u/travelingpostgrad

Woo hoo! Toshi v2 is set to ship to US Customers now. Just got the email from Jia that mine is shipping in the next few days.

I’ve been playing around with this bag the past couple weeks and while I like the size and organization I stumbled across an issue and curious if anyone else has had this happen with the Minaal M20.

I had a 13” MacBook Air in the laptop sleeve, an 11” iPad on the other side, plus an MX Keys Mini and Roost laptop stand. Nothing is overstuffed. The compartment zips easily, there are no bulges, and this same load fits without issue in my M20 and several other 20L bags I own. It even fits fine in a CPL16.

The problem seems to happen once I put the bag on. I wear my backpacks fairly high and tight, and on two occasions, both while walking around large cities, I pulled down on the shoulder straps to snug the bag up and the laptop compartment unzipped on its own.

I caught it both times, but in a city the bright yellow interior suddenly showing feels like an advertisement that there’s something valuable in that compartment. My MacBook and iPad weren’t falling out, but I definitely don’t want the bag calling attention to where the expensive stuff is.

It feels like tightening the straps is putting pressure on the zipper track in a way that can force it open.

Anyone else seeing this with the M20?

I keep seeing bags called messengers that I’d swear are briefs, satchels, or sometimes basically large slings.

To me, a messenger has a pretty specific DNA: long crossbody strap, worn at the side/back, designed to swing around for access, and traditionally a big flap over the main compartment. Think actual bike-messenger bag - Timbuk2 Classic, Chrome Citizen, Rickshaw Zero Messenger…

The flap may actually be the defining feature. Take that away and, even if it’s worn crossbody, is it really still a messenger? Or have you crossed over into a satchel, brief, or sling?

A brief with a shoulder strap is still a brief, right? 😂

It feels a little like calling every backpack a rucksack.

Am I being way too literal here, or do other bag people make the distinction too?

Southwest’s policy limiting passengers to one power bank has me rethinking my travel setup, and I’m curious what people here would choose.

Previously I carried two small banks with different jobs:

10,000mAh wired bank primarily to top up an iPad during the travel day/flight when I couldn’t find an outlet

5,000mAh MagSafe bank that I’d put in my pocket in the evening on work trips. By then my iPhone can be getting low, and I want enough power for the evening plus Maps/Uber back to the hotel.

With the one-bank restriction, I need one battery to do both jobs.

My devices are an iPhone 15 Pro, iPad Mini 7 or 11” iPad Air, and occasionally a MacBook Air, Surface Laptop 7, or MSI laptop. The laptops are 65W-class USB-C devices. Laptop charging is secondary, but I’d like enough output to give one a meaningful top-up if I’m stuck on a plane or away from an outlet.

I’m entirely USB-C at this point, so USB-A ports have essentially no value to me. I also already carry a tiny Rolling Square inCharge cable, so an integrated cable isn’t necessary.

The wrinkle is that whatever bank I carry during the day also needs to be reasonable to throw in a pants or jacket pocket when I leave the hotel for dinner. So I’m not trying to maximize capacity just because 100Wh is allowed. More capacity is useful only to the extent I can realistically use it.

Right now I’m looking hardest at the INIU P62-E1 20K/65W and P63-E1 25K/100W. I’m leaning toward 20K because it seems like the knee of the capacity/weight curve, but a really bad travel day could involve needing to top up the laptop, iPad and phone without finding an outlet.

I’m open to any brand. Nitecore, INIU, Anker, CUKTECH, UGREEN, etc. I’d especially be interested in something I’ve overlooked in the 15K–25K / 65W+ range that has an unusually good capacity-to-weight/size ratio.

What would you carry, and why?

Well, this is interesting…

Looks like the Rework Toshi V2 is coming in X-Pac, and from what I’m seeing, they may have addressed most of what kept me from seriously considering V1.

I know Toshi V1 has some very loyal fans here, but for me there were enough little things in the execution and materials that it never quite felt like it belonged in the same conversation as Aer or Fyro.

V2 might change that.

If the changes are as good in practice as they look, Toshi V2 in X-Pac suddenly feels like a legitimate third option alongside Aer and Fyro. Definitely has my attention.

Scoop comes from Nomads Nation, hat tip to Aaron. I’ll dropping the link to his teaser.

Does anyone know if ALPAKA is planning to update the regular/medium Elements Tech Case (2.1L)?

The current version looks like it may be getting phased out. It’s in the Outlet section on ALPAKA’s site, with Army Green seemingly being the main remaining Axoflux option, while Amazon still has some older stock/colors floating around.

With ALPAKA rolling newer materials like Ultradyne into more products, I’m wondering if the 2.1L Elements Tech Case might be in line for a refresh rather than actually going away.

I really like this particular size and layout. The Mini is smaller than what I want, and I don’t want to move up to the Max. A refreshed 2.1L in Ultradyne or one of ALPAKA’s newer fabric colors would be pretty compelling.

Bonus points if a refresh brought Moonlight Blue. That would probably be an instant buy for me. u/alpaka-gear ?

This setup just worked seamlessly it was one of those rare trips where I came home thinking I wouldn’t change much of anything about the setup.

The main bag was an Aer Travel Pack 4 28L (Cordura), with an ALPAKA Flight Sling 2L as my personal item/in-flight bag. The Flight Sling fit perfectly into the TP4’s upper exterior pocket, which turned out to be a great combination.

Upper pocket / in-flight setup
The Flight Sling carried what I wanted accessible at my seat. iPad mini, Apple AirPs Pro 3s, wallet, Clorox wipes, misc flight items like meds, gum, etc.

I also kept my Peak Design Passport Wallet in the zippered section of the upper admin pocket, along with a Wuben G5 flashlight on the key leash.

Before boarding, I pulled out the sling and put the TP4 overhead. After landing, the sling went right back into the upper pocket and I was down to one bag for the train from Midway and the walk to the hotel.

Lower exterior pocket
This held a backup pair of glasses in a flat metal case and an Aer Slim Pouch 2 with my work tech:
Logitech Pebble 2 mouse
6’ and 3’ USB-C cables
Rolling Square 65W SuperTiny charger
MOFT phone tripod

Main compartment
Evergoods CAP2:
ResMed AirMini CPAP, KUXIU 3-in-1 charger, CPAP mask, Sandman pouch, and a mini white-noise machine.

Peak Design Smedium packing cube:
3 shirts, 1 pair of pants, 3 pairs of socks, 3 pairs of underwear, sleep shorts, and a sleep shirt.

Peak Design Shoe Pouch:
Cole Haan leather sneakers.

Also packed:
Aer Dopp Kit 3
Matador FlatPak toiletry bag, rolled up with my electric toothbrush and brush head inside
TP-Link Roam 6 travel router
Matador x PH Refraction Pro packable backpack

The thing I liked most was how naturally everything had a place. I could get to what I needed without digging through the main compartment, and the organization never felt overly complicated or pouch-heavy.
For a four-day work trip, it was incredibly easy in and easy out. Nothing felt like it was fighting for space, I wasn’t juggling bags once I was off the plane, and I never found myself wishing I had packed something differently.

Sometimes you finish a trip already redesigning the loadout for the next one. This time, everything just worked.

https://preview.redd.it/wozkc2eql5kh1.png?width=1536&format=png&auto=webp&s=12eda90a3d45eb13904fad493b133703c840fb3c

Pioneer dropped a small run of limited colors today, including some really good-looking Panda and Duration bags. Not a huge selection, but there are a few standouts for those of us with discerning taste. Damn those are pretty bags....

https://pioneercarry.com/pages/limited-edition-captains-eggplant

Then EVERGOODS decided to make things worse.

Tomorrow they're bringing back Ultra Red and Signal Blue for the CAP 0.5, CAP 1, and CAP 2. It has been a long time since we've seen these colors, and Signal Blue in particular is tempting.

https://evergoods.us/blogs/evergoods-road-to-launch/signal-blue-and-ultra-red-coming-soon

(I don't need more bags, I don't need more bags.....)

So if you were fortunate enough to get in on the release, and now the pre-order is open, can you order a second bag in the other color (white)?

This is the text on the site:

This item is available for pre-order through 08.19 at 11:59pm PT and is expected to ship February 2027. Your order will be charged at checkout. Please note that estimated ship dates are subject to change. Limit 1 per order. Orders with more than 1 will be canceled.

Does that mean you got one, you can’t order the other color, even just one on the pre-order if you got in on the primary? u/aersf?

Just came across Osprey’s new Talon VSN^ 11 and 22 and these are pretty interesting.

They’re part of Osprey’s new Vision Above (VSN^) collection https://www.osprey.com/featured/shop-by-collections/vision-above

Seems to take the DNA of the Talon and turn it into more of a premium everyday/EDC pack rather than a dedicated hiking bag.

The big change is the material. Instead of the technical nylon of the regular Talon, these use a waxed 65% recycled polyester / 35% organic cotton fabric that’s water resistant and should develop some patina with use. They also have custom hardware, water-resistant zippers, a marbled AirScape back panel, and some unusual graphics/details that give them a much less "outdoor gear" look.

Both sizes have:

• Padded sleeve for up to a 16" laptop
• Additional tablet/notebook organization
• Internal zippered pocket
• Side compression straps
• Stretch bottle pockets that fit a 32oz Hydro Flask
• AirScape back panel with airflow channels
• Padded spacermesh shoulder harness with load lifters
• Sternum strap
• PFAS-free DWR
• bluesign product certification

The 11L is the compact version with a bungee setup on the front and weighs about 2.0 lbs. The 22L adds a front shove-it pocket and a small exterior zip pocket, weighs about 2.1 lbs, and seems like the more practical everyday/work/travel size.

They're definitely priced as premium bags: $180 for the 11L and $200 for the 22L.

T22:

https://preview.redd.it/csn5vuz60uih1.png?width=711&format=png&auto=webp&s=67b417b99a6d654242b75adbb8e6824acbb4fec3

T11:

https://preview.redd.it/9k8i5pab0uih1.png?width=699&format=png&auto=webp&s=9fd859693129a17dd5a4ac7c7a7c6dd72b2567f8

I kind of like what Osprey did here. It still looks recognizably like a Talon, but without all of the hiking-specific attachments, hipbelt pockets, etc. It feels more like Osprey taking one of their classic technical designs and making an actual EDC version instead of just slapping a laptop sleeve into a hiking pack.

And whatever you think about the price, Osprey is at least a brand that has historically stood behind its stuff. Their All Mighty Guarantee and customer service have a pretty legendary reputation, which makes spending $200 on a backpack a little easier to swallow.

Curious what everyone thinks. 22L especially looks like it could be a really nice one-bag daily carry.

My one day there and back via airplane for work bag has been the 18L Modern DayFayer, but the side quick access is so tight it’s barely usable and while it looked cool, in real use it’s kind of a big dump pouch with little organization. I use pouches so I don’t need a ton of organization but I appreciate some, especially for trips that half of it is going to be working on a plane. I’ve been eyeing the Pioneer Savant2.0 as they fixed what I didn’t care for on the 1.0. I have the Panda and it’s a nice bag, but my wife has claimed it so it’s out 😂. It’s also a bit big, 18L seems to be the sweet spot. I’m taking a 13” laptop, 11” iPad, cap1 tech pouch, cap .5 emergency toiletry kit in case I get stuck and it becomes overnight (looking at you DFW and ORD), my a6 journal, a 10000 mah ridge powerbank, AirPod Pro 3’s, an Anker 5000 MagSafe powerbank couple of pens and an Apple Pencil Pro. I also throw in a Peak Design Ultralight xxsmall packing cube with a pair of underwear and socks, as I have been stranded more then once on these planned same day up and back trips.

I realize the Citta isn’t in the wild yet, comes out in a few days. Any Savant 2.0 users have thoughts on it in this scenario? There really aren’t that many 18L bags out there, guessing that’s why Fyro made their new one that size.

I got to stop by the Aer store in SF today and finally try the Day Sling 4 X-Pac.

I've been using a DS3 X-Pac for the last three years. I use it daily and for traveling, and I didn't think I'd upgrade to the DS4 because the changes seemed minimal/unnecessary. But the final straw was when the buckle on the DS3 came undone (for like the 100th time) at a bathroom and it dropped on the nasty floor lol.

So in-person, the Day Sling 4 is actually a solid upgrade.

The Fidlock buckle feels more robust; it's more reliable and seems nearly impossible to slip.

I can easily zip-and-unzip both the front pocket and main pocket with one hand. I do wonder if this behavior will hold up as the X-Pac breaks-in and loses some structure. Previously, the large Aquaguard zipper on the DS3's front pocket made this nearly impossible anyways.

There's now a dedicated pocket for an AirTag (which I was previously storing in the DS3's passport pocket). The passport pocket on the DS4 also has a top flap, so it's less likely to accumulate dust/dirt.

The little divider in the front pocket seemed silly at a glance, but it actually works very well for me. Keys in one side, chapstick + AirPods + eye drops on the other. Less weird bulges in the main pocket.

The lash points on the DS4 are a great idea. There's been a couple times where I've wanted to attach, say, a water bottle to the DS3 but couldn't (and would worry about the buckle slipping easier). You can now remove the internal key loop (never used it before).

What impresses me most, though, is how the DS4 uses space. It's half a liter less than the DS3 which is more oblong. But everything I was carrying before fits fine.

For example, I have a Fuji X100V. In the DS3, you can put it in the mesh pocket and suspend it a bit off the base. You can't do that with the DS4 BUT you get back space because you can move the X100V to the far left/right more (as the DS4's more boxy, has less curvature at the end). Previously the 4 internal mesh pockets overlapped with each other. Now the 2 mesh pockets are biased lower, and the singular mesh pocket on the other side is slightly higher to mitigate overlap. Basically, the DS4 uses its space noticeably better.

Only thing that's really missing for me is the top grab-handle from the DS3. There's a finger loop on the top and I'm sure I'll get used to it but I did like the larger top handle.

Overall, despite not thinking I'd like it much, the DS4's a winner for me on initial impression. I'm really impressed with how they nailed all the small details and addressed the flaws of the DS3, so I ended up snagging it.