aidje asked: I'd like to hear what you have to say about your Arc'teryx backpack. The name and logo caught my eye in your "Travel Light Experiment" post. I looked up the company and now I find myself wanting a Blade 24 (I'm guessing yours is a Blade 15?), but there are no Arc'teryx dealers near me (so that I could look at it myself) and the price tag is pretty steep for my current income.
Right now I'm rotating between three messenger bags and a WaterField SleeveCase based on how long I can use each bag before getting fed up with its shortcomings. It looks like the Arc'teryx Blade may have the qualities I've been searching for in a bag for a long time (e.g., wears like a backpack but opens like a messenger bag). I want something that I can use for the office, music gigs (just a small amount of gear that won't fit in my guitar case), and light travel. In order for me to justify such a purchase it would need to replace all of the other bags, function well for all of those uses, and last for a long time.
I’m a big advocate of Arc’teryx gear in general. From rock climbing gear to hiking equipment, each item I’ve purchased has withstood a good amount of abuse. The 15L backpack is no exception, though it’s mainly used for ‘home-to-work’ transport and any traveling I do. Similar to your situation, I bought it in hope of replacing the hassle of messenger bags and clumsy backpacks and it’s the only backpack I’ve needed since. Eventually, I gave away my other backpacks. I did a ton of research on backpacks before buying it. I spent at least 2 months browsing sites, reading forums, reading comments, and narrowing it down. Yeah… I tend to obsess over gear… or any purchase for that matter. We’re always tempted to buy something cheaper, but in a situation where you’re going to incoporate that item into your life everyday, I think it’s worth spending extra on quality.
I’ve only recently run into a problem with part of the zipper’s teeth becoming bent… but I’m sending it to them to have it fixed under it’s lifetime warranty free of charge (another perk to buying from a company that specializes in outdoor gear). I have the application filled out and box ready to send. The only reason I haven’t shipped it off is how attached I am to it.
I hope all that was helpful. I’d suggest spending extra time researching for yourself. It always offers peace of mind (and few extra bucks in your budget) once you do feel you’ve considered your options. I’ve had good luck with Moosejaw.com (right down to their quirky community and customer support), an outfitters that carries brands I’ve come to respect: Patagonia, Arc’teryx, Marmot, Eagle Creek, and Nau.
Good luck!
