I got an email from Ian at F-stop the other day.  I guess one of my video reviews caught his eye and he wanted my thoughts on one of their bags.  He sent me a tilopa with a large camera block while I was away on vacation (too bad it wasn’t here in time to fly ~3000 miles with).  I’ve been using it for a week now and it’s an amazing bag.  Nothing is ever perfect, so I’ll have a proper review up in a few more weeks, but I will say this bag is GREAT as it is.  I have some nit picks but nothing major.  I’m really looking forward to their loka that’s rumored to be around the corner, it’s basically a smaller version of this bag.

This was from Ian on Saturday:

Nitpicks?… let me know what’s up… I know there are a few just want to know what have in mind.

This was my reply:

First off, thanks, it’s an awesome bag.  As you said, I have a few nitpicks, but they’re nothing major.  These are also dependent on how you’d wear the bag and we both know this is meant to be a BC bag, not a day/street bag, although some people would use it for both…

• proprietary buckles…  If/When one gets stepped on (especially with ski boots) you’ll crush a buckle eventually, you’re not being an off the shelf buckle means you have to replace BOTH sides.  Your buckles are also a bit thinner than some of my other packs which would hint they might break sooner, but a ski boot will break just about ANY buckle anyway…  (I have a pack with broken buckles from just this issue)
• Laptop sleeve isn’t removable?  Who the hell skis with their laptop?  It’s a very nice sleeve, and you can put plenty of other things in it, but I’d rather be able to remove it if I choose to.  You did such a good job making the ICU removable, but I’d be taking the laptop sleeve in and out FAR more often than the ICU…
• The ICU needs some tweaks.  I LOVE that you have 4 sizes, a thinner size might even be nice but then you’d be stocking even more SKUs which sucks.  But you need to make the ENTIRE inside the soft velcro so that you can put dividers anywhere.  You also need to include more divider options beyond the standard layout.  Granted some of my issue is that I’m using the L you sent, and a M or maybe even S would have been better for my camera and lenses, then the accessories could have gone along side in the normal part of the backpack.
• Back access while keeping the waist belt on…  This was the trick someone on PotN mentioned and it does work OK.  I can access everything w/o taking it off, but the issue here is because the back flap zips ALL the way to the bottom of the pack, then you sling it around the waist strap pulls on the bottom so if you zip it all the way open (which you really need to do because the flap is stiff, which is CRUCIAL for making the back opening work) it’s tough to zip it back up.  If you either hinged the back flap ~2″ from the bottom and kept the zippers as they are, but added “stops” so they didn’t always go to the bottom (but could to access that last inch of space) it’d help, or the back zippers could just stop ~2″ from the bottom, but that would make accessing that bottom sliver of space tough….  Yes I know most people will set the bag down to access their gear anyway, but this way does work but could be improved for just shooting/light hiking.
• Ice axe loops/molle straps on the BOTTOM…  I ski and snowboard.  Your stock straps are minimal which is good because having straps everywhere is just a PITA.  The Molle loops are a great idea, but I’d love to have a set on the actual bottom of the bag?  Also, your snowboard straps, have you had any issues over time with edges wearing through the straps?  My old cirqueworks pack has rubber strips on the inside to prevent that, but I’m not sure it was a real issue?  I’m sure you guys have put the time in using your bags to know.
• Waist strap:  I know your packs are meant to be working backpacks, not really daypacks, but it’d be awesome if the waist straps could be tucked into the side pockets?  Making them removable would work but be harder and make everything heavier, but if there was just a slot in the side pouches they could be bent around and tucked away for when you don’t want them.  It’s a great harness for when you need it, but there are times when all the buckles and straps swinging around are a PITA (flying or around town use) and for those times it’d be nice if they could be tucked away.  The sternum strap is AWESOME the way you can take it off, AND the buckles are hidden when it’s in place…

I think that’s all I have for now.  I’m wearing it every day to work even to put some miles in, and I’m planning some hiking in it one some weekends coming up.  I’ll have a review up in a video review up in a few more weeks, but I’ll also be putting up a photo review next week with some pics of it.  I’m VERY excited for the loka now.  I’d love it with side access, but I think I can live with the rear access with how good you guys have the rest of the bag.

I should have a video review and a written review up in another week or two, stay tuned!