The Size 2XXLT Brain Cell is now in-stock. The 2XXLT fits the Acer Aspire 8920-6671, HP HDX 18t, Sony PCG 8Y2L, Sony VAIO VGN AW Series, and Toshiba Qosmio G55, among others.
The Clear Organizer Wallet is now in-stock in all colors: Indigo, Plum, Cocoa, Navy (solid – no clear front), Olive, Steel Dyneema, and Black.
trip has posted more pictures of the camping trip and visit to Cape Flattery. View them in the TOM BIHN Forums.
Above: trip and family with the Smart Alec in Steel at Cape Flattery in Washington State. See a larger version of the picture in the TOM BIHN Forums.
Below are excerpts of posts from TOM BIHN Forum members on what they think of the Securing Cabin Baggage Act. Read the full thread (and add your thoughts) here. See this earlier post for more background on the Securing Cabin Baggage Act.
bluedenim wrote: “I actually think this is a good idea as it would standardize everything across airlines.”
timothy: “As things that could be done by the TSA go, this strikes me as one of the more sensible, in a (literally) weights-and-measures way. “
maverick: “if more manufacturers would make their bags to be sized within the guidelines posted by airlines, such a law wouldn’t be necessary.”
Nana8: “Thank goodness for Tom Bihn and his foresight! I think this bill makes perfect sense particularly if one (or many) have connecting flight on different airlines (different carry-on dimensions). Too bad the airlines themselves couldn’t agree on this in some sort of collaboration rather than TSA!”
timothy added:
“I’ve been thinking about more since posting my above reply, and after a while flashed on what I see as a real problem in this approach: flexibility! It discourages airlines from introducing different baggage-handing ideas altogether.”
backpack:
“The standard is already in place and should be enforced by the airlines, but it isn’t.
I don’t like the idea of transfering bag size requirement to the TSA.
It is also a flawed law since it doesn’t describe what a “personal item” is.”
MagicTiki: “I also agree with Maverick’s comment: why is this a national security issue? Shouldn’t individual airlines be responsible for enforcing their own rules for the benefit of their customers?”
“For years, my friend Matt Bruggmann has been answering my complaints about travel bags with a single recommendation: “Get a Tom Bihn. Matt would know, too: He’s a photographer whose work often takes him around the world to places where he has to bring all his gear with him.
Matt’s a fan of the Aeronaut, which manages to be just the maximum size a carry-on bag can be, but it seemed just a tad too large for my needs. At worst, I tend to bring along a 15-inch MacBook Pro, a couple of cameras, and a few changes of clothes. (For trips shorter than a week, I just bring clean underwear and socks and a couple of shirts, washing them out to wear with a single pair of pants.) The Aeronaut could probably hold me for over a week, but I rarely make trips for longer than three or four days anymore that aren’t road trips.
So six months ago I asked Tom Bihn if they’d loan me a Western Flyer, a smaller version of the Aeronaut that shares its bigger brother’s most nifty trick: converting from an over-the-shoulder bag to a backpack using integrated straps.
It’s a hell of a bag.”
– Read the entire review by Joel Johnson @ Boing Boing Gadgets. Then, check out the Western Flyer for yourself.
“I ordered my Brain Bag about a week ago, and it arrived today. When I was deciding which bag to get, I came across the FAQ on your website and noticed the entry for “Why are TOM BIHN bags so cheap?” I thought (at the time) that while the bags seemed to be a good value, they couldn’t exactly be described as inexpensive.
But when I took delivery of the bag today, I realized that the build quality, design, and overall feel of the bag compares favorably with that of my Canadian-made Arcteryx trekking backpack. While those bags serve a different purpose, the Arcteryx daypacks have comparable or higher prices to the TOM BIHN bags. Thus I am led to the conclusion that, given its level of quality and design, the Brain Bag is a steal at the listed price.
i would buy TOM BIHN bags in the future.” -Excerpted from an email we received today from customer Peter
Our Seattle Factory Showroom will be open tomorrow from 12-6pm. Visit before 3pm and you’ll see our Seattle factory in action. For directions and further information, click here.
The Aeronaut in Steel/Steel is now sold out. It is available for backorder and ships by 08/12. If you are interested in the Aeronaut for an upcoming trip and need it by 08/12, we recommend ordering one of the remaining colors (Indigo/Solar, Steel/Solar, Black/Steel, Crimson/Steel) ASAP.
“What I liked: It has a bombproof construction like all Tom Bihn bags I have reviewed. I like the 3 compartments versus the Western Flyer’s 2 compartments. The drink bottle compartment and the backpack straps make this the most versatile bag ever from Tom Bihn.
What needs improvement: I would say price except that this bag is worth every penny you pay. Once you have bought a Tom Bihn bag, you won’t wear it out!”
Read the full review – complete with more pictures of the Tri-Star in Crimson – @ Gear Diary. Or, see the Tri-Star.
“Six weeks, nine countries, one bag: Alice Russell reveals her packing regime.”
“Find the right bag. The lighter the bag, the more scope for the stuff that goes in it. Be wary of wheeled bags: compared with carry bags of the same dimensions, the wheels and mechanism weigh more and the bags hold less. On any kind of roughish terrain, including cobblestones, you will end up carrying the wheeled bag anyway. An online search yields better bags than any I found in Australia: my “Western Flyer“, a compact carry-on that converts to a backpack (tombihn.com) weighs about 1.1kilograms”
