Dunno if it’s allowed, but great sale at Jomashop for the 4th. Picked up a Hacivat 100 ml tester for $150. If anyone loves the scent, great time to pick it up.
For those not in the know Hacivat is an amazing pineapple juice bomb. But it smells like grapefruit and mandarin orange to me. Great summer evening vibe.
I found a great decant and sample storage solution on another Reddit thread and tried it out. It’s a ZLCA card holder. You can find them on Amazon. I’m hooked. Just ordered three more.
Standard MicroPerfumes style travel spray decant and discovery set bottles from a lot of places (Creed, Dossier, Inspired by Scent) fit perfectly. Plus it has a super premium feel.
I plan to use my label maker (Supvan T50M Pro) to catalog my decants and store them. I’ll also use one of the card holders to take a few decants when I travel.
They come in both vertical and horizontal format. Trying both out but I think I’ll store samples in horizontal, larger decants in vertical for easier access. Decants from Montagne Decants fit really well and leave room for samples. Bonus: Also not a bad maceration box—keeps things dark.
At any rate, thought I’d share. Just a nice find for the OCD organizers among us. I see you.
I found a great decant and sample storage solution on another Reddit thread and tried it out. It’s a ZLCA card holder. You can find them on Amazon. I’m hooked. Just ordered three more.
Standard MicroPerfumes style travel spray decant and discovery set bottles from a lot of places (Creed, Dossier, Inspired by Scent) fit perfectly. Plus it has a super premium feel.
I plan to use my label maker (Supvan T50M Pro) to catalog my decants and store them. I’ll also use one of the card holders to take a few decants when I travel.
They come in both vertical and horizontal format. Trying both out but I think I’ll store samples in horizontal, larger decants in vertical for easier access. Decants from Montagne Decants fit really well and leave room for samples. Bonus: Also not a bad maceration box—keeps things dark.
At any rate, thought I’d share. Just a nice find for the OCD organizers among us. I see you.
Trying out Meteorite from Montagne, their take on LV Météore.
I’m still pretty new to this one, but it clicked fast. To my nose, Meteorite sits somewhere between Azzaro Chrome and L’Immensité. Chrome is on one side of the fresh/musk scale: cleaner, sharper, more classic fresh. L’Immensité is on the other side: juicier, more floral, more modern and polished.
Meteorite feels like it lives right in the middle. Fresh, musky, bright, easy to wear, but with enough lift and character that it doesn’t just become “generic clean guy scent.” It has that familiar fresh DNA, but it feels smoother and more interesting than I expected.
I haven’t tried the original Météore yet, but now I need to. If the real thing is close to this profile, it might honestly end up in my top five.
Also worth noting: this has been a very good fragrance-testing long weekend. I’ve also spent time with Port of Neroli, Ombré Noir, Alcantara Supreme (CHS Superleggera), Bleu Talisman, and Imaginary Pineapple.
Nothing like the 250th/4th of July weekend to aggressively over-test your skin and pretend it’s science.
Happy 4th, all!
Curious where Meteorite/Météore lands for everyone else.
I got my first order from MontagneDecants.com. I’m so excited to try out this haul, but honestly the customer experience has been the best part.
Not affiliated, bought everything myself.
MD sent:
- Great decants
- High quality bottles and labeling
- Zots! Nice touch
- Personalized message written inside the box—kinda hidden, woulda missed it if I hadn’t broken down the box
- Six free samples! Interesting ones, too…
MD sent great products and thoughtful free extras. But what I love most is how much fun Ayyb seems to have doing this. All the extras plus the Easter egg message written inside the box are not only above and beyond, but just add a playful human element. We could all use a bit of that.
I’ll let folks know my experience with the scents if they’re curious. Just ask if there’s a particular one you’re curious about. So far I’ve only tried Imaginary Pineapple, which is a banger. I don’t love Imagination but the dry tea and pineapple combo really hits. Better than the OG LV for me and great if I’m bored of just Aventus DNA.
Here’s the list:
- Tigris Cologne
- Tabac Vanille
- Royal Aoud
- Port of Neroli
- Oud Bois
- Ombre Noir
- Mojave Spirit
- Irish Verbena
- Immensity
- Imaginary Pineapple
- Elysian Fraiche
- Elysian Cologne
- Cognac D’Ange
- Chilly Pacific
- Cacti Garden
- Bleu Talisman
- Meteorite
Free samples:
- Azonto Absolu
- Mojave Spirit Absolu
- Wajan
- Brooklyn Jazz
- Wulong Cha
I’ll definitely be a repeat customer.
I thought the TF Fabulous lovers might find this useful. Enjoy!
I did a side-by-side test of Tom Ford F*cking Fabulous and Fearless Flame by Inspired by Scent. Not an affiliate, bought both myself.
Application
2 sprays wrist, 2 sprays inner elbow, 1 spray neck for each.
Right off the bat, Fearless Flame is shockingly close. Like, “how are they doing this?” close. Either there’s a computer involved or someone over there really knows the craft.
Opening
The OG opens sage-forward, with soft lavender, smooth vanilla, and a hint of leather. It feels blended, calm, and expensive in that annoying Tom Ford way.
Fearless Flame opens almost identical, but noticeably louder. I get sage, lavender, leather, vanilla, and maybe the tiniest hint of citrus. It’s stronger by far, but not sharp at first. Everything is just turned up.
20–30 minutes in
F*cking Fabulous starts to mellow pretty quickly. The lavender and vanilla move forward, the sage settles down, and the leather is still there but subtle. It becomes smoother and almost powdery.
Fearless Flame stays more sage-forward. The lavender and vanilla are still there, but the sage keeps driving the bus. At this stage it is still very recognizable as FF, but it’s a little less soft and blended than the original.
Around 3 hours
The OG has moved into vanilla, leather, and lavender, with sage in the background. It’s soft, pleasant, and not quite powdery, but close.
Fearless Flame is still stronger. The drydown is mostly sage and lavender, with the vanilla and leather pushed further back. It keeps more of that sage edge, which makes it feel a little harsher than the original as it dries down.
Around 4–5 hours
F*cking Fabulous is mostly lavender, a little powdery, with just a touch of sage.
Fearless Flame is almost all sage at this point, with the sweeter notes way in the background. By hour 5, the sage edge does soften a bit and it gets closer to powdery, but it never fully loses that slightly sharp sage-forward feel.
The next day
The next day the dupe is still present, sage forward, less sharp, a bit sweeter. Impressive longevity. TF is essentially gone.
Verdict
Fearless Flame goes on so close to F*cking Fabulous that it genuinely had me puzzling over how they do it. Over time, though, they separate.
F*cking Fabulous dries down into a smoother vanilla/lavender/leather blend with just a trace of sage. Fearless Flame stays stronger and more sage-heavy, especially as the sweeter lavender, vanilla, and leather notes fade back.
That said, for the money? I’m very happy with the dupe. Fearless Flame is $84 for 3.4 oz, and at that price I can easily decant it and carry a travel spray to refresh every hour or two. It’s stronger, very close in the opening, and still clearly recognizable as F*cking Fabulous even into the drydown.
I may eventually buy a full bottle of the OG since I only used a decant, but honestly, I’m completely happy wearing the dupe.
Note on Inspired by Scent
I really like this brand overall. Their dupes are usually stronger/more concentrated than the inspiration, very close, and sometimes even better. Fearless Flame is probably my least favorite of the ones I’ve tried, and I still like it. Their Aventus, Millésime Imperial, GIT, and others have all been great. I’ve reviewed a few of them now.
Other Inspired by Scent reviews
Millésime Impérial vs Imperial Gold
https://www.reddit.com/r/fragrance/s/dhoosgGYmI
Aventus Absolu vs Absolute Resolve
https://www.reddit.com/r/fragranceclones/s/0w4f4kblqg
Creed Clones Review,including Aventis Essence
https://www.reddit.com/r/fragrance/s/93kXIrs2bY
I did a side-by-side test of Tom Ford F*cking Fabulous and Fearless Flame by Inspired by Scent. Not an affiliate, bought both myself.
Application:
2 sprays wrist, 2 sprays inner elbow, 1 spray neck for each.
Right off the bat, Fearless Flame is shockingly close. Like, “how are they doing this?” close. Either there’s a computer involved or someone over there really knows the craft.
Opening
The OG opens sage-forward, with soft lavender, smooth vanilla, and a hint of leather. It feels blended, calm, and expensive in that annoying Tom Ford way.
Fearless Flame opens almost identical, but noticeably louder. I get sage, lavender, leather, vanilla, and maybe the tiniest hint of citrus. It’s stronger by far, but not sharp at first. Everything is just turned up.
20–30 minutes in
F*cking Fabulous starts to mellow pretty quickly. The lavender and vanilla move forward, the sage settles down, and the leather is still there but subtle. It becomes smoother and almost powdery.
Fearless Flame stays more sage-forward. The lavender and vanilla are still there, but the sage keeps driving the bus. At this stage it is still very recognizable as FF, but it’s a little less soft and blended than the original.
Around 3 hours
The OG has moved into vanilla, leather, and lavender, with sage in the background. It’s soft, pleasant, and not quite powdery, but close.
Fearless Flame is still stronger. The drydown is mostly sage and lavender, with the vanilla and leather pushed further back. It keeps more of that sage edge, which makes it feel a little harsher than the original as it dries down.
Around 4–5 hours
F*cking Fabulous is mostly lavender, a little powdery, with just a touch of sage.
Fearless Flame is almost all sage at this point, with the sweeter notes way in the background. By hour 5, the sage edge does soften a bit and it gets closer to powdery, but it never fully loses that slightly sharp sage-forward feel.
Verdict
Fearless Flame goes on so close to F*cking Fabulous that it genuinely had me puzzling over how they do it. Over time, though, they separate.
F*cking Fabulous dries down into a smoother vanilla/lavender/leather blend with just a trace of sage. Fearless Flame stays stronger and more sage-heavy, especially as the sweeter lavender, vanilla, and leather notes fade back.
That said, for the money? I’m very happy with the dupe. Fearless Flame is $84 for 3.4 oz, and at that price I can easily decant it and carry a travel spray to refresh every hour or two. It’s stronger, very close in the opening, and still clearly recognizable as F*cking Fabulous even into the drydown.
I may eventually buy a full bottle of the OG since I only used a decant, but honestly, I’m completely happy wearing the dupe.
Note on Inspired by Scent
I really like this brand overall. Their dupes are usually stronger/more concentrated than the inspiration, very close, and sometimes even better. Fearless Flame is probably my least favorite of the ones I’ve tried, and I still like it. Their Aventus, Millésime Imperial, GIT, and others have all been great. I’ve reviewed a few of them now.
EDIT: The next day, TF is essentially gone, the dupe is still very present, still sage forward, but a touch softer, sweeter, less sharp. Impressive longevity.
Other Inspired by Scent reviews
Millésime Impérial vs Imperial Gold
https://www.reddit.com/r/fragrance/s/dhoosgGYmI
Aventus Absolu vs Absolute Resolve
https://www.reddit.com/r/fragranceclones/s/0w4f4kblqg
Creed Clones Review,including Aventis Essence
https://www.reddit.com/r/fragrance/s/93kXIrs2bY
I joke about this, but I’ve started to seriously wonder…do you think there’s some actual medical condition that leads some of us to collect fragrances?
Maybe we have some sort of synesthesia where smells turn into pure joy for us? 🙃
Kinda serious though…
Posted this on my personal sub as well. I thought the Creed curious may appreciate the unboxing of a three piece gift set. For the interested: enjoy!
Pics on the original post: https://www.reddit.com/u/xcringerx/s/y9YT7GcB4f
My best Father’s Day gift ever: my wife got me a 3 piece 10 ml discovery set. First of all, it’s beautiful. The set’s presentation feels like what you’d take home after being knighted. It’s expensive, but it definitely makes you feel rich. I feel super lucky my wife could afford the set and chose to get it for me.
The set:
10 ml
Aventus (of course)
Green Irish Tweed (been on my list for a while)
Silver Mountain Water (also been on my list)
Epic start. Then the samples.
1.7 ml
Aventus (their pick/only choice)
Wild Vetiver (their pick)
Royal Mayfair (new from Creed, can’t wait)
Oud Azarian (new from Creed, can’t wait)
My wife knows me—she picked brand new wherever she could.
First thing I did was put on the Green Irish Tweed. I have Inspired by Scent’s (great) dupe and have been super curious. I absolutely love it. It opens up very very green—fresh cut grass green. The dry down turns into powder, violet, and much fainter green. I love it.
I already know Aventus and all the flankers and dupes very well. So that will get added to my Staples. But I’m looking forward to the rest of them. Silver Mountain Water smells great in the bottle.
At any rate I just wanted to share my experience in case anyone is curious whether it’s worth the money. Seven experiences in one box from the OG is definitely worth it in my eyes.
I definitely prefer many quality experiences over just one bottle, so this hits for me. I’ll be doing some write ups to compare the originals to some dupes that I have. I’m looking forward to that the most. Plus my kids have also started trying stuff out with me.
My wife has clearly been paying attention. That’s the best part. Happy Father’s Day everyone!
My best Father’s Day gift ever: my wife got me a 3 piece 10 ml discovery set. First of all, it’s beautiful. The set’s presentation feels like what you’d take home after being knighted. It’s expensive, but it definitely makes you feel rich. I feel super lucky my wife could afford the set and chose to get it for me.
The set:
10 ml
Aventus (of course)
Green Irish Tweed (been on my list for a while)
Silver Mountain Water (also been on my list)
Epic start. Then the samples.
1.7 ml
Aventus (their pick/only choice)
Wild Vetiver (their pick)
Royal Mayfair (new from Creed, can’t wait)
Oud Azarian (new from Creed, can’t wait)
My wife knows me—she picked brand new wherever she could.
First thing I did was put on the Green Irish Tweed. I have Inspired by Scent’s (great) dupe and have been super curious. I absolutely love it. It opens up very very green—fresh cut grass green. The dry down turns into powder, violet, and much fainter green. I love it.
I already know Aventus and all the flankers and dupes very well. So that will get added to my Staples. But I’m looking forward to the rest of them. Silver Mountain Water smells great in the bottle.
At any rate I just wanted to share my experience in case anyone is curious whether it’s worth the money. Seven experiences in one box from the OG is definitely worth it in my eyes.
I definitely prefer many quality experiences over just one bottle, so this hits for me. I’ll be doing some write ups to compare the originals to some dupes that I have. I’m looking forward to that the most. Plus my kids have also started trying stuff out with me.
My wife has clearly been paying attention. That’s the best part. Happy Father’s Day everyone!
I did a side-by-side comparison of Creed Aventus Absolu and Inspired by Scent Absolute Resolve, which is their Aventus Absolu-inspired fragrance.
Not affiliated. Bought these myself.
I wore Aventus Absolu on one wrist/arm and Absolute Resolve on the other, then checked them throughout the day. I also refreshed both around 2.5 hours in.
Aventus Absolu
Aventus Absolu is basically a sweeter, fuller, riper version of Aventus to me. I get pineapple, fruit, oak, and musk, but it still has that Creed lightness where it doesn’t feel too heavy.
It opens sweet, then dries down a bit after 10 minutes. The pineapple is a little drier and more controlled than the clone. It performed well, but not crazy strong. After 4–5 hours, it was pretty faint but still there. Very smooth fade.
Absolute Resolve
This is honestly very close to Aventus Absolu. I’d say 90–95% close to my nose.
It opens a little less sweet than Aventus Absolu, but after 10 minutes it gets stronger, sweeter, and fruitier. The pineapple feels riper, and the whole scent feels bigger.
Performance is where it wins. It was stronger after 1–2 hours, projected more, and lasted longer than the Creed.
The one downside is the drydown. Aventus Absolu fades in a smoother, more natural way. Absolute Resolve stays stronger, but after a few hours I get a slight lemon/citrus edge that isn’t really in Aventus Absolu. Not bad, just a little less refined.
Final take
Aventus Absolu is smoother and more polished. Absolute Resolve is louder, sweeter, fruitier, and lasts longer.
I still think the Creed is the better fragrance if you care about refinement, especially in the drydown. But for regular wear, Absolute Resolve is close enough that I’d probably reach for it most of the time and save the Creed for nicer occasions.
Not affiliated with either brand. Bought these myself and wanted to do a pretty direct side-by-side.
I’m a big fan of the Aventus line, especially Aventus Absolu, Aventus Cologne, and the original Aventus. I’ve been trying a few Inspired by Scent fragrances recently, so I wanted to compare their Aventus Absolu-inspired scent, Absolute Resolve, against the real thing.
Method:
I wore Creed Aventus Absolu on one wrist/arm and Inspired by Scent Absolute Resolve on the other, then checked them throughout the day. I refreshed both at around 2.5 hours.
Creed Aventus Absolu
To me, Aventus Absolu is a sweeter, fuller, riper-fruit take on Aventus. I get pineapple/fruit, oak, and musk, but it still has that lighter Creed feel where it never becomes too dense.
On first spray, the sweetness is most noticeable. After about 10 minutes, it dries down and becomes a little less sweet. The pineapple feels drier and more restrained than Absolute Resolve.
Performance was solid, but not huge. It stayed noticeable for a few hours, then settled into a softer skin scent. After 4–5 hours, it was faint but still present. The drydown was smooth, subtle, and musky.
Inspired by Scent Absolute Resolve
This is very close. I’d put it around 90–95% similar to my nose.
It actually opens slightly less sweet than Aventus Absolu, but after about 10 minutes it becomes stronger, sweeter, and fruitier. The pineapple feels riper, and overall the scent is a little bigger and more forward.
The biggest difference is performance. Absolute Resolve was noticeably stronger after 1–2 hours and lasted longer overall. It also projected more.
The tradeoff is the drydown. Aventus Absolu fades more smoothly and naturally. Absolute Resolve stays louder, but later on I get a slight lemon/citrus edge that I don’t really get from the Creed. It’s not unpleasant, but it does make the drydown feel a bit less polished.
Verdict
Absolute Resolve is a very good Aventus Absolu-style fragrance. It’s close enough that I’d probably wear it casually most of the time and save the Creed for situations where I specifically want the smoother, more refined version.
For me:
Aventus Absolu: smoother, more refined, better drydown
Absolute Resolve: stronger, sweeter, fruitier, longer lasting, less polished late drydown
I still prefer the Creed as the better fragrance overall, but Absolute Resolve is close enough and performs well enough that I think it’s a very credible alternative.
Not affiliated with either brand. I bought these myself and wanted to compare them as directly as possible.
I’m a big fan of the Aventus line, especially Aventus Absolu, Aventus Cologne, and the original Aventus. I’ve also been trying a few Inspired by Scent dupes lately, so I wanted to see how their Aventus Absolu-inspired scent, Absolute Resolve, holds up against the real thing.
Method:
I wore Creed Aventus Absolu on one wrist/arm and Inspired by Scent Absolute Resolve on the other, then checked in throughout the day. I refreshed both at about 2.5 hours to compare the second wear as well.
Creed Aventus Absolu
To me, Aventus Absolu is a sweeter, fuller, riper-fruit version of Aventus. I get the pineapple/fruit, oak, and musk, but it still has that Creed thing where it feels fairly light and airy despite being rich.
On first spray, the sweetness is most obvious. After about 10 minutes, it dries down a bit and becomes less sweet. The pineapple feels drier and a little more restrained than the clone.
Performance was good, but not beast mode. It stayed noticeable for a few hours, then faded into a softer skin scent. After 4–5 hours, it was still there, but pretty gentle. The drydown was smooth and mostly consistent, with a slight musky finish.
Inspired by Scent Absolute Resolve
This is very close. I’d put it somewhere around 90–95% similar to my nose.
It actually opens a little less sweet than Aventus Absolu, but after 10 minutes it becomes stronger, sweeter, and fruitier. The pineapple feels riper than the Creed after the opening, and overall the scent feels a bit bigger and more forward.
About an hour in, my main reaction was honestly: this is extremely close. Not identical, but close enough that I had to keep comparing carefully.
Where it really separates itself is performance. Absolute Resolve was stronger after 1.5–2 hours and still noticeably stronger than the Creed later in the day. It also projected more.
The main difference is the drydown. Aventus Absolu fades more smoothly and gently. Absolute Resolve stays louder, but it picks up a slight lemon/citrus edge later on that I don’t really get from the original. It’s not bad, but it makes the drydown feel a little less polished.
Verdict
Absolute Resolve is a very strong Aventus Absolu clone. It is close enough that I would have a hard time justifying wearing the Creed regularly over it, especially casually.
The Creed is smoother and has a better, more natural fade. The clone is stronger, sweeter, fruitier, and longer lasting. If you want the more refined scent experience, Aventus Absolu still wins. If you want something that smells very close and performs better, Absolute Resolve is honestly impressive.
For me, this is probably a case where I’d save the Creed for special occasions and wear the clone most of the time.
TL;DR:
Aventus Absolu is more polished. Absolute Resolve is louder, sweeter, longer lasting, and close enough that it could replace the original for a lot of people.
TL;DR: Brilliant designs, but I’m struggling with the colors
I backed four of the new Peak Design bags in the latest Kickstarter round and wanted to share some honest thoughts now that I’ve had them in hand.
I picked up:
Travel Backpack 2-in-1 | 40L | Sage
Travel Crossbody | 3L | Stone
Travel Backpack | 20L | Stone
Travel Weekender | 25L | Black
The short version: the designs are excellent, but the colors/material direction isn’t landing for me the way older Peak Design bags did.
This surprised me, because I’m a big Peak Design fan. I just ended up trying to convince myself about the colors.
The good: the design work is still Peak Design-level smart
Functionally, they’re super impressive.
The standout for me is the 40L Travel Backpack 2-in-1. The concept is genuinely brilliant. I already own and love the older 45L Travel Backpack in Sage, but it’s a big bag. For shorter trips, I usually bounce between my 15L Everyday Backpack Zip and the 45L, and I’ve often thought about buying the 30L Travel Backpack in Sage because while it’d be duplicative for me, it feels like the sweet spot for my work travel in particular. Fits everything and everywhere.
The 2-in-1 basically solves the too big/too small problem in a very Peak Design way. It can be a carry-on travel bag, but the laptop backpack separates out and works as a personal item. That makes it feel like a true one-bag travel system without forcing you to carry a giant bag everywhere once you arrive.
It’s a fantastic idea, and the execution seems really strong.
The 20L Travel Backpack also fills a nice gap. For short trips, light packing, or a personal-item-style setup, I can absolutely see it being useful. The 3L Crossbody feels well-built and refined. Even the Weekender is clearly well-designed, even if it’s not the form factor I personally reach for.
So this isn’t “these bags are bad” post. They’re awesome.
The part I’m struggling with: the colors and materials
Where I’m stuck is the look.
To me, these new bags feel a little more like technical luggage and a little less like the premium fabric bags that originally pulled me into Peak Design.
That’s obviously subjective, but it’s the main thing I can’t get past.
My older Sage 45L Travel Backpack has that heathered fabric look that feels premium, distinct, and almost warm. Same with colors like Midnight, Bone, Ocean, and the older Sage. Those bags felt technical, but also beautiful.
The new materials feel more waterproof/structured/plasticky to my eye. Not cheap — that’s not what I mean. Just more luggage-like. More utilitarian. Less “I love carrying this bag.”
And for better or worse, that matters to me.
My take on each color/bag
40L 2-in-1 in Sage
This is the one I wanted to love most. The design is incredible, and on paper it should be my ideal travel bag.
But the new Sage doesn’t do it for me. Compared to the older heathered Sage, this one feels more muted and army green. I kept trying to talk myself into it because the functionality is so good, but I realized I was forcing it.
If this came in older Sage, Midnight, Bone, or Ocean, I would probably keep it immediately.
3L Crossbody in Stone
Stone is probably the most premium-feeling of the new colors to me. I’m not head-over-heels for it, but it feels interesting and different enough that I’m keeping it.
At this size and price point, the color works for me.
20L Travel Backpack in Stone
This one is staying too. I’m still split on Stone — sometimes it feels luxe, sometimes it feels a little drab — but overall I like it enough. The 20L also fills a real gap in my setup, so it earns its place.
I think this will be a great short-trip/light-travel bag.
25L Travel Weekender in Black
This one is probably going. I ended up with black because the other colors were unavailable by the time mine was ready to ship. I could have waited longer for another color, and honestly, I kind of wish I had.
There’s nothing wrong with black. It’s clean and practical. I’m just usually bored by black bags, and I don’t have a strong need for a weekender. I also prefer backpack carry most of the time. My wife may use it, but she’s not really a Peak Design person the way I am.
So I’ll likely sell it.
My verdict
After staring at these for way too long, I think I’ve landed here:
Keeping:
Stone 3L Crossbody
Stone 20L Travel Backpack
Selling:
Sage 40L 2-in-1
Black 25L Weekender
The funny thing is, the 40L 2-in-1 might be the best-designed bag of the bunch. I just can’t get past the color. And I know that sounds ridiculous. Nobody else cares what color my bag is. But part of why I love Peak Design is that their bags have always felt both highly functional and genuinely beautiful. I’ll wait to see if they release other colors and pick it up if they do.
With this generation, the functionality is absolutely there. I’m just less excited by the visual direction.
Final thought
I’m still a die-hard Peak Design fan, and I feel crazy lucky to own and try any of these bags. These are thoughtful, high-quality, and I respect the design work a lot. But if I’m being honest, I miss the older fabric/color feel. The previous Sage, Midnight, Bone, and Ocean colors had a premium look that made me excited to carry them. These new ones are excellent bags that, for me, don’t quite create that same feeling.
Curious if others feel the same way or if the new colors are landing better in person for you.
Photos include:
My older Sage 45L Travel Backpack, still my favorite one-bag travel setup
The four new Kickstarter bags
Eclipse Field Pouch add-on
My usual travel setup with the [other brand] tech bag and 45L Travel Backpack
What would it be? It’s fine to name a few.
I’ll go first. Diesel’s Only the Brave Wild. Love the coconut and spice. Takes me back to great times.
How about you?
I thought that folks might find this dupe vs OG review I wrote useful. I'm a very recent but obsessive scent head. So much so I worry I may have an issue--feels very similar to a gambling problem. 😃 Anyway, hope this helps some folks.
Note to mods: If I haven't followed the rules, I'm happy to retract/repost. I tried to post the body of the review with some 'scent head' focused modifications, but it was flagged for rule number 1, not sure why.
This is my review of Creed Millésime Imperial and Inspired by Scent’s dupe of it, Imperial Gold. I think we may have a real player in the dupe world to compete with Montagne. This is the first of three Inspired By Scent reviews I’m planning to post.
Not affiliated, paid for it myself, etc.
I blind bought Imperial Gold without ever having tried it or the original, Creed Millésime Imperial. It wasn’t what I expected, but I love it.
Creed Millésime Imperial (the OG)
I had a sample from a Creed discovery set that I had never tried. Right away I get floral/rose notes, some woody undertones, and almost a bubble gum thing. My wife doesn’t like floral scents on men, but I kind of love it. I happened to wear a pink shirt the day I tried it and it definitely felt appropriate.
It’s much more subtle than Aventus, Green Irish Tweed, and other Creeds I’ve tried, which took me by surprise. I almost didn’t know I had it on at first. As it dried down, it got more subtle pretty quickly, but stayed noticeable for a few hours. Maybe 4–5?
Fresh and floral, it made me feel clean, gentle, and approachable all day. 😀
Inspired By Scent Imperial Gold (the dupe)
As a dupe of Millésime Imperial, to my nose Inspired by Scent absolutely nailed it. I genuinely don’t think I’d be able to tell this and the OG apart in a blind test, especially directly after spraying.
From the jump, though, Imperial Gold is much stronger and a touch sweeter. There’s a little more bubble gum on the bottom. As it dries down, the wood comes out a bit more, but it doesn’t get as powdery as the original.
Performance is the biggest difference. This thing was still about 2–3x as strong as the original 8 hours in, with no real sign of fading much more. Inspired By Scent markets their fragrances as more concentrated, and based on this one, I buy it.
Verdict
This dupe is solid, nearly identical even hours later. Stronger and a touch sweeter than the original.
General note on Inspired By Scent
Almost all of their scents that I’ve tried are stronger and longer lasting than the originals. Where they sometimes differ is in the drydown.
A lot of originals seem to mellow into woods, florals, powder, or softer base notes after the louder stuff fades. I’ve noticed that Inspired By Scent fragrances sometimes lose sweetness later in the day and leave some harsher notes behind.
Extreme example: their take on Tom Ford F*cking Fabulous. To me, all that seems to be left at the end of the day is sage, while the original gets softer and more rounded. I’ll post a full review of that one later.
Imperial Gold, though, stayed sweet. No real complaint there.
Bottom line
I highly recommend trying an Inspired By Scent discovery set, especially if you like Creed. Their Sauvage is also very nice.
For context on my taste:
I’m a recent scenthead and a…mature man. I’ve tried around 50 scents in a few months, so I’m far down the rabbit hole but still new enough to be dangerous.
I tend to like blue, spicy, bold, and slightly sweet scents. Favorites include Creed Aventus, especially Absolu and Cologne, Creed Bois du Portugal, Nishane Hacivat, Tom Ford F*cking Fabulous, Tom Ford Tobacco Vanille, Dossier Blue Breeze, Versace Eros as a guilty pleasure, and a weird soft spot for Black Opium on me or on women.
Favorite houses/brands so far: Creed, Tom Ford, Montagne, and Dossier.
I have the Weekender in black and the 45L in Sage. I could sell them and re-buy, but I'd love them both in Stone if anyone has them. If you're interested in a trade, please DM me.
Mods: If this kind of post isn't allowed, obviously please delete.
Intro
I think we may have a real player in the dupe world to compete with Montagne. This is the first of three Inspired By Scent reviews I’m planning to post.
Creed Millésime Imperial (the OG)
I had a sample from a Creed discovery set that I had never tried. Right away I get floral/rose notes, some woody undertones, and almost a bubble gum thing. My wife doesn’t like floral scents on men, but I kind of love it. I happened to wear a pink shirt the day I tried it and it definitely felt appropriate.
Inspired By Scent Imperial Gold (the dupe)
As a dupe of Millésime Imperial, to my nose Inspired by Scent absolutely nailed it. I genuinely don’t think I’d be able to tell this and the OG apart in a blind test, especially directly after spraying.
Verdict
This dupe is solid, nearly identical even hours later. Stronger and a touch sweeter than the original.
General note on Inspired By Scent
Almost all of their scents that I’ve tried are stronger and longer lasting than the originals. Where they sometimes differ is in the drydown.
Bottom line
I highly recommend trying an Inspired By Scent discovery set, especially if you like Creed. Their Sauvage is also very nice.
For context on my taste:
I’m a recent scenthead and a…mature man. I’ve tried around 50 scents in a few months, so I’m far down the rabbit hole but still new enough to be dangerous.
I absolutely love my PD iPhone Everyday Loop Case. Peak practical luxury. NGL I thought I’d hate the finger loop but with the max size iPhones it’s clutch.
I also love the Slim Mobile wallet. And this is the opportunity I think.
I love cases with a ring stand built in and I miss having that. Attaching a slim stand (from other brands) and the wallet every day would be too bulky. I own and like the Mobile Wallet Stand, but it’s bulkier than the Slim Mobile one. Can you tell I’m a bit OCD about pocket bulk?
I’d 100% back a kickstarter for a finger loop case with a thin ring or PD square stand built in. All attached in one sleek, slim, light profile. Anyone else think this would be useful?
It may be a niche set of preferences.
If there’s a better place to post things like this please let me know.