(49
Reviews)
sky train-almost perfect
By
mitch wolf
-
san diego, ca
January 30, 2010
Let me state that I truly despise having to check luggage. That being said, I believe you are doing yourselves a great disservice by promoting the Sky Train as a "geared to women" alternative to the Air Boss. I have traveled extensively and was in the market for a "carry-on" bag (w/backpack straps!) for an upcoming trip to SE Asia/Indonesia. I purchased your product, took a quick trip to the Caribbean, and found it to be more than adequate and a truly ideal way to pack comfortably and avoid having to check any luggage (my #1 goal.) I put a smaller nylon backpack inside for day trips to some other islands and left the "Sky Train" back in my room. Perfect. My only suggestions would be the incorporation of a chest strap (sliding, like on Patagonia's MLC) which does an amazing job of distributing the stress of the pack weight. Putting a key clip inside the bag so at the outset of your trip you can secure your keys with confidence. And most importantly, to me anyway, add a couple low profile loops to permit strapping something additional to the top of the bag while in 'backpack mode' (ie: a tent, a bag with wet clothes etc.) Otherwise, I am truly pleased with my purchase and would not hesitate to recommend your products to all. Thanks so much. Stay well and travel.
The Best Travel Bag!
By
Bob Landis
-
Roswell, GA
January 7, 2010
I purchased an Air Boss almost 4 years ago to replace a Swiss Army roll aboard bag that was stolen from a rental car. I read the review on onebag.com and it made total sense to me. Many of my business colleagues are still wedded to their roll aboards and their extra weight and they question why I chose this type of bag for business travel because it is so atypical of road warriors. This bag has traveled more than 350,000 air miles since I bought it and it has far exceeded my expectations. There is no problem fitting in almost any overhead luggage compartment.
This year, as my Christmas present to myself, I went for the Sky Train which I have been eyeing for some time. I like the idea of a back pack style suit case that has been designed to meet my needs. What I needed was a bag that was portable and perfect for overnight or two day trips. I feel totally free when using this bag because both your arms are free to drink coffee or read the newspaper and it has even improved my posture because most roll aboard bags are awkward to pull and strain your back. I have given up carrying a computer bag in addition to my luggage and simply consolidated in just this bag. The quality is top shelf and worth every penny. I travel every week and Red Oxx is my total travel solution. I am a repeat customer and look forward to an opportunity to visit the retail store in Montana. You simply cannot find a bag of this quality and of such user friendly design in any store. It truly has been a one bag solution for me.
I still have my Air Boss for longer trips and after 4 years it is still in great condition despite heavy use. That is a testament to the quality materials that were used for its construction.
These products are awesome and should be seriously considered if you want the best! It is not surprising at all that the reviews on this site are all rave reviews for this product.
Very pleased
By
Sean Graham
-
Watertown, MA
December 31, 2009
I have to admit I was rather nervous spending so much money on a bag I had never even seen, but my fears were completely unfounded. Having used the Sky Train for our epic holiday travels, it really ended up being a perfect bag for me.
The main compartment with compression straps was big enough for 5 days worth of t-shirts, underwear, and socks as well as a pair of slacks and pajama pants. And even with all of that, the secondary compartment was still plenty big enough for my 15" MacBook Pro and a textbook. I truly understand how traveling with one bag is not only possible, but pleasant.
Navigating train platforms and airports was a breeze with the shoulder straps. I have always had a bag with wheels, so this was another point of concern for me, but I don't miss the wheels at all.
Superior in all aspects
By
Robyn Johnson
-
Qld, Australia
December 27, 2009
After travelling for 6 weeks to UK, Czech Republic, a 2 week transatlantic cruise and finally 9 days in New York the sky train along with the air boss and the gator met all our expectations after reading previous customer reviews prior to purchasing. In particular the gator was used as my sole handbag - a godsend in UK + New York as I was easlily able to carry 2 fold up umbrellas, scarves, gloves, ear muffs as well as camera and wallet etc. The space available in both the sky train and the air boss seems limitless. I was always able to pack that extra piece of clothing or any item. My congratulations and thanks go to the team at Red Oxx for the quality of your products and the service provided througout the ordering and delivery. A very satisfied and gratelful customer - Robyn Johnson.
SkyTrain - Good Alternative to a STD Rollaboard
By
Dave
-
Arlington VA
December 17, 2009
I used the SkyTrain / Gator for a 6-day trip to Europe last month. Both worked, well, and the Safari olive/khaki color combo is great, if not a bit distracting...(some travelers complimenting me on the 2 bags figured I was in the Army while in reality I'm a Navy officer).
Anyway, RedOxx products are a nice complement to, but don't necessarily replace my Tumi gear. The SkyTrain/Gator combo is perfect for traveling if going light, w/o a laptop but with other connectivity like a Ipaq and a mobile phone.
The SkyTrain has considerably more capacity than a Tumi 22" rollaboard suiter. And since you start with an empty bag that's about 5# lighter, a shoulder-strap or backpack carry is a big deal.
The SkyTrain, used alone would be fine for a short trip, by air or otherwise. It can be "overpacked" and still work pretty well if you are using something like the EC cubes. An overpacked SkyTrain will still fit easily in any a/c overhead. It will go under a seat if not overpacked.
Here's what my SkyTrain held: Trifold toilet kit/running shoes/EC cube with shorts and 1 ea. UnderArmour SS and LS tees, swim goggles & heart monitor/ EC cube with 2 prs extra socks and underwear/ 2 v-neck merino sweaters/2 ls buttondown cotton shirts, a pair of khakis/2 ls cotton tees/a pair of 5.11 tac shorts/ball cap/pair of jeans/gore tex windbreaker/a catch-all EC cube with vitamins, 6 Clif Bars, a small microfiber towel, a bar of soap/ another small EC cube with gloves, watch cap and sunglasses/a ls wool Pendleton Board Shirt. My 1q liquid/gel bag easily slipped into the top section of the main section, so when it was standing upright at security, all I had to do was unzip and stuff the 1q into the TSA/EU tray with my shoes and jacket and I was good to go. Two more comments (1) It may be better to use an AirBoss if you may be overpacking. The lateral strapping that leads to the grips may help to compress the bag. The SkyTrain will bulge out a bit more when carrying it with either grip. Not a big deal unless you are standby on an overbooked leg and an aggressive flight attendant is convinced it won't go under your seat. (2) A SkyTrain or a backpack bag isn't really a "requirement" in Europe vis-a-vis a wheeled bag. Every trip I've had on DB and ICE trains for the last 10 years, it was the LOCALS who had the huge rollaboard bags. The SkyTrain fits in the DB overheads, but there is always room for big bags on the floor behind main seats. That said, my SkyTrain made the city hiking around in Munich, Heidelburg, and Frankfurt a lot easier since I didn't have to be concerned with curbs. And in Frankfurt it was a lot easier to hop on the trams (streetcars) with a SkyTrain than a rollaboard.
Dual life - dual bags?
By
Jeff
-
Albuquerque, NM
December 10, 2009
The Sky Trains are great in most respects. (We bought 2 for my wife and me for a recent trip to Guatemala.) We learned of you on OneBag.com and your bags are in fact of superior construction and design. They served the purpose well of a one-bag carry-on and I'll definitely use it in the future. The Sky Train is advertised as a "ladys bag" but I'm a pretty fit guy and just didn't like lugging a bag on my shoulder. I used the backpack straps a lot. A hardside roller bag is still handy in my opinion unless one is truly going to a very rustic setting. The international concourse and customs in Guat City got mighty long. I do a lot of business traveling in the states and didn't find baggage toting that different in Guatemala. On the other hand, when my bag ended up in a real rustic situation (bed of truck in a rainstorm) my contents were soaked. Bottom line: the Sky Train would fill a niche for some travel for me but I can't see using it exclusively.
SkyTrain review
By
Gabriele
-
SF East Bay
December 6, 2009
I found out about this company through OneBag.com and bought 2 SkyTrains, because we wanted to avoid checking baggage.
We first used our bags for a one-week trip to New York. Initially, we were surprised to actually be able to fit a week's worth of clothing, plus an extra pair of shoes, in this bag. There was actually room to spare! We were even able to fit in a few souvenirs (mugs, T-Shirts) without a problem. And it still could have been stuffed a bit more!
We are very pleased with these bags. Not only do they save you time when flying, but the quality is superb, and I love the flexibility of carrying it either vertically, horizontally, or - most importantly! - as a backpack! It makes getting around so much easier! It's a great product!
Delivered overseas in 82 hours!
By
Glyn & Karen Gardner
-
Wollongong, Australia.
December 5, 2009
Dear Red Oxx Team,
Our sincere thanks for the most amazing service in getting our order of two 'Sky Train' bags, two additional Claw Shoulder Straps and assorted cable locks and Monkey Fist Zip Knots to us within 82 hours of dispatch from youar warehouse to Wollongong, 50 miles south of Sydney, Australia. Your original emailed dispatch advice indicated that the order should arrive within 10 days, so we were amazed when the courier arrived at our door early on the Tuesday morning after we had ordered them on-line on the previous Friday evening our time (Friday. 05.50am your time) - no more than 82 hours! That's incredible! Congratulations - that has to be the best service we've ever experienced!
------------------------------------
Now to your products. We have looked at so many 'carry-on' bags for air flights and after long consideration ordered two 'Sky Trains'. I have already used mine on a four day business trip to Sydney, by train, not plane, and am delighted with the bag. It held many more clothes than I could possibly have expected, given it's compact size. During the course of the week I accumulated a lot of paperwork which, to my amazement, I was a able to stuff into my 'Sky Train' without any problem. In fact there was still room for more if I'd needed it.
------------------------------------
The 'Sky Train' is certainly durable with very sturdy zips, whilst being easy to carry with the various straps/handles and its compact size.
------------------------------------
My wife and I are delighted with our 'Sky Train' bags and accessories, and are sure that we made the right choice with your products. We will be putting them to good use during a three week visit to Europe at Christmas.
------------------------------------
Thank you again for your exemplary service. We shall be passing on the good word to fellow travellers who are looking for the best possible product.
Travel Simplified
By
ES
-
Phoenix, AZ
December 4, 2009
I traveled for years with a cheap (but long-lived) convertible bag called a Eurotote. After wheeled bags became ubiquitous, I broke down and bought a Travelpro. That bag has its uses, but I went back to the cheap convertible so I could stuff into tight bin spaces or under the seat, and to wear it backpack style through the Paris metro.
After a flurry of trips I started to cast about for a better bag. I ordered both the Sky Train (ST) and Tom Bihn's Aeronaut so I could compare them side-by- side. Both are well-made, and I would no doubt have been happy with the Aeronaut. But the Sky Train was a better choice for my packing style (I "bundle wrap" my clothes, and the large open compartment with compression straps in the ST made this easier); and I liked the design and colors of the ST better.
I've now used the Sky Train on many short trips and one longer one, and it's fabulous, light but sturdy, easy to pack, easy to carry, and easy to find things in on the fly. The plastic handles (on the end and top of the bag) are incredibly comfortable--a big surprise--and I think add an edgy quality to the design. The zippers are first-rate and open easily (the promo video suggest that they take some "engagement" to move); and the "monkey fist" knot on the zippers makes them easy to find quickly.
I've always been able to slide the bag into overhead bins, even on ERJ-145's (with a slight push), or under the seat.
For heavier loads, I carry the Sky Train with Tom Bihn's Absolute strap for its springiness; but for lighter loads I prefer the Reddox claw strap for its slip resistance. Both are great at what they do; what's needed is a hybrid which is good at both.
I've noticed that the backpack straps can easily fold over on themselves (creating extra bulk) if you aren't careful stowing them in their zippered compartment.
The Sky Train is overall a great bag: simple timeless design, sturdy construction, and beautifully functional. It might just be the last one I ever buy (sorry Red Oxx, but I will put in a good word for anyone who asks).
Great Purchase
By
Bruce
-
New Zealand
December 3, 2009
This was a great purchase!
It arrived within 10 days of purchase.
It has been of great use as I have traveled from one side of the world to the other.
Very easy to carry and stores everything I need.