I’ve been using bikes for over three many years, and in that point, I’ve but to search out the excellent answer for carrying all of my gear. I’ve cycled by means of nearly all the pieces, together with numerous duffel baggage, reusable grocery/tote baggage, a candy woven basket, and fumbling round with all the pieces 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 car and on to the trip or race, I do know that higher choices exist. So, beginning only in the near past, it has turn out to be my mission to discover a higher manner.
Till a pair months in the past, I had by no means heard of Aer, however the model makes a sizeable vary of luggage and packs for work, journey, commuting, and the health club. The Duffel Pack 3 is the mannequin that instantly caught my consideration, with its reasonable 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 to your health club gear and good 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 trip my bike rather a lot, 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 wonderful craftsmanship.
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Sturdy materials and wonderful craftsmanship -
Nicely-organized and compartmentalized storage -
Carries like a duffel or a backpack -
Comfy on the again when full. -
Holds biking/exercise gear and laptop/work objects
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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 to be like and considerate design, our gear helps you progress smarter and journey simpler, regardless of the place your journey takes you.” A fast look on the Aer web site, and it’s clear that modern appears to be like and clear traces are a precedence within the design course of. The general look and vibe of the baggage is just like that of Peak Design, when you’re aware of that model.
Because the identify 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 facet 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 principle 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 break up into quite a few compartments, together with the massive 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 perimeters 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 gentle 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 made out 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 stop 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 can be a tremendous good piece of drugs. 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 may be very sturdy, the carry handles are substantial, and the zippers have a reassuringly strong really feel to them.
My typical packing method is to stuff all of my biking gear right into a bag in no specific order. I suppose footwear normally go on the underside, however in any other case it’s a little bit of a free-for-all. What I convey varies relying on the style of using, clearly, but additionally climate, temperature, trip length, and several other different elements. All that to say, the Duffel Pack 3’s organized packing method took a bit getting used to for me.
The separated shoe compartment can match footwear as much as dimension 13, so my 9.5 to 10 (43.5 EU) slide in with no points. The footwear stay separated, however they take up a bit house in the principle compartment. Nonetheless, I’ve had no points becoming my helmet, bibs/shorts, jersey, socks, gloves, and leg heaters in there. It’s simple sufficient to squeeze a light-weight 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 facet pockets. It’s simple to slip a water bottle into every of the bottle sleeves on the facet, as effectively, though it may be a little bit of a good squeeze in case you have the principle compartment filled with different gear. The laptop computer compartment can be effectively organized and utterly separated, so that you received’t get mud in your MacBook.
At 21.4 liters of storage, the Duffel Pack 3 is reasonably sized. It has no drawback swallowing up my summer time gravel and mountain bike using kits. For carpooling with mates to the trailhead or to an occasion on race day, it appears to be like elegant, is simple to hold, and all the pieces is as a substitute. It’s fairly the departure from my many years of disorganization. It’s so tidy that it nearly seems like one thing is off in comparison with my extra typical junk present.
Even when totally packed and loaded with full water bottles, it has been very comfy on my again. Biking gear isn’t all that heavy, actually, however it carries very properly regardless. On the again, it frees up my fingers 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 facet duffel-carry and high handles are additionally simple to seize and comfy within the hand.
I do business from home, however it strikes me as an excellent possibility for many 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 excellent. You may simply maintain 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 wherever 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 maintain your gear organized, simple to hold, and match within the overhead bin.
What’s To not Like?
Whereas the Duffel Pack 3’s reasonable capability works nice for me more often than not, there are just a few situations when it has been a limiting issue. I’ve discovered it tough to squeeze a number of bulkier objects like jackets, mountain bike pants, or knee pads in there alongside my helmet. So, whereas I admire its tidy group and comparatively compact type, 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 comparable manufacturers available on the market. On the identical time, this pack feels fairly bombproof, so I’m anticipating to get fairly just a few 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 drugs that’ll serve me simply as effectively for organizing and transporting my biking gear to the subsequent trip as it’s 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 powerful contender. This pack may be very effectively made, thoughtfully designed, and gives well-organized storage for my biking gear. For heat climate, I can match all the pieces I would like on this pack for mountain and gravel rides, together with water, snacks, a laptop computer, and extra. It’s simple 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 in all probability even higher suited to its supposed use as a health club/work bag than my area of interest, cycling-specific wants. So, when you’re available in the market for a biking gear-carrying answer, one thing for the health club and work, or a commuting or journey bag, I’d advocate trying out what Aer has to supply. The model has a number of choices on its web site.