I’ve been using bikes for over three many years, and in that point, I’ve but to seek out the good answer for carrying all of my gear. I’ve cycled via nearly every thing, together with numerous duffel baggage, reusable grocery/tote baggage, a candy woven basket, and fumbling round with every thing simply stacked in my arms. Whereas all of those gear-carrying strategies have labored effectively sufficient to get my gear from the home to the automobile and on to the journey or race, I do know that higher choices exist. So, beginning only in the near past, it has turn into my mission to discover a higher approach.
Till a pair months in the past, I had by no means heard of Aer, however the model makes a sizeable vary of baggage and packs for work, journey, commuting, and the health club. The Duffel Pack 3 is the mannequin that instantly caught my consideration, with its average storage capability, quite a few compartments, well-considered organizational format, and a number of carry choices. Aer payments it as “a hybrid backpack designed for the health club and workplace. It options separate compartments on your health club gear and sensible group for all of your work necessities. Go from the health club to the workplace and by no means look misplaced.”
I’m not a lot of a health club man, however I do journey my bike loads, so I figured I’d see the way it works for transporting my biking package to and from rides. I’ve been utilizing the Duffel Pack 3 for the previous three weeks or so, and I’ve actually come to understand its compartmentalized storage, considerate design, sturdy supplies, and glorious craftsmanship.
-
Sturdy materials and glorious craftsmanship -
Properly-organized and compartmentalized storage -
Carries like a duffel or a backpack -
Snug on the again when full. -
Holds biking/exercise gear and laptop/work objects
-
Costly -
Reasonable capability is limiting at occasions.
Aer Duffel Pack 3 Particulars
Aer is a San Francisco-based model that was based in 2014. In Aer’s personal phrases, “We make baggage for metropolis life. With modern appears and considerate design, our gear helps you progress smarter and journey simpler, irrespective of the place your journey takes you.” A fast look on the Aer web site, and it’s clear that modern appears and clear traces are a precedence within the design course of. The general look and vibe of the luggage is much like that of Peak Design, should you’re aware of that model.
Because the title suggests, the Duffel Pack 3 is a duffel bag-backpack hybrid. It options padded backpack straps and a padded again panel for consolation when used as a backpack. It additionally has a duffel-style carry deal with on the aspect and a deal with on the highest. However what makes it most like a duffel bag is the lengthy zipper down the entrance that opens the primary storage compartment.
The Duffel Pack 3 is available in only one dimension and has a complete claimed storage capability of 21.4 liters. The bag’s dimensions are 20.5” L x 11.75” W x 8” D. The storage is cut up into quite a few compartments, together with the big most important compartment with the duffel-style opening. The underside of the pack zips open to disclose a ventilated shoe compartment, which is separated from the remainder of the pack’s contents.
On the edges of the pack’s physique, there are two stretch pockets for water bottles, in addition to two zippered pockets for smaller objects. On the high, a zippered pocket with a delicate lining is right for sun shades or different fragile objects. Closest to the again, a zipper opens to disclose a very separate compartment with a suspended and soft-lined laptop computer sleeve, together with quite a few pouches and pockets for organizing cords and different objects.
The usual Duffel Pack 3 that I’ve been utilizing is constituted of a super-tough 1680D Cordura ballistic nylon. It has beefy YKK zippers all through, together with Duraflex plastic {hardware}. The inside lining materials has an anti-microbial remedy to assist forestall micro organism and odor. Colour choices are black and olive. Moreover, Aer makes the Duffel Pack 3 with two different exterior supplies: X-Pac ($209) and Extremely ($229).
Utilizing the Duffel Pack 3
I’ll begin by saying that the Duffel Pack 3 is mostly a tremendous good piece of substances. At $179, it’s fairly costly, however the design is tremendous clear, and it appears actually well-made. Yeah, it’s dear, however fortunately, it doesn’t really feel low-cost — not even shut. The outside Cordura materials could be very strong, the carry handles are substantial, and the zippers have a reassuringly stable really feel to them.
My typical packing method is to stuff all of my biking gear right into a bag in no explicit order. I suppose sneakers often go on the underside, however in any other case it’s a little bit of a free-for-all. What I deliver varies relying on the style of using, clearly, but additionally climate, temperature, journey length, and several other different elements. All that to say, the Duffel Pack 3’s organized packing method took a bit of getting used to for me.
The separated shoe compartment can match sneakers as much as dimension 13, so my 9.5 to 10 (43.5 EU) slide in with no points. The sneakers stay separated, however they take up a bit of house in the primary compartment. Nonetheless, I’ve had no points becoming my helmet, bibs/shorts, jersey, socks, gloves, and leg heaters in there. It’s straightforward sufficient to squeeze a lightweight jacket in there, too.
I’ve been stashing my sun shades within the soft-lined pocket on the highest, and placing snacks, a multi-tool, and an AXS charger (simply in case) within the zippered aspect pockets. It’s straightforward to slip a water bottle into every of the bottle sleeves on the aspect, as effectively, though it may be a little bit of a good squeeze when you’ve got the primary compartment full of different gear. The laptop computer compartment can be effectively organized and fully separated, so that you gained’t get mud in your MacBook.
At 21.4 liters of storage, the Duffel Pack 3 is reasonably sized. It has no downside swallowing up my summer time gravel and mountain bike using kits. For carpooling with associates to the trailhead or to an occasion on race day, it appears elegant, is simple to hold, and every thing is as an alternative. It’s fairly the departure from my many years of disorganization. It’s so tidy that it virtually seems like one thing is off in comparison with my extra typical junk present.
Even when absolutely packed and loaded with full water bottles, it has been very comfy on my again. Biking gear isn’t all that heavy, actually, nevertheless it carries very properly regardless. On the again, it frees up my palms to roll my bike out to the truck and cargo it on the rack, usually eliminating the necessity to make a number of journeys out and in of the storage. The aspect duffel-carry and high handles are additionally straightforward to seize and comfy within the hand.
I do business from home, nevertheless it strikes me as an awesome choice for individuals who bike commute to work, the health club, or each. It is perhaps a bit overbearing for longer rides, however for shorter city commutes, I feel it might be nearly good. You’ll be able to simply hold your health club garments (or biking package) organized and separated from your entire work requirements. Throughout my check rides across the neighborhood, it didn’t shift round in any respect.
I haven’t flown anyplace with it but, however all indicators level to it being an superior journey pack. Whether or not you’re bringing biking gear or simply packing for a fast in a single day work journey, the Duffel Pack 3 will hold your gear organized, straightforward to hold, and match within the overhead bin.
What’s To not Like?
Whereas the Duffel Pack 3’s average capability works nice for me more often than not, there are a couple of cases when it has been a limiting issue. I’ve discovered it difficult to squeeze a number of bulkier objects like jackets, mountain bike pants, or knee pads in there alongside my helmet. So, whereas I respect its tidy group and comparatively compact kind, it is perhaps good if Aer provided one other, barely bigger dimension.
It’s additionally pretty costly, even whether it is competitively priced in comparison with related manufacturers in the marketplace. On the identical time, this pack feels fairly bombproof, so I’m anticipating to get fairly a couple of years of use out of it. Fortunately, it additionally has a modern and comparatively timeless design that isn’t going out of fashion anytime quickly. On high of that, it’s a flexible piece of substances that’ll serve me simply as effectively for organizing and transporting my biking gear to the following journey as it is going to for my subsequent worldwide flight.
Aer Duffel Pack 3: My Takeaway
In my new seek for the final word biking gear-carrying answer, the Duffel Pack 3 is a robust contender. This pack could be very effectively made, thoughtfully designed, and offers well-organized storage for my biking gear. For heat climate, I can match every thing I want on this pack for mountain and gravel rides, together with water, snacks, a laptop computer, and extra. It’s straightforward to hold like a backpack or a duffel bag, and it has launched a brand new stage of group to my packing routine.
My expertise leads me to consider that it’s most likely even higher suited to its supposed use as a health club/work bag than my area of interest, cycling-specific wants. So, should you’re out there for a biking gear-carrying answer, one thing for the health club and work, or a commuting or journey bag, I’d advocate testing what Aer has to supply. The model has a lot of choices on its web site.
