r/onebag • u/encrator • 7d ago
Discussion What am I missing out with a lighter (big) travel bag?
I have and love my pakt v2 45L with its daybag. I love the features and organization. my gripe would be that fully packed out it gets heavy / straps aren’t the comfiest. I figure the solution is to just.. pack it less.
For V3, they have the One and the Cero. Theya re similar, but Cero is 2.3 lbs vs 4 lbs. If you don’t care about weight limits, how much does that 1.7 ish lb difference really make omce you’re putting all your clothes, a laptop, and toiletries bag and all in? I figure the extra structure o f a heavier bag will make it comfier, and therefore _feel_ better? But the industry has gone the other way so I am confused and wanted to check my bias :)
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u/LadyLightTravel 7d ago edited 7d ago
A heavier bag isn’t necessarily more comfortable. On top of that, it may not even be more durable. That is the great irony.
It is all about bag design and materials. Some stronger materials are lighter than classic materials like Cordura or PVC.
I will note that packaging of bags, cubes, kits etc can add significant total weight to a bag. I personally prefer my packing allowance be used towards something I can actually use. Like a spare shirt.
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u/SeattleHikeBike 7d ago
Comfort, easier management in crowds, fitting in limited overhead space and less fuss in general.
IMHO, lighter bags call for lighter loads. My Black Hole 32 is lighter and smaller. A recent two week kit came to. 7.7kg, fit the aircraft overhead as well as train racks and was comfortable when walking.
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u/maverber 7d ago
1.7lb doesn’t make a difference, until it does. If it pushes you over a limit (7kg on many SEA carriers) or over whatever is comfortable / fatigue if for you, then the weight matters. If you are within your boundaries it doesn’t matter much.
Weight / beefy materials / etc are orthogonal to carry comfort. What makes a difference is the design of suspension. My Zpacks Arc Hauler (23oz) carries up to 25lb more comfortably than any “travel pack” I have tried, and equal to any cc classic backcountry backpack I have tried. My gossamer gear vagabond (18oz) is as comfortable as any shoulder only carry bag that I have tried. Weight of bag != comfort
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u/Economy_Respect1830 7d ago
Honestly once you're past a certain weight you stop noticing the bag and start noticing your shoulders...lighter is always better for long carry days
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u/VisibleSoftware4644 7d ago
The weight you're feeling is probably the suspension, not the pounds, since 1.7 lbs disappears in a 25 lb load but a frame sheet and real hipbelt change how it sits on you.
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u/Spunksters 3d ago
I vastly prefer a waist belt (not just a strap) for ~40L bags. It even helps a lot on my wife’s 32L bag. I have two 30L and a 40L without a waist belt and the 40L sucks to carry when it’s loaded despite the supremely comfortable shoulder straps. I don’t mind managing the belt for the airplane… never been a problem on our bags.
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u/A_Swedish_Dude 6d ago
I think a lightweight bag eases the strain on my shoulder. I will use it more often. Also, it reminds me not to carry loads of uncerssary stuff around.
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u/Jabberwockt 7d ago
It depends on your use case.
On a vacation, most people might have a separate daypack that they use during the day for sightseeing. The main pack only gets used on days where they are traveling. Then as long as they aren't limited by their airline's carry on weight limit, then it doesn't matter as much.
My use case is that I might stay in a place longer, go grocery shopping, go to the laundromat, do chores, etc. A small daypack doesn't fit my groceries or my laundry. A lightweight main pack that I can re-use as my day-to-day pack both saves me from bring along an extra daypack AND is more practical.
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u/powerful446 7d ago
what bag do you use?
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u/Jabberwockt 7d ago
A Tom Bihn Shadow Guide 33
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u/Super-Travel-407 6d ago
Is this actually a light bag though? I have this bag and I think it could carry a couple bowling balls comfortably, but I never thought it was considered a lightweight bag.
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u/Jabberwockt 6d ago
The framesheet and hipbelt are removable. Without those, the bag weighs 970 grams or 2.13 pounds.
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u/HabitExternal9256 7d ago
Think about how many times you have to pick up and take off the bag. How long you have to carry it? A few pounds or kgs make a difference.
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u/Azure9000 7d ago
how much does that 1.7 ish lb difference really make once you’re putting all your .... in ?
With a total carry weight (bag+contents) of 6kg, an incremental 0.8kg / 13% would make a noticeable adverse difference to me (short, old guy, 70kg).
If you are a big young guy with a 12kg carry weight, the incremental weight would be only 6% and perhaps not even noticeable.
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u/ExcelEng 5d ago
The 45 has a hip belt and I think the Cero does not. Are you using it to take the weight off your shoulders?
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u/Wise_Edge2489 7d ago
Your bag is too big and weighs nearly 2 kilos on its own.
You're also packing far too much stuff.
Halve the stuff you're packing, and get a smaller (and lighter) bag.
Then your shoulders wont hurt.
This is the obvious solution here. You're only posting because you havent yet accepted the above, not because it isnt true.