Tom Bihn makes some of the best backpacks on the market. I’ve recently covered their Synik 30, which I was thoroughly impressed with, so when I was offered the chance to check out the new Tom Bihn Guide’s Edition Paragon Backpack, I was eager to do so.
Being someone who’s never truly found the perfect bag, I always find myself looking for a bag that doesn’t think too much of itself, one that will fit into every situation. I’ve had people throw out various names of overpriced backpacks that either have little to no storage, very little organization or put so much of an emphasis on being stylish that they end up being ugly.
It’s been a while since Tom Bihn released the original Synapse backpack. I liked it very much except that it does tend to look a little silly on a big guy like me, and sometimes it’s just a bit too small to hold the things I want to bring along. Apparently I am not the only one who has said that, which led Tom to design a bigger version of the Synapse, called the Synapse 25. The original Synapse is still being made, and is now called the Synapse 19. What’s New?
I love all of my Tom Bihn bags for multiple reasons. From the Aeronaut to the Synapse, they are all high quality bags and each one of them still looks like brand new — even with repeated trips over the years I have owned them. Plus every bag is made right here in the United States! You can’t say that about most backpacks and bags these days! Tom Bihn now has a new and improved version of one of my favorites, the Synapse. The new Synapse 25 isn’t just a bigger version of the Synapse (now called the Synapse 19);…
If you are looking for a small, light backpack you can stop reading now. If, on the other hand, you are looking for a backpack that is large, flexible, comfortable to carry and tough enough to last and last keep reading. Tom Bihn’s Brain Bag is a pricey backpack that is large and flexible enough to serve as a weekender, as a camera backpack or as a laptop backpack. On second thought, the Tom Bihn backpack is large and flexible enough to serve all of those functions at the very same time. The company was kind enough to send over…
If you are looking for a serious briefcase that is tough, carries a ton, and has plenty of organizational pockets — but nimbly avoids the pitfall of looking like the stuffy, square briefcase your father carried — then you’ll want to check out the Tom Bihn Zephyr. The Zephyr is built with the quality we have come to know and expect from Tom Bihn. Materials are stellar; the design takes into account the varied ways people use their bags, and the build-quality is second to none. Oh, and as is always the case with Tom Bihn bags, the Zephyr is…
If, like Judie and me, you got a MacBook Pro with retina display, then you know it is a lot of computer and can easily serve as your only computer. It is for Judie and me and, save for the 512GB of storage, there is zero compromise involved. And if you have a MBPr you also know that while it is still significantly heavier than Apple’s MBA line it is the most portable 15″ MBP they have ever released. That means you are likely taking it with you most days and want a good way to protect it. Tom Bihn’s…
Judie loves her MacBook Pro with Retina Display. I love my MacBook Pro with Retina Display. And any of my friends who bit when Apple announced their “best Mac ever” love it too. Yes, the new MacBook Pro is a fantastic computer. And while it still weighs significantly more than the MacBook air it is lighter, and therefore more portable, than that standard MBP 15″. If you are going to carry the laptop you are going to want to protect it… in style. Tom Bihn has more than 17 different options among travel bags, backpacks, briefcases, and messenger bags for…
There are a few companies that consistently impress me with the design, functionality and quality of their laptop and iPad bags. Tom Bihn is one of them and, with the recent release of the updated Ristretto bag for iPad, 11″ MacBook air and 13″ MBA they have, yet again, proven why they are such a great company. For the past few months my “go to” bag has been the Skooba Design V.3 Tablet Messenger. It is a great bag that I continue to use and enjoy. It holds my devices in “landscape” and, as I note in the review,…
I love when a company has a really good product but looks for ways to make it even better, and that’s exactly what Tom Bihn did with their Ristretto bag. We’ve reviewed the bag in a number of different sizes. You can read our review of the Ristretto, the Ristretto for iPad, and the review of the Ristretto for MacBook Air. The new Ristretto has a number of key improvements. We have a review sample on the way, but I wanted to run down the key changes in advance of that.
We love TOM BIHN’s bags and are always happy to see them bring out a new design. Today that design is the Cadet, a bag that is a laptop briefcase designed for Apple laptops including the 15″ MacBook Pro, 11″ and 13″ MacBook Air and the iPad 2. The Cadet is designed to carry your laptop or iPad, a few files or magazines, power supplies, pens, notebooks, and other small accessories. The Cadet is also a checkpoint friendly laptop bag. The Cadet comes in two sizes with one designed for a 15″ or 13″ MacBook and the other sized for…
When I got my iPad last spring I began carrying it with me pretty much everywhere. But I had a problem. Most of the laptop bags I had were just too big for the diminutive tablet. Sure they worked just fine but they were overkill. Moreover, the compartments designed for the laptop were often so big that the iPad often flopped around inside. I was happy to see Tom Bihn release one of their Ristretto bags that was perfectly sized for the iPad and had the pleasure of reviewing it for the site. I still use the bag constantly when…
A few weeks ago Thomas and I wrote about our ongoing debate regarding which MacBook Air to order. I started with a base 11″ MBA, moved to ordering a loaded 11″ version and then, after some back and forth with Thomas, ended up getting the 13″ MBA. He did too. It is an awesome machine and I thought I was done with my search. Then Judie had to get into the mix. She got an 11″ MBA and called it “my second best tech purchase ever… after the iPad.” Coming from Judie that is high praise and I realized that…
TOM BIHN is ready for the new MacBook Air notebooks with their Cache sleeve. There is one for the new 11″ MacBook Air that is available for pre-order and one for the 13″ that is already shipping. Here’s how the company describes their sleeve: A padded sleeve for your laptop, the Cache is designed to protect your laptop against scrapes and scratches. Its 1/4″ (6mm) thick foam padding laminated with an exterior of four-ply Taslan and an interior of brushed tricot cradles your laptop. No noisy Velcro® or zipper, the Cache closes by simply tucking a generous flap into the…
I carry my iPad with me pretty much everywhere I go these days. That means I need a good case… and a good bag. Tom Bihn was kind enough to send me one of their Ristretto bags. The Ristretto was originally designed for carrying netbooks but it works perfectly as an iPad bag. As soon as you look at the bag you are struck by the realization that this is a bag that was designed for use in the real world. It is relatively light when empty which is a good thing because part of the attraction of carrying the…
Tom Bihn is a company I have been following for a while now, ever since Judie reviewed the Aeronaut when she was still at The Gadgeteer. Tom Bihn is not only based right here in the United States, they make their bags in the US, which is a rarity among bag manufacturers. When Tom Bihn let me know about their new Synapse backpack, I jumped at a chance to review it. The exterior of the Synapse I was sent is made with Indigo colored 1000 denier U.S. Cordura, and the backpack is lined with Solar Dyneema/nylon rip-stop fabric. The Syapse is…
It’s not everyday I get a bag like this in the mail. Tom Bihn makes, in my humble opinion, the best travel bags period. The new Tristar bag is no exception! I say this as a Tom Bihn owner for quite some time. I have taken the Tom Bihn Aeronaut with me to DC on my last flight, and I used the Western Flyer and the Aeronaut when my son and I went to camp. The Aeronaut was kind of large to take on a school trip with my son to camp. Well, next year I can just use the…
I have always read the reviews Judie has done on Tom Bihn bags, and have always wanted one. Judie recently gave me her Aeronaut; I used it for my vacation and I really like the packing cube idea. I also think that the construction of the bag is top notch. However, the Aeronaut is simply too large when you just have to stay one or two nights. Also, the Aeronaut may have some issues with smaller ERJ-145 overhead compartments; that’s where the Western Flyer comes in. photos by Kevin
I’ve got a thing for notebook bags and over the years I have collected quite a few. This was, however, my first experience with a Tom Bihn bag and boy am I impressed. This is among the first of the new, TSA (Transportation Safety Administration) approved notebook bags that do not require removal of the device while winding your way through the security checkpoint gauntlet. The new TSA rules allow a notebook to remain in its case as long as there is an unobstructed view for the x-ray machine. That means there can be nothing blocking the notebook and that…
One of the many conveniences I’ve encountered while owning a MacBook Air has been the ability to slip the ultra-slim laptop into almost any bag for a quick carry solution; this includes larger laptops bags as well as some of my roomier purses. There are times however, when I’ve wished that I had a bag made to specifically transport the Air: something slim, streamlined, but still large enough to carry any peripherals and doo-dads I might need. Tom Bihn has released just such a bag; similar in style to their Cafe line, the Ristretto Messenger Bag is built with different…
It never fails that when I pack my gear, there are always small items which will sift to the bottom of my bag’s cavernous pockets. This doesn’t even take into account all of the times when I have needed a particular something, and no matter how neatly I thought I had it packed, I couldn’t find it when it was time. Well, no more. Tom Bihn makes a variety of Organizer Pouches, and I think that it would be safe to assume that there is something for everyone. Let’s take a look… Cordura Organizer Pouches
