely looks more like what I want. Do you find yourself using the backpack straps more versus a single shoulder strap?

[Brett]

I use the backpack straps almost all the time, and when it's time to stuff it in an overhead bin I tuck them away and it slides in without a problem. The shoulder strap they include is pretty basic and I've used it just for occasional short carries. The hand straps, as I mentioned, are nothing but canvas straps and are not comfortable if the bag is really heavy, but they're OK for a short time. It's a great bag, I sort of wish I had bought two when the price was lower.

[Bob]

On their site, this bag is $109? Not sure how you got it for $67. Anyhow, I love this company's products. Their ballistic version of this bag is tough as nails. I also have one of their duffels and multiple pouches. Good stuff!

[Aric]

Just to let you know, when Tom Bihn started he did not make any packing bags like this so he resold this bag under his own name. I know this because I purchased one from him when he was still based in Santa Cruz. I used the bag to fly to and frpm Africa many times, generally overpacking it every time. It did finally tear the bag top by the zipper on one trip because I packed to large a wood mask and zipped it too tight. Tom Bihn had Battle Lake replace the bag. This was 15 years ago and I still use the replacement bag for just about every trip I have taken since. Very sturdy build.