nickb99

Hopefully this is not duplicating another thread. I am new to this forum and found a bunch of useful information here so thought I would share the comparison table I compiled when looking for a bag. I would be happy to hear comments on these bags or others you think I should have included. There were several I left out purely for subjective reasons (too casual/smart, too soft/hard etc.).

Bag________________Dims_______Kg___US$___Cube__Gte e
AirBoss.......................21x13x8........1.5.. ..220.....2184....AAA
SkyTrain.....................20x13x9........1.8... .255.....2340....AAA
Aeronaut.....................22x14x9.......1.4.... 250......2700....AA
Tri-Star......................19x13x8........1.5....28 0......2000....AA
Patagonia MLC.............21x14x7.......1.3....159.......274 6....AA
Rohan Freelance...........20x14x9.......1.3....196...... .????.....AA
Timbuk2 Wingman........22x14x7........1.4....112.......210 6.....AA
EC Adventure W/ender..20x13x8.......1.2.....120......2500....AAA
RS Classic Back Door.....21x14x9.......1.3.....64........2500..... AA
**Updated**
Kelty China Clipper........22x13x8.......1.5....160.......2230 .....AA
MEI Voyageur..............22x14x9.......1.6.....136... ...3000....?
MEI Convertible............22x13x9.......1.25...100... ...2750....?
MEI Executive Overniter.22x14x9.......1.7.....195.....2770....?
Tortuga Backpack.........22x14x9.......1.7.....199.....268 5....AA
Victorinox Nxt 5.0 std....20x13x8.......2.4.....182.....????....??
(note much rounding for ease)

My 'heart' choice is the beautiful Tri-Star. The 'head' choice is the Eagle Creek Adventure Weekender. That looks good value, light, capacious and probably easily tough enough for my infrequent trips. The other EC stuff I own has been good. Plus it meets the Euro airlines size restrictions.

Being keen on the sustainability angle I was a little surprised that there were not more bags made from recycled materials. The MLC looks best for that but sadly its a little too unstructured for me. And props to the Rick Steves Classic Back Door bag which is partly recycled material for a great price.

Boogie711

I'm not disputing your numbers, but I'm confused how an AirBoss at 21x13x8 is only listed at 2,184 cubic inches, but an Eagle Creek Adventure Weekender (a full inch shorter in length, but otherwise identical: 20x13x8) can have an additional 316 cubic inches of volume.

nickb99

Yes, well spotted. I simply took the manufacturers values but they are not convincing. Differences between models could be explained by the bag shape but then you would expect rectangular designs like the Airboss to be better. I just took it to mean that all manufacturers calculate values differently and so capacity value has to be taken with a pinch of salt

BalbC

The standard way for manufacturers to measure bag volume is by filling with small balls of a particular size. Different bag shapes, construction, and layout will give different volumes for the same dimensions, especially if there are more compartments can reduce the amount of balls. Maybe the Airboss losses space with thicker materials or more internal panels or maybe they are using non-standard measurement ways.

Also, how about the MEI convertible or MEI Executive overnighter for your comparison?

nickb99

TBH I ignored this company due to their lame web presence (www.meipacks.com). There is only the bare minimum of product information and I was unwilling to rely on external reviews in case the bag specs had changed. Given the amount of quality alternatives that were much easier to research and buy (especially from overseas) I just crossed them off the list.

caGALINDO

I have and love the Timbuk2 Wingman.. some points to consider:

As a duffel, it doesn't work well. If it is packed and you hold it by the side handle, it will not stay straight. The bottom will kind of come in, towards your knee, and just under the handle it goes out a bit... kind of hard to explain. Holding it vertically solves the problem but the bottom might rub the ground if you are shorter than 6' or don't hold it higher. Wearing 1 strap on the shoulder doesn't work due to its size/shape.

As a backpack, it's great. It can definitely pack a lot... more than what you'd like to carry on your back for sure! I love compartment on the bottom, that I use for a pair of shoes and toiletries, the top compartment serves well for travel documents, a small tablet. Laptop and paperwork goes in the laptop sleeve.

I don't like luggage/bags that don't have shape. I cut some cardboard and lined the inside, both sides and the top (standing vertically), making kind of a hard shell around it. I wish this came built in, but it works.

Pros: holds a lot, love the compartment setup, hard bottom (suit-case like)
Cons: doesn't carry well as a duffel, personally would prefer if it held shape better on it's own


the tri-star looks nice and i love the compartment setup

nickb99

Thanks for that detailed info - always great to hear from a real user. I really liked the look of that case but it struck me as just a little too large and unstructured. My ideal would be a case that both flexible enough to squeeze in where needed but also structured enough to hold its shape well.

GadgetFreak

I have the Skytrain and the Tristar. Both are great but different. The Tristar is more structured and has more large compartments. The Skytrain seems to hold more, in agreement with your numbers.

You might add Briggs & Riley large weekender or one or more of their cabin bags. I often use the weekender as a carry on. Even started a thread some time back about how to pack it.

But most importantly, welcome to Flyertalk.

nickb99

Thanks for the suggestion. I looked at a few B&R bags but there seemed nothing in the rectangular, non-wheeled style that I like. There are certainly some nice duffles but the website information was again pretty limited - just a couple of small pictures per bag. For that kind of money I want to know what the bag looks like close up, inside and out, from every angle.

GadgetFreak

Yes, They don't have the rectangular models. They used to make one that was a brilliant bag, a combination briefcase/suiter that was rectangular. Several of us have them and there are threads about the bag. I forget the model number but since they stopped making them I didn't include it. The carryall or satchel style is a bit of a holdover from pre notebook computer days. It is great for clothes but I think the shape and compartment design aren't optimal for what many of us carry in terms of electronics today. I do suspect that in the class it is tough to beat an Airboss or Tristar. The Skytrain is great in many ways but I wish it had the three large sections like the Airboss.

TravlnD

I think you mean the 235x...

Another cool B&R bag since discontinued is the 224 cabin bag... had backpack straps but also could be used as a shoulder bag or with regular hand carry.

B&R clearly went the way of the wheeled bag...

GadgetFreak

Yes, it was the 235x, thanks. I thought that was the number but wasn't sure. The problem with it, however, was that B&R uses such sturdy ballistic nylon that it was pretty heavy when loaded.

nickb99

I googled the 235x, looks similar to the 231x that is still available now? Also it reminds me of the Eastpak Crum model. That looked interesting but impossible to find more than basic information online.

GadgetFreak

I have a 231x as well and they are not very similar. The 235x is quite a bit larger. About 25% longer and has a much better pocket structure in my experience. The shape seems different as well and I find, probably because if the extra length that it is easier to pack the 235x. That all said, I used to use the 231x a lot as a second bag on top of a roller but haven't used it since I downsized my packing list. I should revisit it as a main bag.

BalbC

That's a shame. They make great bags and construction/materials are excellent for the price.

Their website is definitely pretty pretty poor and looks really out of date (they also have a Facebook presence occasionally) However, they are very responsive to emails/calls and have more details and pictures then. They don't seem to want a big web presence though. In terms of specs, I think the website is current, but they are able to adjust the sizes of the bags to your requirements when they make them.