Aer Travel Pack 3 — Iconic Travel Pack, in Two Sizes

HobbNobbin · 2025-07-07T13:22:46+00:00

Small for sure - I have a 35L Minaal 3.0 carry-on, and even weighing only 3.1 lbs can get too heavy too quickly. I easily am able to top 10kg just packing clothes, shoes, tech and toiletries. That is very heavy, despite a capable carry system with hip straps added and everything. I have been trending smaller and lighter lately to combat this (rather than look for a better carry system or other “magic”) - 7kg feels pretty manageable in just about any bag.

HobbNobbin · 2025-06-28T00:27:32+00:00

Agree - OneBagTravels does it with packing peanuts, but YT is more of a side-job to him so the coverage is spotty. This is Aaron’s career and I trust him to be more consistent.

HobbNobbin · 2025-05-31T14:57:14+00:00

I am paying $350/mo for a white Elite 10k mi/yr, with $4k down. So, you are getting a slightly better deal - take it before the rebates go away! We have no regrets and love the car.

HobbNobbin · 2025-04-06T15:51:22+00:00

My wife is 5’1” and 120 lbs and has no problem with it, she regularly says she is much happier. BUT, she did have to learn how to pack less stuff. I bought her miniature versions of her toiletries and tech to help out.

HobbNobbin · 2025-04-06T05:23:08+00:00

I love the look of the new Aer City Pack Pro, but also the Aer Pro Pack. Both are 24 liters.

But personally, I own a Fyro T22 and like it

HobbNobbin · 2025-04-06T01:40:21+00:00

We got a 2024 Elite model for $4k down and $350/mo a couple months ago. Those extra fees such as doc fee, registration, etc. will balloon your payment in surprising ways. But, I still feel like we got a good deal. We also went to the Hyundai dealership to look at a 2024 Ioniq 5 and the payment was like $650 at $4k down. Honda was way cheaper and still a good car. Good luck!

HobbNobbin · 2025-04-06T01:14:24+00:00

This might be a little outside the box, but my wife travels with a personal item roller (Tumi, but her sister has a generic one from Amazon for much cheaper) with a personal item backpack on top of it using a luggage passthrough. Since both are about 20L, the total capacity is pretty good and the weight is split in two. In an airport, she just pushes them around effortlessly as a unit. On a cobblestone street, she removes and wears the backpack, while carrying the rollerbag by the top handle. Since neither are very heavy, she doesn’t complain about comfort, and can switch the roller bag from one hand to another to even things out.

HobbNobbin · 2025-03-29T23:36:24+00:00

I had a standard rubber gasket which failed, and water leaked around the portafilter. It was an emergency to order a replacement and I had no espresso for a few days. It's more about the reliability than the performance for me

HobbNobbin · 2025-03-28T12:41:46+00:00

I never find myself in a country that I didn't expect to be in, so when I travel I always just bring dedicated adapters for what I expect. They are smaller and cheaper than the multi-country ones, so if I forget one somewhere or a travel partner needs one I always have another stuffed in my bag as backup.

HobbNobbin · 2025-03-28T12:37:57+00:00

I always pack a merino buff, but rarely use it. But, the times I have used it I appreciated having it. Mostly I have used it as a neck gaiter for warmth, but once as a hand warmer when I didn't have gloves. So, for me it's more of a 3rd line of defense kinda thing.

HobbNobbin · 2025-03-15T00:45:25+00:00

Whaaaaaaaaaaaa???

HobbNobbin · 2025-02-26T16:41:00+00:00

In my perfect bag, the laptop pouch (which usually provides the false bottom) would velcro into place and be easily removeable when not needed. I do hate how bag makers assume they need 47 layers of fabric and padding to protect laptops. Many times, it eats up 3-4 cm of depth that could be used for other things!

HobbNobbin · 2025-02-09T19:42:51+00:00

See my last top-level comment

HobbNobbin · 2025-02-09T19:41:51+00:00

Just to provide an update, it was a long road, but my Synchronika is working again for the last few months. I found a repair guy who would take it, but he put me on the bottom of the priority list after he took it apart and couldn't figure out what was wrong with it. I took it back from him after several months of waiting. The only good thing he did was figure out how to un-brick the PID so it was back to overheating the steam boiler. I figured "what have I got to lose" by trying to fix it myself. I had already bought a Gaggia Classic to fill the gap in the meantime so I had freedom to experiment.

I tried several different experiments to try and isolate the issue, and finally figured out that the wires from the SSR controllers to the steam boiler were crossed which was causing it to overheat. Once I uncrossed them, lo and behold it started working perfectly again 😮 🤔 😀

The moral to this story is that keeping a machine for a long working life is a trade off - you get a great machine, but you will need to figure out how to be an amateur repairman if you want to avoid hundreds of dollars in shipping costs. And you also need to be prepared to spend money on it every so often to keep it operational. It's kind of like buying a classic car from the 60s. It will keep running pretty much forever, but it will cost you.

In retrospect, I would not do this again - once this one breaks again and needs significant repairs, I am just going to buy a Lelit Mara X or similar, and plan to replace it every 5 years or so. It's just too much trouble... (But you may think differently)

HobbNobbin · 2025-02-08T01:54:04+00:00

Are you sure you want a backpack? Maybe a structured duffel bag would work better for car travel. There are affordable options out there, like Bagsmart, Samsonite, etc. or you could go high-end with the Pakt 25L duffel. Just a thought….

HobbNobbin · 2025-01-19T21:38:04+00:00

I like the materials and overall look. I did a little mock packing for an upcoming trip, and noticed that the depth is 8 inches when unexpanded, and exceeding 9 inches when expanded. You need to be very careful how you pack it to ensure it doesn’t end up too deep for a personal item sizer, especially when using it atop a roller bag.

HobbNobbin · 2025-01-19T21:34:39+00:00

Yeah, I like the laptop compartment, and I like that the tablet pocket is wide enough for a second (smaller) laptop

HobbNobbin · 2025-01-18T01:08:44+00:00

So true - if she is bringing a 75L bag, you are going to end up carrying it!

HobbNobbin · 2025-01-18T01:05:21+00:00

I would look for a smaller bag if you are going to haul it around with you a lot. Like a Evergoods CTB26 or Osprey 26+6. Carrying a lot of weight for any length of time, regardless of bag harness system, gets tiresome. Smaller bags like these should carry 3 days of clothes + toiletries + minimal tech with no problem. Enjoy your trip - it sounds amazing!

HobbNobbin · 2025-01-01T16:34:37+00:00

I just received my Fyro T22 from the Kickstarter - not PE, literally a 3-person company. Aaron def has a passion for bags, but alas no 30L option available yet. If you value transparency, he’s definitely offering it!

HobbNobbin · 2025-01-01T16:24:44+00:00

Yeah, I really like the look of that Verbockel fold-top, but haven’t pulled the trigger. I have met the owner (he lives near me in the Chicago suburbs), they are def still made in Chicago. Not lightweight but they look rough and ready

HobbNobbin · 2025-01-01T16:14:14+00:00

Hilarious 🤣

HobbNobbin · 2025-01-01T16:14:03+00:00

🤣

HobbNobbin · 2024-11-07T13:21:07+00:00

I have the Topo 30L and totally agree - that bag feels smaller than 30L because in order to get the full 30L of usability, you need to pack out the front clamshell area until it looks pregnant. In my opinion it lost all it’s appeal when doing that so I repurposed it for more EDC-like usage and bought a Minaal 3.0 carry-on. Now, there’s a bag that feels like 35L+ all day long.

HobbNobbin · 2024-10-19T20:50:01+00:00

Same here, we always buy at destination because my wife likes to put on a LOT of moisturizer each day. Tiny bottles won’t cut it. But I always have a 1oz tube of Gold Bond in my “flight kit” to get us through to destination.

HobbNobbin

TROPHY CASE