review - PT talk

Tortuga Setout Laptop Bag Review

Posted on 20222022 by Pete Truss

So when Tortuga asked me to test their Tortuga Setout daypack, I was curious. A personal item is perfect for inflight snacks, headphones, an ereader, a light jacket, or any medications you might need. If you’re seated in the middle or window seat, you can get anything you need without having to disturb the other passengers in your row.

I have one issue with the travel backpack that I can’t seem to solve. I don’t know if it’s just my posture, but the left shoulder strap keeps slipping off. For minimalist packers, you could pack enough for 1-2 days of travel. The mesh pockets reduce the need for packing cells as you can use them to separate your personal effects and toiletries.

This one focuses more on business travellers and those who don’t need as larger backpack. However if you know how to pack less you could certainly use this bag for longer trips. In my case I was able to fit my full currently packing list of gear into this bag comfortably without any trouble. Which also fit into a 30L bag, so it’s a very capable bag indeed.

tortuga setout laptop backpack

This main area opens from the sides much like a suitcase, so you can lay the backpack horizontally on a table or hotel bed and get everything you need right away. Setout Packed With Tortuga CubesThe Main compartment is much deeper than the Setout Cubes. The backpack is actually quite deep, and even when I put my fully packed Eagle Creek cube in here, I still have a little extra room on top to fit my jacket. Tortuga Compared to Eagle Creek CubesThe larger one, compared to my Eagle Creek Cube is about half the thickness. Just for reference, I put one pair of jeans, two long sleeve shirts in the Setout Cube, and it’s completely full. When I can fit more than double that in my Eagle Creek Cube.

The main compartment is huge and the way it unzips on three sides makes it super easy to access every corner. Even with my overload of clothes and five pairs of shoes (including fleece-lined winter boots!) I could fit everything in easily. Unlike on most backpacks, this is more than large enough to hold our one-litre Vapur water bottle and has come in really useful. The Setout has a robust padded hip belt that takes the load off and makes it comfortable to carry, even when Simon’s backpack weighs 11 kg . Simon travelled full-time with a Tortuga backpack for five years and with each new release, their backpacks got better and better.

I struggled with carrying a side strap bag on my two-week trip to Colombia and Peru back in September, and vowed never to do that again. So for my most recent trip, I tried out the new Tortuga Setout Laptop Backpack. I’m glad this was left out, as there is simply no need for a waist belt on a bag of this size. If you are looking for a daypack that balances your tech savvy requirements with frequent travel, especially air, then this is the backpack for you. Easy to access from the backseat of my car.The top and side padded handle can help with lifting and carrying and lets you easily take it out from underneath the seat and throw it on your back.

The final consideration for a personal item is whether you plan to fly on a basic economy fare. Basic economy is a new fare class with lower prices but more restrictions including on your luggage. Most basic economy fares will only allow you to bring a personal item, no carry ons. Your only bag must fit underneath the seat ahead of you. Most airlines’ basic fares allow for one carry on and one personal item. But speaking of those features, they are really well-thought-out and we actually love the organization itself—just not how you get to it.

Unsponsored Polene Numero Un Bag Review Updated September 2021

Posted on 20222022 by Pete Truss

Plus, I’m a big believer in shopping capsule wardrobe style – where it makes more sense to invest in a long lasting piece that won’t go out of style rather than a cheap dupe. I do have to say – I’m really not loving my leather bag collection right now. As someone who is aching to have a more ethical and sustainable wardrobe all around, I’m not sure I’ll be purchasing any more leather bags going forward.

polene paris reviews

This “trio” design is also available in several other colors. There is also a crocodile “trio” version where the foldover flap is made of croc-effect calf leather. This bag, like all Polène bags, was designed in Paris and made in Spain of high-quality leather. When I first received this bag, I had planned to almost exclusively save it for “special” occasions like dinner out, date night, events, etc. The rich tone combined with the hardware and chain strap definitely makes this an ideal day-to-night bag. It’s a great transitional style that feels polished paired with jeans for daytime and dressy enough for nighttime or special events, like a wedding for instance.

All of the opinions on Maddy Loves are solely my own and do not reflect the opinions of the brands or companies. Maddy Loves is an unbiased beauty blog and its opinion or conclusion are not influenced by whether the product was purchased or provided as a media sample. The products are all handmade in Spain by artisans, and the quality is said to be comparable to some of the higher end brands since everything is hand made. The Numero Dix runs in the middle of the pack for Polene pricing at $360. Given the construction, quality and design, I find this to be a good value like with my other Polene bags. There’s a small inner pocket which doesn’t fit much more than a card inside, which might be handy if you want to put a travel card or ID there for easy access.

First impressions and presentation are A+, especially considering the price point. As mentioned in my Dior ‘dupes’ post – the Numero Dix very much reminds me of the Dior Saddle bag crossed with a Celine Ava, or a classic half moon baguette bag. I really like the strap details when worn on the shorter strap settings, as they remind me of the ‘whiskers’ from the Celine belt bag, a long-time favorite design.

Moreover, we present you our apologies for the small delay regarding your refund. Indeed, our in-store team can temporarily not proceed with refunds of orders placed on our European, German and American websites. For this reason, our team could unfortunately not proceed with your refund right away. It does, but it is a VERY tight fit, and doesn’t closet. After reading you post I bought my first Polene Mini on my recent trip in Paris, and I love it. I think I will be ordering the Numero in the fall or hope to go back to Paris on the shopping spree.

Mark And Graham Tote Review

Posted on 20222022 by Pete Truss

You’ll have the right bags to get you where you need to go and they’ll catch some eyes with their steely good looks, too. They’re made to be durable, with reinforcing where it counts, so you can count on them lasting trip after trip. Although it’s great at taking a hit or two in terms of construction, the downside to this set is that scratches and other dings can show up easily on the exterior. “Features a sleek look, has plenty of pockets, and comes with a 10-year limited warranty.” We independently research, test, review, and recommend the best products—learn more about our process.

mark and graham bags reviews

In total, I road-tested 34 bags between 2017 and 2020. As a parent of three, including a not-fully-potty-trained toddler, I have also spent the past 10 years toting around one diaper bag or another. A longtime journalist, I also wrote Wirecutter’s guide to apps for managing a kid’s phone. They all shared their observations and insights into diaper bag trends, as well as parent-purchasing preferences. Spend a few minutes cleaning your bags when you get to your destination.

However, keep in mind that suede isn’t as weather-resistant as leather, but we still love this bag. Mark & Graham is an online retailer re-imagining the world of gifting through their unique selection of women’s and men’s apparel, bags, jewelry, and home/outdoor decor items. High-quality bags are a key focus for some designers. The products can be strong and appealing, as well as fulfilling the intended purpose. I have brought masks for myself as well as for gifts and everyone has been extremely pleased. The quality, the choice of patterns and style is top notch.

Here’s everything you need know about Graham & Mark. We have a full review of many of the brand’s individual products . It is amazing how many products this company offers, and it is one the best aspects of it. Many of the designs from Mark and Graham offer a clean look. I think the best part about this bag is the zipper pocket in the back that slips over the handle of your other rolling suitcases.

Mark and Graham has a wide selection of offerings. The designers craft all sorts of accessories, like hats, scarves, and toiletry bags. No matter the size or materials, you can add a touch of something special to your item.

Notably, its Travel Tote is just shy of $100 and has a chic, match-all design to wear with any work outfit. I can’t wait for one of you to win this happy little trio of spring/summer goodies. My mom has a tote, doctor’s satchel and crossbody. She absolutely loves that you can monogram everything! Pottery Barn/ Williams Sonoma launched the brand sometime last year.

Also, if you are gifting a Mark and Graham product and are unsure of what to get, this team has you covered. Then, once you have chosen the product, it is delivered in beautiful packaging. The foil once arrived already was flaking and coming off.

Gregory Baltoro 65 Review

Posted on 20222022 by Pete Truss

There is side access to the pockets for accessing your bottle more easily whilst hiking, but this doesn’t prove all that easy with my larger bottle. Pulling the bottle out is simple, but putting it back in without needing to take my pack off is much less straightforward and often requires the use of a second person! There is a small hole in the pocket to allow the side compression straps to go under or over a bottle or other pocket contents for more secure stowage.

For our Osprey vs Gregory travel backpack comparison, we’ve chosen the Osprey Farpoint 40 Travel Backpack and the Gregory Compass 40 Travel Backpack. This may have something to do with the materials used, from the outside to the padding on the straps and back of the bag. Lacking in wet-weather protection, including no rain cover or weather-resistant fabrics other than a standard DWR coating. From the Camino de Santiago to the West Highland Way in Scotland or simply a great day hike on the weekend. Hiking refreshes me, my mind, and keeps my body reasonably fit. So far I have walked three Camino routes and many other long distance hikes in the UK, Canada, and around the rest of Europe.

Hydration Sleeve Yes, with a removable daypack The hydration sleeve doubles as a day pack. Main Pack Access Top and U-Zip Classic drawstring top access, but there’s also a large U-Zip that gives access to the main pack’s content. Top Lid Yes, Not Detachable The top lid in this pack is excellent.

The Maven is a lightweight backpack that offers a comprehensive feature set and supportive suspension. Its frame does a great job of transferring weight from the soldiers to the hips. The foam spreads pressure evenly across the surface area of the straps even with moderate pack weights.

gregory backpacks review

When I landed at a campsite, the Baltoro 65’s intuitive pocket design made finding my headlamp and a snack super-easy before hanging my bear bag and setting up my tent. This is a men’s hiking backpack, which comes with dual-zippered access to the main compartment. A technology that bears mentioning is their custom molding hipbelt technology, developed to create hipbelts that would fit perfectly around the hips and thus make carrying heavier loads easier and more comfortable.

You’ll need to pay $80 extra if you want the same pack as before. Removing the “WeatheShield” hip belt pocket feels like another downgrade too. Thankfully my Baltoro75 doesn’t need replacing anytime soon. You can also tell that the weather-proof pocket has been removed.

The straps are soft but obviously well built and all of the clips feel sturdy, without the flex that many have. Stitching quality is also excellent, with smooth lines through and reinforced seams everywhere that it’s needed. Smaller details include sunglasses straps on the chest, trekking pole and ice pick loops, and expandable straps on the bottom of the pack for things like sleeping pads or other accessories.

While surely you can get away with a backpack that won’t withstand the elements or one that will last for years, having one of high quality is a really smart investment. All of these features need to be considered before you pick your next pack. When it comes to the Osprey vs Gregory warranty, both are some of the best one the market. If your pack breaks from craftsmanship quality, then you’ll get a repair or replacement. Osprey has an All Mighty Guarantee, which means they will repair any damage or defect on any of their products for any reason, absolutely free. And if they can’t repair their product, then they offer a replacement.

We tend to favor Osprey packs a bit more because they have better organization and are often more lightweight. We think they put a bit more thought into features, especially when it comes to storage, with various pockets of differing sizes, some zippered, inside their bags, and on the exterior, too. An ideal choice for backpacking trips, this bag features a daypack add-on that can be used as a hydration sleeve, a side bottle holster, and a custom suspension that can be fitted when the backpack is purchased. The main compartment itself features a zippered mesh pocket and three pen sleeves inside that all sit against the back wall. The mesh pocket works for your smaller accessories—tech or otherwise—while the sleeves organize your writing utensils, so they’re easy to grab when you need to jot something down. There are 14 gear loops sewn into the seams and distributed around key areas of the Baltoro for attaching additional gear to the outside of the pack.

Feature Type Feature Specs What This Means Weight 5 lbs 8 oz. Beefy padding and extra durable materials means extra weight. Capacity 65L This is still the standard size for backpacking backpacks.

Ebags Tls Mother Lode Weekender Review

Posted on 20222022 by Pete Truss

For me, the straps are not so long that they are a problem. I suppose either it just doesn’t bother me or I’ve got it adjusted a bit different than you. You can either knot the ends to shorten them a bit or cut them and then burn the ends to prevent fraying.

The front panel of this pocket features another smaller zippered pocket. This crowd favorite is tough, light weight and incredibly useful. With tons of compartments-2 main packing sections, a divider, tie down staps and zippered side pockets-it’s highly functional.

It’s got a kind of “back-to-school” vibe that we’re not super into. But hey, that’s just us—and let’s not forget this thing is about a third of the price of some of the more “stylish” travel bags out there. The zipper on the main compartment is protected by a storm flap to lessen the chances of getting the contents of your bag getting wet. The back panel is padded to improve your backpacking experience. These items provided lots of comfort on a long flight.

ebags weekender

While the right side, is a large compartment for holding the majority of your clothes. Packing cubes work well in this compartment, with use this removable separator, which is designed to keep two smaller cubes from sliding around. Additionally there are two internal compression straps, with little clips to help keep them out of the way. Shoulder Strap is Great but I don’t Usually Use ItThe shoulder strap is a nice carry option. It’s a padded strap attached to a 2” strap that attaches with plastic buckles to two clips on the bag. It definitely works, but with this style of travel bag I usually just carry it with the backpack straps.

Now I’ll show you how much this bag can hold, and how I pack it. We had a hard time finding packing cubes from eBags that would fit this bag well. Most of them were either too big, too small, or you had to buy them a big set.

As a less experienced one bagger, you may be able to handle 30 liters on the first try. It’s a lot harder to get things under 20 liters first try. I can do 16 liters but it took some experience to get there. For me, (5’8″), the Weekender Junior is just fine for a short trip, provided I don’t overpack. And the bag is pretty durable, so not a bad purchase at this price point, especially if on sale, which is fairly often.

One last thing, this is a great bag for small regional jets, so that you do not have to gate check it because many times the stewardesses will gate check anything with wheels. It retails for $99, but I have found it as low as $85. It is also expandable if you’re not going to take it as a carry on for plane trips. Backpacks are being designed for women these days, but It seems like the waist belts disappear on smaller or lighter bags with some brands.

Also, it is not easy to attach/detach daypack quickly. The main bag will compress so far down, that you can take plenty in the Porter. Also, airlines like Easyjet will not allow two bags, combined the daypack when filled won’t fit in overhead. When the Porter 46 is packed full, it is not that easy to stuff shoulder straps and hip belt into their hidden compartment.

The smaller stores don’t always have both sizes in stock. Years ago bags didn’t have the padding they do now. We compensated for it by placing soft items next to the back of the bag. Hard pokey things were placed near the front of the bag. Speakeasy Supply Co. – They make the awesome hidden pocket infinity scarves that are perfect for stashing secret cash, lip balms, and passports.

5 11 Rush 72 Backpack Review

Posted on 20222022 by Pete Truss

I hate checking bags or overpacking multiple bags, so the idea of fitting everything I need and nothing I don’t into one backpack really appealed to me. With a tactical bag, you can expect that you’ll be carrying a lot of gear, with a lot of add-ons like mag holders or whatnot. You also don’t really care what the thing looks like (as long as it’s cool-looking). You need something that’s rugged, has a lot of pockets, and has a lot of molle things to hang additional gear or pouches on. Behind this pocket, you will find a hidden CCW compartment secured by velcro with a pull tab, this compartment is designed to store a concealed weapon but can be used as standard storage if desired.

I see light weight tents, etc. but have yet to see a backpack that will hold what I need and be the correct weight. The 5.11 Rush72 Tactical backpack can be used as a multipurpose pack, bag, range bag, hunting backpack, army backpack, tactical sling bag, survival backpack, hiking rucksack, or everyday outdoor backpack. The Rush 72 has the most compartments and pockets of all the 5.11 Rush series bags, not to mention the greatest storage capacity. The Rush 12 backpack also has a handy multi-slot internal admin compartment, a yoke shoulder strap system with contouring, pull tabs, and even an eyewear pocket with a fleece liner.

We are innovators who make purpose-built technical apparel and gear for life’s most demanding missions.

Compatible with 5.11® Tier System, and the Rush Tier Rifle Sleeve, the pack features unmatched storage capability, a wrap-around MOLLE and SlickStick-compatible web platform, adjustable shoulder and sternum straps, a 60-oz. As we mentioned earlier, the backpack has water repellent properties so you can store documents, papers, maps, and other stuff in it even if it’s raining. The water repellent coating is all over the bag’s exterior and the compartments, and there are nylon flaps on the zippers that provide further protection. In addition, the 5.11 comes with drainage holes at the bottom.

5.11 72 hour pack

The compression straps on either side help the synch it tight and keep the main compartment’s contents from bulging the bag too much. Doomsday Prep is the best prepper website for prepper gear, bug out bags, & prepper supplies. We carry a full line of survival kits, self-defense, tactical equipment, long term food storage and much more. The Rush 24 also has features not available in the Rush 12. A hydration pocket makes it easy to keep your water close, as does a zippered water bottle pocket on the side of the bag. Dual drainage grommets were introduced, and so was an adjustable sternum strap.

If you know your packages by feel you can reach right into your bag, grab the package you need, and pull it out. And when things do go sideways it’s a hell of a lot easier to cram a bunch of gear into a bucket style bag in a hurry than it is to do up a bunch of reluctant zippers. Pack style might seem kinda picky, but over the years I’ve had some bad ones and it can make a HUGE difference. If you get around to it I know a lot more folks would listen to you than to me on this and I think it needs to be mentioned.

The small and medium sizes are near that but not quite as large. The gray or sandstone versions of this bag aren’t nearly as bad as some kind of camo pattern, but the extremely useful molle that surrounds the bag still just yells out “military and prepared”. The front of the inner main pouch has several zippered sections. It’s 2894 cubic inches (or 47.5L depending on which method) of space. I’ve been using an old Camelbak BFM on deployments and for traveling for about a decade now.

This feature allows you to add or remove extra pouches and webbing depending on the requirements of your task. On both sides of the bag are tall zipped pockets that let you store water bottles or similar and also on the side are two compression straps to keep the pack compact when on the move. Wide and thick adjustable shoulder straps with a hip belt and sternum strap let you carry heavy loads comfortably and the pack also has a removable internal plastic frame for added support. There are web platforms on three sides, and the extra attachment points make expansion easy. However, most backpackers don’t find the need for additional MOLLE bags as the 5.11 is very generous in that department. If you do need to add more MOLLE, the procedure is the same as on all backpacks so it won’t be an issue.