Travel Products - My Briggs & Riley hack #1

Note to the mods: I wasn't sure where to file this post...

I'm a quality-minded cheapskate so I tend to buy my stuff on clearance. I've gotten a few pieces of Briggs and Riley luggage over the last couple of years but they are from different lines / sets. My most recent acquisition was a BRX BP118-25 laptop backpack, which uses a different strap connector for securing it to other luggage. My primary bag is a Transcend 22" carry-on. In the interest of carrying as little as possible, I decided to hack together a single strap that would work for both lines and allow me to secure my laptop backpack to my rolling bag for long walks between planes, etc.

I ordered the strap for the BRX series (http://www.briggs-riley.com/category/productDetail.aspx?id=BRX-Add-a-bag-Strap_W820) and chopped it up to get a female connector to add to the more traditional strap (http://www.briggs-riley.com/category/productDetail.aspx?id=Quick-Release-Strap_W20&sec=accessories) that came with my Transcend bag.
http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5312/6939092142_7539f2c2f9.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/47014677@N04/6939092142/)


The resulting strap can still be used to hang small bags from the Transcend bag. My backpack is a little too long to hang from here, which was my original intention...
http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7036/6939092696_30321b3566.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/47014677@N04/6939092696/)

Instead, I use the new female connector to attach to the BRX bag's built-in top male connector, and use the Transcend strap's loop to secure to the handle of the wheeled carry-on. The handle has a "lower rung" which leaves the actual handle unobstructed.
http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5120/6939093506_ddc733f007.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/47014677@N04/6939093506/)

Its more secure and balanced than it looks, especially when the rolling bag is actually full.
http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5449/6939093946_6c3871b5ce.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/47014677@N04/6939093946/)

My ultimate goal over the last few months has been to travel as lightly as possible. To that end I purchased a Briggs & Riley BP118-25 laptop backpack, which is very light and small enough to fit under a seat. But its not without its drawbacks...

My typical load (minus computer). First aid kit (crammed with extras like pain killers, antacids, antihistimines). Large zippered pouch contains AC adapter for computer, HDMI cable, ethernet cable, some USB cables and other dongles. Smaller pouch contains a Sony MP3 player and two sets of earbuds. Digital camera in its own black pouch. Keys on caribiner.
http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7094/7085170503_74cb31c8e3.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/47014677@N04/7085170503/)

The BRX BP118-25 is seriously lacking in secured pockets. It has a single internal zippered pocket which is barely enough to hold my wallet and mobile phone, metal watch and some coins while going through security. This leaves no room for keys. I roll up my belt and put it in the mesh bottle pocket.
http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5119/7085171453_db8e8ba150.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/47014677@N04/7085171453/)

So, I had a luggage shop add a D-ring in the dead space in the upper right of the main compartment. The leather strap holding the D-ring is sewn over an existing seam. Warranty schmwarranty!
http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5446/6939096166_3493ccf059.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/47014677@N04/6939096166/)

I use it to secure my keys and my digital camera case.
http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7052/6939096906_479c099539.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/47014677@N04/6939096906/)

Since most everything else falls to the bottom of the bag, it really is dead space reclaimed.
http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7194/6939097538_fb9b4edb3c.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/47014677@N04/6939097538/)

Camarones, thanks for posting your hacks #1 and #2! :)
Excellent initiative and very good execution. ^

I think BR is one of the mfrs that already have great attention to detail. Tumi, TB and EC are some of the others. But even they, as we see, can still learn from committed end users.

I think the D-ring mod is a minor oversight. But the handle attachment mod is a rather major thing.

Andiamo has an excellent system for precisely this function. It works very well with no need to mod anything. Of course, even the Andiamo system has its physical limits. When you attach a 25" VT-25 duffel to a 22" roller, it will naturally tumble.

Do you have any other hacks planned? On any other bags?

You might want to get in touch with Kevin from practicalhacks.com. This is right up his alley and it's a very good site.

Cheers,

Till

I think the D-ring mod is a minor oversight. But the handle attachment mod is a rather major thing.

I had replaced a very simple but large Jansport backpack with the B&R BP-118, and it really bothered me that this bag didn't even have that simple feature that the Jansport, at 1/3 the cost did. But because my primary goal was downsizing (it was possible to overpack the Jansport such that it no longer fit under a seat) I let it slide... But after a few trips I decided the mod was necessary. I also added the Eagle Creek packing pouches at that point.

Andiamo has an excellent system for precisely this function.
I'll check it out. I didn't know what the buckle styles were called so that made it difficult to find a ready-made solution.

Do you have any other hacks planned? On any other bags?
Nothing major but I'm considering re-sewing the butchered strap and using it to secure the bottom of the laptop bag. The BRX bags have buckles on each lower side in addition to the single at the top. They're intended to be used to piggyback the backpack onto a roller bag, so you could theoretically check it as a single bag. I would use the remaining shorty strap to go around the telescoping handle to secure the backpack from moving side to side, but so far it seems gravity has taken care of that pretty well. And I'm out of orange heavy duty thread :)