Osprey question, again… 90 Transporter, 120 Transporter or 100 Sojurn Shuttle

[gryffin]

Hello all:

My Aqualung roller bag got severely damaged on my last trip. I’m looking for a new bag for checked gear. I have purchased all 3 of these bags:

90L Osprey Transporter
120L Osprey Transporter
100L Osprey Sojurn Shuttle

The 120 seems very very tall, but it will fit all my gear plus clothes. I know several people have flown with it, but I'm definitely worried it.
The 90 seems tight for my gear plus clothes, I'll need a second checked bag for most trips. I can easily piggyback a 65L Osprey duffle bag onto this bag though.
The 100 is kind of in the middle- it may work for my clothes plus gear, but it may not.

For all of these bags, I'm a bit worried about durability. The Aqualung had a hard shell on the back and all of these have just the thin sheet of fabric.

The worry about the extra checked bag is that on small carriers, like Cayman Airways, one could get left behind. This happened on a recent trip to Little Cayman, eventually, the bag did find its way back to New England.

Anyway, I'm interested in any thoughts on my concerns with these bags, or any other bags I should consider instead.

Thanks-

 

[broncobowsher]

There was recent discussion between the 90 and 120. What swayed me into the 90 (still waiting to get, but picked out) is the weight. While I can fill the 120, I can't fill it and stay under weight. The 90 is close to what I have now and I can already reach the weight limit as it reaches capacity.

Didn't know about the 100. I need to go look that up and see how it compares to the 90.

 

[gryffin]

Thanks. I read that discussion multiple times and I still have decision paralysis! The 100 is definitely roomier- also more expensive and a little heavier (but similar weight to the 120L). The shape is a little better for my BCD.

 

[Yellowdog]

I went with the 90L and pair it with a 70L or 100L Patagonia Black Hole duffle if I am also packing for kids or girlfriend. The combination allows me to carry a ridiculous amount of gear but I am good shape. Not sure everyone could handle two large bags comfortably. If $ were no object I would buy the Patagonia Black Hole 100L but at double the price went with the Osprey. The Black Hole duffle bags are on sale now with a bit of searching.

 

[Lorenzoid]

90L Osprey Transporter
120L Osprey Transporter
100L Osprey Sojurn Shuttle

. . .

For all of these bags, I'm a bit worried about durability. The Aqualung had a hard shell on the back and all of these have just the thin sheet of fabric.

Are these the Transporter Wheeled Duffel? I see on Osprey's website that there are some Transporter models that are traditional duffel bags--without wheels. It's difficult to tell from the photos, but it looks like the wheeled models would have hard backs (otherwise, how could they stow the retracted handle?).

 

[gryffin]

These are the wheeled models (with the exception of the 65L one which I would piggyback onto it along the lines of what Yellowdog suggested). I have them all here and could not feel a hard shell, but I will go check again.

 

[Yellowdog]

The Osprey wheeled 90L does not have a hard shell back. It does use a more durable stretched fabric backing and has an aluminum? frame but it is not rigid. The Black Hole wheeled bags are fairly rigid. They also use a more durable fabric backing. Both bags have a " lifetime " warranty. I have not used the Osprey warranty but Patagonia customer service / warranty is the best I have ever dealt with.

 

[mje113]

Thanks. I read that discussion multiple times and I still have decision paralysis! The 100 is definitely roomier- also more expensive and a little heavier (but similar weight to the 120L). The shape is a little better for my BCD.

That might be my thread... I ended up with the 90L coupled with a Farpoint 40 and a Farpoint Fairview to use as carryons. That was the plan at least.

I was carrying close to two complete sets of kit, one for warm fun dives and one for doubles/drysuit. So single BP, but 2 wings, two regulators, drysuit and wetsuit, two sets of fins and boots. It was close--I think I could have made it all fit if I'd had the 120, but it probably would have been heavy and I was still concerned it would be oversized. I ended up having to spill into a 4th smaller duffle which hauling around was a pia, though it was nice to have for hauling gear to dive sites in the jungle.

I doubt I'll ever carry that much with me again so im still happy with the 90L.

 

[gryffin]

For those of you who use the Transporters, did they hold up well for you? I’m thinking to put my fins under my BC and then use my wetsuit for cushion on top. In my old Aqualung, I put the fins on the sides, but it had a rigid back.

Yellowdog: I couldn’t find any more sales on the 100L Patagonia, they seem a bit more sold through than usual, many of the major outdoor retailers don’t have any in stock right now. $419 is a lot to stomach! I’m already choking on the Osprey bag cost!

mje113: Yup, it was your thread. Thanks for the update. I can fit all the gear I typically check in the 90L, but I don’t have a lot of room left for clothes. I used to have some spillover in my Aqualung bag, but it was because of weight not space. Maybe I can squeeze clothes into the 90L with a bit more thinking about how to fit things better. For most trips, I don’t need a lot of clothing, but we have a couple of trips where we are doing non-dive stuff and I need more clothes for those trips than usual. Perhaps that 65L will be enough for the extra clothes. I have a carry on and a backpack, but they get pretty full with my camera gear, reg bag and my full face mask and laptop(s). I have to carry two laptops on some of these trips.

 

[mje113]

mje113: Yup, it was your thread. Thanks for the update. I can fit all the gear I typically check in the 90L, but I don’t have a lot of room left for clothes. I used to have some spillover in my Aqualung bag, but it was because of weight not space. Maybe I can squeeze clothes into the 90L with a bit more thinking about how to fit things better. For most trips, I don’t need a lot of clothing, but we have a couple of trips where we are doing non-dive stuff and I need more clothes for those trips than usual. Perhaps that 65L will be enough for the extra clothes. I have a carry on and a backpack, but they get pretty full with my camera gear, reg bag and my full face mask and laptop(s). I have to carry two laptops on some of these trips.

Yeah, I hear ya... my clothes needs (at least for this trip) were minimal so really just brought 3 t-shirts and 2 shorts and wore a pair of pants and a polo on the plane. Oh I should also say that drysuit undergarments took up a ton of space in the 90L. They are bulky by design.