Nau, one of my favorite companies to keep an eye on. They have a wonderful modern aesthetic while maintaining an “organic” vibe that keeps the brand approachable and not cold like some technical brands tend to get. Starting out with clothing, they have expanded their offerings, and just announced a new bag to add to their carry options. The Fluent Traveler.
The Fluent Traveler is inspired by the doctor’s bag of days past. It’s crafted of organic cotton and lined with cotton poplin, which promises to be uber-soft. I really like the uninterrupted lines and how much the bag looks like a giant pillow.
I was a bit worried about the size but the action shots shows it to be just the right width. There is a large main compartment and two external pockets including one that looks ripe for a Nalgene or a bundled up magazine. The Fluent Traveler looks like the perfect weekender duffel.
Tell us your thoughts in the comments.
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When I joined the workforce out of college and started traveling a bit on business, I felt it was a right of passage to buy my first rolling carry-on. I was just like my colleagues and (so I thought at the time) all the *real* travelers at the airport. I belonged.
Then I started reading magazines a bit more and kept seeing all these luxury bags – weekenders and duffles. Why do rich people have duffle bags and weekenders? I had to wonder.
Well, I decided to give it a shot. Life changed. Epiphany.
I first bought (and still occasionally use) a timbuk2 doctor-style bag. I felt like a new man. I was carrying my luggage. I wasn’t fighting with my luggage at escalators. I wasn’t annoyed by the sound. I wasn’t choosing my routes by where there were no obstacles. I didn’t have to find a parking spot for it at restaurants. I was free. And I loathe the roller, now.
Already a fan of nau’s design philosophy and aesthetic sensibilities, I took the plunge and tried the fluent traveler because I thought it would improve a bit on the timbuk2 bag, and it did.
Key Plusses:
1. The handles clasp together. Going through security and other places where you are setting it down and picking it back up a lot, this is a great feature that arguably should be on all bags (but just isn’t).
2. The side pockets hold a magazine perfectly. Going through TSA it’s also easy to dump keys, wallet, phone, change, etc. all in the other pocket and retrieve it all on the other side easily. Not all pockets can do that. The brilliant thing about these pockets is that they double as handles to pull out of the car or an overhead bin without having a discrete handle. Minimalist win.
3. Inside is roomy and unfussy. You’ll have to organize your stuff your self, so if you are a pocket maniac (like I used to be) this could be a disadvantage, but I rather like it. It’s a bag. You put stuff in it. What else do you want?
4. Looks great. No logos, no frills, no fuss BUT – that doesn’t mean it’s boring. It has graceful lines and great texture.
5. The carry handle is cool because it’s long enough to throw over your shoulder or just carry by your side. I found this to be a huge advantage over the traditional short handle and shoulder strap method. The strap can never go short enough for me. Tucking this thing up under your arm makes it much easier to carry. Not bouncing off your hip.
Drawbacks:
-1. I wish the handles had leather or some other clever solution to curb the abrasive properties of the materials against the hands when carrying. If you are going to load this baby up (and it holds a lot!) and be carrying this thing around a lot, it can really rough up your hands. I would say under normal conditions it’s not that bad, but if you need to check out of the hotel and walk around the city for a while, find a bellman to check it with. Your hands will thank you.
-2. The bag really isn’t designed for this, but I would like to see a matching sleeve for a laptop or ipad. With all your files going digital, I like the trend going to one bag. Throw your clothes, laptop and maybe a folder in your weekender and off you go. There is absolutely no padding in this bag to protect your awesome electronics.
I’m always on the hunt for a new bag. I really want something leather. This is my benchmark and I haven’t yet found a bag worthy to send this $200 badboy to the back of the closet.
In short – it’s a good bag!