Thank you! Oh man, small world! I remember watching your interview with Dan Matsuda! He's such an awesome guy! Just subbed to your channel! Yes, definitely let me know if yours has the issue or not, I'd be very interested to hear.👊🤙

@@FlawlessActivity Thanks for the support! 🙌 We love Dan too! 😁

Thanks! Yea, it was definitely a bummer, but I'm glad I was able to confirm at least one other pack was built okay before making this video, and COB customer service was definitely great in getting me sorted out! Things happen sometimes, and when they do, it's all about what you do next. So, in that respect, I do want to publicly thank the COB team for understanding and taking care of me. Glad to hear your COB product is serving you well! Appreciate the comment and support!🤙

You're welcome brother! Happy to help! These bags aren't cheap. Gotta make sure you'll like it. Appreciate the comment, it means a lot!👊🤙

Hey brother! Great to hear from you, and great question! Honestly, I didn't even think to put the two head to head, as they're pretty different, but to your point, I know plenty of people who travel with the A31 (and plenty who love hiking with it too). Let me caveat this, since I already returned the COB, I can't compare side by side anymore, so this is from memory. A31 has to hold more as a result of the rolltop, but COB is more squared off, so you can pack larger items like organizers easier in a stacking fashion. It's a really usable space for the main compartment. The bottom pocket on the COB is awesome, but the zipper to access it isn't that great. That said, the zippers to access the main compartment on the A31 aren't too great either. Far smoother and more durable feeling from an actual zipper point of view, but they get caught on the rain guards all the time. Front pockets on the A31 are way more usable size wise. The COB front pockets are flat, but the side with the full width pocket on the COB is nice vs the seam down the middle of the A31 that splits the size of the front organization in half. Comfort, I didn't get a chance to really wear the COB, but I was really impressed with the back panel and straps. I feel like it would have the edge, but I'll never know for sure. Overall, the COB has a lot more going on. Way more features, pockets, and a dedicated laptop compartment. For travel, it's probably a better design, especially without additional organization. That said, the A31 is simpler, but, IMO, the better built pack. It's just more robust and durable feeling. Bomb proof being a good word, vs the COB, where the zipper came off on its own. I kept the A31, where I sent the COB back, but I probably would pick a different pack for travel. I personally need a dedicated laptop compartment at a minimum for that, but that's just a strong personal preference on my part. Hope that helps!🤙