October 18, 2011 Atlantic Southeast Airlines will change its name to ExpressJet at the end of the year. It will complete the merger of the two airlines both of which are owned by Skywest Airlines.
What do you check-out when you check-in to a hotel? Here’s a BBC Travel article on the subject.
Want some tips to avoid canceled flights? These might help. Note the information on not checking bags.
October 17, 2011 Travelpro is running a sweepstakes with the grand prize of 500,000 Delta Skymiles. You can register here.
In honor or reaching 30 million passengers in one year, starting today, Amtrak is giving away a 30 day rail pass every day for a month. Unfortunately, although they say otherwise, to register, you have be a member of Facebook and give them access to all your personal information. If you’re still interested you can go here.
Were you affected by last week’s Blackberry outage? If so, RIM wants to make it up to you by offering you up to $190 in free apps.
October 14, 2011 When the people at Hammock Bliss first contacted me about reviewing their new Ultralight Travel Daypack , I thought here we go with another company using extra material to make a small, packable daypack. How good could it be?
Boy was I surprised. It turned out to be a well made, well thought out bag.
Let’s look at the specs: The Ultralight Travel Daypack weights 6.5 oz/184g, when opened it measures 20 in x 11 in x 7 in/51 cm x 28 cm x 18 cm), and holds 1100 cu in/18 liters of stuff.
It is a top loading draw string bag with two mesh pockets on the outside—good for water bottles, magazines, maps—and one small zippered pocket on the inside. It’s made of water resistant nylon (I could never get Hammock Bliss to tell me the denier) but it’s much heavier and thicker than the key ring folding size bags. It also has two somewhat padded, adjustable shoulder straps. The bag folds neatly into one of the exterior mesh pockets for storage or travel.
In the photos, I have three large, bulky sweaters inside and there is still room for more. The interior pocket is about the size of a large paperback book.
Now, for it’s usefulness. This is not for the office. It is definitely for leisure travel or light hiking. I probably wouldn’t put any heavy electronics in it or anything of value because a drawstring closure is not as good as a zipper. And it’s a free form bag; No real shape.
However, if you’re strolling through Paris and you’re only carrying a couple of sweaters, a guidebook, a baguette and morsels for a picnic later, this could be a great bag for that purpose. Or if you’re hitting ‘Disney World with the kids and need to carry jackets for the kids as well as snacks and juice packs, this lightweight daypack may be your answer.
When loaded, it’s fairly comfortable to wear.
When folded it molds enough to shove into a tight corner of your bag. Great for onebaggers.
The Hammock Bliss Ultralight Travel Daypack come in either black or blue (I ordered black, they sent blue.). It goes for $39.95 from the manufacturer or it’s available on Amazon for $25.50.
October 13, 2011 “Chat Downs” are now a part of the security procedure at Boston’s Logan Airport. Good or bad idea?
Amtrak’s ridership and revenues increased in the year ending Sept. 30, 2011. Is a viable nationwide network a part of our future?
October 12, 2011 Blackberry outages enter its third day and spread to the North America. Four months until I can get rid of mine.
According to a USA Today Study, 48% of the people polled say they travel with either an Ipad or another brand of tablet.. Currently, the only tablet I travel with is an aspirin.
The Canadian government plans to block a planned strike by Air Canada flight attendants.
TripAdvisor launches free Mobile City Guide apps for Android.
TSA tests program to allow pilots to bypass most airport security.
Emirates Airlines will build a cable car across London’s Thames river. It will be open in 2012 and in time for the Olympics.
October 11, 2011 October 10, 2011
Flying to Germany this week? Be prepared for possible strikes by ground handlers and air traffic controllers.
And Air Canada flight attendants are threatening another strike.
Priceline introduces a “Tonight’s Only” hotel deal section on its Iphone app. How does it compete with the Hotel Tonight app? USA Today does a comparison.
Planning a trip to California and want to come back with a tan even if it rains? Well, you better think twice if you’re under 18 as the state has banned the use of tanning beds by minors.
I’m making plans to visit the Leaning Tower of ……..London? Big Ben is tilting.
October 7, 2011 Amtrak is celebrating record ridership on one hand and the possibility of its funding being cut on the other.
Dutch Rail is putting urinal bags on their trains that don’t have toilet facilitites..
Have a nice weekend.
October 6, 2011 TSA announces that 29 more airports are getting advanced imaging machines for passenger screening. These new machines come pre-installed with the stick figure image rather than taking a nude picture of the person going through.
MSNBC has an article on how Steve Jobs changed travel.
R.I.P Steve Jobs. Thanks for helping to make the electronics I carry smaller and lighter.
October 5, 2011 Flying on an airline that has strict carry-on rules but you don’t want to check luggage or pay fees? A new product to hit the market is the Rufus Roo.
This jacket/poncho has six pockets, comes in six colors all with red zippers except black where you have a choice of red or black zippers, red logos on front and back, and is made of 100% “see-thru” polyester. Yes, that’s right, see-thru. I ordered one in black with black zippers and when held up to the light you can see right through it. All of the other colors have red trim zippers
It’s suggested no more than 10kg (22 lbs) be loaded onto the jacket. They also show someone carrying an Ipad. Sorry, I wouldn’t trust any heavy electronics to these pockets. Clothing, yes, but nothing of real value. It also looks bulky when packed. You won’t be fooling anyone.
The Rufus Roo comes in three sizes: Adult Large ( covering everything from Large to XX-Large), Medium and Child sizes. The large weighs 350 grams (just over 12 ounces.)
$49 for adult sizes/32.50 for kids size. Shipping is a flat $10 for one or more items. The item is shipped from the UK.
The idea is good. Unfortunately, the execution needs work. That being said, if you travel on one of the restrictive airlines and don’t mind looking a little silly to save money, then the Rufus Roo might be the way to go.
For more information, go to the Rufus Roo website. .
Rufus Roo supplied the product for review.
Addendum: Let me clarify my “see-thru” comment. You can’t see into the pockets but if you hold up the jacket in areas where there are no pockets, like the back, you can see thru it with a light in the background. You can’t see through when it’s being worn. (My apologies to Paula S. for not clarifying this before her comment was made.)
October 5, 2011 For those transiting through London Heathrow’s Terminal 3, and have a long layover, you can now relax in privacy with your own personal bedrooms rented out by the hour. They are airside, meaning you don’t have to go through immigration and customs, and offer a shower, free wifi, bed, mini-bar, desk & TV amongst other amenities. I usually use Terminal 3 so I may have to give this one a try.
Now that Apple has announced the Iphone 4S, Samsung is seeking to block its release in France and Italy claiming patent infringement.
Another reason to visit the Orlando area: Legoland Florida to open October 15.
Friendly’s Restaurants files for bankruptcy. Will close 63 restaurants.
While airfares may be up in the last 2 years, according to the Wall Street Journal, airfares are down 16% from 1995. But does that include all the little extra fees the airlines seem to love? (Yes, I know, I’m linking to a USA Today column about the WSJ article but if you want to read the actual WSJ article you have to subscribe.)
The FAA’s new ATC system has hit some snags that could mean delays and cost overruns. In other words, you’re typical government program. Too bad, if they can get it working right it will save time, money, and decrease pollution.
How about flying business class, round trip from Washington, DC to Paris for $750. Is there a catch? Of course there is.
October 4, 2011 TSA unveils PreCheck—it’s new Trusted Traveler Program. Testing begins in four markets with a select group of people. Notice they don’t say registering with this program will make getting through security any faster just that it “may” do so. Time will tell. Hopefully it won’t turn out like the testing in Boston where “specially trained” TSO’s ask every passenger a series of questions to judge their facial expressions. In some cases the wait to get through security was four hours.
In other TSA news, the agency announced it will purchase and test new machines to authenticate ID’s and boarding passes. According to TSA’s privacy officer “the machines have minimal privacy implications because only a limited amount of personal information is collected by the machines and because this information “is deleted after use.” Hmm….where have we heard that before?
In case you haven’t heard, Apple has announced the new Iphone 4S.
Washington’s National Cathedral, damaged in the August 23rd earthquake, will reopen on November 12th.
October 3, 2011 United’s Red Carpet Clubs and Continental’s President’s Club have rebranded themselves as United Club.. Access to all United Clubs is available to members of either program.
Is it possible to eat healthy at the airport? According to IndependentTraveler.com it is.
Thinking of visiting China for the first time? Lonely Planet offers five tips for the first time visitor.
Delta raises checked bag fees on international flights. Another reason for “one bag” travel.
U.S. State Department continues to urge American citizens to leave Syria while commercial transportation is still available. Ugh, like, “duh.”
Shares of AMR, parent company of American Airlines, drop to an eight year low, just under $2/share, amid bankruptcy rumors.
AMR responds to the days stock plunge.
October 2, 2011 Reader Janet A. sent me this article she wrote on “Making the most of the 3-1-1 bag” It is geared mainly towards women:
Making the most of a 3-1-1 bag:
A lot of advice on packing light skips lightly over the restrictions that a 3-1-1 bag imposes on daily grooming needs. If it’s considered at all, the advice is usually an airy “Just leave your cosmetics at home!” That advice clearly works well for some—when I took my first month long international trip as a college student, my health and beauty aids consisted of a tube of toothpaste and a bar of soap, which I used on body, hair, and clothing. (And I wondered why my hair was so unmanageable after a while!) Today, though, I travel a lot, and often for extended periods of time, and I value being able to adhere to a less minimalist grooming routine. When I’m abroad on business, I need to look polished, which given my sense of style, includes some makeup. Even when I’m urban-hiking on my own time, I prefer a look which includes the use of multiple skincare and grooming aids. (No reflection on those who don’t need or want them. Just that, for some of us, ‘leaving it all home’ isn’t a preferred option.)
So, how do I manage with the stingy little 3-1-1 kippie bag allowed these days in carry-on? By careful planning and a little ingenuity. Here are my suggestions:
First, figure out what you really need. Try keeping a list of all of the liquids and gels products that you use during the time period you are planning for—a week, a month, or whatever. Then ask yourself which are essentials, which are ‘nice to haves,’ and which you can live without while traveling. For me, I choose to eliminate nail polish (and the remover needed to take it off), weekly deep-conditioner for my hair, and sugar body scrub. I also look to my cosmetic liquids and gels and try to reduce color options down to a couple that coordinate with my travel wardrobe. But, remember, the idea here is take the things that you, personally, find indispensable, so make your own choices about which items that can stay home this time.
Second, think about substituting dry/solid items that don’t have to be in your baggie for liquids and gels that do. It’s amazing how many of these things you can find out there. For example, lip gloss can be replaced by a sheer, shiny tube lipstick. Eyeliner comes in dry cake form that you reconstitute by dipping your eyeliner brush in a bit of water. Shampoo and conditioner in solid bar form are sold by outfits like LUSH. Toothpaste can be replaced by toothpowder (available at health foods stores and Whole Foods); powdered mineral makeup can replace liquid foundation; stick or crystal deodorant substitutes for roll-on or gel ones; solid lip balms for tubes of balms; soap ‘leaves’ or powdered soap for liquid clothes soap; solid perfumes for liquid or aerosol scents, etc. Liquid impregnated wipes don’t count as liquids and gels, so you can bring packets of wipes in your main bag for such uses as nail polish removal, makeup removal, hand sanitizing, and insect repelling. Just try out any replacement candidates before your trip to make sure you are satisfied with the replacements. Remember, everything you replace is one less thing competing for space in that baggie!
Third, and probably most crucial, miniaturize your stash. It’s very unlikely that you will need three ounces of most of the things you might want to take with you. After all, three ounces of eye drops or vitamin C serum will last you until the next presidential election. So just bring what you are going to need and you can get lots and lots of items into that 3-1-1 baggie. What are some miniaturization strategies? Try these:
Buy travel sized items. Almost any drugstore or Target/Walmart style emporium will have a special section of travel-sized items. It’s true that they are an expensive way to buy products compared to buying their full versions, but convenience is worth something, and some products—toothpaste and small aerosols, for instance—are much more practical to transport in small purpose-built containers. (Incidentally, travel sized toothpastes can be refilled from a full-sized tube simply be holding them opening-to-opening and squeezing from the full tube in to the empty travel-sized one.) Another source of ready-made travel sized items are hotels that provide little bottles of shampoo, conditioner, mouthwash, etc. for guests—items that are generally replaced daily even if you haven’t used more than a fraction out of the originally supplied bottles. Nowadays, the amenities in some hotels are really pretty nice, so scoop up unopened bottles and take them home after a hotel stay, ready for your next trip.
Sample sized items are perfect for your 3-1-1 baggie, and often come packaged as little sealed packets, eliminating the risk that some of your liquids will leak during your journey. You can get them from brick and mortar specialty retailers like Kiehl’s (particularly generous with sample packets) and Sephora, as well as e-tailers and high end department stores. You just have to ask. Department stores can be a bit hit or miss—some of the staffers are more generous than others. My strategy to get sample packets is this: dress up a bit so that it looks like you are likely to be a customer for high end products. Be honest and say that you are looking for packets to travel with, and if it is true, that you are giving them a whirl as a potential replacement for what you are using now. I never buy any cosmetics at a department store without leaving with a selection of packets—be insistent but polite, and suggest that a substitute brand is just fine with you. Remember, those staffers are on commission, and if not getting samples is a deal breaker for your buying a lipstick, they’ll usually cave. And if a particular staffer doesn’t cooperate, walk away and let them know you’ll be buying from somebody else some other time.
Once you are ready to use your sample packet on the road, keep in mind that they often contain enough product for several days use, or even more. Keeping the product from drying up and oxidizing is important if you intend to use the packet for multiple days. What I do is carefully poke a hole in one of the corner areas of the packet—ideally through only one of the two surfaces—with a pin, needle, or a sharp tweezer end. Then I squeeze out a drop or two of the stuff inside and apply. Afterwards, just push the remaining product to the unopened end of the packet and it’s safe as can be till the next usage. I once used a large packet of eyecream for a month that way. Really.
Repackage your product into smaller containers. If you can’t get a sample or travel-sized product that you need, or you prefer to use the products you ordinarily use at home, you can just decant a small amount of product into a small container and take that. Most so-called ‘travel bottles’ are a bit larger than you will likely need, so don’t limit yourself to purpose-sold travel bottles. I save tiny jars and bottles that many product samples come in and re-use them. I also love plastic clamshell containers—Nordstrom will often make up a makeup or skincare sample in one of these if they are out of sample packets, and you can reuse them later for creamy and gel-like products. (Tiny little containers are also available online and in stores that specialize in storage and containers.) I use these miniature containers for face cream, hair gel, and gel deodorant—a plastic clamshell container about the size of a fifty cent piece and a half inch high easily holds two weeks’ worth of gel deodorant and takes up practically no space in the baggie. Another kind of tiny container that is cheap and versatile is the tiny bottle designed for holding soy sauce in Japanese lunch boxes—they hold one to two teaspoons of liquid, close with tiny little screw tops, and can hold a month’s worth of facial serum, liquid foundation, or eyedrops. And some of them are shaped like little pigs or whales—stylish as well as practical! You can buy a bag of twenty or so for a buck or two at your local Asian grocery.
Last of all, consider buying what you need when you get there. There are both advantages and disadvantages to this approach. On the plus side, you keep items out of your luggage entirely that way, lightening your overall load as well as your 3-1-1 baggie. You also have the ability to buy skincare and beauty products that you might not be able to easily find here in the US. I mean, when was the last time you saw Finnish shampoo or Bulgarian toothpaste in your local megamart? Leftovers make unique and memorable souvenirs when you get back home. In addition, shopping for daily use items takes you out of the tourist circuit, since you’ll need to shop where the locals shop for their hand cream and conditioner.
There are, however, some down sides to this strategy. Maybe you aren’t looking forward to toiletry shopping once you hit the ground on arrival. You might not know what kind of shop sells sunscreen or toothpaste, and in many parts of the world, products that Americans would expect to find in the same retail establishment won’t be sold that way. If your foreign language skills aren’t top notch, you might be unsure of exactly what you’re buying—both toothpaste and hemorrhoid cream come in tubes, but they are not interchangeable! And, even if you know what kind of product you’re getting, you may be unsure of its ingredients—whether it contains products you are sensitive to, whether you will find its formulation agreeable, whether it contains things you prefer to avoid like artificial preservatives or animal tested ingredients, etc. If you prefer to stick with things you know you like, you might not want to take pot luck on arrival. One final consideration is that you may not be able to find small travel-sized products when you shop on arrival—they are often available, but you may not know exactly where to find them. And, if you buy larger sized items and you will be traveling between points, you might be stuck with dragging large bottles along during your travels, which undermines the goal of traveling light (as well as being impossible if you are one-bagging it on a plane as part of your travel itinerary.)
My own choice in this regard is to bring most of what I need in my 3-1-1 baggie but to buy two kinds of products abroad: those that I will be using more than 3 ounces of, like body lotion and sunscreen, and those that come in superior versions outside the US, like sunscreen. I do bring a small amount of such products in my 3-1-1 baggie so that I’m not desperate to shop while jetlagged and can postpone my toiletry expedition for a day or two. Two reasons I like to buy sunscreen abroad is that if I’m doing it right—a shot glass full for a whole body application—I’m going to be using a lot more than three ounces of it while on the road. And second, European sunscreen is just plain better than sunscreen available in the US—tinosorb and mexoryl are vastly better UVA blockers than the ones that are used here. (UVA are the sun’s rays that cause skin damage like premature aging and skin cancer, whereas UVB rays are the ones that cause sunburns. SPF factors only measure a sunscreen’s UVB protection, so picking an SPF 50 or 60 sunscreen is no guarantee that it is a good UVA blocker.) Frankly, for me, European sunscreen is so much superior to what I can buy at home that my 3-1-1 baggie is filled with two or three extra tubes of it on my way home. Since the rest of my liquids and gels have been used up by the end of my trip, I have plenty of space left for extra sunscreens. Or maybe a really pretty lipgloss from a Parisian department store.
Two final tips: If you are traveling with a little bottle or pot that is not factory sealed, there is always a chance of leakage due to pressure changes while traveling. It is recommended that you leave a half inch or so of room in the container and squeeze out the air before sealing it closed. That usually works fine, but slippery and thin stuff sometimes works its way out even with those precautions. I isolate the likely offending containers in advance and put them in a snack-sized ziplock and then put the snack-bag into the 3-1-1 baggie. An ounce of prevention is worth an hour of wiping conditioner off every little bottle and packet in your main kippie bag.
Last of all: not every 1 quart baggie is created equal. Those that close with a plastic zipper device on the top are better than those that close with a press-and-seal track. It can be hard to see if the track-seal is really fully sealed, and you lose a bit of potential space in the bag to boot. Also, some 1 quart bags have a slight triangular bottom as opposed to simply two flat surfaces—more room inside for goodies.
With these ideas and some planning, it’s possible to travel with plenty of skincare and makeup and still avoid having to check your bag.
October 2, 2011 I spend hours every day perusing news feeds from both consumer and travel industry sites. I’m constantly looking for stories that pertain to light/one bag travelers. It’s tough.
But what if I look at it the other way. What if I find travel news that’s not just for light travelers but items light travelers would find interesting.
Starting tomorrow, and hopefully on a daily basis, depending on my schedule, I’m going to put together a list of items that might be of interest to many of you and include links to the full stories. This way you can pick and choose what you want to read. It will be called the “Daily Roundup.”
I’ll still give some items and topics their own separate postings if it’s something I feel is of particular interest to our readers.
Additionally, I’m going to do more blog postings under the “how to” category. My hope is that many of you will add to these postings with your own tips & techniques.
So, that’s the first round of changes. There are more in the works. Stay tuned.
October 1, 2011 Believe it or not, Disney World turns 40 today.
On October 1, 1971, Disney World opened to the public for the first time. Rather than go into details about Disney World, instead, I’ll give you some Disney World trivia:
Epcot opened in 1983.
Disney’s Hollywood Studios in 1989.
Animal Kingdom in 1998.
Walt Disney did not live to see his dream come to life as he died five years before it opened. His brother Roy took over responsibility for the project.
Disney is located in Lake Buena Vista county. The county has elected officials and is run like any other county except for the fact that Disney owns all of it.
September 28, 2011 Let me start by giving my thanks to Brad for the great work he’s done in not only putting together this website but for having the only one bag specific website that allows feedback and discussion from its readers. While others strictly give their biased opinion, One Bag One World has been a forum for all to share their experiences and preferences when it comes to “one bagging it.” And I plan to keep it that way.
Over the next few weeks and months, you’ll see some minor changes to the website. I plan to streamline it a bit, update some of the informational content as well as add to it. The blog postings will also increase to include more travel related news and stories.
I’m also inviting all of you to get more involved. If you have an item that you believe may be useful to onebaggers, then why not write a review and send it to me. If I feel it’s appropriate, I’ll add it to our blog. (I do insist that anyone writing a review have no connection to the company making or selling the product. You must strictly be a user. )
Remember to follow us on Twitter and RSS, and yes, I’m working on a Facebook page. (Not being very tech savvy it takes me awhile to figure out how to do a lot of this stuff.)
Brad also mentioned finances. This website has never made a profit and is still losing money every month. While I’m going to do everything I can to increase revenue, I promise that I will not allow any person or company to “buy” my support or influence my reviews.
So, there you have it. I wish Brad much success in his new business and to all of you I look forward to all of us working together to promote “one bagging.”
(Frank II)
September 27, 2011 Dear OBOW friends,
The transition of the OBOW editorship from myself to Frank is now nearly complete. Economic realities have meant that my traveling (and time to write about travel) has diminished to nearly zero. On top of that I’m opening a new local business next week and preparations for that have been all-consuming. Unless Frank had been available to step in, OBOW would have ceased months ago — so if you appreciate OBOW you should thank Frank for keeping it alive. I started OBOW back in 2007 with zero readers. Easing in to it and learning as I went was no problem. Frank has a harder task these days with more products, more news, and more readers. Be patient with him and I’m sure he’ll be patient with you.
Though this site has never been “profitable” it has done a lot of good. I know for a fact that we’ve influenced product design for the better, and I know we’ve helped a lot of people travel more enjoyably. And that “we” includes the readers. We’ve always had some of the smartest, kindest posters in cyberspace. Here’s hoping that is something for which OBOW will continue to be known.
Goodbye and good travels,
Brad
September 21, 2011 In his new economic package, President Obama has proposed that the Aviation Passenger Security Fee which is now $2.50 per enplanement be raised to $5 for each one way ticket regardless of the number of segments.
Starting in 2013, the fee would be raised by 50 cents per year until 2017 when it reaches a peak of $7.50.
The White House estimates the increase in fees will pay for 43% of the cost of TSA.
The President also proposed a fee of $100 per flight for most private and commerial aircraft. This fee would be payable directly to the FAA to help support that agency. Only military aircraft, public aircraft (police, fire, medical) and recreational aircraft (meaning those not needing any help from Air Traffic Control) will be exempt.
As expected, all aviation industry groups are against this plan.
Similar types of fees on aircraft have been brought up before and have always been denied by Congress.
(Frank II)
September 18, 2011 Contributor Paul follows up on his MEI Executive Overnighter review with this one:
MEI Voyageur “light”
Reader review / first impressions
It’s been a long time since I posted my review of my MEI Executive Overnighter, a bag that has gone on to serve me well to this day. It’s held up beautifully, and still looks and performs like new.
Since then, I’ve been on the lookout for something a bit smaller for my leisure travel, since I have (like so many OBOW contributors) been able to reduce my one bag footprint. I have been using a soft suitcase I purchased from Tactical Tailor - see previous review on OBOW - that has given stellar service, but it’s dimensions are not quite optimal these days (the length in particular) so I found myself starting to cast about for another solution.
I was aiming for a bag approximating the TB TriStar. I like the Bihn product, but the cost is high (and I completely understand that TB is quality and quality costs), and after reviewing the sort of leisure travel habits I currently enjoy (nearly always to warmer climbs, and/or of shorter duration), the sort of packing assist gear I have (folders, light weight RS cubes, various stuff bags, etc.) and my personal preferences in bags (no wheels, comfortable backpack straps, ability to use my TB absolute shoulder strap, etc.). I decided that a one compartment bag would work fine for me.
In the course of my research I stumbled onto the following thread on the Bootsnall forums (I hope this link works):
The OP, ‘AceTracer’, contacted MEI to develop a smaller, lighter variant of the Voyageur. I suggest reading the thread; it’s a good read. The gist of it was the OP’s desire for a lightweight bag (“…Ideally, less than 2 lbs…”) of 55cm x 36cm x 20cm or 21” x 14” x 8” (38L) in size. It seems he tested a number of prototypes, and received a final copy. Unfortunately, the thread appears to be at least a year old, so I am unaware of the OPs thoughts after use, but I did like the idea and since I already was a satisfied MEI customer I decided to inquire with MEI on this. In the end I decided on a bag constructed as follows. It’s a bit larger than a TB TriStar, but, that’s ok:
Top & Back: 420 D Nylon Rip-stop in forest (hunter) green
Sides: Spectra nylon rip-stop in black color with spectra thread in white
Removable back foam pad, removable alloy internal frame stays
Light w/1/2” foam waist belt, 420 D Nylon Rip-stop 500 D Spectra Rip-Stop,
No lumbar pad, Backpack shoulder straps padded w/ .5” each of close and open cell foam
Per Ahmed @ MEI, weight is 3.4 lbs. all up
Dimensions (sewn edge to sewn edge:
L: 21”/53.2 cm
W: 13”/33.0 cm
D: 8”/20/3 cm
I just received the bag, and thought I would share some photos and random musings with the OBOW readership.
BTW, my thanks to that OP – I hope he lurks on OBOW.
The first thing I did after opening the box was take out my trusty – likely not terribly accurate, but that’s ok – handheld luggage scale and tested it. Ahmed was right on – 3.4 lbs / 1.6 kilos, all up.. Removing the alloy stays, and foam pad, the weight dropped to a bit below 2.9 / 1.3 kilos lbs. Not too bad. I wasn’t as concerned as the thread OP about getting below 2 lbs, since my personal packing methods are flexible enough that even with some extra bag weight, I easily keep at or below the unofficial ‘10% of body weight’ rule of thumb most of us generally follow and which works fine for me (for the record, I currently weigh 151 lb. / 68.4 kilos).
Quality of material and construction is, as I expected, excellent. Straight seams, tension points heavily sewed, quality YKK zippers and nylon/polymer buckle hardware, all very similar to my EO, and holding up beautifully. The main bag materials , although lighter than the Cordura used on the EO, look to be durable enough to survive the occasional gate check, although I hope never to put that to the test. There are 3 flush handles, using that interesting webbing that I’ve only seen on MEI bags, and work wonderfully on my EO. Only the geographic ‘bottom’ of the bag (think of the bag being carried on your back by the backpack straps, the bottom is the part closest to your bottom ) has no handle. Methinks that perhaps Ahmed can use this as a starting point to develop a similar version of the multi-compartment EO. Ahmed – if you are reading this … I may consider being a ‘test case’ …
The outside front of the bag has 2 full with zippered compartments, one a full width pocket deep enough for magazines, etc (10 “ / 25.4 cm) and the other, shallower, with a vertical stitch dividing this into 2 pockets (8” / 20.3 cm, and both pockets have full double zips across the entire opening length) . Either of the shallower half-pockets should be wide enough to hold a 9-11 baggie (I need to test this).
Inside, things are as I expected, with a few pleasant surprises. As expected there is one large compartment. There are 2 sewn and velcro’ed compartments for the removable alloy supports. What was unexpected is 1) a flap of material, basically the size of the bag, and open at the top creating a thin compartment at the back of the bag, that can be closed by velcro, suitable for paperwork or perhaps a clothing folder, and 2) a small removable oddments bag, that attaches at the geographic top of the bag interior using Velcro, that would be handy for, well, oddments. On the length-wide sides are mesh flaps, with short velcro–tipped straps, that can be used to isolate or subdivide the interior space (think socks, rolled up underwear, etc.). As is often found in bags like this, there are 2 tie-down straps with nylon buckles to secure the contents.
All in all, I am pleased with what I have, and look forward to using it. Ahmed was fine to deal with (our communication was entirely by email, but I had his number in the event I needed to speak directly with him). Ahmed (and his co-worker, M. Sipra) were very helpful, offering suggestions based on material availability and sending questions and updates as things progressed. It was approximately 30 days from 1st inquiry to delivery.
I’ve not yet had the opportunity to travel with this, or even to test pack it, but I look forward to using it. I hope that you find this useful, and I will try and follow up after I use it. Please let me know any questions etc. and I will try my best to answer them as time permits.
Happy Travels ~
Paul
(Frank II)