Introducing the largest bag i own (or probably will ever)
 

The Tumi 2 wheeled split duffel.


https://www.tumi.com/p/large-split-2...l-01171631041/

Everyone knows what Tumi is so i wont bother going into that. I will say it is amazingly light for its size. The bottom section alone is enough to fit 2 suits 4 or 5 shirts, ties, shoes, tie clips....ie everything for work, leaving the entire larger top section for all of your casual and outwear.

It will be a real challenge to pack this sucker and keep it under the 50lb weight limit. I do however see some real situations where this thing will be handy with bulky items that dont weigh much such as coats, rain gear, packable day bags or your professional looking work bag as a packing cube etc in with your regular luggage. Those items likely wont add enough weight to put you over and would give you some options as a frequently traveler that we/I know i usually sacrifice in the name of traveling light. I can't tell you how many times i have not traveled with a heavy enough coat, left sweaters behind, didn't have room for my best "office bag" or didn't even bother to bring shorts and in some cases, didnt even bother to bring PJs or even casual clothes to wear after work in the name of smaller carry on 2 or even 1 bag travel.

This looks to alleviate that for weeks when i am like "to heck with that i want my stuff"....

Be that as it may this is a bag i bought for extended trips only so I am not sure how long it will be before i have a real world review.

Shout out to Tumi for easily replacing my 2 year old damaged wire framed dufflel with store credit and no questions asked by the way.

https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fly...790df6ade2.jpg
https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fly...a3135115f5.jpg
https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fly...8e244edd2b.jpg
https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fly...b1abf8127e.jpg
Images attached.

I used to have (well, I guess I do still have it somewhere) the Briggs & Riley version of that, back when I was a "kitchen sink" traveler. It was hard to keep under 50lbs. Some of the plastic around the base started to deteriorate around the time I got bit by the "pack light" bug and I stopped using it. I should have sent it off to be fixed (lifetime warranty and all that) but seemed to be too much bother for a bag I don't use anymore :)

Whats your "go to" for packing light? I have a brand new Tortuga Setout just sitting in my closet waiting for a one bag trip so i can try it out also. :)

It depends a bit on your needs -- I travel for fun, not business so I don't need business attire, shoes, etc. Simplifies things but not everybody has that luxury.

Until about a year ago my goto bag was the original Nomatic travel bag. I could fit everything (including laptop) and not have to worry about stairs, cobblestone streets. etc. Plus easy access compartments on the top for the stuff I need on the plane. But about a year ago I started having some occasional back issues (called getting old :( ) so I switched to a rolling bag, an eBags weekender. Since I can't get stuff I need on the plane out as quickly, I usually have a small backpack (been using a Loctote one) that has the stuff I'm likely to need in flight.

A few years ago I got a Hartman spinner as my Delta 2MM gift and I hated it -- nothing Hartman specific, just hated the spinner. If they made one with a parking brake you could activate on the handle I would like it better, but I'd still be that person dragging a bag thru the cobblestone streets of Prague, which I try very hard not to be :)

Love my Nomatic Travel bag. Its my "go to" for water trips or any trip that's likely to see lots of rain. I liked the Travel bag so much I bought the matching travel pack and messenger bag.

If there are cons to the travel bag it would be the boxy shape when fully loaded, the obnoxious branding and the fact that your most expensive tech might be too easy for people to access if you use the tech pockets provided. The way it's organized is also an either or proposition....you can use the end pockets for shoes and toiletry bag and greatly reduce your space inside OR you can get more space by avoiding those but you can't do both. Also carrying it duffle bag style for any length of time when fully packed is ridiculous as it's like carrying a pizza box awkwardly holding it out 3 feet from your center of mass. That bag definitely needs a side carry system or a shoulder mount add on.

I will say that for short tosses (getting in and out of car or just dittling around at the gate) the conversion from back pack straps to duffle straps is genius though.

Their messenger and travel pack are one of the best large laptop and smaller back packs I own respectively. I plan to post about them the next time I take a trip w them.


You should really try the Tortuga.....the bag itself weighs next to nothing and it has way more internal capacity than nomatic. It isn't as water proof but you can get a rain cover. It lacks the organization but...packing cubes. It also has an available side strap for shoulder carry and solid side carry handles. Not sure which one I like the best...it could be years before I decided. To make it more complicated if I ever find a good deal on a Peak travel bag, AER travel bag or Tom Bihn Aeronaut I plan to pick those up also. (To name a few).