“As an experiment, I decided to forgo the usual “laptop bag plus clothes bag” routine for this recent 5-day trip. Keep in mind that as a guy in relatively warm weather, I can get away with a single pair of pants and a few short-sleeve shirts for a 5-day trip, counting my “all black day-of-travel spill hiders” as one of the sets.”
– Read merlyn’s entire post “Brain Bag as sole bag for a weekend trip” to find out how the Brain Bag (and Convertible Packing Cube Shoulder Bag and Convertible Packing Cube Backpack) worked.
Brain Bag as sole bag for a weekend trip.
My new Empire Builder: Deliverance!
“But the Empire Builder has exceeded my wildest expectations. Start with the shipping box — it’s sturdy far past the need, and taped all around the bottom to ensure that no matter what abuses the box may endure during shipping, the contents will be protected. Open the box and you find…exactly what you ordered! No ‘sorry but… is on back order. No marketing brochures. No exhortations to purchase Gevaila coffee, Reader’s Digest books, or any ‘maybe you’d also like this…’ offers. And unlike the $70, 10-workday wonder I last bought, there also was no gratuitous certificate and thank-you letter for purchasing ‘a bag of fine quality you’ll carry with pride for years.’
The product itself delivers a message of quality, craftsmanship and pride.
The bag itself is a wonder. High quality materials. Higher quality construction. Design that is intelligent and inspired. my two adult children have seen and handled the bag, and I think I’m going to have to put it in my will. I’m confident I’ll have it for years, no matter what my commute does to it. I have a Dell laptop, charger, Blackberry and charger, personal cell phone and charger, DayTimer notebook, assorted keys, cables, books, magazines, train schedules, lunch, bills and other mail I haven’t gotten to and more. And the bag isn’t even half full, even with the number 4 Horizontal Brain Cell I also bought. I think my laptop actually sighed with relief when I slid it in to the Brain Cell.”
Customer Daniel Beltra with his Super Ego
Above is a picture of customer and award-winning photographer Daniel Beltra on location with his Tom Bihn Super Ego messenger bag. To see Daniel’s pictures and read more about his work, see this previous blog post. And, yes, that is a Black/Hunter/Steel Super Ego: Daniel received one of the last of that color combination.
Gear Diary Review: Guardian Dual-Function Light
“I am still trying to decide if I want to keep mine in my bag (so I can see whats lurking in the bottom), or clip it to a my bag’s exterior for safety at night. The cool thing is that this one light can easily provide the solution for a multitude of situations.” – Read the entire review over at Gear Diary or see the Guardian Light for yourself.
Review from OBOW Forums: Aeronaut and SkyTrain compared
“Background: Until recently, and for several years, I used an MEI Voyageur for all of my carry-on travel. I love the MEI’s backpack harness and hip belt, but don’t like that it’s one compartment and has no real shaping (ergo, it flops around like a duffel bag). I decided to try the RedOxx SkyTrain and the Bihn Aeronaut to see whether one of them would be an overall better solution.” – Visit the One Bag, One World Forums to read John’s entire comparison review.
Update: Going through airport security with the Soft Cell
“Again, no hassle at all using the Soft Cell at ATL yesterday. And I saw signs along the approach ropes that specifically described the new rules. I looked around a bit for other laptops, and didn’t see any though, bagged or otherwise.” – merlyn
“On trips from August 10 to August 17.
I did not have to take out either of my laptops housed in a Soft Cell or in a
Monolith (the ancestor of the Brain Cell that has no mesh pockets and is thus TSA compatible)
It was a blessing, as I was tired.
The airports were Baltimore, Birmingham, Dulles, Huntsville, Regan International
Airport (DC).” – backpack
“I had my laptop in a soft sided felted case going through Newark and Fort Lauderdale this past week. They didn’t say anything to me about having to take the computer out of the case. Seems like the TSA actually passed around the memo on this one.” – Tzporah
Excerpted from the Tom Bihn Forums thread heckpoint-friendly bags – Soft Cell is OK.
Using a 10+ year old TOM BIHN backpack on the Tahoe Rim Trail
“I’ve owned this pack for 12 years, and it has been more places with me than I care even remember, and it still looks and functions like new. Years ago, when I was interning in San Jose, my Jan Sport pack fell to pieces and I wanted a replacement that would out last it, and the mainstream packs didn’t instill confidence. I happened into Tom Bihn’s small shop in Santa Cruz, and met the designer himself. I knew I wanted one of his packs.”
