The Side Effect is a bag that has evolved directly from user feedback (mostly from folks on our Forums). The original Side Effect was a small waist pack: you guys were cutting off the waist straps, attaching Key Straps, and envisioning new ways to use the bag which we hadn't. Other mods — more O-rings, different label placement, a removable waist belt — were not DIY-able for you all. We decided it was time to catch up, and then some.

Think of the Side Effect as a deluxe, tricked out, fully organizable 3D Organizer Cube. The main compartment zips with two sliders; inside the main compartment are four O-rings -- two set dead center and two set in lower inside the bag in the side panels. There's also two open-top organizer pockets sized for your phone, a small notebook, or a wallet. The open space in the main compartment can fit larger items: 8-oz water bottle, small camera, sunglasses, power supplies, souvenirs.

On the outside of the bag is a zippered pocket sized specifically for a passport (or multiple passports — in case you're carrying your kid's passport or you are Jason Bourne). That pocket spans the full width of the Side Effect; there's one O-ring inside it and clipped to that O-ring is an included 8" Key Strap in Black. The other side is clean: a solid panel of fabric. You choose which side of the Side Effect is the "front" and which side is the "back" by how you wear it.

Included 5/8" Shoulder Strap
On either side of the Side Effect are O-rings to which you can attach the included 5/8" Shoulder Strap — nylon webbing, adjustable, with plastic snaphooks (no pad). Wear it over your shoulder or cross body, or use the 5/8" Shoulder Strap to hang the Side Effect on a coat hook or doorknob.

Optional Waist Strap
Also on the sides of the bag: unobtrusive webbing loops to which you can attach the optional 1" Waist Strap with our now-ubiquitous Gatekeepers. Attach the optional Waist Strap, buckle the bag around your waist or hips, and you've got a sweet waist pack — great for cycling, hiking, or any situation where you need your hands completely free.

Optional Handle Loop
Clip the Handle Loop to one of the O-rings on either side of the Side Effect and carry the whole affair in hand. Laden with heavy objects and swung correctly, the Side Effect becomes a weapon, but we would never suggest this use.

Key Strap
Clip one side of any variety of Key Strap to the Side Effect and then clip the other side of the Key Strap to an O-ring inside one of our larger bags. That way, the Side Effect stays tethered to your bag: convenient and secure. (Hint: the Side Effect fits in most of our bags, but we think it works especially well in the bottom pocket of the Synapse 25, side pocket of the Smart Alec, main compartments of the Small and Medium Cafe Bags, and clipped to the hidden O-rings in the Swift and The Little Swift.)

The Side Effect is available with an exterior of our U.S. made, high tenacity 1050 denier ballistic nylon or our ultralight 200d Dyneema®/200d nylon ripstop fabric. Both versions are lined with our ultralight 200d Dyneema®/200d nylon ripstop fabric.

Made in USA in the TOM BIHN Seattle factory

100% finished seams