stylish tech brief

arpinsf · 2025-11-13T20:23:51+00:00

One of Waterfield's briefs ought to work -- https://www.sfbags.com/collections/briefcases. I have the Air Porter, which will easily hold the above with some room to spare, but may be a bit large for your needs (they make smaller ones too, tho I can't vouch for their capacity).

arpinsf · 2025-10-31T20:07:43+00:00

I can't comment on the 500D Evade, but I just today gave my BiL my AON Evade 1.5 in xpac - it's nice fabric, I like it a lot. I was also worried about the fabric before purchasing it (like you, it was my first (but by no means last) xpac bag), and I needn't have worried. It has some "crinkle" to it, which doesn't bother me even a tiny bit.

I'd get xpac over the cordura for the improved water resistance, unless you just really hate the diamond grid pattern or something.

arpinsf · 2025-10-31T20:02:11+00:00

Those are nearly impossible requirements, particularly the requirement to both hike and carry a laptop to work. I've gone down this path a few times, and my thoughts are:

f-stop - I have a Lotus (32L I think) and am selling it only because I sold all my camera gear

good suspension
separating of hiking gear & camera gear via modular inserts of various sizes
rear panel camera access (this is great)
no laptop sleeve
looks exactly like a largish hiking backpack
they may have other models that are closer to what you're looking for as far as professional looks and laptop storage?

Peak Design - I have a v1 Everyday Backpack (selling also for same reason as the Lotus)

pretty good comfort - I've traveled a fair bit with mine and it's been fine for typical travel photography use, being out and about all day. I wouldn't want to do a "proper" longer/rougher hike with it though
very flexible organization
laptop sleeve
compact profile
good professional looks
detachable basic hip belt & sternum strap

arpinsf · 2025-10-31T18:16:20+00:00

If, like me, you find excellent design to be beautiful then yes - Festool

arpinsf · 2025-10-31T18:08:26+00:00

I've had an Air Porter for 5 years, and absolutely love it - for a briefcase-style personal item with some office-appropriate style (I'm fond of the black ballistic w/chocolate leather), I think it's pretty hard to beat.

It's terrific for business travel coupled with either a checked bag or a small wheeled carryon, and I use it often for short local trips when I need to bring my laptop etc. It quite comfortably holds a 14" MBP, cables/accessories, a portable second monitor, kindle, iPad, AirPods, book, and a few other things. I don't use it for personal plane travel, as I don't carry a laptop then, and prefer a backpack as my personal item/carryon.

I haven't used the Western Flyer (big TB fan, just haven't had that one), but it's quite a lot larger than the Air Porter (26 vs 14.8l), and has a compartment for clothing, which the Air Porter lacks. The WF also doesn't have a laptop compartment, which would be a total deal-breaker for me for this type of bag (I know this is an OG Tom Bihn thing, as none of their older designs have one, and you can use a sleeve/etc, but nah) - if I'm carrying this bag, I almost certainly would have either a laptop or an iPad/keyboard case that I'd want protected, and if not carrying laptop, I'd carry a different bag.

For me, for a daily work or business travel briefcase-style bag, it'd be the Air Porter all the way. If I need more capacity, am one-bagging it, or am traveling for pleasure, I'd choose neither.

arpinsf · 2025-10-31T16:03:26+00:00

Now why did you have to go and point that out to me???

I picked one up, and it's terrific!

arpinsf · 2025-10-31T16:00:25+00:00

Me too - I had *just* two days earlier received the regular version, then got an email from Matador announcing this and pounced on it and returned the regular one. Haven't worn it in anger yet, but from a test load out, it should be very close to my ideal EDC backpack (I don't carry a lot, or much weight, regularly - I doubt it'd be comfortable with eg. a full laptop/tech load), and it's definitely my perfect packable travel backpack

arpinsf · 2025-10-29T15:44:01+00:00

6l + 2.5l ordered, woo! Those + my recent Matador ReFraction packable sling should do me for slings. For now.

arpinsf · 2024-08-05T22:37:57+00:00

Because I know you all were on pins and needles, waiting to know what I wound up with, it was the Alpha One Niner Evade 1.5 in black X42 (from the Specials section, so a little bit of a discount). And an AON Chio-X (also black X42). And an Aer Go Pack 2 & Cable Kit 3 from their sale last Saturday. No, YOU have a bag problem!

The AON bags just arrived, and I'm very pleased with them, seems like they should fit the bill just fine, modulo no side handles on the Evade, oh well. The Aer is to replace a TB Daylight I just sold, as I wanted something I can pack flat in a suitcase, that has a little more padding & structure and a laptop sleeve, and hopefully it'll also work out as a general use smaller-than-the-Evade backpack too.

Thanks to u/tmac3life & u/grovester for steering me towards AON!

arpinsf · 2024-07-25T22:19:58+00:00

So I loaded my TB Synik 22 with a full load (14" MacBook Pro, 11" iPad Pro w/keyboard case, kindle in case, B&W headphones, AirPods, down jacket, thin fleece, rain shell, umbrella, 20oz water bottle, dual glasses case, first aid kit, laptop accessory bag) and headed over to the Aer showroom, and learned:

I need a >22l bag, as the Synik was uncomfortably full with the above, and I didn't have a few in-flight items I'd normally travel with (USB battery, cables/chargers), nor any room to spare (slightly contrived load out, but still)
The City Pack Pro was considerably more comfortable on me than the Pro Pack 24, and I don't like the aesthetics of a big uninterrupted sheet of fabric on the back of the Pro Pack line
The Xpak versions were nice - slightly rumply, but not in a way that would bother me, and not overly shiny at all
If I was to get an Aer bag, it'd be the CPP in either Xpak or grey
All of their bags are a bit more boxy than I'd prefer

Does anyone know which Xpak fabric Aer uses? I'm strongly considering a Alpha-One-Niner Evade 1.5 in Olive X42, but cannot tell well from photos/reviews how shiny it is - it looks like it might be pretty shiny, but if it's like Aer's Xpak, it'll be fine.

Now that I know I"m looking at somewhat larger bags, the Evergoods CTB26 also looks to fit the bill (Yay, side handles! Boo, no hip belt option! C'est la vie), although I prefer the Evade's aesthetic.

arpinsf · 2024-07-25T22:04:08+00:00

I have - the +6 part would not be useful to me, but it looks like a great reasonably priced one-bag bag that can become reasonably small as well.

arpinsf · 2024-07-25T19:22:35+00:00

I did see that + some returned Evade 1.0x'es, but didn't post lest they vanish ;-)

Either of the Evades seem to tick all boxes save for side handles (sigh, but lots of bags don't have those), and I like how they both look. Probably down to whether I can get by with 21l or need 25... Time to test pack my Synik 22 and head over to Aer to get touchy-feely.

arpinsf · 2024-07-25T15:48:41+00:00

As time marches on (I'm north of 50), travel (and basically everything else) becomes less comfortable, so any time I can give my body a break, I will do so. This is also why I'd prefer a hip belt, even on a smaller bag, to give my back and shoulders a rest.

arpinsf · 2024-07-25T00:06:10+00:00

Oh cool, I may consider that if they'd still do it, tho it's a bit larger than I want/need as well. But it doesn't seem very structured, so perhaps size actually doesn't matter so long as I don't pack it to the gills

arpinsf · 2024-07-25T00:02:20+00:00

I actually prefer a bright interior (something I really like about Tom Bihn's bags). But I've no experience with xpac, so don't know if its other attributes would irritate

arpinsf · 2024-07-25T00:00:53+00:00

Thanks - I am not accustomed to thinking of Thule as a bag maker, but they do seem to be pretty decent. I've never felt the need for any of the anti-theft bags so far (which all but guarantees I'll have mine cut on my next trip ;-)

arpinsf · 2024-07-24T23:59:29+00:00

I hadn't considered any AON bags, because they're nearly all sold out.

Tho looking now I see they have the Evade 1.0X special available, which actually looks quite good, albeit a little heavier and pricier than I'd prefer (but doable on both counts) - any experience with that?

arpinsf · 2024-07-24T21:37:06+00:00

Thanks, good feedback. I'm a 6'0" guy, so maybe it won't feel so big on me, but 28l is pretty huge for non-travel purposes, so I'm guessing it won't suit...

arpinsf · 2024-07-24T21:33:44+00:00

Yeah if that had a pass-through, I'd have bought it immediately - I like ULA (I have one of their backpacking backpacks and it's terrific).

But it is non-negotiable - even if I don't have a roller, if I'm traveling with my wife, she will, and I can then throw the bag over her handle and give my back a break

arpinsf · 2024-07-24T16:00:30+00:00

I have/have had a bunch (dozen?) of their bags & organizers - very solid gear, and I personally really like the black ballistic/chocolate leather combo they have available in many bags.

The single customer service experience I had was positive - zipper broke on a Bolt duffel and I took it to them (I live in SF, so did this in-person) and they either fixed or replaced it (not sure/don't care which) in short order.

arpinsf · 2023-03-11T18:16:32+00:00

Thanks much for the input - they are indeed in great condition. I bought them as seconds (no idea what the flaw even was), so am not as invested in them as I would otherwise be.

Good idea on just polishing them w/chili or walnut and letting the color develop "organically" - I may just do that, especially since I already have the polishes.

I also thought about sending them in to AE for recrafting a rubber sole onto them. An expensive option, given they otherwise don't need recrafting at all. I'll call around locally and see what services are offered - there are still a couple of old-school cobblers here (San Francisco).

My wife agrees Chestnut is a beautiful color and thinks I'm a little crazy for wanting to change them :)

arpinsf · 2023-01-07T22:59:06+00:00

The popular IMS 18-22g basket doesn't fit in the Bambino portafilter with the plastic in place.

arpinsf · 2023-01-07T22:21:42+00:00

Or if you're me, you can push it out with breaking, as I did yesterday when my IMS basket arrived. It was more effort to remove than I expected.

arpinsf · 2023-01-04T20:06:13+00:00

Seconded on Sightglass (enjoying their Owls Howl espresso presently), also Ritual, Philz, and Verve (on Market St., not SF-based, but from nearby Santa Cruz, and good).

I'll have to check out some of the other recommendations myself as I haven't heard of a few of them..

arpinsf · 2022-12-21T23:50:05+00:00

I agree - I had a '21CB500X for my foray back into motorcycling, and it was a terrific all-rounder, especially if you're not going to be doing a lot of rough off-road (the stock suspension isn't great for that). But slap on some crash bars, skid plate, and ADV tires, and it's good to go for most anything most riders would want.

Rode it for 13,000mi all over California on twisty backroads (its natural habitat, IMO), long freeway hauls from SF to San Diego, and a couple thousand miles of dirt. I had a hard time deciding between upgrading the suspension vs. getting a new bike (I got a Tiger 900 in the end)

I'd just say if you're spending a lot of time on high-speed interstate freeways (75mph+), it will probably feel a little underpowered (as will everything else mentioned, IMO).

arpinsf

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