Packable Backpacks for the Snow

Snowboarding is one of those activities in life that requires a large amount of gear to make it happen. There’s no avoiding it – from goggles and gloves to jackets and neck warmers, just managing to get all this gear to the hill can be a challenge in itself (especially if you are a little socially confused after a night of après schnapps). Visit any lost property desk at your local resort to see how many pairs of gloves and goggles loose their way during the season, and you’ll start to understand why having a packable backpack comes in handy…

To help mange all my gear for a day’s riding, I run with a lightweight packable backpack such as the one I picked up from Kathmandu (at one of their all so regular sales). The idea behind this pack is that I can carry everything I need for a day’s riding in one place, without having to either wear the gear and risk losing it during the journey, or lug an empty pack around the hill once all the gear is in use.

In it I carry my gloves, neck warmer, goggles, jacket and beanie, and once at the resort I put all this gear on like it is intended to be used, fold up the pack and throw it in my pocket. This allows me to keep everything in one place for the ride to the hill, whether that be car, foot, hitch hiking or by bus. It allows me hassle free riding by not having to worry about pack straps getting caught on the chair lift or fogged goggles because I left them on my head for the always hot and over crowded shuttle bus ride.

Plus on the way home I have a bag to carry a couple of cold ones for the hot tub. Here are a few other examples of bags that you could use to help you get your gear to the hill.

Patagonia Lightweight Travel Tote

The North Face Flyweight Rucksack

Kathmandu Pocket Pack v2

Paul Colby was the gentlemen who sliced this post together > check him out.

Related posts:

1. Changing backpacks
2. Our favourite versatile backpacks
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Quick Review | Nau Fluent Stash

Why it caught my eye

There’s no way around it, I am a big Nau fan. The Portland, Oregon company just gets it. They are a responsible corporate entity, they try to source sustainably when possible, and above all else, they make incredibly well fitting and functional clothing.   In addition to their successful clothing line, Nau recently started making accessories.

When a company that is known for quality goods in one particular market or field decides to branch out, I take note. If it’s a company that I admire, I hold my breath.  Are they too confident? How far off from their primary product line is this new venture?

One of the products from their new accessories line that Nau are releasing is called the Fluent Stash and I was lucky enough to be sent one a while back to check out. Upon first glance, there’s nothing new here. As you are aware, wool and felt are extremely popular products right now. Just go on Etsy or follow any design/carry blog and you’ll see that it’s the go to material for iPad, Kindle, and Macbook cases and sleeves. And why not? It’s soft enough to cut and sew yet firm enough (reminds me of thin cardboard) that it lends rigidity and protection to whatever it is holding.

What makes the Fluent Stash different?

First of all, it’s not a traditional pouch. It is precision cut and folded, much like an origami puzzle. When you open it up, you are presented with four compartments to hold your travel items. The top pocket is covered with a see through mesh with a very fine weave.  When I go on a trip, there’s a bunch of things I want easy access to. They are always on my body or, more likely, in my carry-on bag or backpack. I tried loading up the Fluent Stash with the a variety of items ranging from small compressible ear plugs to the bulky case for my earbuds.

What I liked

The material choice (wool felt) was great. It provided ample protection yet was soft so it would not cause any damage if it was placed in a bag with other items. The only hardware was a metal clasp and it had only enough exposed surfaces as was required. The construction was  clean with no flaws in construction.  I pictured having all the items I needed in one convenient place, rather than spread among the different pockets of my luggage. In this regard, the Fluent Stash fits the bill.

What I did not like

The shortcoming that I soon encountered is that it is very sensitive to thickness. If you put large items, say a bulky case for your IEM (internal ear monitors), it ends up being hard to fold up. Remember, Nau designed the case like an origami puzzle. As you fold each flap to the center, it gets thicker and thicker because the items were essentially stacking on each other.   The designers anticipated this because the latch on top has multiple slits it’s able to fit in in, accommodating the increased thickness. Even with all my stuff I only had to resort to the second notch. Functionally this was fine but being a really picky person, I thought the aesthetic  was off since a fully loaded Stash looked bulky.

How I’d improve it

I am not sure how this would work but one thing the designers could do is take into consideration the folding aspect of the Stash. If they specified a folding order, say left, right, then top, they could anticipate where the flaps would overlap and could guide how users place their goods via compartments.

Wrapping up

Organizers are nothing new but Nau is certainly showing that there’s room for improvement. Sure, anyone could throw their stuff in a bag but being an organization freak, I am glad to have something like the Fluent Stash around. I imagine the second iteration would only improve things.

Related posts:

1. Nau Fluent Traveler
2. Quick Review | Temono Pipi

F-Light Series from Rip Curl

Have surfers been single handedly holding up the airline industry? In recent times, excess baggage fees have become rude, and with the weight of boards, wetsuits, pillows and teddy bears (what?!) you can start to imagine how it is stinging our pockets. Rip Curl figured they’d try to leave some of that coin with the traveling surfer, and so have tried to lighten the load of hauling your boards…

Part of their Jenny Craig F-Light series, the boardbags are 30-40% lighter then the average boardbag on today’s market. The outer on the boardbag is Tyvek, the same material they use in the FedEx packages that everyone stuggles to open. It still runs 10mm closed cell padding underneath it, while being waterproof and breathable. The entire project is a partnership between Rip Curl and DuPont – who are making the material for the boardbags.

These are really light – a noticeable lightness when you pick it up. The difference? Rip Curl’s triple boardbag is now 3.2kg (as opposed to the original 8kg), their double that was 3.5kgs is now at 2.4kg. And to round it off their single (which is 6′3″) is coming in at 1.6kg!!

A couple of other neat additions to the board bags include a neoprene buffer between your board and the zipper, as well knowing that all the material is recyclable.

Pretty neat to see the surf brands finally trying to address the weight of their travel gear. We should expect to see more of the same from Rip Curl slowly dripping down to their backpacks and luggage.

Related posts:

1. Road Test | Rip Curl Search Backpack
2. School bag w/LED light & GPS
3. Osprey 24/7 Pack Series

m0851 Passeport Holder

Following on from the contributor inspired post last week, we have another we wanted to share with you. This time it’s from David Lang and his m0851 travel wallet. The travel wallet topic was a big hit after the Rip Curl Travel Wallet post went up a while back, so it’s interesting to look at some others. We intend to bring a full travel wallet post later on but for now we can share with you the m0851.

Firstly, a little history on m0851.

m0851 is based in Canada and create and produce their entire collection in Montreal (hence the funny ‘passeport’ spelling). On top of travel wallets, they also make bags, accessories and most recently leather bomber jackets! The piece in particular we’re talking about is the Passeport Holder.

With pockets in all the right places and it’s passport size, the m0851 Passeport Holder, in David’s words, ‘features beautiful leather and smells so damn good’.

On top of giving us great feedback and a mini review on the wallet, David was also kind enough to take some photos of his wallet, which shows us how it wears, how he packs it and how it looks.

Would you be able to let us know what you think are the major highlights of it?

In terms of width and height, it’s sized to carry a passport and nothing bigger so it fits comfortably in a typical pants pocket. I like the L-shaped passport slot as it holds the goods securely, but still allows the passport to be easily removed when the holder’s out of your pocket at customs. Slot at left for the small section of a boarding card and three slot on the right for cards. Also has one medium-sized and two big hidden slots at the back.

Made in Canada  using aniline calfskin leather that wears well and smells really good.

And areas you think it could be improved??

The medium-sized slot seems a little unnecessary. It does have its uses, but I’d rather a thinner wallet than the extra slot, although I’m sure some would rather the extra space. Also, the top right slot it is too high up and should be moved down or made deeper to lessen risk of a card sticking out over the top of the holder.

How long have you had it?

Ten months.

General feedback on it?

The m0851 is made using soft leather whereas many of the passport holders I’ve come across are made of a hardish, more scratch-proof kind of material. Personally I love the soft leather because evidence of travels get embedded into the surface giving it more personality over time. Plus, it feels nice to the touch which is oddly comforting while in transit. However, one thing to note about the material is that the user should not overstuff the holder it as it will stretch permanently. It took me a while to find a passport holder to settle on, but this has satisfied all my requirements while looking good and I’ve really enjoyed using it so far. Keeper.

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Our Favourite Wheeled Bags

Note: For a higher resolution image of the above, click [HERE].

Traveling has become a major part of our lives – whether for a holiday, a business trip, or discovering the world. Few of us take the same length trip each time, so choosing appropriate luggage is no easy task. There’s loads to consider, and with the way excess weight charges are skyrocketing, weight is more important than ever.

With that in mind we have pulled together a list of bags we think tend to cover most areas you need to think about when traveling, with factors like weight, material, mobility, and more…

The market is quite saturated with different travel carry product, from the super simple duffel bag, to the burger with the lot (like this powered wheeled luggage). The sizes are quite broad so it is easy to be lost in the difficult attempt to find the perfect travel carry good.

Yet despite (or perhaps because of) all the choice, one of the main issues that gets overlooked in favour of design is a big one. Weight.  Of course we want the shiny wheels and soft telescopic handles with a packing space the size of an elephant. But the price for such practicability is that the bag in itself is often half of our weight allowance. As a general guide, we think check in bags are better when they weigh less than 13 lbs (6kgs).

In our opinion, the soft shell (or fabric based) bags offer the best option for traveling. They are compressible, generally lighter weight, and easy to store between trips. Our major complaint with hard cases (other than the tiny wheels and weight) is that they won’t compress into a tight taxi boot or storage space. We’ve seen this throw a simple car trip in to chaos, and prefer the flexibility of soft luggage.

So the main focus here is the trolley and wheels system. We have made a selection of 5 bags weighing between 3 and 6kg, with prices around AU$250 to AU$500.

Some of the things you should be looking for when searching for new travel luggage are:

- Fabric. Have fabric as the main material to keep the weight of the bag down, it allows easy volume compression and home storage between trips.

- Sandwich. Have a sandwitch construction – open in 2 sections from the center. Easier packing and sorting of your clothes, items, etc

- Space. You need something that can carry enough for 2wks worth of clothing. Unless you don’t wash and can stretch that 2weeks into 2 months…

- Hardware. Bigger wheels roll more easily, softer wheels make less noise (and scratch less), and handles should have only small amounts of play when fully extended (this is the quickest way to judge handle quality).

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Mandarinaduck – Isi 93L Trolley

Positive: The folded fabric gives the bag a more elegant feel. The bag offers a large compartment with compression straps, a quick access pocket at the front for your small-last minute stuff, and a really nice front compartment. Its vertical design allows the bag to stand upright.

Negative: Lack of pocketing. Even though it does offer a quick access front pocket thing like coins, keys etc. get lost in it. A top access pocket would have been more practical. The single telescopic handle is a tricky one. Beautiful in its simplicity it doesn’t stop the bag to tip sideways. A double one would have been better for this kind of size.

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Rip Curl – Search Vault

Positive: Probably its compact design. As much as it looks a little smaller than other market bags in the same price range, it carries a fair share of stuff. It has durable look and material, small top quick access pocket, and a bottom one for you last minute pair of shoes.

Negative: The simple design and compact approach could have resulted in a lighter weight. The top compartment is a touch small.

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Gravis – Trekker

Positive: Not a newy but a goody. Traditional sandwitch construction, with the top and bottom front pockets working great for sports gear. The front handles have a good streamline design. Replaceable skate wheels are nice, and the rounded corners of the molded base improve durability.

Negative: Strong pop color is easy to find on the airport carrousel but lack of discretion the rest of the time. The front handles are practical however the hand feeling isn’t great.

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Victorinox – CH97 28”

Positive: Super compact design with expandale main compartment. Nice telescopic handle. Great warranty.

Negative: Weight is probably it’s down size. 5kg for this size is not great. The back or base of the bag look a bit old compare to the front. A molded part would have been better.

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Dakine – Split Roller

Positive: The split system allow you to divide the bag in two. Really practical when travelling thru U.S.A. Great internal volume.

Negative: The base of the bag is a bit old fashioned these days, the handles as well. If you look for a good looking box this is probably the best choice.

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If you have any other suggestions that might fit in this chart, or would like to add anything to our review please feel free to add to the discussion.

Related posts:

1. Our favourite versatile backpacks
2. Our favourite versatile messenger bags
3. The Travel Wallet

The Travel Wallet

In all our years of traveling one of my pet hates was the juggling of my travel documents – passport, boarding pass, anything that refers to where I’m going, etc. It took until a recent trip where one of my travel buddies pulled out what, at first glance, looked like the guiness world record for Costanza wallets, for me to realise there was answers out there.

The wallet I’m referring to is from Rip Curl, not widely known for their ‘carry’ category. Called the Globe Trotter, this wallet is hands down the best travel wallet I’ve come across. I’ll give you three quick reasons why: 1/ Fits in my back pocket. 2/My passport is snug in it. 3/No damage to boarding passes and it holds most documents with relative ease.

To explain it further we’ve broken it down into four major areas that we think all travel wallets need to excel at:

1/ Access:

A travel wallet needs to have quick access – there’s nothing worse than trying to juggle documents while dealing with the person at the counter who is trying to charge excess and sit you next to the first dropout from The Biggest Loser. Something that can give you quick access to your documents, particularly your boarding pass and passport.

This can also then be stretched out to needing to access money (visas, food, etc) or frequent flyer (or the such) cards quickly.

2/ Mobility:

This was a huge thing with the Rip Curl wallet. The wallet is designed to fit into the back pocket of most pairs of jeans. This is huge. When you see people fumbling around with huge portfolio travel wallets (which also invite theft/muggings), you feel like the king when this Rip Curl one fits snuggly into your back pocket. It’s an easy decision to know which you would want.

3/ Storage:

Always a topic of discussion with wallets, storage isn’t so much a worry with the Globe Trotter. With the generous size, there is plenty of space to throw things. The brilliance here is the dimensions again. Fitting your cards perfectly is a no brainer, but a pocket that fits your passport perfectly? Yes please. Along with that there is multiple sections for notes, boarding passes even a sim card slot for when you’re juggling international phone carriers.

4/ Looks:

Of course, like anything, you want to look as good as possible. Otherwise you’d be rolling around in an oversized one piece tracksuit… The Rip Curl Globe Trotter is constructed from genuine leather and wouldn’t look out of place in the First Class Lounge at Qantas Club. You definitely want to be sporting a wallet that looks good, both now and in years to come.

PS -> Bonus? Yep, the wallet came with a little micro pen that slides in the fold of the wallet. Stops you having to ask the creepy dude next to you for their pen.

Let us know what you use for your travel wallets? It would be great to do some comparing…

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3. Pacsafe :: Anti-Theft Travel Gear

Scottevest has been around for a decade now, but we’d never really thought to post about them. Then an article from Core77, pinged to us from Aaron at Knog, and we figure it’s time to share this special kind of weirdness…

I have to start by saying The Woz is a board member of Scottevest. For anyone that knows Apple, you’ll know that Steve Wozniak was the geek half of Apple, the one that made all the tech dreams a reality. When you know that The Woz is involved, you can probably figure that this stuff is all about functionality, and perhaps not so much about latte’s in Milan.

Scott Jordan was the catalyst for the brand, as he sought to loose the Man Bag and yet still have access to all his modern day tech and gadgets. The result is a full range of clothing that lists the number of pockets each item has as a key performance indicator (28 was the best I found).

In recent times they have shifted their focus more to travellers, but it’s still the same feel and flavor… MacGyver inspired clothing for tech toting boy scouts (of the grown up variety). Check out the Core77 article for more.

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Bonus section: And yet, there is always someone more extreme. In carry clothing, that someone is Eric Le Fou, a man with a true obsession. He keeps 1300 items in his everyday jacket, and has the record to prove it.

(via @CreativityBoost)

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Choosing good rolling luggage

When traveling, a good bag is one you don’t notice. Your trip should be all about your trip, not dragging a failing bag through customs as the zips split, the wheels seize, and the seams fall apart.

But picking good luggage is not an obvious thing. Small details can grow to be big issues half way through a round the world ticket.

So we’re going to talk about wheeled luggage for traveling to paved areas, and we’ll try to pass on some of the tips we’ve learned working in this game for so darn long…
When buying luggage, you’re basically looking to score positives while avoiding negatives:

Scoring positives includes getting features and construction that will give you maximum freedom in your travels.

Avoiding negatives is about reducing your chances of things going wrong (quality failure, theft, unexpected issues).

While Go Lite crew like Onebag.com recommend avoiding the weight of wheels & handles, we’ve found that for big trips, wheels can save your back, neck and marriage (and are a must if you’re lugging sports gear). We also love hybrid bags (straps & wheels) if you’re going to get off the track, but that’s another post…

CONSTRUCTION
Score: Sandwich construction (a bag that opens into 2 halves) is great for organizing your gear. Some of these bags will also then split in half and let you check them separately to sneak under the 50 lbs (22 kg) per bag limits many US airlines have for check in.

Avoid: Weight matters. The more the bag weighs, the less you can carry before hitting weight restrictions.
Corners get trashed on luggage, so the rounder they are the better (but that starts to compromise on your internal space). Make sure the corners look protected and strong.
And make sure the bag stands upright even when loaded. Luggage that keeps tipping over will drive you mad.
Hard cases suck when you need to squeeze in to a tight trunk or overhead bin, and they suck in storage, and they generally have really small wheels (which sucks). We’re not big fans of hard cases.

HARDWARE
Score: For wheels, bigger and softer wins every time. They roll easier, are less likely to get jammed on rocks (scratching the floor), and don’t clatter like hard wheels on tiles. Skate or inline wheels are usually pretty good (bonus if they are replaceable), but we’re waiting for someone to innovate more in this space.
Zips should be bigger, and preferably a known brand like YKK. Bag companies can save loads using cheap generic zips, but you’ll be cursing them very soon.
Look for a long warranty with your travel bags – at least 3 years. Most people only use a big bag once a year, and so if it goes wrong on your second trip, you’ll be spewing.

Avoid: It’s cheaper for a brand to stick telescoping handles on the outside of luggage, but any knock on the housing can dint it, and stop the handle opening. Go a handle that is inside the bag.
Locks generally don’t work, but if you really want them, get locks that are fixed to the bag rather than just fixing the zip heads. At least then when someone does pop your zip open, they won’t be able to hide their entry as easily.

INTERNALS
Score: Internal straps and compression to secure your clothes help. Otherwise your luggage can do a washing machine with your contents.

Avoid: Some luggage over compartmentalizes their internals, which stops you fitting large items. A 2/3 and 1/3 split is usually a great compromise.

MATERIAL
Score: Nylon (the shinier woven fabric) is generally stronger than polyester, and larger weave (denier) is also generally stronger. However the backing (the material laminated to the back of the woven stuff) makes a big difference. Thicker backing holds up better… but this is all getting a little complex. Just go for a good brand, and they should have worked all this out.

Avoid: While Hard cases offer a little more protection (but fail more radically), and generally offer better security, they also come with big compromises. They are heavier, and if you need to jam it in to a taxi boot, squeeze extra content in, or store it when not travelling – they suck.

That’s probably the major points. If in doubt, try to stick with a brand that makes sense for your pursuits. Hopefully they have thought about all the weird bits that will help. And if still in doubt, give Victorinox a try. They have an awesome warranty and some great designs.

Bargain basement: We’re noticing that with almost every post we do, we come across something stupid or irreverent. This one is the elephant luggage test:

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Road Tested | Osprey Flap Jack | Part 1

We’re starting a new type of post, that we hope you like more than donuts. It’s imaginatively called ‘Road Tested’, where we’ll be putting various carry good through their paces.

We’ll try and post our initial impressions, then later follow up with a more thorough review, and then later still give you a follow up with how it has worn in. So this is an initial review of the Osprey Flap Jack pack. If there’s aspects you are curious about, chime in and we’ll cover them in the follow up post…

Most of my bag collection consists of messenger bags. I have always loved how varied their designs are (colors, straps, materials), and I felt wearing one promoted a casual, laid back and relaxed vibe. However, despite their name, they are uncomfortable while cycling or on walks of any significant distance.

While I have some backpacks, they are all designed specifically for hiking, cycling, or photography equipment. On a regular browse of Osprey’s site, a new line recently caught my eye. The Flap Jack’s feature set seems to have been designed exactly for my needs. It’s an active day pack with some great attention to detail. I picked up the backpack version (there’s also a courier option as well) in the black colorway and it has been my daily bag for the last three weeks.

So far, my initial impressions have been great. Having the weight distributed across your shoulders and back creates a balanced load which just makes things feel lighter. The chest strap is adjustable and works great to stabilize the pack on rides and there’s even a hip belt to really lock things down when you are riding.

One thing I hated about cycling with a messenger bag was the limited points of contact (really just one shoulder plus your lower back), making things really side heavy and providing for a (sometimes) nerve-wracking and unsteady ride. It’s not all daisies though; I have some gripes about the strap management and the usefulness of the internal draw closure.

Next week I am leaving for Montreal for 10 days so we’ll see how it fares through airport security, in the overhead bin, stowed under seats, and on my back as I walk around exploring the city. When I return, I will give a full review of this bad boy. In the meantime, how do you guys feel about backpacks versus messenger bags? Have any of you made the switch?

Related posts:

1. Road Tested | Osprey Flap Jack | Part 2
2. Road Test | Osprey Kode 22 | Part 1
3. Road Tested | Mission Workshop Vandal | Part 1

The post for today kinda got shelved and passed to the drafts department halfway thru writing it, not because it sucked but because I thought you guys would be able to help me with some traveling advice. Plus, I’m in Bali, feeling super lazy and thought you magnificent people could help write my post..

Anyway, one of my friends is about to embark on one of those long ass journeys around the world, backpacking their way thru Europe, Asia, Americas, etc getting dysentery here and malaria there. Anyway, we were talking about the backpack they are going to use…

One hasn’t been purchased yet and my friend is quite ‘up in arms’ about what to get, why to get it and where to get it. Apparently some of the tours thru Europe have restrictions on what type of backpacks are allowed (frameless),  then there are weight issues in the airports, security of the bag (we all know the zipper video right?!) and so on… Add to that, how to pack the bag. Roll your clothes vs folding?

We thought this would be a good place to see what your adventures have taught you, what tips and secrets you have learnt from traveling over long periods or just short back an forths and what recommendations you have packing your bag, what bag might suit backpacking the best and why..

So bring forth your ideas, tips, and tit-bits of advice….

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