Imago as a computer & camera bag?

[maverick]

That's impressive! I also have a TriStar but would never have thought of putting an Imago in the center compartment. Do you still have room in the front and back compartments? Personally, I find that if I stuff the middle with a laptop and a few other items, it can get quite bulky and extend to the other two compartments hence reducing the loading capacities. I would love to see a picture of a stuffed Imago in the center compartment.

hi ltsching,

because the tri-star is a soft bag, it allows you to have one compartment occupy more room than another. this is great because it allows you flexibility.

i put two big towels, a change of clothes for my son and i, and our swim trunks and swim shirts all in the compartment close to the backpack straps. i put the imago with the soft cell, macbook, ac adapter, a memory card reader, and headphones in the middle compartment. and i had our toiletries in a clear quarter organizer cube in the front compartment.

i'm up in toronto today. i brought the aeronaut along because my wife asked me to bring some stuff up again. the imago is going to stay with my wife. they will come back next weekend. so i will be able to take some pictures of the tri-star with the imago the following week.

but we are going to see if we can get some cool pictures and videos for you to see while we're up here in toronto.

[moriond]

Hi maverick and Itsching,

Excellent video, M. It shows exactly how I would have liked to use it, a compact messenger bag that can hold the Macbook Air and a small DSLR. I also have a TB small Cafe Bag and a earlier version Ristretto, but they're too small. In the video, you seem to have a tough time taking the soft cell out, is it that tight of a fit? Would the Cache be easier for removal? Also, can you comment on the difference between Cordura and Ballistic? I am looking at the Ballistic Steel/Cork/Wasabi combination. Thank you for your always useful comment and video.

hi ltsching,

it's not the soft cell being a tight fit in the imago - the soft cell goes easily in and out. the 13" unibody macbook is a snug fit inside of the soft cell. it works better when you hold the soft cell with one hand and grab the macbook with the other, and when you're not trying to angle it for the video camera . i haven't had a chance to handle the cache, but i can let you know when i try it.

the 1050d ballistic nylon and 1000d cordura are two different fabrics. both are fantastic, both in terms of how the look and their durability. they have a different texture, a different weave.

darcy,

can you better describe how you would describe the difference between the 1050d ballistic nylon and the 1000d cordura?

thanks!

I'm not Darcy, but I can comment on the Cordura/Ballistic nylon issue in terms of the Imago. First, let me point out this forum thread about Cordura vs. Ballistic nylon in which Tom chimes in with descriptions of both materials. I have the Imago in both Cordura and Ballistic nylon versions, and I would recommend the Ballistic nylon if you're carrying around components like lenses. In a bag with horizontal orientation like the Imago you'll get slightly more support along the base from the ballistic nylon. That consideration doesn't really apply for vertically oriented bags like the (Cordura) Ristretto in terms of the amount of support, but it can be a decision factor in deciding whether you prefer Cordura or Ballistic nylon for the Imago. (Like you, I also have an old-style Ristretto, and use the Imago and Ristretto with a 13" MacBook.)

The Cache wasn't an option when I got my MacBook, but I think it would be a natural choice here, and a slimmer profile sleeve than the Soft Cell. I use a microfiber Tucano Second Skin for my laptop as described in this post discussing Soft Cell type protection (which also has better links to Second Skin images, or you can try the other Tucano site.) Another option is to use the Archetype (whose web page says there will be a new model in Summer 2009), which was shown (in a different fabric) in the Imago in this Imagometrics review.

That's impressive! I also have a TriStar but would never have thought of putting an Imago in the center compartment. Do you still have room in the front and back compartments? Personally, I find that if I stuff the middle with a laptop and a few other items, it can get quite bulky and extend to the other two compartments hence reducing the loading capacities. I would love to see a picture of a stuffed Imago in the center compartment.

The Imago does fit in the center compartment of the Tri-Star, but like you, I hadn't thought about it. Flattened, the Imago is only slightly larger than the Ristretto, and well within the dimensions of the compartment. I think you might want to fold back the flap when you put it in the Tri-Star for easy access to the laptop when you're pulling it out for airport inspection.

The Steel/Cork/Wasabi combination sounds like a very nice match with your Steel Aeronaut -- and is your Tri-Star also steel?

Pictures of these products from other forum posts:

• Steel/Solar Tri-Star
• Steel/Cork/Wasabi Imago and Steel/Solar Aeronaut (I know your Aeronaut is Steel/Steel, but this is close.)

HTH. Cheers,

moriond

[ltsching]

Thanks Moriond, for your very useful advice regarding the Cordura/Ballistic difference and confirming that the Imago fits well in the center compartment of the TriStar . My TriStar is in indigo.

[moriond]

My TriStar is in indigo.

So is mine -- which is why using the Ristretto (in Plum/Wasabi) was a more natural reaction than using one of my Imagos -- which are either Hunter/Cork/Sage or Cocoa/Cocoa/Wasabi.