Carryology » Travel

Road Test | Lexdray Tokyo Pack

David — Mon, 01 Aug 2011 15:00:09 +0000

When the Lexdray Classified collection premiered on the major sites, it got our attention. With over 150 subscriptions in my Google Reader and a handful of them featuring at least a few bags per day, I come across bazillions of collaborations, old favorites, and new kids on the block. This makes it really difficult to stand out, but that’s exactly what Lexdray has done with their introductory release…

Despite lacking any formal design education or training, Alex Dray has thoughtfully assembled a set of bags that combine Japanese sensibilities with tactical features. Each one is limited to an edition of 550 and share a similar aesthetic. I was sent the Tokyo Pack, one of two backpacks in the collection, to put through its paces.

The pack

For the past two months, I have been using the bag as part of my EDC (everyday carry). Like a boy scout, I always like to be prepared. And, like our readers, I like to look good while doing it. The Tokyo Pack allows me to do both. The bag looks standard enough at a glance. It’s not attention grabbing, which is a good thing. It’s black on black on black, including the zipper pulls, zipper rails, and stitching. There is no branding or colors save for a small four-color tab in the rear of the bag that’s pretty discreet).

The approach to features

Upon closer inspection, you start to realize how many features, apparent as well as hidden, that Lexdray has packed into this bag. For example, the zippers in the front compartment are non-locking. The idea is in a situation where your hands are full, you may need to get the bag open quickly to access something (I totally see myself storing my boarding pass in that compartment and while I am at the airport, I might swing the backpack to my front to access documents).

In contrast, the larger main compartment utilizes locking zippers. This area holds your laptop and you don’t want the zipper coming open. Also, say you decide to carry a tennis racquet to the fitness club… with the handle exposed, you don’t have to worry about the zippers coming loose. They’ll stay snug against the racquet.

It is clear from using the product and talking to Alex, that he sweated the details with every element of the bag.

More on those features

Another example of fun yet functional design is the small key compartment on the inside of the left shoulder strap. It took me a few days to actually discover it, as it’s not visible to the wearer or any bystander. It’s just a small pocket, about 1×4 in., perfect for a door key or flash drive.

All the zipper pulls are custom, made from either leather or plastic, depending on the size of the zipper an the compartment it serves. The obligatory top carry handle is present, but is improved upon with a (removable) padded neoprene cover. I love the snap buttons which allow you to put a finger under for leverage. Let’s not forget the rain cover hidden above the underside of the cowhide leather bottom.

Highlights

Comfort: I noticed that in my reviews, I spend a lot of time focusing on specific details of a bag and how they perform. However, it’s important to take a step back and look at the whole picture. How does the bag perform overall, as a collection of its features? I have to say the Tokyo bag is extremely comfortable. The weight distribution is great, even when loaded and the lightly padded back and shoulder straps prevent any pressure points on the wearer.

Though it lacks a waist-belt, I think it does fine without one and to be honest, this is not a running bag or a commuter bag so there probably isn’t much swaying in your future. The chest stability strap is totally sufficient and has a totally cool and unique feature.

The Chest strap: Unless I am hiking, I only use a chest strap maybe 10% of the time. It’s on when I am running to my gate or walking around for extended periods, but when I am going to work or a meeting, the strap is never on. I think Lexdray must have realized this because they put in such an obvious feature, I wonder why I haven’t seen it elsewhere. When the chest strap is unbuckled, you can snap it into a buckle attached to the same side, keeping it out of the way. I leave it in this position most of the time and I really appreciate having it unobtrusive yet available. The buckles are also just the right size to find without looking and the release and locking tensions are not too high so the operation can be done with one hand.

Full featured compartments: I love pockets. I won’t lie. I like simple, clean design but I also think it’s better to have too many choices than not enough. Externally, the Toyko Pack has eight compartments, counting the two large pockets in the center and the hidden pocket in the middle. Moving to the smaller of the two large compartments, you find three pen slots, two notepad sleeves, and a zippered compartment. There’s also a neoprene sleeve that acts as a separator. You won’t be short of organising options.

The main compartment has the most luxurious and best fitting laptop compartment I have ever seen. It also happens to be the best designed, save for a small issue (more on that later). The compartment is designed to hold up to a 15” Macbook Pro. It is lined with super soft fleece, and has considerable padding. Unlike most designers who try to accommodate a wide range of laptop, Lexdray made the conscious decision to pick a size and stick with it. This means the sleeve has just enough give but holds it’s shape. There isn’t excess slack to allow your laptop to bounce around. I use a 13.3” laptop and it fits just as snug as a 15” Mac.

If the hidden compartment nestled between the two main compartments doesn’t make you giddy, wait until you reveal the back compartment. Using a dual zipper design, attached with a thin strip, the entire back panel opens to reveal six more compartments plus two detachable key rings. The largest pocket, with a button closure, works a treat for your passport; something you want to have with you all the time but don’t necessarily need out. I use the key rings to hold flash drives and keys I don’t need daily (e.g. bike lock, laptop security lock, safe) but want with me.

Niggles

Design of certain compartments: There are some compartments that still need a little resolving. For example, the zippered compartment directly behind the pens…

If you use the pen slots, the top of the pens will interfere with the operation of the zipper. This is not a big deal and sure, you can just bend the flap in a way to get around the pens, but it is a niggle.

Also, each time I slide a laptop in or out of the sleeve, the zipper of the main compartment rubs against the back. Sure, the zippers are plastic and even with frequent use, I have not seen any scratches on my metal-bodied Macbook or plastic bottomed ASUS laptop, but it’s still is a little worrisome.

Material choice: Speaking of the pen slots, I don’t think neoprene was the best fabric choice for them. The material is naturally thick and pillowy and simply doesn’t hold a pen well. You have to make an effort to pull out the clip to accommodate. I appreciate the use of neoprene in certain areas such as the front and side compartments but would have preferred something different for the pen and notepad sleeves. I also think that document and periodicals don’t really slide in and out of neoprene as well as nylon. In my opinion, nylon is great when you purposely want flex but is not good when you want some semblance of form or structure.

But hey, as far as niggles go, these are all pretty minor.

Best Suited To

Travelers: That’s it, my search for a carry-on backpack for traveling is complete! The Toyko Pack has plenty of compartments, is comfortable to wear, and the contents are easily accessible. Right now, I have my Zune HD, custom IEM’s, Kindle, tablet, laptop, pens and notepads in there. Throw in a boarding pass and travel pillow and I am ready to board a plane. [Ed's note: I keep forgetting that non Apple people exist…].

The bonus is that despite its heavy focus on functionality, the look and vibe of the pack is great in most environments. From the airport to urban and play settings, it totally looks at home.

Business professionals: I can totally see a professional in a busy city like Melbourne or New York wearing this to work. Sure, it’s not as professional as a leather briefcase, but really, not many of us need that level of conservatism. It won’t draw attention as you walk from the entrance to your office, and is actually more unassuming than a briefcase when you’re on the Metro.

Not Suited To

Core Cyclists: The bag works for a short commute, but it’s not purposely designed for longer commuting cyclists. There’s no waist belt for stability. The air mesh padding in the back is comfortable to wear but does not offer any real ventilation or air circulation features. The water-resistance is not as extensive as some.

Carrying a lot of large items: While the bag is designed to carry a lot of items spread across all its various compartments, the two large compartments really are not that large. Remember, this isn’t like a Jansport backpack with a large main interior. It’s a bag with lots of pockets and sleeves. If you are thinking about fitting a thick package inside this bag, it’s not going to work.

The poor student: These Lexdray packs are not cheap. With so much going into them, you’re getting well into the hundreds. The Tokyo pack has an RRP of $450.

Conclusion

When I opened the box, I saw a white cloth drawstring bag. I looked inside and saw that the entire thing was fleece lined. That’s how the Tokyo Pack arrived. When you get a strong introduction like that, it sets the bar high. Luckily, Lexdray delivers on the promise. For it’s intended purpose, the Tokyo Pack is the nicest backpack I have ever used. It boasts a lot of very thoughtful features and has a pocket for every item you’d want to throw at it. It’s made of weather-resistant fabrics and has plenty of neat hidden features. It does all this looking stealthy and conservative as to not draw attention. What more could you ask for?

Burton Likes to Carry…

Leather — Thu, 16 Jun 2011 23:11:57 +0000

Burton Likes to Carry…

Are you familiar with Burton? Probably, but if not, a quick 101 for you > Burton was founded by Jake Burton and have been standing sideways since ’77. Focusing on the snow and what you need when you’re out in the elements, Burton has created a brand that is now synonymous with snowboarding and anything associated with snow. Read more about them here.

Just the other day Burton dropped a new line of carry items and within this release they also introduced Bag Check – a marvelously fun tool that helps you whittle down to a small selection of Burton bags that cater to your needs.

Don’t expect anything groundbreaking, but rather something fun and light that is easy to use and might just expose to you some new carry products in their range. They have a pretty neat little video about it too – check it below.

You can check the Bag Check minitsite out HERE.

This wasn’t so much a post to ‘prop’ up Burton’s latest and greatest, it was more to share with you the Bag Check ability they’ve developed and to also give Burton some kudos for giving such focus to the carry category. We love seeing brands get this deep into carry and we only hope other brands come up with their own fun and educating ideas about sharing the carry message.

Mastermind & Globe-Trotter Suitcase

Leather — Mon, 16 May 2011 01:15:03 +0000

Mastermind & Globe-Trotter Suitcase

You don’t see many traditional suitcases getting made these days by ‘modern’ brands, but this little beauty from Mastermind in Japan is bucking the trend. Teaming up British luggage brand, Globe-Trotter, they two have sliced together a rad looking suitcase that will turn heads next time you roll through the airport.

And while we know we rarely post newsy items like this, this suitcase was too amazing not to. Do you like skulls? If so, you’re in luck. If not, enjoy the craftsmanship this suitcase has.

It’s got all the trimmings you would need/want from a suitcase like this. Compression strapping around the outside and on the inside, locks on the outside to (hopefully) give you a tamper proof case and an amazing skull printed lining on the interior haha.

You like?

info via TheWorldsBestEver

Liking | wejetset

Leather — Wed, 20 Apr 2011 06:46:25 +0000

Liking | wejetset

Who Are They: The tagline reads, “the store and voice of modern travel culture”. The about page reads, “Established in 2007, wejetset brings together the products and information that every smart traveler needs.” As we see it, wejetset is the place to find out about all things travel related in a tightly curated platform. You want the best (by that we don’t mean luxury, we mean functional, design, use) travel related products, news and ideas on places to visit then wejetset is a site you need to bookmark.

Why We Like It: An online store, notes from around the world via their contributors, images that get hyped to explore and travel. And not just typical travel scenarios, but other elements like events happening at night, clubs to see, show and exhibitions to visit, so while it is travel related, you can find stuff that’s going on in your local are. What’s not to like? For us, it’s the hypebeast of travel websites/stores.

Who Else Might Like It: Anyone who enjoys the magic of travel and the knowledge it can bring. Even if you’re not aiming to travel, being made aware of various places and product from around the world is great in itself. Add to that the curation of events/shows/exhibitions and product and it’s quite a well rounded site for the modern online voyager…

Where They Are: It’s a website, so it’s global and they have contributors from a lot of different places across the globe. But we’re pretty sure that Taj, who started it all, is kicking around Philly in the USA.

Find out more about wejetset:
website
twitter
tumblr

New Zealand issued Soldier’s Trunk

Leather — Mon, 07 Mar 2011 00:49:35 +0000

New Zealand issued Soldiers Trunk

It’s probably an area that gets overlooked in the world of carry (I know we’re guilty of it), but have you ever stopped and wondered what soldiers use to carry their gear around? Most would think duffles or something more modern, but what about back in the day of WWI and II? A carryology regular, Troy Archer, recently came across a New Zealand issued Soliders Trunk from way back when. Looking amazing, the quality and attention to detail isn’t that surprising given the abuse these pieces had to withstand. Come take a look…

There are some things in life that get better with age, we all know that. Wine, so long as you keep twisting the bottle, is the most common reference. I’d also say the ability to catch a ball, to a certain extent your hand eye coordination get’s better as you get older right? There is another thing that most certainly gets better with age and that thing is leather, especially when the leather made item is produced with the intent of withstanding the abuse of a travelling soldier.

I hunt for things constantly. Garage sales, yard sales, refuse yards, tip shops, council collections; these are the things that dreams are made of. Recently, when visiting one of my regular stops, I found this New Zealand issued Soldiers Trunk. Not only is it made to withstand a hellish amount of misuse, it’s made with the utmost attention to detail and style.

Maybe back then they weren’t entirely aware of the amount of style they were building into these things but they sure as hell have hit the nail on the head. When you move around the trunk you’ll notice the (almost rope like) heavy gauge stitching, the double layered and reinforced corners, its time honoured fabric lining, rudimentary storage components, internal leather strapping, and the heavyweight metal buckles all held together by the most beautifully weathered Pig Skin Leather finishing. It really does have you ogling in wonder.

I’ve tried to find some clear information about the heritage of this piece, the original maker and most importantly some information into Major W.W. Little, #11756 of the New Zealand Expeditionary Force, but i’ve turned up nothing. So for now, at the least, let’s sit back and marvel at this amazing piece of luggage history and for a moment pay our respects to the people that fought for the freedom we continue to enjoy today.

–

Want to know more about Troy?

A Travel Inspired Playlist | Movies

Leather — Wed, 16 Feb 2011 05:31:13 +0000

A Travel Inspired Playlist | Movies

We threw you guys a Carry Inspired Playlist a while back, all based around a bunch of tracks that had Carry inspired titles or lyrics. Was a bit of fun putting it together, so much so we’ve researched a Movie Playlist for you!

A bunch of movies that are all travel (when we travel we carry stuff – see the segway! haha) inspired or related. Some gold ones in here and maybe some rasberries as well… Feel free to share any you think should have made the cut in the comments.

Up In The Air

With a job that has him traveling around the country firing people, Ryan Bingham leads an empty life out of a suitcase, until his company does the unexpected: ground him.

–

The Aviator

A biopic depicting the early years of legendary director and aviator Howard Hughes’ career, from the late 1920s to the mid-1940s.

–

Around The World in 80 Days

A bet pits a British inventor, a Chinese thief, and a French artist on a worldwide adventure that they can circle the globe in 80 days.

–

Eat Pray Fart Love

A married woman realizes how unhappy her marriage really is, and that her life needs to go in a different direction. After a painful divorce, she takes off on a round-the-world journey to “find herself”.

–

The Time Machine

Hoping to alter the events of the past, a 19th century inventor instead travels 800,000 years into the future, where he finds humankind divided into two warring races.

–

Easy Rider

Two counterculture bikers travel from Los Angeles to New Orleans in search of America.

–

The Darjeeling Limited

Three American brothers who have not spoken to each other in a year set off on a train voyage across India with a plan to find themselves and bond with each other — to become brothers again like they used to be. Their “spiritual quest”, however, veers rapidly off-course (due to events involving over-the-counter pain killers…

–

Seven Years in Tibet

True story of Heinrich Harrer, an Austrian mountain climber who became friends with the Dalai Lama at the time of China’s takeover of Tibet.

–

The Motorcycle Diaries

The dramatization of a motorcycle road trip Che Guevara went on in his youth that showed him his life’s calling.

–

Lost In Translation

A movie star with a sense of emptiness, and a neglected newlywed meet up as strangers in Tokyo, Japan and form an unlikely bond.

Talking Wheels & Hard Cases

ando — Fri, 28 Jan 2011 11:03:23 +0000

Thoughts on the progress of hard case luggage

I’ve never really been that into hard case luggage. You can’t squeeze it into tight or irregular spaces, it takes up serious cupboard space when not in use, and it generally has really pokey little wheels that get stuck on fairy dust. But it is bringing back a surprisingly sensible trend for casters. Let me explain…

The first wheeled luggage essentially bolted small swivel castors to the base of a suitcase. While this early U.S. luggage (now part of Briggs & Riley) was not 100% dialled, it did start a revolution that has transformed airport travel.

So as crew used these suitcases, they started to notice how the tiny wheels worked well on polished marble, but got jammed on any sort of real world surface. That’s when we started to get the tilted wheeled bags (first via Travelpro), as this let designers fit two larger and softer wheels, without upsetting the stability of the case.

The downside? Tilt wheeled bags are uni-direction (there’s no side to side), and require strength to support them (kind of like a wheelbarrow). So while the larger wheels do well over rougher ground, their uni-directionality means the cases are worse in tight and busy stations and airports.

So how can we have our pie and eat it too…?

The recent market rush to lightweight hard cases has seen ever increasing investment in the 4 caster approach (generally known as Spinner cases). In a quest to stand out amongst the masses, Rimowa and a couple of other brands are just starting to upsize these casters – offering bags that work beyond the polished floors of first world airports.

With the better examples of these, you can push and pull them in their upright position, even stacking several other bags on top without expending any energy keeping them upright. Or you can tilt them to walk longer distances and negotiate the bottom two wheels over larger obstacles. All of a sudden those tactile indicator paths for the blind shouldn’t trip you up infront of everyone (that was embarrassing…).

So now all we need is some of those rad luggage designers that read our blog to start applying these larger castors to luggage that can compress and fit a tight space, while remaining durable, lightweight, and affordable. Make sure you fit soft enough tyres, and perhaps make me handsome also. Haha, as easy as that

OK, I'll admit Tilt Luggage can be awkward at times…

Gravis | Liking

Leather — Tue, 18 Jan 2011 21:58:36 +0000

Gravis | Liking

Who are they: While they started out in footwear, Gravis were one of the first action sports brand to pay attention to luggage and give people who may not of even been a part of the action sports world a viable option for their luggage needs. Being under the Burton umbrella allows them access to some great R&D options and as such they continue to pump solid ranges year in year out.

Why we like it: Personally, I love the color stories they deliver with each range. But from a product point, Gravis have collaborated with some of the biggest names before it became cool to collaborate, people such as Stash, Futura, etc…. (google Gravis Blackbox collections) On top of that Gravis have designed some of the modern classics (within the action sports arena) like their Metro Pack and Jetway Carry On Bag that are now copied by competitors.

Who else might like it: Anyone who can identify with a love for skate/surf/travel, etc but wants something a little more quality. A little more receptive to their needs as they grow older.

Where they are: Based out Orange County in California, they are part of the Burton family and as such had early beginnings back Vermont. Nowadays you can grab them online or pretty much any good bag reseller.

Cumulus Singapore | Carry Retailers

ando — Tue, 12 Oct 2010 11:55:32 +0000

Cumulus Singapore | Carry Retailers

Do you know what product dominates the world of carry? Where the most volume is done across bags, wallets, luggage and carry utility?

It’s in give-away bags for companies and conferences. Those terrible cheap things with “Jim’s Franchisee Conference 2010 Las Vegas” poorly embroidered on a patch at the front.

That’s pretty sad.

The next biggest area is in really boring derivative styles for terrible department stores and carry shops that have zero differentiation or personality points. Then way down the chain, past the cheap school bags and boring wallets, and only doing relatively tiny volumes, is the world of carry we love.

This is the world with versatile but interesting designs; expensive enough to avoid major compromises, but not up at that pretentious luxury level that is more about signalling than substance.

These are the brands we post about and love, but amongst the ocean of mediocrity, they can be a little daunting to find. Enter the great Carry Retailers (concluding the longest intro in our history)…

Cumulus is a store in Singapore started this year by Irwin. Irwin loves bags and carry, and trawls the internet in search of gold. On first finding their Facebook page, I lost about an hour of my life chasing links and getting carry envy. There’s some great stuff there.

They don’t have online purchase options, but they do have a great stream of finds and updates, and they are really not that far from Singapore Changi airport if you find yourself on a stop-over.

About now is when we would list all the great brands they carry, however they are basically all the brands we talk about, plus a few surprises. So just go and have a play on their Facebook page instead.

–

Google Map Address for Cumulus

Images via Lifestyle

Pacsafe :: Anti-Theft Travel Gear

admin — Sun, 12 Sep 2010 12:44:56 +0000

Pacsafe – Anti-Theft Travel Gear

It’s a sad fact that no matter how safe you think your bag is, there’s going to be a flaw that someone is going to know how to take advantage of. Even if you try and cover all your bases, accidents still happen. Enter Pacsafe, a bag company trying to look out for the security of your belongings…

During Christmas 2008, I was travelling through Canada and lost my wallet within the first week of being away (thru no fault but my own). The next day after I calmed down from my initial freak out I saw it was a good option buying a wallet with a chain on it to make sure I didn’t have a relapse of poor decisions.

Wallets are one thing, but bags are another story. When people are looking for a new pack, they are not really looking at the security aspects of the bag, generally focusing on aesthetics instead. The general consensus is that if it on your back/side/hip, its safe. Sorry, but unfortunately it is not always the case.

Like most good lessons, I learned about these guys from my mother, who is traveling to Spain and France in the coming weeks. She was told stories by friends that have been about “gypsies” stealing your bags by cutting the straps, slashing the underside and emptying the contents. Or just straight up snatching it from your foot at a cafe. She did some research and discovered the Pacsafe site.

The catalog has a wide range of products from 140 litre adventure backpacks, duffel bags, urban backpacks, commuter shoulder bags, purses and generally travel locks and accessories.

The materials and construction used is somewhat unique in that the bags are primarily designed to be tamper proof – meaning that people trying to cut, rip, snatch and just open your bag will be having a hard time trying to explain to you what they’re doing when you turn around to see them fumbling around with your bag.

To give you an example, my mother purchased a Slingsafe 200, a small size shoulder bag that uses the main security features that you find across the range of products. The front of the main body is constructed with their patented exomesh material which is two layers of nylon with stainless steel wire mesh inbetween them to resist against slashing.

The strap has the same stainless steel wire running the length of the strap on both edges to protect against cutting the bag of your shoulder. Just be sure to wear it across your body and not sling it over a shoulder and let it hang, mum. The strap has a clip at one end so the bag can be secured by the strap around a chair arm or table leg while you are at a cafe. The clip is recessed into the back of the bag also to make it difficult to undo while you are on the move.

The front flap is secured by an elastic loop and hook. This sounds like a poor design point but it is placed in a way that will make it aggravating to try and get into on the sly. The zip to the first component lines up with the hook when closed, making it a task to open when the flap is closed.

The zip for the main component is located on top of the bag, slightly recessed so the zip tag is hidden when the flip is closed. Inside is nothing mind blowing to the bag world: key loop, phone holder, zipped organiser pocket and hole for a set of headphones for your mp3 player. The back also features a velcro patch closed drop pocket that the area of the back panel.

To the casual viewer there is nothing fancy or eye catching about this bag (because discrete = good when traveling).

Even with all the extra features to help you come home after a vacation without a tale of woe of losing your wallet, have you bag snatched or getting pick pocketed, common sense will always prevail. It is great that Pacsafe have this products available to help give people the peace of mind they are after when it comes travel security but remember that the product is only as secure as the person using it.

Travel safe, Travel smart.

Article by Craig Johnson