Bright line bags pirep?

Flyingfanatic

Flyingfanatic

Pre-takeoff checklist
Joined
Aug 6, 2013
Messages
151
Display Name
Display name:
Flying Fanatic
Anyone have a Bright Line flight bag? If so, which model and how do you like it?
 
Bought one of the originals with bad zippers when they first came out and the company needed social media shares to even get market share.

Few years later they’d redesigned the zippers with something that wasn’t cheap crap. Went up to them in person at OSH and asked if they had any deals for the original purchasers who had the crap zippers.

Zip. Nada. Zilch.

Told them I’d never buy Brightline again.

Decided any re-posts of their early marketing videos and help we gave them through our podcast back then would be nullified by me telling everyone I met from that day on, that they didn’t take care of the people who got them where they are today.

Bought a Carhartt bag with metal zippers and hundreds of dollars cheaper.

Screw ‘em. Way better bags outside of the 10x markup aviation space, but they certainly had the profit margin on those things to make it right on the zipper thing.
 
denverpilot said:
Bought one of the originals with bad zippers when they first came out and the company needed social media shares to even get market share.

Few years later they’d redesigned the zippers with something that wasn’t cheap crap. Went up to them in person at OSH and asked if they had any deals for the original purchasers who had the crap zippers.

Zip. Nada. Zilch.

Told them I’d never buy Brightline again.

Decided any re-posts of their early marketing videos and help we gave them through our podcast back then would be nullified by me telling everyone I met from that day on, that they didn’t take care of the people who got them where they are today.

Bought a Carhartt bag with metal zippers and hundreds of dollars cheaper.

Screw ‘em. Way better bags outside of the 10x markup aviation space, but they certainly had the profit margin on those things to make it right on the zipper thing.
Click to expand...

Ohhh come onnnn! Seems a little silly to be that upset about them not offering a deal on a bag you bought years before.
 
CC268 said:
Ohhh come onnnn! Seems a little silly to be that upset about them not offering a deal on a bag you bought years before.
Click to expand...

Silly or not to you, I can’t stand people who don’t take care of the people who helped them get where they went. Especially selling a product with as much markup as theirs has.

They were absolutely unknown for at least a year or so before they got any of the “big names” like Sporty’s to pick them up. Social media and early buyers kept them from going under.

We’re not talking ten years here. We’re talking a couple until they HAD to fix their design screwup. Pretty sure my OSH talk with them was their first year there if not second.
 
Because of James I bought that very same bag...wow, almost two years ago. How time flies.

I also bought the Brightline bag forget the model. As Nate suggested the zippers were plastic crap and I could never remember where I put stuff as they had pockets inside of other pockets which were inside still another pocket. aka a dude playin' a dude, disguised as another dude.
 
Timbeck2 said:
Because of James I bought that very same bag...wow, almost two years ago. How time flies.

I also bought the Brightline bag forget the model. As Nate suggested the zippers were plastic crap and I could never remember where I put stuff as they had pockets inside of other pockets which were inside still another pocket. aka a dude playin' a dude, disguised as another dude.
Click to expand...

I’m gonna need a brightline when I get hired at Mesa Airlines ;)
 
I love my Brightline bag. I bought it and configured it so it would sit between the seats of my PA 32.

The pocket within a pocket within a pocket took some getting used to. I lost track of a few things but found them eventually. I’ve got everything I need packed where I can find it now.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
 
CC268 said:
Never thought I’d see James buying gear with the name “lapolicegear” lolol just kidding
Click to expand...
As soon as I read @James331’s post, I thought the same thing. Lol

I actually use one of the LA Police gear bags at work and it is decent. I just wanted to check out aviation specific bags.
 
You guys really feel the need to bring a full on duffel sized bag with you to fly an airplane? I’ve never needed to carry that much crap.
 
Last edited:
I’ve never seen the sense in buying an aviation specific bag when a normal backpack or other bag can easily do what the higher priced pilot bags do for a lot less money.
 
Flight bags are snake oil. Any decent backpack will do just fine. However, if you want your buddies to know how much disposable income you have, by all means get one.
 
Ryanb said:
You guys really feel the need to bring a full on duffel sized bag with you to fly an airplane? I’ve never needed to carry that much crap.
Click to expand...

Headset, 2 Ipads, back up radio, note book and a couple pens is what I have in mine. I have also been know to use a plastic grocery bag on occasion as well. That works just fine too.
 
SkyDog58 said:
I’ve never seen the sense in buying an aviation specific bag when a normal backpack or other bag can easily do what the higher priced pilot bags do for a lot less money.
Click to expand...

Yea I use my Ogio backpack
 
Unit74 said:
Flight bags are snake oil. Any decent backpack will do just fine. However, if you want your buddies to know how much disposable income you have, by all means get one.
Click to expand...

With how that bail out bag is built, I’d wager if you filled it up with lead shot and filled a “flight bag” up with lead shot the “flight bag” would break way before the bail out bag.

Also seems there are a few different makers making the same bag, mine was a maratac sold my LAPG.
 
Last edited:
Ryanb said:
You guys really feel the need to bring a full on duffel sized bag with you to fly an airplane? I’ve never needed to carry that much crap.
Click to expand...

That’s the other reason I went to a simple Carhartt bag, because I rarely need it.

The natural progression is Private Pilot carries twenty lbs of chit to the airplane every flight.

CFI brings an iPad a notepad (maybe) has a couple of post it notes jammed in a pocket to cover instruments with, and a headset. And he doesn’t even really need the iPad in the local area. The landmarks and altitudes for the edges of Bravo shelf are memorized. :)
 
Ryanb said:
You guys really feel the need to bring a full on duffel sized bag with you to fly an airplane? I’ve never needed to carry that much crap.
Click to expand...
It depends. I have a slightly different perspective. I have a Brightline bag (I think it's a B4). I like it a lot, but I don't really use it as a flight bag. For me, it functions more as a pilot 'toolbox'.

Between work and fun, I fly a lot of different airplanes and depending on what I'm flying will dictate what stuff I need. I have the Brightline organized with all of my various stuff: headset, battery charging packs, Stratus, lots of charging cords and plugs, pens, pencils, notepad keys, sunglasses, portable GPS, XM antenna, mounts for portable GPS, paper oil funnels, small tools, mechanic gloves, iPads, Jepp GPS data card USB updater….etc

The bag keeps all my stuff in one organized place that I can throw in the back of the car. Then when I get to the airport, I take out what I need and launch. Unless I'm on a ferry/delivery trip where I might need all of that stuff, most of the time, the bag stays in the car.
 
Love my Brightline Will add and take away compartments as I need. When traveling overnight, I have an extra middle compartment that is always packed with extra pair of clothes and toiletries, so can zip it in, and go without any forethought. Best flight bag that I have had. Love that the zippers are color coded. Can tell my pax in the back if I need something but don't want the bag up front, it is in the compartment with the yellow, or purple or green zipper. Has come in handy quite a few times.
 
Fearless Tower said:
The bag keeps all my stuff in one organized place that I can throw in the back of the car. Then when I get to the airport, I take out what I need and launch. Unless I'm on a ferry/delivery trip where I might need all of that stuff, most of the time, the bag stays in the car.
Click to expand...

Hahaha. That’s all my bag is for now, too. It rarely boards the airplane. Although I did notice that the clip-on foggles for the prescription glasses have snuck out of it and I haven’t found out where they ran off to. That’s annoying.
 
CC268 said:
Ohhh come onnnn! Seems a little silly to be that upset about them not offering a deal on a bag you bought years before.
Click to expand...
Stopped by theLightspeed booth in '15 and asked the price for a new Zulu case - the one with the handle. Rep took my name and address and shipped me one for free. True, not as expensive as a Brightline bag, but still great customer service.
 
murphey said:
Stopped by theLightspeed booth in '15 and asked the price for a new Zulu case - the one with the handle. Rep took my name and address and shipped me one for free. True, not as expensive as a Brightline bag, but still great customer service.
Click to expand...

Lightspeed “gets it”. Brightline doesn’t.

How’s the knee coming along? Ready to kill your PT yet?
 
I recently had to ask the student if we were doing a FR or going camping for the weekend.
 
Flyingfanatic said:
Anyone have a Bright Line flight bag? If so, which model and how do you like it?
Click to expand...

I have one from when they first came out. It's a two compartment model and the compartments can be zipped apart if needed. I don't carry paper maps anymore, so one compartment is enough for what I need: some performance charts, flight plan/note sheets, spare batteries, flashlight, headlamp, leatherman tool, portable radio, tablet, keys, post its, etc.

The color coded zippers help remember what is where. No zipper issues since I bought it. Fits nicely on the floor in front of or behind the passenger seat.
 
Ryanb said:
You guys really feel the need to bring a full on duffel sized bag with you to fly an airplane? I’ve never needed to carry that much crap.
Click to expand...
My discovery was that, every time I decided to downsize and bring only what I "needed," I forgot something. There is also a difference between owning and renting/sharing. More than half the junk in my bag is stuff which would stay in the airplane if I owned one. And, no, I don't need my Stratux when flying an airplane with built in Stratus and Garmin FlightStream capability, but it's easier to have it in the bag than sit down and decide what's needed for this flight.

I had an original Brightline and returned it. A few years later, after trying multiple other options, I bought one of the later modular models. I thought in terms a changing sizes as needed, but found it easier to stick with one configuration. Hardly perfect but it keeps what I want available and accessible.
 
Ryanb said:
You guys really feel the need to bring a full on duffel sized bag with you to fly an airplane? I’ve never needed to carry that much crap.
Click to expand...

Well duffel is an exaggeration. The bag I use (the one James linked to) is perfect for: An extra headset, water bottle, back up radio, pistol, ammo, emergency blanket, water, food, maps, duct tape, tool kit, first aid kit, knife, fire starter and other assorted stuff I don't want to be without if I have to spend the night in the middle of nowhere.
 
Flyingfanatic said:
Anyone have a Bright Line flight bag? If so, which model and how do you like it?
Click to expand...

I do, don’t remember the model, uh brb. It’s the B18. I have no complaints. The ability to make it bigger or smaller depending on what I’m doing is great. I’ve never had trouble with it.
 
midlifeflyer said:
My discovery was that, every time I decided to downsize and bring only what I "needed," I forgot something. There is also a difference between owning and renting/sharing. More than half the junk in my bag is stuff which would stay in the airplane if I owned one. And, no, I don't need my Stratux when flying an airplane with built in Stratus and Garmin FlightStream capability, but it's easier to have it in the bag than sit down and decide what's needed for this flight.
Click to expand...

I'm the same way. I fly 6 different planes in 2 different locations with no storage available. The only stuff in my bag that doesn't get used regularly is the emergency stuff. I might be carrying an extra 1.5 pounds of stuff I don't need on a given flight, but that's about it.

I've tried using generic bags (backpacks, duffels, etc.) but always felt like I had a pile of stuff in a bag. If I needed a flashlight in a hurry, or batteries, or whatever, it took 2 hands and a lot of digging. Brightline bags are far too organized for me, though. If I need to unzip and hunt through pockets for things, I never use it. An open bag with dividers works well for me, and pilot bags are in the same price range as other bags that have those features.
 
CC268 said:
Ohhh come onnnn! Seems a little silly to be that upset about them not offering a deal on a bag you bought years before.
Click to expand...

I’ve received great customer support from companies that noticeably upgraded the same product shortly after I purchased it, and they have earned my undying support. I have also been given the cold shoulder by other companies in similar situations and exercised my freedom with whom to conduct trade. ;)
 
I'm using a computer bag from Staples. Holds my iPad and everything else I need. I keep most of the big stuff like headsets in the plane.
 
denverpilot said:
Bought one of the originals with bad zippers when they first came out and the company needed social media shares to even get market share.

Few years later they’d redesigned the zippers with something that wasn’t cheap crap. Went up to them in person at OSH and asked if they had any deals for the original purchasers who had the crap zippers.

Zip. Nada. Zilch.

Told them I’d never buy Brightline again.

Decided any re-posts of their early marketing videos and help we gave them through our podcast back then would be nullified by me telling everyone I met from that day on, that they didn’t take care of the people who got them where they are today.

Bought a Carhartt bag with metal zippers and hundreds of dollars cheaper.

Screw ‘em. Way better bags outside of the 10x markup aviation space, but they certainly had the profit margin on those things to make it right on the zipper thing.
Click to expand...
I knew I liked u!! Now that’s how u hold a grudge. I’m the same way. I have a “list”
Of restaurants and stores that I will never ever enter and furthermore will regale the tale of how I was scorned in the past to whomever might ask. I have often stated that I have the opportunity to see about 25 ppl a day who are my captive audience and I plan on telling my tale to at least half for the next ten years!! Love it. I was looking at one of those bags and now have a good reason to stay clear. See @denverpilot ypu can still impact the bastards!!!
 
I guess I got a newer Brightline bag, zippers have never given me issues. I got mine off eBay so I avoided the markup.

It's been a great bag, I like it because it sits perfectly on the floor of a 172 between the rear and front seats.

It really is a toolbox. My flashlights, multitool, and other spare stuff is easily accessible (once I remembered what pocket I used).
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top