Red Oxx Sunchaser: an in-depth review.

NOTE: If you aren't a bag enthusiast like myself then odds are you won't have the strength to make it through this rather lengthy review about a bag. My advice, read it anyway and become a bag enthusiast. It'll only serve you well in the long run.

For those of you who've never been in a room with me longer than 60 seconds, it's possible you might be unaware of my love for travel gear, specifically bags, luggage and backpacks. You see, the thing is, bags aren't just bags. Bags are potential. Potential to travel, potential to explore, potential to see things and do things and be things that otherwise wouldn't ever come to pass if you don't have the right bag. The association between the gear I use and the places I go are so enmeshed that I can't imagine a trip without thinking about what I'll pack my crap in.

Nobody would even care about this photo if it weren't for my backpack. 

That being said, I'm always searching for new outlets and people to air my praise of the gear I use to.  

Wa-La!

I have a blog. 

So tonight's post is a review of one (of the many) Red Oxx bags I'm proudly an owner of. This particular model is really an all-purpose duffel bag. Like all Red Oxx gear, it's extremely over-built and includes the companies "No-bull" lifetime warranty, which means if anything ever happens to it, send it in and they'll either repair it, or send you a new one. Let me take a moment to reiterate the build quality of their products. Seriously, the bags are made of some of the toughest material you can find. Heavy-duty 1050d Ballistic Nylon, double and triple stitching at stress points and one heck of a shoulder strap. This is the norm at Red Oxx. They even tell you to include the bag in your will!
Oh, and did I mention they're based out of Billings, Montana. 

U-S-A!

Let's start off looking at the shoulder strap. They call it, "the Claw." All Red Oxx bags are soft-sided and wheel-less, which means you're either carrying it via handle or throwing it over your shoulder. I've seen some great bags that are ruined because of their crappy shoulder strap. Some slide off, some twist and turn, some dig in to your skin and others are just flat out flimsy and rip. None of these are a problem with the Claw. 

It comes standard with all their bags or you can buy it separately for $20. Whether or not you ever get one of their bags, the claw is a hardcore companion to most luggage in need of a replacement strap. If I ever need to use some other bag (a very rare and unfortunate occasion), I always make sure to switch out the strap with the claw.
Now, I would go so far to say that this is the best shoulder strap you can get but I've heard of equally good things about the "Absolute Shoulder Strap" from Tom Bihn. I haven't had a chance to test it out but I've got one headed my way. So expect to see a review of some Tom Bihn gear soon.

Swivel-swing loaded clasps that make attaching/detaching quick and easy. 

The Claws attach securely to two stainless steel D rings. 

The first thing to malfunction on any bag is almost always the zippers. Is there anything more frustrating than to be somewhere with your suitcase or backpack and have the zippers get stuck, or worse, break!?! No. Which is why Red Oxx gear sport #10 YKK zippers. These things are big. For some, they might be a little too big. What's great about them though is their anti-slip locking mecdhanism. If you have a bag filled to the brim, most zippers will begin to "creep" open as a result of over stuffing. With these zippers, you literally have to give a good pull to release the lock. It's a small but genius fix that you didn't even know you needed. 

Attached to the zippers are "monkey knots,"
which make opening and closing a synch. 

The front side contains two pockets to do with as you wish- one larger than the other. I've managed to fit a weekends supply of toiletries AND my wife's makeup bag in the larger pouch. I'll leave the top zipped open on the smaller one and it's a perfect fit for my water canteen to slide in and out of.

At the gig.

The back side doubles as either a third, long awkward pouch, or open both the top and bottom zippers and slide the handle of some rolling luggage through to keep it steady on.

One of my favorite features on the bag is its side grab loops. You wouldn't think much of it, but when you're reaching for it in an overhead bin or pulling it out from under a seat, it's just... Awesome.

"Dodger"

The main handle on top of the bag is composed of two straps that snap together. It's got little padding, and honestly, it's the only real complaint I have with Redoxx gear. Here's the thing, it works, yes, but it's kind of a drag to have to snap together the handle every time you open and close your bag. Most of the time I just leave it flapping around as I have it "clawed" to my shoulder. This isn't a huge deal, but it's worth stating.

At least it looks good.

The main compartment of the bag is pretty straightforward. The bottom is padded but the sides aren't, which means unless you have this thing packed, it won't keep it's shape. This can be a good thing or a bad thing, depending on what you want.

Getting into the bag is easy as ever. Two zippers run parallel along the top of the bag which allows you to roll back the top and access/pack you belongings with a wide opening.

Closed, the bag can be further saftied by using their cross-snap-pull through thingies (?).  The Sun Chaser has two small D-rings placed by the end zippers in case you want to lock them in place. Didn't get a great pic of this feature though.

So far, I've used it as a gym bag, for weekend get-away's, at my gigs and, as you noticed, as a comfy lil' bed for puppies. As always, the folks at Red Oxx have made a quality product that'll likely outlast you.

"Ok, so what's the catch?"

Easily put, the bags are expensive. Like, really expensive.
This one will cost you $155 plus shipping.

But remember, YOU GET WHAT YOU PAY FOR. These bags are made to last, and should you choose to pony up the money you'll be thankful years down the road. Why spend $50 on a bag that will only survive the winter? My advice, if you're in the market for some kind of luggage, especially if you travel regularly, whether duffel, backpack, suitcase or messenger bag, stop by Redoxx' website and take a look around.

The Sun Chaser

Pro's
*extremely overbuilt and made to last
*large top entry flap back opening
*padded bottom protection
*side grab loops
*looks good and available in 12 colors

Con's
*pricey
*top handle can be annoying
*limited organization

Saturday, in the park.

After a hectic and overwhelming week, playing a wedding and treating myself to some sonic Friday night was a solid way to kick off the weekend.

It was the second time I've gotten to play at the okc farmers market and the place was packed. Really great crowd, lots of dancers, and I randomly ran into some of Me and Carmon's friends, Wyatt and Laura.

Best Groom's cake ever!

Saturday was predominantly sleeping in and hanging out with the Kelly family. It was 70 degrees outside so we went and hung out to Hafer park. We always have a great time with the Kelly's, even if we only see them twice a year.

Emry, our Godchild, studying some wood.

Turns out Hafer park is actually the place Christian proposed to Tara. Since then, Carmon and I have been fortunate enough to share life with the two of them, and of course, their gorgeous daughter Emry. 

Emry enjoying the swings. 

Emry enjoying the seesaw. 

Emry enjoying my camera. 

When we arrived at the park we drove past a group playing some sort of medieval nerf sword game. It was quite the spectacle. I actually knew a few of the people in the mob. 

"So much better than Skyrim."

Afterwards, we made a quick coffee stop at All About Cha. I hate trendy coffee places.

...yet I'm a member at Bridgeway. 

Not too much of an exciting post this weekend, I know. But t'was a relaxing few days, and Emry deserves some props for her modeling.

7 influences that have shaped and defined my college experience

Did I really hit 20? Like, three years ago? Wait, I'm married... a college graduate... and I have my own apartment, and an apartment with its accompanying bills?!?! The realization of adulthood has hit me with full force, leaving me temporarily paralyzed with unbelief at the situation at hand. The onset of adult hood has ushered in the beginning of a new era. One filled with both joy and suffering. Of course, I speak of the suffering that only at&t customer service can summon. The company is more disorganized than Bane's plot on Gotham.

"This is the instrument of your liberation."

College, life's Golden Corral buffet, has come to an end. And like the buffet, I'm walking away from the university satisfied but a bit uncertain as to what it'll do to me.

"Mmmm, statistics..."

Don't get me wrong, the past four, errr, five years of school have been great. I'm certainly a different person than who I was out of HighSchool. No doubt I've learned a lot (as apposed to "alot". Thank you Comm III) But to attribute this change solely to a collection of classroom lectures would be to deny all the hundreds of other people and events that have influenced me over the past four years. So, in honor of those influences who are responsible for shaping me, whether person or event, I've compiled a list of the top 7 influences of my college career. In no particular order, here they are:

You know, the show about a group of stranded boar hunting-love affair-time traveling islanders. It's really a great show if you enjoy wasting 6 seasons of your life to figure out that (spoiler alert) THEY'RE ALL DEAD!

"No really, that was the plan all along." 

Even with it's flaws, I still have a massive debt to the show. Not because of anything relating to the show, though. You see, during my freshman year I took a class called "intro to ministry", and in that class I was required to find a mentor for the semester. Any mentor. Literally anybody would do as long as he was older than myself. All that was required was to meet once a week with the mentor and, ummm, do mentor stuff? I had three weeks from the beginning of the semester to find one. Well, being the top-notch student that I was, I gave myself ample time to find just the right guy to mentor me. And by ample time I mean I randomly asked some guy I didn't know an hour before I needed to have one commit to me. That man was Chance Vanover.  

From left to right:
(Mason Drumm, the Chapel Guy, Carmon Drumm)

I was in a bind and needed a mentor THAT DAY. So I looked around me, saw the chapel guy, and thought,"if he can deal with 1,500 students everyday what's one more?" Thus began one of the most influential relationships I've formed this past 5 years. "Wait a minute," you say, "what'd LOST have to do with this?" Great question! Our weekly meetings were really just a prerequisite for him having me and my (then) girlfriend, Carmon, over to his house to watch the last season of LOST together. It was during those times when the Vanover's and Drumm's really got to know each other. And for the theologically minded, LOST is a playground for biblical symbolism and parallelisms for nerds like us to talk about. I actually remember walking in to his office and seeing this:

I rest my case. 

Apart from what shows I watched, Chance had an even bigger hand in shaping my faith. It was those early years of college that paved the way for things to come. I remember lots of wrestling with new ideas and challenges to some of my long held assumptions. God totally used him to really root the truths of the gospel in my life and for that I'm eternally grateful.

There are, no doubt, others that have been influential in my life, spiritually speaking. But more than any other one person, It was Chance that really opened the doors for a new era of thinking and studying to begin, which brings me to the next big influence/shaper on my list.

-Reformed Theology-

I already know some people are going to read that and be all like, "theology idolatry!" That's ok, but I have it on my list not because I love assigning myself to a certain sect or branch out of pride or something like that, no, I have it on the list because it works as a good blanket term for a huge group of readers, writers, thinkers, doers, preachers and teachers that all have ties to this "tribe" of Christianity. Despite attending a rather non-reformed school, pastors like John Piper, Matt Chandler, Francis Chan, and Timothy Keller have made their ways into my line of sight. And in some odd harmonious way, I've  come to a deeper understanding of the sovereignty of God and the depravity of man through their works. For how long their influence will hold on to my ever changing views... I don't know. 

"I said restoration, not reformation!"

Since we're talking about reformers, it's fitting then to go on to my next big influence. He has been my roommate, my bassist, my groomsman and constant academic crutch. Perhaps the smartest person I know and one of my closest friends. Ladies and gentleman, I give you Zach Dawson.

Quite the scholar. 

But seriously, there was a time in college when I was kind of just drifting along. I was doing alright academically, but I really wasn't taking school as seriously as I could have. Zach changed that.

The first time I met him I hated the guy. He showed up to class all dressed up, with his little curly hair, and his fancy starbucks coffee and his nose all up in the air (I made that part up). With his devilish good looks I knew he'd be a threat to my game. He was a year younger than myself and I couldn't help but notice he was a rather intelligent guy. In fact, he's the only person I know that literally stops and thinks about what he is going to say before he says it. Unless he has a mandolin...

...in which case he says and does anything that comes to mind. 

But it was Dawson that really impacted the way I thought of my education. He displayed what it is to honor God with your mind. Both in purity and in intellectual excellence. His friendship spurred me on to do the same and that's something that I take with me everywhere I go now. I only wish he'd improve his handwriting.

Seriously Dawson, how do you do that?

Moving on...

Have you seen this photo before?

(Rhetorical question)

Of course you have. Because if you're my friend on facebook I have to assume you've looked through every one of my photo albums. All 38 of them. Just as I have yours. And in your queries through my albums you undoubtedly recognized the canny resemblance of the above photo to a recent blockbuster poster. That's right, you're not mistaken, 'Les Miserables'! I was there baby, where all that movie magic happened!

...turns out they cut this part.

NBD. Visiting places like this was common for me in 2010. Not only did I see Hobbiton, but me and a handful of other students got to travel around Asia and the Pacific for three months together with nothing but our backpacks and chopsticks.

...well, mostly backpacks.

Countries visited: Hong Kong/China, Japan, New Zealand and Australia. Ironically, the highlight of my time at OC was when I wasn't at OC. Thus making my Pacrim experience a no-brainer for this list. How could it not make it? If there was ever a life-changing, eye-opening, worldview-challenging event than this would fit the bill.

Forced to hangout with 11 other students, I'm now friends with some of the coolest people I know that I'd otherwise never had befriended. Even more, Me and our sponsor, Jeff Simmons, hit it off and have since gone through a few books together.

Highly recommended.

The trip left me with a desire to do more. More learning, more studying, more evangelizing, more reading, and definitely more traveling. In fact, it's likely the biggest influencer on Carmon and I's decision to move to Japan. I mean come on, there's a Pokemon Center of the world!

SO awesome...

Had I not experienced it before, no way I'd up and move there now.  Just don't remind me of the sea of people and the fact that Japan is the most densely populated country on Earth.

...NOT so awesome.

What are we thinking?

Shortly after my trip I was asked to fill a drumming position with a band. Now, to this day I don't understand why I was afforded the opportunity. The band has been around for over twenty years, includes some of the greatest musicians in Oklahoma, has steady gigs, and plays awesome music. Again, why and how I came to be a part of it is beyond me.

I do bring a certain level of classiness though.

Regardless of the reason, Im honored to have played with these guys. Because of them, I've learned some valuable things and grown as a musician, which is why SOULED OUT - and all the musicians in it, have a spot on this list.

Brian's fro almost made the cut.

In OKC, drummers are a dime a dozen. Don't believe me? Search our craigslist under gigs and see what comes up. What you won't find is a band looking for a drummer, save country western bands but they don't count. You will, however, see plenty of adds by drummers looking for a band. Thankfully, I haven't had to do that. Perhaps one of the only downsides about moving to Japan is that I wont get to play with these guys anymore (and Amy, you're one of "these guys"). Jamming with them will be sorely missed.

Especially those 100-degree Fahrenheit gigs.

Now in this next one I'm kind of cheating a bit because there's really two influences, but I'm rolling them together. Partly because the two of them shared the same seasons of my life, and partly because I can't remember one without thinking of the other. I recall the two working in unison at the beginning of my sophomore summer. Slowly chiseling away at all of my comfort zones and musical preferences. This was a particularly vulnerable time in a college students life. The time where he or she finds out who they are, what is and isn't socially acceptable, and whether or not you are "too cool for school".

I'm not.

While the influences mentioned earlier have all shaped my my intellect, theology, and musicianship, none of those have affected my personality like the following two people.

SammyD and Keith. Or, Sam Durrill and Keith Ellingson. Or elingston, or ellinson. His last name isn't important, but what is important is the few summers I spent riding in a bus with them on tour. 
The occasion, a school sponsored summer long tour where myself and 7 other musicians performed cover songs to a vast collection of Christian summer camps. We were called The Summer Singers. But people knew us as THE Summer Singers.

"The most exhilarating live performance of our time."
-Rolling Stones Magazine

There were others in the bus over the years for sure, all of which are great friends that I love and miss. But the transformation that happened in me that first summer is largely due to the acts of these two guys:

:( & :)

You may be shocked to find out, but I was once sported a rather uptight, cautious, and no-bologna attitude. If, for instance, a group of people wanted to have a dance party in a moving vehicle then I would have no part in it! It's unsafe, likely against the law, and, depending on the song, could possibly lead to uncomfortable situations with awkward pelvic movements.

Grade-A Bologna.

Or, should a member of the band desire to de-pants somebody in front of a large crowd, I'd object with full force. That didn't stop them though. Completely inappropriate! 

However, after a summer with Keith and Sam I was changed forever. Turns out that if you're around somebody for a certain period of time you begin to mirror them. That's what happened with me. And thankfully, those guys have a great sense of humor, positive attitudes, and a real love for people that I'd like to think rubbed off on me. 

Really, if I've learned anything from the two of them, it's that I'm not as cool as I'd like to think I am. As a result, I don't have to be worried about some superficial reputation, I don't have to always be in control, and most importantly, I can enjoy being myself no matter who I'm around. 

Let's us continue...

Throughout the last few years I've really been able to do a lot of things. And as you know, things aren't cheap, but if you're lucky you get what you paid for. My college education for instance was quite the expense. My Pacrim trip I mentioned earlier was also quite the expense. Not to mention housing, food, books clothes and tons of other essential necessities that have added up over these last few years.

ESSENTIAL* 

Now, I'd like to go ahead and give a shout out to my Dad and Mom right now because they were definitely the ones that I've been piggy-backing on for the last 5... 22 years.

Of course my parents were a huge influence these last few years, but I'm trying to keep this post centered around my college experience, and so I'll turn to another parent-like figure. He's the one that introduced me to OC. He's responsible for a lot of the musical opportunities I've been blessed with, and he's granted me scholarship awards. Which, by the way, made piggy-backing a little less strenuous for my parents. Yes, I'm very much indebted to my college music jazz professor.

"Dr. Jones, Dr. Jones!"

I met Heath in High School during State Jazz competition. The event has been hosted at OC for as long as I can remember, and every year during the competition, unbeknownst to me, he'd plant the idea in my head that I should attend his University and be in his jazz band.
At the time, all I knew was that I wanted to drum for a jazz band and get some type of religious education, and it turns out there's not too many colleges that can offer both without compromising on one or the other. That is, except OC. So long story short I enrolled at OC, and since then, Jones has always been somebody that's helped me to see life in the most positive way possible. Even though he probably doesn't know it, a few of the most pivotal decisions in my life have been influenced by his advice and actions.

Including this one. 

Now, let me reiterate that there are so many more people and things that have shaped me over these past few years. Spring sing band, Westwood, Christopher Nolan and Calvin's Eggs just to name a few. The one's mentioned are just a couple of the first to come to mind. There is one blaring omission some might be thinking of. She's about 4 feet tall, dark hair, gorgeous, met her at OC freshman year, fell in love, proposed, engaged, then married... her name is Carmon...my wife. She is, without a doubt, the MOST influential person to have entered my life. But placing her next to all these other things and people wouldn't do justice to her. She deserves her own post. Maybe even her own blog. Maybe even her own book. That's it! I'll write her biography... but later. For now though, you'll have to get along with this.

Seriously. NG needs to get on this.