Dig or Diss | Airport Laptop Issues

So this is a Diss, we never like talking ill about anything carry. But it does suck when your laptop doesn’t fit into the trays provided at most of the airports…

Even if you try to follow all of Ryan Bingham’s rules of travel, you can still get caught with an oversized laptop for the tray that is provided. And the worst thing about that is the fear that your laptop will fall out of the tray, get caught on any edges/corners or just make it more cumbersome/time sapping to get thru security gates at the airports.

Is it really that hard to provide trays that can comfortably fit a 17inch laptop? Given how common they are becoming…



Related posts:

1. Dig or Diss | Bags that fall over.
2. Dig or Diss | 2 Way Straps
3. Incognito laptop cases

Fjällräven | Liking

Who are they: The story behind Fjällräven began in 1950 when Åke Nordin, a 14-year-old boy from Sweden,was not satisfied with his current solution for carrying and took matters into his own hands. Not everyday a 14yr old starts their own bag company…

Why we like it: There’s loads of brands that want heritage. Then there’s many brands with heritage, that have been stuck with it, and failed to move on. The rad thing about Fjällräven is that they draw on their heritage to continually reinvent it. That’s a pretty rad combination, and one that is frustratingly rare.

Who else might like it: Urban cats looking for some carry credibility. Lovers of the outdoors, hiking and animal lovers. Fjällräven support SEFALO+, a foundation whose goal it is to save the Arctic Fox – which is what Fjällräven means in Swedish.

Where they are: Örnsköldsvik in Northern Sweden. And check for your nearest retailer HERE

Related posts:

1. Dig or Diss | 2 Way Straps
2. Our favourite versatile backpacks
3. The Department of Goods

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

And the family grows…

Our hope for Carryology has always been to have a broad base of contributing Carryologists, from designers to retailers and core users. Today we welcome Taylor to the fold, an Industrial Designer that has been designing bags for several years, many of which you may even own or have used.

We’ve asked Taylor to introduce himself, and talk a little about his love of carry. And there’s a few surprises in there…

Taylor: I’m a fulltime freelance Industrial Designer who focuses on the niche area of softgoods design and development. I’ve designed anything from amateur/professional photography bags, messenger bags for urbanites, military bags for the most extreme of situations, hiking packs to test the elements, cross-continent travel backpacks, and more.

My personal and professional life is surrounded by softgoods. I must be able to speak clearly and knowledgeably about them with clients – how they work, how they fit, where they’re made, how, out of what, where specific trouble areas may arise through specific manufacturing techniques, and much more. In other words, I’m paid to be an expert in the field.

But that’s cool, because I love packs, I love bags. They express an idea of absolute freedom, you can pack up, and go anywhere. I research softgoods, I test them, I stare at them in stores, I buy them, I think about buying them. And I don’t use them. Well, not often anyways…

The last time I used a pack, it was on a flight from Austin up to the Catskills this past July. I brought a WWII Swiss military canvas, leather, and aluminum backpack, which I may add is quite handsome. Could I have chosen a better, more suitable pack for this five-day trip? Probably. Did I want to? Absolutely not.

In my house I have packs on display, filled with random items I don’t use often. Sometimes they’re just filled with poly stuffing, similar to a hunter displaying their proudly taxidermied game.

The thought was brought up – is this a rebellion of sorts? Like a high paid luxury car mechanic driving an old rusted-out 70s clunker? Maybe its an overload? I know many a chef who refuses to eat what they cook all day long in their four/five-star restaurant’s kitchen… even going as far as to crave the worst of the fast food chains. For me, I don’t think it is either of these two options.

I suppose, its about carrying minimal, the absolute bare essentials. Other areas of my life can be reserved for excess. Carryology really focuses on this minimal aspect, so I thought it was worth bringing up. On me from day to day; a cell phone, spectacles (either normal or prescription sunglasses depending on the hour), a money clip containing 4 cards, and a carabiner key chain with 5 necessary keys. If I didn’t use all 5 daily, I would cut it down to 1 or 2 and keep them in my pocket. Everything fits into my jeans pockets (or clips onto) no bulk, no weight. Done. That’s it.

When I meet with a client, the same carryology system exists. Plus a few extras. A wood veneer folder containing sketch paper and paper deliverables, a slim USB hard drive with no power cord, a Moleskine, and a pen. All this can be carried in one hand, neatly. In fact, I like the look of the four visual elements together. What you see is what you get. All four items mean business.

Carrying a bag with my day to day is like bringing along a lead weight where I roam. What do you do with it when you get to a movie theatre, a bar, a restaurant, into a taxi filled with 3 other friends? The more pockets you have, the more you fill it with, the heavier it gets, the bigger it gets, the more important it is for you to keep track of your many personal belongings, including expensive technology.

When designing packs, if you specify extra room, the void will soon be gone. I’m a designer and dealer of the empty space. It is up to the user to fill the space allocated by the maximum dimensions that I provide to the factory. I design the shell, the protective casing, the organizing.

Though I am essentially obsessed with the multi-faceted elements of softgoods, I rarely use them. Only for necessary and specific requirements. That being said, I’ve never had an mp3 player or laptop stolen/broken while out on the town, and my back feels great.

So my questions to you, dear readers…

Does your bag ever feel like a ball and chain you’ve got to tag along with you wherever you go?

Do you fill your packs to the brim, because you can?

Do you want to give this minimalism thing a try?

Or am I crazy?”

Taylor

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Ed’s note: Check out Taylor’s folio at Coroflot.

Related posts:

1. New Contributor | Johnson

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…

Related posts:

1. Our Favourite Wheeled Bags
2. What makes a great wallet?
3. Slimming your wallet

5 craft based carry makers

Does anyone actually know what crab sticks are made from? The highly refined white flesh has lost all semblance to whatever creatures it originated from. Crab sticks can fill a hole, but you certainly don’t feel wonderful after their consumption.

Notice any similarities with the product world?

As carry goods have been refined and outsourced and mass produced, we’ve started to create carry crab sticks. But it does not have to be this way, and the five carry makers we look at here are proving that product can still have soul…

You’ll see patterns amongst these fab five. When you care this much about product, you also end up caring about the planet and your customers. Vegetable tanned leathers, raw finishes and edges, revealed pattern work, and imperfect stitching reminds us of what Picasso said, “It’s the mistakes that make it interesting”.

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Makr

Web: http://www.makr.com/

Blog: http://www.makrnews.com/

More: A nice interview at A Continuous Lean

Jason Gregory used to be part of the mainstream, mass produced world, but then fled to found Makr. In his words, “It was conceived in nostalgia, nourished through new technology and has matured with a return to traditional craft.”

Makr is heavily influenced by tradition, but with a modern Californian flavour and freshness to the brand. Their Button Tote is clean yet rugged, their wallets are a staple amongst the EDC community, and their new iPad case is one of our favourites. Oh, and check out their blog – it’s pure eye candy.

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Tanner

Web: http://www.tannergoods.com/

Newsletter (no blog): http://www.tannergoods.com/pages/newsletter

More: A great interview and images on Hypebeast

Perhaps akin to the way Born Agains are often the most fervent Christians, many of the ‘Craft Agains’ have escaped from mass market goods to become devout followers of craft traditions. Mark and Sam are in that vein, loving the actual production as well as the design.

Based in Portland (one of the most creative cities in the world), they source all their vegetable tanned hides from within the US, and make the products in their studio on traditional equipment. Their card holders and wallets display really original patterns, their eyeglass case is really fun, and while thick, their leathers will last a lifetime.

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Billykirk

Web: http://www.billykirk.com/

Blog: http://billykirkcom.blogspot.com/

More: There’s a beautiful video about Billykirk on The Scout.

Chris and Kirk Bray are some pretty talented brothers, crafting really sweet carry goods for over a decade. These days, the goods are put together by Amish leather makers in the US, so it’s about as traditional as you can get.

While they started in watch straps, the current range sees the typical mix of belts, bags, wallets and leather accessories. For us, their bags are the highlight, but the wallets and card cases are also pretty rad. Well worth a check.

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Tailfeather

Web: http://www.tailfeather.com.au/

Blog: http://www.tailfeather.com.au/news

More: The Design Files had a great write up of this Victorian based brand

We now leave the US, and head down to the south east corner of Australia. Tailfeather is the newest brand in this list, but the work that Scottie and Natalia do is really timeless.

While the labour intensive wallets have had the widest circulation so far, it’s their Hawk Owl totes that we really drool after. Their studio amongst the bush is also their production shed, and styles are available with incredible laser etched illustrations.

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Temono

Web: http://www.temono.com.au/catalog/?language=en

Blog: None. Too busy hand dying all their threads.

More: The Temono About page covers a number of the bases

Our last brand is perhaps the most craft based of them all. Temono is an amazing little label, based not far from Tailfeather (in Melbourne).

The son of a saddle maker, Jarren has grown up surrounded by leather craft, and it shows in the product. There’s incredible experimentation with leathers, colours and treatments, and a really honest approach to the constructions. You cannot buy stock of Temono products, rather they are made to order with every customer selecting the combination of style, leathers and thread that they most desire. That sounds expensive, but considering the amazing kangaroo and hand selected hides you can have, it’s phenomenal value.

Related posts:

1. My Case For Thin Wallets
2. Carryology says hi to Bellroy
3. Our favorite Women’s wallets

Dig or Diss | 2 Way Straps

So this is a Dig. We are digging anyone who is making messenger with 2 way straps..

Kinda funny to think that some brands create messengers (or bags that work better with them) with out 2 way straps. It’s a no brainer really, bags that have 2 way straps are just that much easier to work with. Being able to adjust your load, the length of the strap and the ability to make it fit to your shape are all factors that we take into consideration when carrying.

What are some the best bags you have used that have 2 way straps?

Related posts:

1. Our favourite versatile backpacks
2. Dig or Diss | Airport Laptop Issues
3. Backpack or Messenger?

This is one of those bags that you see pop up everywhere, reaching icon status with that broad silhouette and bling seat belt buckle. And as with any iconic bag, there are also reviews everywhere. The internet has filled it’s silicon warehouse with dissections and discussions about the Metropolis, looking for insights into a seriously long lasting (sales and production wise) bag.

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Highlights:

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The main compartment itself is big, but not so big that it becomes overbearing. I have travelled lots with this bag, often going away for 3-4 days at a time, and its gallantly carted changes of clothes, book, MP3 player, drawing materials, toiletries, jacket and some food. The compartment can easily hold an A3 size folio, but I’ll get into this a little later.

Barrier-ability: That’s my new word to describe the benefits of a ‘floating’ main section. Along the top seam between the two pockets, there’s some velcro holding the main compartment to the outside wall of the bag. Get that open, and you’ll see that the main compartment interior is separated from the Cordura outside of the bag. This creates a reasonably waterproof interior to the bag.

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Lowlights:

Lack of organizing: A common theme on Carryology with messengers. This is perhaps another messenger that is too core for the rest of us (especially for the tech savvy, this is not a great option). It will do the job from carting around a laptop, charger and hard drive, but you would want something suitable to put them in first.

Comfort issues: The main problems you face with this messenger are:

2) When loaded, it has a tendency to really square up in shape.

Best suited to:

Not suited to:

Any niggles?

And breakages/issues?

Any envy for a similar bag?

In summary, the Chrome Metro is a simply constructed messenger that gets on with the job of hauling your life. It’s a great bag for cyclists and daily commuters, but not as great if you are a delicate soul that needs pandering and balance (or loads of tech).

No related posts.

As the Carryology community grows, we thought it would be nice to start introducing our new contributors. And what better way than to find out what they carry…

Johnson’s Daily Haul

Johnson: When it comes to the weekday grind of heading to and from work, it feels better to have something bigger than what you need, rather than something that will just do the job. Who knows what the day will bring… you could get something in the mail, you may need to swing by the grocery store on the way home, or you might even win the meat tray at your local RSL.

My Chrome Metropolis is what I currently haul to get me through the week. Used daily for work, and every now and then for school, it fits what I need when I need.

I’m usually adding some extras, whether mail and food on the inside, or clips and pouches on the outside. I’m a hoarder, and generally over prepared. So not all items are used daily, but rather are waiting at my disposal for when I do need them.

Everyone has these items, the ones they don’t really need all the time but like to keep handy for that just in case scenario. My main one would be my camera. Have you ever seen something and thought “I wish I had my camera”? My hoarding cuts down on those disappointments.

Ed’s note: Stay tuned for a full Road Test on this well abused bag. We’ll follow this up with Johnson’s full thoughts.

Related posts:

1. New Contributor | Taylor
2. A Canvas Collection
3. Road Test | Chrome Metropolis

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

Road Tested | Chrome Ivan roll-top Part 1&2

We’ve had this backpack for some time, so thought we’d roll parts 1 & 2 of the road test together. We can’t promise that this will make the review twice as good, but we’ll try…

The Ivan is one of three sizes in Chrome roll-top backpacks – there’s also a smaller Pawn, and the larger Sultan. They are all built the same way, just with a different scale applied.

This is a great bag, and also one that helped kick-start a new style of backpack. So here goes with our thoughts on it…

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Initial impressions:

The first time I saw a Chrome roll-top, it was on one of those uber cool cats we’d now label a hipster. He was running a red light, so I only caught a lightning quick glance, but the bag won me over immediately. I wanted one. I also wanted to be uber cool, but had to settle for the backpack instead.

Highlights:

Look: We’ve always had this idea that a good bag should look like a styling winter jacket – nice texture, clean lines, and not overly techie. While on offer in some messenger bags, this has remained all too rare in the world of backpacks (which usually look more like a Christmas tree).

The Chrome looks like a great European jacket, which ticks a big box for me.

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Durability: While you may pay a small price in weight, you win it back in durability. These packs should last longer than your cat. There’s over-sized components, large amounts of bar-tacking for reinforcement, and plenty of care in the sewing, all of which lead to a very durable pack.

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Construction: Bags built in the States have a look to them. The pattern makers are perhaps not as experienced as they are in Asia, so you end up with simpler patterns and less sophisticated volumes. But the bonus is that the simpler construction has less to go wrong.

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Roll-top: We love roll-tops. They feel more relaxed, and make you think of adventure each time you use them.

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Water-resistance: The suspended main tarp section in this bag is all time. Thick welds, thick fabric, and loads of roll in the top. You’d really have to try to get water in here.

The front section tarp is stitched rather than welded, but it’s hidden behind a layer of what looks like PU backed 840D Polyester, so it should be fine for all but the worst storms.

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Zip Avoidance: For all the progress we’ve had in zippers, they are still a weak point in most bags. The Ivan has only 2 straight zips, and both are over-sized. It’s done well.

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Seat Belts: Chrome were one of the early bag companies to resurrect seat belt buckles for their messengers, so it’s nice to see some seat belt webbing making an appearance on the straps. It is backed by velcro, so you can attach radio’s, additional pockets, or your favorite teddy bear.

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Ginormous main section: If you’re coming over to the backpack world from a messenger, you’ll appreciate a huge main section.

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Daisy chain: It’s only a small trick, but the daisy chain and a small sleeve let you attach your bike light or gear carabiner. It helps.

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Lowlights:

Unresolved Front Pockets: These will work a treat for crew that don’t carry many bits. But for those of us that do, these pockets can be like small black holes, swallowing items for weeks at a time.

Add to that the way the flaps curl up, and the not excellent water-proofness, and we think there’s room to improve here.

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Lack of Organizing: Again, if you carry a few more bits, you’ll need to supplement this bag with some organisers for sunnies, camera, and all your digital tech. The front hanging section works quite well for a laptop, but will need you to add a laptop cover or some padding at the base.

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Discomfort when loaded: The Ivan has a really neat looking 2D construction (there are no side panels creating depth). The issue with this is that when full, it really rounds out, and ends up pulling back on your shoulders (even with the sternum strap in place).

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Lint: I love the matt fabric, but dog hair, shag-pile carpet, and blond mistresses all leave their mark on it.

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Fixed Waist Belt: We often don’t use waist belts on bike bags. If you have any rigid items in the pack, the waist belt will lock you to those and stop your back bending. Unfortunately this belt is not removable, so kinda dangles, gets in the way, and can get stuck on your seat post.

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Air Mesh: Almost every pack is guilty of this, so we almost have this as our standard clause. Air mesh scratches on bare skin, fills with snow, and lacks durability. But this is not really Chrome’s fault for doing what everyone else does.

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Intimidation: This is a big and heavy pack. I think my wife is a little scared of it. I kinda like it for reinforcing my man points, but it may be an issue for some.

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Best suited to:

Big people – This is a wide pack, that suits broad people.

Bike people – It looks ssoooo good on a fixie, and can fit better than many packs in an office environment (it looks grown up).

Me – I like it.

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Not suited to:

Little folk.

Tech heavy carry folk.

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Any niggles?

Just the stuff listed above. But there are no deal breakers there for me. I still like using the thing.

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And breakages/issues?

None. It’s been bomb-proof so far.

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Any envy for a similar bag?

The Mission Workshop Vandal is a more versatile pack, that can carry more and offers a touch more organizing. However if looks matter, the Chrome still pips it. As mentioned in our Vandal Road Test, there is also the T-Level and Sag backpacks for a neat bike inspired bag.

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Conclusion:

I have listed a bunch of compromises that the pack asks you to deal with. But like all beauty, you put up with the pain. It’s a really different, really neat looking pack, that will survive a rain blizzard, swallow a panda suit, and win you over that girl you ride past each day. I’m stoked to have it in my bag quiver.

Chrome Bags

Related posts:

1. Road Tested | Mission Workshop Vandal | Part 2
2. Road Tested | Mission Workshop Vandal | Part 1
3. Road Test | Chrome Metropolis