Well-made and versatile - the Tom Binh Aeronaut bag is for any type of traveler.
The official company was made in 1982, but they have been designing bags since 1972. Tom Binh offers a lifetime guarantee and proudly advertises that they are made in the USA. They're located in Seattle, and if you're in the area you can even check out their Seattle Factory Showroom.
I took the Aeronaut 30, which retails for $285.00, with me on a recent trip to Miami, Florida and the Bahamas. I knew I was going to have a hard time packing for this trip because it would include a short cruise and staying at two different hotels. If you've ever been on a cruise before, then you know you need multiple outfits for just one day.
In total, I was going to need to pack 3 nice outfits, 4 casual outfits, beach attire, 2 pairs of shoes, something warm to wear for when I landed back into Winterland and all my toiletries. I have to admit, I had my doubts that all of this was going to fit in this 19.7" x 12.6" x 7.9" bag. I folded my nicer outfits to keep them less wrinkled and rolled my causal wear in the main compartment. Then I packed my toiletries and shoes in the side pockets. And I still had plenty of room for a couple of items purchased while on my trip!
I was amazed. Everything fit like a dream, and it didn't take any extra maneuvering to zip the bag shut. I could have - and will - use this bag for a much longer trip!
There's a total of 5 compartments on the Aeronaut 30 - 1 large compartment in the middle, 2 sections on either side and 2 pockets on either end of the smaller sections. The zippers are heavy-duty - made of #10 YKK Aquaguard Coil Zippers with lockable sliders for the main compartment - and require both hands to zip or unzip. I like this feature because it makes it impossible for someone to try to get in your bag without your notice while you're wearing it.
I loved carrying this bag, and I lost track of the amount of times I bragged about it to my husband. I carried is mainly as a backpack and by the handles - both of which were comfortable. You could also pair this with The Absolute Shoulder Strap if you prefer to carry your bag just on one shoulder or messenger bag style.
The bag met all airline carry-on restrictions, and I could easily store this under the seat in front of me. This is when the side handles came in really handy - when I needed to pull my bag up to quickly get off the plane without holding anyone up.
Best of all the material of this bag is tough - it's going to take a lot of hard use to show any wear on this bag. Tom Binh uses U.S. high tenacity 1050 denier ballistic nylon for the outside of the bag and 200 denier Halcyon/nylon ripstop for the fabric lining. I can see myself carrying this on any work trip while remaining stylish or on an adventurous outdoor safari without worrying about the durability of the bag.
Plus the bag comes in a multitude of colors and with even more accessories. If you're a chronic over-packer but are hoping to become a one-bag traveler, then I would encourage you to look at the array of packing cubes made specifically for this bag. Or look at the slightly larger Aeronaut 45 that is equally well-made with just a bit more space.
Bottom line - this should be the top item on your travel wish list.
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