u/Noop4321

I'm looking for a 4–5L sling that can pull double duty as both a camera cube and an everyday sling.

My current setup is a Nikon FM2n with three manual lenses:

• 50mm
• 28mm
• 105mm

At the moment I use the Topo Designs Camera Cube (photo attached). It's fine for storing inside my backpack while traveling, but it's not particularly comfortable or convenient once I'm out shooting. Ideally I'd like something that works as a camera cube inside a backpack, but can also be worn as a sling without having to transfer everything.

The two bags I'm currently considering are the Rework Toshi 5L and the Moment Everything Sling 4L.

My biggest concern is protection. The Toshi looks fantastic, but I'm wondering if it's padded enough for camera gear. The Moment seems a bit more camera-focused, but I'd love to hear from anyone who's used either bag with an actual camera kit.

Are there any other 4–5L slings you'd recommend? I'd prefer something that doesn't scream "camera bag," but still offers enough padding and protection for an FM2n and a couple of lenses.

Thanks!

https://preview.redd.it/qt11m91ne9bh1.png?width=640&format=png&auto=webp&s=2a8a6ec0807c28a70f57a17f8f822600de29e2d4

I'm pretty new to points and award travel and would love some advice.

Current balances:

• Asia Miles (Cathay Pacific): ~150,000
• JAL Mileage Bank: ~47,000 (through family) - expires in 4 months
• Delta SkyMiles: ~18,000
• Capital One Venture X (just opened)

I used to live in Australia, so I mainly collected Qantas Frequent Flyer points. Since moving to the US I haven't really committed to a single program.

I really like flying JAL, but I don't always find their flights on the routes I travel. I ended up with 150k Asia Miles because I transferred points there for an award booking, but by the time the transfer completed, the award seats were gone.

My travel is mostly:

• Domestic US (usually Alaska or Delta)
• Australia
• India

The catch is that I often book only 2-6 weeks before departure, so I rarely find good award availability. My long-term goal is to redeem for business class.

A few questions:

1. My 47k JAL miles expire in 4 months. From what I understand, JAL miles expire regardless of activity. Is there anything worthwhile I can do with them before they disappear?
2. What's the smartest use of 150k Asia Miles given the way I travel? Should I just keep saving them for a premium redemption, or are there better ways to use them?
3. If you were starting from scratch in the US, which frequent flyer program would you focus on? I fly Alaska and Delta domestically depending on price, and internationally I usually just book whichever airline has the best fare.

I'm still learning all of this, so I'd really appreciate any advice or strategies you wish you'd known when you started.

Thanks!

I'm still fairly new to maximizing airline miles and wanted to understand how experienced travelers handle this.

Recently, I took an international flight and credited it to Asia Miles. After the trip, I discovered that the fare class I booked wasn't eligible for mileage accrual, so I ended up earning no miles at all.

That made me realize that when flying airlines that have multiple partner programs, choosing where to credit a flight can be more complicated than I thought.

How do you decide which frequent flyer program to use for a particular flight?

Do you research fare class earning rates before booking? Do you check all possible partner programs before adding a frequent flyer number? Or is there a way to decide after the flight has been completed?

I'm curious about the workflow people use, because I'd like to avoid missing out on miles again in the future.

I've recently run into an issue with earning frequent flyer miles and I'm curious what experienced travelers usually do.

I recently flew internationally and had my Asia Miles number attached to the booking. After the trip, I found out that the fare class I booked was ineligible for Asia Miles accrual, so I ended up earning nothing.

This got me wondering about the best strategy when flying on airlines that are part of an alliance or have multiple partner frequent flyer programs.

Do most people:

1. Check fare class eligibility across different frequent flyer programs before the flight and then attach the program that gives the best return?
2. Leave the booking without a frequent flyer number, take the flight, and then submit a missing points claim afterward to whichever program gives the best earning rate?
3. Just credit everything to their primary program and accept that some flights won't earn miles?

I'm particularly interested in what frequent flyers do in practice. Do you always check earning charts before booking, or is there a simpler approach?

Thanks!

Keen to buy this but want to see if anyone has it already and what they think of it? Thanks