Overnight flight bag

[mhotel]

I frequently travel on short business trips (1-2 overnights) which don't come close to filling my max legal rollaboard (practically guaranteeing wrinkles) yet require more than my Empire Builder can possibly hold.

The fold-out design of the Checkpoint Flyer is brilliant - any chance of something similar that will hold a few clothes and a pair of shoes?


--thanks

[Tom Bihn]

You're the second one today to ask for such a bag! Sounds like a winner. I'm making more travel bags in 2009, so stay tuned!

[Fannod]

That's great, I've long been searching for the laptop+1-2 days bag, and never really found one that seemed perfect... yet. So make that three people today!

[Russell]

Doesn't the Western Flyer fill this role?

Or am I missing something?
A Western Flyer with the foldout laptop compartment as in the Checkpoint Flyer?

[Climb14er]

Doesn't the Western Flyer fill this role?

Or am I missing something?
A Western Flyer with the foldout laptop compartment as in the Checkpoint Flyer?

The Western Flyer looks good and I've been taking a very close look at it the past month. In fact, you wouldn't know how close I came to pulling out the credit card and placing an order for the WF, three packing cubes, brain cell, absolute strap, etc. $308.00 at last count plus shipping. ;)

I've taken the measurements of the WF and compared them with what I'd normally take for a short business trip, including my laptop, charger, personal items, change of clothes (business and casual) and came to the conclusion that I'm going to need a bag similar in design but with a little more room.

It's not that the WF won't work... it will. But similarly to being comfortable carrying only one bag... I want to be comfortable in not having to cram in gear to that one bag... I've done that before many times and have come to the conclusion that this is not a comfortable experience... for me or my clothes or gear (that I've left behind).

Bottom line is that I'm definitely in the market for a little larger Western Flyer design! This bag has certainly gotten my attention.

[Fannod]

I also looked hard at the WF. The problem for me was that it won't hold my (company-assigned) 15" laptop. And rumor is the new ones will be 17" widescreens it's right out. Also, for me, the backpack is less important the other carry options. Great bag, but I need something a touch bigger (also, addressing the concern about not having to cram).

[Russell]

Gotcha...

Understand now your requirement.

I have the Aeronaut and Western Flyer now.
Used the Aeronaut on several trips and love it, just got the Western Flyer and yet to take it for a spin.

My laptop requirements are not as big as yours (work is a 14" and personal is a 13" MacBook). So, the WF works well as I did a test pre-pack when I got it and if I can slim down on what I take with me I can get by with just the WF for a 5-day trip (2 flying days, 3 work days). I bought the WF in part to force me to pack less for trips. The WF is making me think about what is really essential or not.

I'm anxious to see what Tom introduces for travel bags this year, I just hope I don't regret getting the WF now if something better comes along soon.

[ilikebeer]

Apologies for reviving an old thread, but I was wondering if there were any more thoughts along these lines. I have both an Aeronaut and a Checkpoint Flyer, and while I love them both, I do think there's room for something in between.

There are many times when I really want something for a quick one/two night jaunt and would like to take my laptop but don't want to take the Aeronaut. Ideally, I want to take a bare minimum...clothing, workout stuff (including shoes), and toiletries. Given the removable casing on the Checkpoint Flyer, I think it would be really cool to have the two-fold part of the bag (ie, the non-laptop part) be interchangeable with something slightly larger -- maybe twice as wide or so, more or less. Like many people these days, I rarely carry a load of papers/books/documents on the road these days, so I often use the main compartment as a miniature travel bag (whenever I leave workout stuff at home).

I really like the overall design of the Checkpoint Flyer, and the concept seems to lend itself to an expansion of the line to something a little more versatile. Thanks!

[MtnMan]

If I understand the intent of this thread correctly, I would love to see a tri-fold garment bag that is configured to work as a maximum carry-on; about 2,700 cubic inches in volume, backpackable, shoulder-strapable, and with handles. Kinda like a cross between a Tri-Star and a Checkpoint Flyer. I would love to see something like that. Sojourner came up with a similar idea in the "Wingwalker" proposal thread.

[Jiri]

My two cents is TriStar size but with functionality as a standalone laptop bag. It's big enough to be a short trip all in one bag, can work as a daily laptop bag (particularly if you gusset the packing compartment, and is small enough to finesse as a second piece accompanying a rollaboard for a long trip (week+).

For me, that would mean my laptop and accessories, other "briefcase" like items would always stay in the same "system" for daily use, short trip and long trip. When that happens, managing the system is automatic.

I'd buy that bag RIGHT NOW!

[Climb14er]

I frequently travel on short business trips (1-2 overnights) which don't come close to filling my max legal rollaboard (practically guaranteeing wrinkles) yet require more than my Empire Builder can possibly hold.

The fold-out design of the Checkpoint Flyer is brilliant - any chance of something similar that will hold a few clothes and a pair of shoes?
--thanks

I was in the exact same shoes as you and found a solution, here at Tom Bihn.

For some time, I'd pack my Tumi Expandable Briefcase, ballistic nylon, with notebook and extra clothes and found that it was 'almost' the right size. The Tumi is about the same exact size as the Empire Builder.

I have an Airboss (before I found Tom Bihn) and this was more than OK, but a little larger than I wanted for one to two day travel.

When the idea for a bag the size in-between the Western Flyer and Aeronaut was first introduced, I jumped up and said 'that's the bag I need'.

I bought one of the early Tristars and this is the exact bag I needed back then for one to two day trips.

I also believe this is the bag you're looking for!

Easy to pack, easy to carry, can be carried in as a briefcase, packs enough for one to two days or a long weekend... it's the perfect 'short-hop' business bag!

Look at it closer and you might find this to be the case too.

I purchased a few packing cubes, an Absolute Strap and use an eighteen inch Eagle Creek packing folder. Throw in a laptop, some files and I'm set to go.

Have fun.

[aiethabell]

My two cents is TriStar size but with functionality as a standalone laptop bag. It's big enough to be a short trip all in one bag, can work as a daily laptop bag (particularly if you gusset the packing compartment, and is small enough to finesse as a second piece accompanying a rollaboard for a long trip (week+).

For me, that would mean my laptop and accessories, other "briefcase" like items would always stay in the same "system" for daily use, short trip and long trip. When that happens, managing the system is automatic.

I'd buy that bag RIGHT NOW!

I'll second that!

I have an Air Boss; I've put off buying another bag like the Aeronaut simply because the Aeronaut is bigger than my Boss! I'm going nuts over the three-compartment bit, which is why the Tri-Star, albeit a beautiful bag, is OUT for me. I loathe Red Oxx's straight shoulder strap/no sternum strap design, which means no Sky Train. The Western Flyer also has divided compartments.

When Darcy mentioned a one-compartment Tri-Star might be in the works for early 2010, that's when I started to drool. All I want are clips for my Brain Cell, space to slide in a Freudian Slip, and a big single compartment to toss all of my packing cubes and whatall inside.

Without the limitations of sewn compartments, I could carry more books or papers if I had to, or winter clothes, or even a second computer in a Cell without adding a second bag.

Even if it's an inch smaller all around (to fulfill other requests for a still-smaller bridge bag between the WF and the Tri-Star), I'll still want it. (Big Hint)

Proudly reporting I told my *friend* to keep my snitched old Cafe Bag - I bought myself a new one! With friends like that, who needs enemies? Sheesh.

[ilikebeer]

I was in the exact same shoes as you and found a solution, here at Tom Bihn.

For some time, I'd pack my Tumi Expandable Briefcase, ballistic nylon, with notebook and extra clothes and found that it was 'almost' the right size. The Tumi is about the same exact size as the Empire Builder.

I have an Airboss (before I found Tom Bihn) and this was more than OK, but a little larger than I wanted for one to two day travel.

When the idea for a bag the size in-between the Western Flyer and Aeronaut was first introduced, I jumped up and said 'that's the bag I need'.

I bought one of the early Tristars and this is the exact bag I needed back then for one to two day trips.

I also believe this is the bag you're looking for!

Easy to pack, easy to carry, can be carried in as a briefcase, packs enough for one to two days or a long weekend... it's the perfect 'short-hop' business bag!

Look at it closer and you might find this to be the case too.

I purchased a few packing cubes, an Absolute Strap and use an eighteen inch Eagle Creek packing folder. Throw in a laptop, some files and I'm set to go.

Have fun.

I can't speak for the OP, but for me, this doesn't really work. The trifold design of the CF is the key for me: anything that helps reduce any of the trauma of going through airport security is worth a premium for me. While the Tristar looks like it's the right size, it doesn't really help me when I only want to carry one bag without the hassle of removing my laptop every time I pass a checkpoint.

As an aside, making the laptop compartment of the CF more accessible via the side would be nice, too. Don't get me wrong -- it's doable as long as the main cargo compartment isn't over-stuffed -- but I'm pretty sure it could be made easier by making small adjustments to the laptop compartment itself.

That said, I absolutely love the CF. I'll pack even lighter than is really reasonable (or advisable) just to avoid taking two bags because it makes travel that much easier!