The Ultralight Alternative, part 3

Ultralight travel requires a certain amount of specialized gear and clothing (#5).

LUGGAGE - There is no reason that ultralight travel has to be expensive to outfit. An expensive bag is not necessary. More money gets you durability, the best set of special features, and the satisfaction of knowing you bought something this year that wasn’t made in a sweatshop. The bag or pack simply must be reasonably light (three pounds or less in my world), small enough to serve as a carryon, and comfortable to carry. My Tom Bihn Western Flyer is excellent for the type of load I carry, but there are dozens of choices. Personal taste and travel style are the determining factors.

CLOTHING - Here is where the most important choices are made. On-the-road laundry dictates that most of what you bring can be dried overnight. It’s wise to purchase a few travel-specific items like quick-drying undies.  I used mostly ExOffico underclothing which dries quickly and has anti-microbial treated fabric. You can usually wear it more than one day (if you really need to) even in nasty climates. I am also a big proponent of Smartwool socks in season-appropriate weights. I took two pairs on the Euro trip and washed one of them - once. They fight blisters and odor. I would not travel without them.

For men, the toughest call is pants. I loved the very light REI Adventures pants for the Euro trip. They look like normal pants since the extra pockets are hidden in the outer leg seam. One of the pockets is absolutely ideal for a passport and the front pockets are plenty deep for a travel wallet to foil pickpockets. My other pants were actually golf pants (no, I don’t) made of Cocona poly fabric.  They have an excellent waistband (which keeps them up and the shirt tucked) but lack the cool passport pocket. They do however have a little pocket that seems to have been made for a Paris Metro ticket - probably meant for tees.

Shirts/blouses are best when made of all-poly or poly/cotton blends. All-cotton is terribly slow to dry and linen will always be wrinkled. I used ExOffcio Trip’r shirts but I’ve also had good luck with some 60/40 standard dress-casual shirts. Only experimentation will tell if a shirt is going to dry overnight or how unwrinkled it will dry after being sink laundered; it’s very difficult to predict.  The ExOfficio shirts perform very well in these respects.

A nice addition to my bag for this trip was some no-name short-sleeved, poly, slightly-hipper-than-a-polo shirt that I picked up on a sale rack. I don’t mind occasionally spending big money on a piece of specialized travel clothing since most of my daily clothes come off the the deep-discount racks, outlets, or secondhand stores. Spend strategically, spend wisely.

Update on June 18, 2009 by Frank@OBOW

I did not have the problem with lint that many people report with the REI pants - and mine were the charcoal. More pants suggestions here…and I’m always looking for recommendations, so share ‘em if you got ‘em.

Update on June 18, 2009 by Frank@OBOW

The ExOffico Trip’r shirt has a little bit of the poofy sleeve thing going on (not as bad as the Seinfeld episode). This is mostly because I fell between the medium and large sizes and opted to go up. I probably should have gone with the medium. 

Update on June 18, 2009 by Frank@OBOW

One of the ways you can go cheap, very cheap for a bag.

Lightest roller

Thanks to Buzz for this tip - an ultralight rolling bag. The Landor & Hawa Sub-0-G bag is 42.5 linear inches and weighs 4.8 pounds. The low weight is apparenlty  achiieved by using aircraft-grade fiberglass instead of aluminum for the frame.

Update on May 14, 2009 by Frank@OBOW

Gadling no has a detailed look at this wispy bag with large and helpful photos. Thanks to Scott at Gadling for acknowledging OBOW!

Tom's new Star

The TriStar is out:

Very interesting. It takes the nice horizontal exterior pockets first seen on the Western Flyer and makes them a threesome. Read all about it here. So far, I’m impressed. The more traditional, sliced-like-bread, three-compartment design will suit more traditional packers put off by the duffel-style Aeronaut. And it has hold-down straps unlike the Aeronaut.

NIFTY POCKET

	Overall dimensions: 19” x 13” x 8” / 480 x 330 x 205mm
	Volume: 33 liters (2000 cu. in.)
	Weight: 2.71 lbs / 1230 grams

Update on April 28, 2009 by Frank@OBOW

Update on April 28, 2009 by Frank@OBOW

Tri-Star cube dimensions:
Small Packing Cubes:
12.8 x 7.4 x 2.3” (325 x 188 x 60mm)
Medium Packing Cube:
12.8 x 11.3 x 2.3” (325 x 288 x 60mm)
Large Packing Cube:
18.7 x 12.8 x 2.3” (475 x 325 x 60mm)

Five pages and counting on the TriStar on the Tom Bihn Forum.

Update on April 29, 2009 by Frank@OBOW

 A more thorough perusal of the photos and product description leads me to believe that this may be the most highly-evolved carry-on shoulder bag ever built. It probably doesn’t offer the backpack comfort of an MEI bag (nothing does) but I prefer the shoulder.Backpack straps for me are just for occasonal use and variety. As for the pockets, I hate too many internal pockets but I can say from experience that the TriStar’s thoughtfully-placed external pockets (like the WF’s) can really make the airport experience easier. I hope to see one soon.

News from Tom Bihn

Seattle bag man Tom Bihn will introduce his latest design, the slightly undersized TriStar carryon, on Tuesday April 28th. And that’s not all, here are some more new items:

• Waist-straps are now optional for the Western Flyer and Aeronaut. This should improve their backpack mode carrying comfort.
• There’s a new cube: the 3D Clear Organizer which, among other things, will serve as a 3-1-1 baggie of a more permanent  and durable nature.

And, interestingly, one-bag guru Doug Dyment has written about the Western Flyer.

Update on April 28, 2009 by Frank@OBOW

And The Unclutterer likes the Checkpont Flyer.

Reader review: A man bag, man

A most universal daypack/computer briefcase - the Briggs & Riley BB107 – by OBOW uberposter Till

Inspired by my recent purchase of a Briggs and Riley BR235x carry-on bag, and fueled by my desire for a carry-everywhere bag, I scoured the web. I looked near and far, and certainly checked out half a dozen models (out of 50), before I decided. I ended up with what - I think - is about the most universally usable bag out there. But to put things into context, let me first say which other similar bags I own and who the runner-ups were.

I already have the wonderful Tenba Small Messenger Satchel. It is a perfect casual everyday bag and great as a daypack and personal item when traveling. I should write a review about it, too. What I miss in it, is a certain stylishness or elegance. It is not a bag that would go with a suit. It simply has a very laid back student or reporter look to it. It also works as a camera bag, and as such is very inconspicuous. It is incredibly practical and lightweight, too. Unfortunately, I find it not elegant enough and perhaps a tad too big for certain situations. It also doesn’t stand up well on its own without the photo insert.

Moreover, I have the Tumi 26141 expandable briefcase. I find it is the perfect briefcase/gadget case. I just love that thing. But it looks, well, just like a briefcase. And it is 35 linear inches big, just like the Tenba.

The idea was to have a case that I can take with me to an art opening at a museum or a fancy dinner party with friends, be it at their house or a restaurant. In a way, I was looking for a “man bag”. A bag where I could put a camera, a note block, pens, some tech gadgets, some cigar or pipe accessories and other items a man needs. If I put this stuff into my trousers and jacket pockets, I look like the Marshmallow man. Hardly a much better option compared to the man bag guys. The usual men’s handbag is really not my cup of tea. It might be supremely practical but the kind of guy I associate with this kind of handbag makes me shudder. I am too vain.

This little man’s tote would also be too small for my needs. So, I needed something a bit bigger. The messenger/satchel style was not really a consideration because a) it was too informal, b) I already had such a bag and c) the access was not quick enough because I would have to open the flap. The Tenba is different in that regard because it has a flap and a zipper but it isn’t formal enough. So I looked at Rick Steve’s stuff, Eagle Creek, Bagallini, Pacsafe and Tumi. The Tumi Medium Travel Tote looked like it would fit the bill perfectly in terms of size. It would fit my 13” Macbook if necessary, it would fit an ordinary sheet of paper or magazine without folding it. Bags in this size yet less than 35” linear are really rare. The Tumi also had carry handles and a shoulder strap, which I liked. Some smaller daypacks didn’t have the handles. Those were out right away. Access was good, too, with all pockets accessible by zip from the exterior. The problem was that at $195 I found it really a bit pricey. The even smaller Travel Tote is the same price, by the way. Tandi makes a knock-off in leather and one in ballistic nylon that is very nice and cheaper than the Tumi. Still, the design was a bit too “man-baggy” for me.

But then I found the BB107 Vertical Organizer/Briefcase, online for $160 shipped. I will take the cons out right away. At 34” linear it is basically just as big as my Tumi and Tenba bags. It is also quite heavy because it is so well structured. It weighs 5lb but that includes the computer sleeve, the backpack straps and the excellent shoulder strap. I weighed all the items except for the bag itself. The backpack straps weigh only 130g; the shoulder strap weighs 230g and the computer sleeve 400g. That means you can easily subtract a pound or more if you don’t carry all these items at the same time. Given the extraordinarily luxurious and well thought out build of this bag, 4lb doesn’t seem bad at all.

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Flying, Western-style

PracticalHacks posts a thorough review of the TB Western Flyer with helpful photos. An excerpt, which helps explain why I prefer ballistic nylon:

“…in a recent conversation with the Tom Bihn, he pointed out that the 1050 ballistic fabric used on the Western Flyer is a smooth finish nylon which means the bag will slide more easily when you’re retrieving it from beneath the seat or from an overhead compartment than would be the case with 1000 denier Cordura.  In addition, lab testing has shown the 1050 ballistic nylon that’s used in the Western Flyer and other Tom Bihn bags is twice as abrasion resistant as the 1680 ballistic that’s used in many competitive bags.  And when you think about it, abrasion is the ultimate enemy of bags like this, as they’re constantly shoved into and out of trunks and storage & overhead compartments.  This bag’s clearly up to the test.”

The Flyer is described as an overnight bag, and so it is. But for the ultralight crowd the WF is plenty large enough for a main bag. Ironically, when I’ve used the WF as a true overnight bag or for car trips I’ve tended to stuff it fuller than for a longer, truly light, ar trip. The shorter the trip, the more I take - sometimes.

Video Wednesday - More Zuca, en français

Paradigm shift: 7 maxims of ultralight travel

The readers of OBOW are on the cutting edge of travel technique and technology, so it’s only right that they should help shape the manifesto for an emerging travel trend. I am increasingly convinced that our preferred mode of travel should not be called light or one-bag, but should henceforth be referred to as ultralight. Having only one primary, unchecked bag (with or without personal item) is not light travel if the bag weighs 30 pounds. To my mind even  a 22-pound bag does not represent ease - it’s lighter but it’s a chore to carry. So here are my draft ultralight travel maxims:

1. Ultralight travel is not for everyone.
    

2. Ultralight travel is not just traveling with one suitcase.

3. Ultralight travel means carrying 15 pounds or less.
    
4. Ultralight travel does not mean the traveler must look, smell, or feel bad.
    
5. Ultralight travel requires a certain amount of specialized gear and clothing.
    
6. Ultralight travel means the traveler must commit to doing a certain amount of sink laundry.
    
7. Ultralight travel means a traveler must make a conscious effort to minimize, miniaturize or eliminate electronic equipment.

I’ll flesh these out more later, but in the meantime I want your responses.

Update on March 18, 2009 by Frank@OBOW

On the 15-pound issue: here’s an old post that links to a story of interest. There’s a apparently an orthopedic rule of thumb (spine?) that says you shouldn’t carry more than about 10 percent of your body weight on your shoulder. If you’ve got a great pack, weight 225, or are in exceptional shape then obviously you can carry more. Personal experience tells me 15 pounds is the comfort limit for most of us.

Update on March 18, 2009 by Frank@OBOW

And be sure to see our luggage weight poll (or see right hand column) to see how close most OBOW readers are to the 15-pound mark.

Video Wednesday - Zuca in motion

A video look at the unusual Zuca roller:

Flickr pools for packers

Thanks to Kit for reminding me of some interesting pools on Flickr: Lightweight travel, Do you pack light?, What’s in your bag?, and - last but not least - the Hey, what’s in your bag? pool. Here’s Kit’s photo (click on it to find a link to her packing list with weights):

http://www.flickr.com/people/compactmanifold/

Any Indys out there?

If you’re more Indiana Jones than Starbucks hipster, the USA-made bags from Occidental Leather just may appeal to you. This Adventure Series Dispatch Bag ($230) from rossroadbags.com is 15 x 6 x 12 and weighs 3.8 pounds which is not bad for a natural fiber-and-leather bag. Occidental makes mostly tool belts and bags so durability shouldn’t be an issue. I have a carpenter buddy who swears by the stuff. Of course, there always Saddleback Leather if weight (and money) is no object.

Travelpro Roller - Reader Review

Travelpro Platinum 5 22” Rollaboard review - by Till

Sometimes, you will want to have those wheels. Frankly, for business airport travel with decent ground transport and endless airport terminals and hotel corridors, schlepping a bag is not so great. I am both a frequent traveler and luggage nerd and have researched this purchase ad nauseam as I usually do. I am not disappointed. So here is my review.

If you are a business traveler, you are most likely familiar with the Tumi Alpha or Gen4 Briefcase series. The Tumi, in the eyes of many, is the ultimate briefcase of this kind. The Platinum 5 22” Rollaboard can arguably claim the same in its category. Paired these two pieces of luggage are probably quite unbeatable at least for the male business user. Women, casual travelers or ultimate lightweight travelers might not be as pleased. This is due to its high weight stemming from its non-minimalist approach to luggage design.

Durability: To be honest I have not made a trip with it yet. I have test packed it, though. I It seems to be extremely well built. Everything is tight and quite hefty. The very good warranty on the Platinum 5 series should make for a painless process if stuff does break. From other reviews the holder for the extra-bag attachment and the wheels seem to be weak point. I believe both can be easily exchanged. All exposed corners are protected and reinforced.

Design: This category is probably more about the look than the engineering part of it or the functionality. The design is, well, the classic Rollaboard. Travelpro is the pioneer in this field. The ballistic nylon is very nice and shiny. It is perhaps not quite as black as the one on my Tumi briefcase but one has to scrutinize it in order to see the difference. The lining has a ton-sur-ton (jacquard) pattern in it; quite nice and classy. Its color is a bit unfortunate, though. It is a grey-taupe-beige, greenish non-color. A neutral light gray would have been better. In terms of functionality however this color should be showing stains a bit less than a light grey. Great attention to detail has been paid, as is the case only in the most upscale luggage. For example, the zipper pulls, wheels and some details on the handle all have a hammered metal look. In this sense it really rivals the high-end Tumi and Samsonite luggage. Still, this is not a case for the super fashionable crowd who will prefer the more extravagant designs of Tumi, Samsonite or perhaps even Vuitton. Not pretty but solid and functional.

Functionality: This is where the bag clearly shines. Let me emphasize right away, though, that this functionality and durability comes at the price of a relatively high weight (10.6 lbs altogether; probably closer to 9 lbs if you don’t use the suiter and strip all the other details like strap padding).

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Wooly one

I must say, plaid wool luggage is an interesting idea.

FROM FILSON

New stuff from Tom Bihn

Here’s the first word on a bunch of new designs coming soon from bag man Tom Bihn. Our interview:

Tom, what new designs can we expect in 2009?

New sizes of the Checkpoint Flyer Briefcase for PCs; a Checkpoint Flyer Backpack; The Compass - a small carry-on bag, like a smaller Western Flyer sans backpack straps; the TriStar - sized between the Western Flyer and the Aeronaut. It will look a lot like the Western Flyer (but three main compartments rather than two); a garment bag later in the year; I hope to finish the Synapse backpack, plus a few surprises that I could tell you about but then I’d have to kill you :(

I just bought a 10-inch, sub 3-pound netbook. Is the trend toward smaller computers (netbooks) driving some what you’re doing?

We plan to introduce smaller sizes of our Soft Cell laptop sleeve for netbooks, as well as a smaller version of our Ristretto vertical messenger bag.

Are some of your new designs responses to the difficulties modern travelers are facing - like bulging overhead bins and draconian security measures?

You bet: we’re going to make travel fun again! OK, just kidding, but we will be adding the new Checkpoint Flyers mentioned above, plus I’m working on a completely waterproof clear pouch for toiletries and other must-not-leak or must-stay-dry items.

Is there a future for small, USA-based manufacturers of high-quality goods - like Tom Bihn - in this difficult economy?TOM BIHN

I believe that instead of buying large quantities of cheap stuff, people are going back to spending more on a quality product that will last them a long time. I could have bought three or four cheap coats made overseas for the price of my one Filson coat, but I chose the Filson coat because it’s made blocks away from my Seattle factory out of the best materials.  In addition, the design is thoughtful and well-executed, and it has unique features that communicate to me that this coat was designed by a real person as opposed to being a generic design with glommed on features from an assembly line. One might have to work hard and save up to buy the higher quality, made-in-the-USA item, but, at least for me, it’s guaranteed to be a more rewarding experience.

Thanks to Tom and Darcy for keeping OBOW readers up to date.

Update on January 23, 2009 by Frank@OBOW

Discussion on the Tom Bihn Forum suggests there’s real demand for undersized carryons.

BAD bag

Thanks to a Forum post by Ash: an American-made bag that new to me, BAD duffels. The bag pictured below is the #3 which has max carryon dimensons (21”x13”x10”). I prefer skinnier, more rectangular bags, but if you’re a duffel person, BAD might be good. The compression straps will probably help keep it legal size and it has pulls and handles out the wazoo.

Tag it

Some carryon-only types don’t worry about luggage tags since they’re used to having their bags in their possession at all times. But with gate checking becoming more common, a good luggage tag is essential. OBOW reader Larry P. has this tip for a cheap and indestructble one:

“I don’t remember who reccomended this but I got a pet tag at the local pet store with my name and cell phone number.  It’s metal and I attach it with the ring for car keys.  It should last forever and it won’t come off without some serious effort.”

Update on December 8, 2008 by Frank@OBOW

Larry’s source.

New carry-on player

Timbuk2, who previously focused mainly on laptop and messenger bags, have entered the carry-on luggage market.  This bag is priced like a USA-made bag but as far as I can tell it’s probably made in China.

This bag has some interesting features though and it’s less than max-sized, which is nice. More to come on the Timbuk2 travel line.

Best luggage for rappers

This piece about high-dollar Tumi luggage makes some extravagant claims. If true, no rapper or paranoid celebrity should be without it:

“As the price dictates, premium materials are used, so the wheels are better in terms of maneuverability and they can withstand difficult road conditions,” notes Santos. “Carrying Tumi itself, it’s very light but you know you’re secure because it’s made of ballistic nylon, which is used in bulletproof vests. So it’s puncture-free, slash-free, you can even use it to parry bullets!”

“The weaving is different, it’s high-tensile nylon,” adds Dinah Alfonso-Lim, Tumi’s brand director. “It lasts a hundred times better than regular nylon.”

Obama and Cruise are just a few of the high-powered celebrities who use Tumi. Among their ranks are Ashton Kutcher, Shaquille O’Neal, and now … Cameron Diaz.

Backpack straps for Tom Bihn's Flyer

The Tom Bihn Western Flyer - a nifty and versatile less-than-max-sized carryon - is now available with traditional backpack straps. It is still also available in its original mono sling strap configuration. More to come.

Photos courtesy of Tom Bihn

Update on October 22, 2008 by Frank@OBOW

I’ll be receiving a WF with backpack straps in a week or two for a hands-on trial. Darcy at TB says the the backpack straps are all new and are very comfortable. My original review of the Western Flyer is here.

Your new best friend, an Android

When Google gets in the mobile game, expect the bar to be raised. You’ll be hearing a lot about their new Android OS and the hardware that will run it.  The Telegraph of London has this about an HTC phone set to run the ‘Droid:

It is thought the phone will go on sale in the UK early next month, and HTC has said that it expects to ship around 600,000 to 700,000 units of the Dream by the end of this year.

Android, the Google-backed operating system that will run on the device, is designed to bring the desktop computing experience to mobile devices, by allowing people to surf the internet and carry out everyday tasks on the go.

It will provide easy access to Google’s web-based email service, Gmail, as well as a host of other Google products, including Docs, its productivity suite, and Google Maps.

The Dream is expected to contain a GPS chip, allowing it to double as a mobile sat-nav, and Google may also provide additional tools for the device to help push location-specific information to the phone’s owner, such as weather forecasts, travel updates and restaurant recommendations. - telegraph.co.uk

      

Update on September 18, 2008 by Frank@OBOW

Cllick on the photo for news about the US release on September 23…

 

And more about the Google phone from Engadget.