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Acronym.


Westbrook

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Correct me if I'm wrong but as far as I know the following are the fabrics that have been used on publicly available 3RD ARM's. 

(Some of these are actually brand names but only talking about the fabric as used on 3A's)

 

- Cordura®: a plain weave, heavy duty, typically synthetic fabric. It looks kind of like a synthetic canvas and is most commonly associated with luggage or backpacks. Good luck getting any wear to show on this. If I'm not mistaken this is what the first edition kit 3A-1 was made out of. Iirc this came in black, white and possibly OD as well.

 

- Laminated Limonta: I think this was the 2nd fabric to appear on the 3A's, this looks like a fabric that has been coated with a heavy acrylic like layer and can indeed appear leather, or ever truck-tarp like (which Freitag bags are made out of).

As the laminated top layer wears down on stress points (creases etc) this fabric breaks in in a quite specific way. Without having handled the latest iteration of the bags I'd say they're made out of this, or a at least a version of this fabric again. I only know of this in black, the original being quite shiny, the new black seems more matte, with a more shiny dark grey version now also available.

 

- Limonta: This appears to be a twill and is the most "fabric-looking" out of the bunch. Cotton based, this black has quite a bit of different tones in it and can appear more aubergine, dark dark green or almost dark brownish looking in different types of light/photographs. This fabric ages quite heavily, both with wear and as it appears also with exposure to sunlight. Most really lived-in looking 3A's will be made out of this version of the Limonta. Matte Black only.

 

- DIMENSION POLYANT X-PAC: Most people here will be familiar with this as it's the most recently used fabric until today's update. It's also probably the most easily recognisable with it's distinct ripstop squares, with a grid of bigger X's on top of it. This sailcloth fabric is the lightest out of the bunch, and it certainly looks like a very lightweight material. It can appear slightly "crinkly". Satin gloss black only. 

 

And then there are iterations that (so far) never hit the market, like the mysterious "liquid metal" X-PAC and a [redacted] camouflage…

Let me know if I omitted anything.

Edited by Cotton Duck
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Thanks for that detailed description Cotton Duck! I'm curious what a 3A-1 would be like with Cordura. I just got the Visvim ecat 18l and it's great, but very rigid.

 

Of all my messenger bags, the 3A-1 was always my fave. If they grey one is still available after my next pay day, i'm so gonna grab that one too :P

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Thanks for that detailed description Cotton Duck! I'm curious what a 3A-1 would be like with Cordura. I just got the Visvim ecat 18l and it's great, but very rigid.

 

Of all my messenger bags, the 3A-1 was always my fave. If they grey one is still available after my next pay day, i'm so gonna grab that one too :P

The problem with cordura is it can cause pilling on some fabrics used in jackets (ie DS-J5, ask me how I know).

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How do you know? Isn't pilling simply caused by abrasion, regardless of the source?

Yes, it is abrasion - the point is cordura has a rough enough surface to cause it. Then you have to shave your jacket to get rid of the bobbles. :(

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I think Errolson meant to recut the bag, he finds it too large.

Personally though, I use my 6TS on work trips, fully loaded, no check-in luggage, as a backpack; it's just as large, no back support, no cushioning on straps and works fine for me. The 7TS should be better, comfort-wise. But I don't doubt your experience, just my perspective.

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My 3A-1 just arrived. It is in fact still made by Bagjack! I just checked the tag. I'll follow up with pictures later when i'm home. Overall, I'm so freaking stoked they re-released it. Build feels exactly the same as my old 3A-1 minus the change in the material. I'm not yet convinced that the change in the material warrants the huge price jump but we'll see how I react later once I've put it into my bag rotation. Which will start tomorrow :)

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Same here, just got my package. First time ordering off the online store and I'm pretty sure they don't mark down prices, yeah?

Bodega usually did and that helped me a lot with the tax. Indonesian's customs hit me with a 40% tax, about 200eur on top of the item & shipping. Gah.

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So I just recently got a DS-J5 (thanks SuE!) and I'm a little puzzled by a detail affixed to the bottom of the primary zipper.

 

It's a small loop made out of the same stuff as the jacket sling anchors. Any ideas what it is?

OXH5ARI.jpg

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So I just recently got a DS-J5 (thanks SuE!) and I'm a little puzzled by a detail affixed to the bottom of the primary zipper.

 

It's a small loop made out of the same stuff as the jacket sling anchors. Any ideas what it is?

OXH5ARI.jpg

 

I don't think mine has one of those.

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Put the jacket on > get ready to close it > grab the left side of the zipper with your left hand > grab the loop with your right hand > now guide the right side of the zipper into the left side while holding the loop as opposed to the zipper itself > notice how elegantly this works as opposed to fumbling with the right side zipper part…

 

edit, stupid: left > right

Edited by Cotton Duck
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