Red Oxx Sky Train Duffle Carry on Bag Review
My second review here at RMK from Red Oxx is the Sky Train. Red Oxx is a quality bag manufacturing company based out of Billings, Montana since 1986. If you have ever read a review of mine here at RMK you know how much I try to support any company that is willing to produce their products here in the US. +1 for Red Oxx. Ill throw in a quote here direct from the Red Oxx website. “Since we live here in Montana, our bags are handmade in Montana instead of offshore. This is our dream to build local jobs for regular people. We looked at redevelopment of our blighted neighborhood. This meant more local jobs and the capacity to grow. There’s only so much time in life to do good work. There’s the heart and soul of Montana in the hands-on touch of the people that work for us that goes into every one of our bags.” says Jim.”
Designed AND hand made in the U.S.A.
Purchase the Sky Train HERE
SPECS
"No Bull" Lifetime Warranty
Soft Unisuede padded retractable "hidden" backpack straps
Dual claw-style 360-degree backpack strap swivel clips
A.L.I.C.E. pack strap adjusters
Detachable Claw nonslip adjustable shoulder strap
Detachable adjustable sternum chest strap
Dual "Euro" clear vinyl carry handles (top and side)
Fabric: 1000 weight urethane coated, Dupont certified CORDURA® Brand Nylon
Weather resistant (NOT waterproof)
400 weight denier soft red nylon lining
4 lb. Volara closed cell foam padding on exterior back panel
All zippers #10 YKK VISLON® self-locking
1"W Zipper flaps on 2 main and strap compartments
Thread: Proprietary #92 bonded SolarMax Nylon
All seams double stitched and bound
Fair trade Monkey Fist Zip Knots on all zippers
Free heavy-duty vinyl luggage tag
Double box stitching on stress points such as carry handles
Includes Cable Lock
Choose from 12 vibrant colors
U.S.A. Dimensions: 20"L x 9"W x 13"H
Metric Dimensions: 50.8cm L x 22.7cm W x 33cm H
U.S.A. Capacity: 2,340 cubic inches
Metric Capacity: 38 Liters
U.S.A. Weight: 4 Pounds
Metric Weight: 1.81 Kilos
COMPARTMENTS
I absolutely love anything made in the US and with these type of materials. From the YKK #10 Zippers to the Cordura Fabric Red Oxx cuts no corners in making their bags. A company I will continue to support and watch grow. The I recently brought the Sky Train on my trip to Wisconsin this summer and let my brother load it out for the week while I used another Duffel to compare the two. The Sky Train fit more than enough for a weeks worth of clothes and etc for the trip. With the addition of some of my spare packing cubes to help my brother pack the Train it was a perfect carry on bag for the trip.
The bag in itself is somewhat simple and that is why I love it. Red Oxx tends to take a no bull approach to constructing and designing their bags which leads to flawless ease of use and some peace of mind when traveling. The main compartment was large enough to fit the whole weeks worth of clothes into three large packing cubes. The interior is a bright red which also aids in visibility.
On the front of the Sky Train there is a zippered side pocket which can be used to store smaller quick access items. This feature was a must have not only when traveling but when we used the duffles on a day hike during our trip.
On the top of the bag as pictured above there is a large grab handle to help if you need to pick the pack up vertically. Also in the picture above you can see that I am not using the included shoulder strap. I am using the stow-able padded shoulder straps which turns this bag into a larger day pack. Seeing as this was the only bag we brought on the trip this feature is amazing in aiding with “One Bag” travel. The shoulder straps are very well padded and clip onto the bottom of the bag when in use. During the day the straps kept me comfortable even with the bag almost fully loaded. If I were to do extreme hiking while on a trip however I would opt to bring a dedicated hiking bag. While not in use the straps can be stowed in a zippered compartment on the back side of the Sky train.
The Sky Train for me excels not only in design but just the small details that Red Oxx puts into their work. On the picture below you can see the expert stitching along with the extra material they add that covers the zipper to add extra water and dirt protection. The YKK #10 zippers they also use are amazing and can be easily opened and close with one hand.
OVERVIEW
All in all the Sky Train carry on bag from Red Oxx is one of the best One bag travel packs I have used. It has the right amount of storage options to carry all of your gear without being a hassle to get into. The option to be able to carry the bag with the padded straps is great for longer travel or day to day excursions. To finish it off the quality of the bag is second to none and also backed with Red Oxx’s Lifetime Guarantee which will let you abuse and take this thing everywhere you go without worry.
+
Made in the US
YKK #10 Zippers
Cordura Fabric
High-Vis Interior
Removable Padded Shoulder Straps
Included Claw Shoulder Strap
Reinforced Stitching On Every Seam
Lifetime Guarantee
Tons of Color Options
-
Can get heavy due to material
Straps are not for long distance hiking
No internal frame (Which I honestly prefer for these bags however, some people may see this as a negative)