crayonsemble

so are the pac bags worth the price? the ultimate os is like 400$!!
is it really worth that much, ie super comfortable, etc.
i need some feedback before i can consider getting one,
thanks.

p_ill

for $400 you could buy this!

ernest

man I bet it's hard to ride with one of those slung over your shoulder

p_ill

but you'd be everyones best friend because you'd always have beer and leftovers.

crayonsemble

well i dont drink but for real i was just wanting some insight from
people who have these bags and if they really really like them or not.

TNCLR

i love my pac bag. i called them to order it and they immediately gave me 10% off. not sure if they're still doing that but you might ask them if they're offering any deals. super cool people. definitely worth giving them business.

mcatano

Check bag deals section of their site frequently for deals on bags.

trial-sin

i'm with tnclr...i've had my bag about a year now, and have yet to come up lacking in space, and i just have the ultimate. it feels great while riding, whether it's nearly empty, or packed tight...it stays put. i opted for the x-strap, which i've only used once, but it definitely made a large load feel snug. the ulock holder was something i ordered, more out of curiousity, but it's been nice. i can just grab my bag and split.
the only nit i'd pick is the lack of smaller pockets. there are two larger ones, so i end up sticking all of my small items in those, making it hard to find things quickly. however, as these bags can be done up custom, i'm sure you could remedy this in your order.

zelah

$400 is soooo much though =/

i mean yeah i'm sure its comfy and well made and...but its 400

luckycat

I've had mine since 199something... Can't remember exactly when I bought it but it's still in great shape, used it daily for messenger work, commuting, travel, etc. There are a lot more people making bags now than there were in the nineties, but I don't think anyone else comes close to PAC in terms of durability, comfort and style.

luckycat

Oh, and I doubt you really need the OS. I have an ultimate and it's more than big enough for anything you'd want to carry on your back.

oharescrubs

the huge one... is nuts... my friend tim fit his girlfriend in it. comparing the ultimate to the huge one... ... i have a bag thats custom made and basically is exactly like the ultimate, and one day i fit 15 binders in bubblewrapped envelopes in my bag, where Tim (with the huge pac) was able to fit something like 23... its ridiculously huge... but you can strap most of it down to not feel/look/be so huge when its not full... which i think is amazing. if you are a messenger go with the huge one... but this thread has said little to make me think thats true... so just get a big basket to put infront of your bike instead.

crayonsemble

well the less huge one the ultimate is to be found in a local store for 285$ which is still a lot of
money to me. however the reload bag as much as i like it in some ways has issues in other ways.
most true with the really heavy loads. thanks for the insights thus far..

andy_is_me

I've had a pac bag for over 10 years and it's still in fine shape. Used it for work, travel, shopping, etc. That said, $400 is a stupid amout to spend on a bag. It's your loot though, do what you must.

TNCLR

just so you know, the Ultimate, which i have, is pretty GIANT. i can't imagine needing anymore space. i rarely undo the base compression straps to expand it to it's full potential. save the loot, get the Ultimate.

colnago57

The way I look at it, you can either pay the $400 for a bag that will last 10+ yrs or you can go and trash a couple of the cheaper bags and likely end up spending the same amount of money in the long run. And how many other bags can carry that much beer?

ZachS

spending $400 on a bag is pretty obscene

then again, so are most of the things we buy. if you can afford it, buy it. i'm sure it's nice.

freddiesan

I concur. My Pac Ultimate is 9 years old now, previously used for messengering but now I use it for shopping rounds and everyday activity. It hasn't shown any sign of wear yet and I bet it will last me a lifetime or atleast half a lifetime. Washing it isn't a problem either. If you have the money go for it!

luckycat

I've never tried machine washing mine, but it could probably use it, is there anything I should know before doing so?

OneTinSloth

i love mine. i got a prototype street scene. fits everything i need on a day to day basis and more. i've had it for about 4 years now and it's been holding up great. though lately, i've been pondering purchasing a smaller timbuk2 or chrome bag for just carrying shoes, food, and basic tools back and forth to work without worrying about backsweat.

definitelymaybe

i got the large street scene about 3mths ago. its the third in a line of increasing size bags ive had in the past 5yrs. everything from initial questions to use of the bag has been great. pat (one of the owners i believe) is super helpful and very friendly.

size-wise its big (and i've now added some compression straps to deal with smaller loads) but with any size load it works well.

as others have said, if i was messenging id have gone with the ultimate or OS for the more adjustable shoulder compression strap design but for my average load size (work clothes, food, tool kit, shoes) it worked out great.

plus no disrespect to my southern neighbours, but i wanted to buy canadian.

crayonsemble

i ended up selling my other bag to a friend and got the ultimate and it is very nice.
i got in a local store so it made it easier but i want to order some accesories for it.
for example the pump holder for the outside looks nice and the u-lock holder as well
to save space on the inside.
thanks to everyone for the insite, i was wondering what do you all do
with the x-strap clip on the main buckle it is the only annoying aspect
thus far but i only feel it when iam not riding.
thanks again for the no bs response.

11.4

I've got the Ultimate in a custom with all the trimmings -- you can see it on the web site ... the Mighty Mouse bag.

I agree about the X-strap, and might go one step farther. You rarely use it and never HAVE to have it, and in the meanwhile it adds some bulk you have to fend off while you ride. The whole bag is quite bulky -- lots of Cordura, lots of layers, the foam pad in the back, and so on. I removed the foam pad and never missed it since the layers of fabric did a good job anyway. If you expect to carry heavy and bulky packages, get it, but if you're just carrying bulky stuff I don't know that it helps all that much.

I wish it had a lighter interior so you could see small stuff that falls inside. A very small nit.

Yes, the accessory pockets are few and big, but I got a couple Eagle Creek mesh-covered plastic bags and put my stuff in them. They organize it really well. Small pockets tend to be squashed flat and they add a lot of bulk that causes the bag to stick out in funny places -- then it doesn't seal properly or it sticks you in the back.

The adjustment straps need better keepers because there are a number of them, they're quite long (because of the adjustment range on the bag), and they dangle everywhere. PAC has started putting little velcro tabs on the very ends, but they still pull free. How about little D-rings on the ends and a few small unostentatious snap clips up on the front of the bag to hook them to. It would work a lot better.

All these are small nits. It's a great bag, a relatively heavy bag, and it'll do everything you might ever want a bag to do. If you don't need that much, don't get it. For laundry or casual traveling a Bailey Super Courier Pro (or whatever they call their comparable bag) is much lighter, more comfortable, and quicker to use. But to ride around with 45 pounds of pointy junk on your bag, go with the PAC.

ColinT

Another small nit pick is that they dont have any pen holders which I like to have. I end up always looking for a pen on the bottom of the bag. Other than that, Super comfortable, I can fit a weeks worth of grocerys in it and it still looks brand new after 4 months of pretty HARD use.

666pack

i've never seen those before, so i checked the site out last night.
wow, those bags look awesome, and if i had that much money laying around i'd probably give it a try. the x-strap looks really interesting.