Read the full post @ Seek New Travel.

See also:
The Aeronaut
Seek New Travel – TOM BIHN Aeronaut Best Luggage Ever

“The Tom Bihn Cadet ($170) is closer to being a ruggedized laptop briefcase, outfitted with extra space. The 11-inch Cadet feels tiny, yet it’s able to just swallow up a 13-inch MacBook Air even though Tom Bihn’s site doesn’t even claim it can. A padded inner sleeve clips into the case for extra security, and two zippered outer pockets hold cables, loose bits of gear, and your phone. Many laptop briefcases skimp on extra pockets as well, but the Cadet is perfect for carrying on a plane or taking away for a weekend…or even daily commuting.”

Read the full article by Scott Stein @ CNET

See also:
Ristretto for iPad
Cadet

“The Upper Modular Pocket is made from the same materials as the Smart Alec – the exterior is U.S. high tenacity 1050 denier ballistic nylon and the pocket lining is 200 denier Dyneema®/nylon ripstop fabric. The zipper is #8 YKK Aquaguard®, which gives the pocket the same water repellency as the Smart Alec – something I rarely see in an admin pouch. The quality is flawless. The stitching is laser straight with no loose threads and everything is reinforced in the right areas.”

Read the full review @ Loaded Pocketz and discuss the review with the author over at the EDC Forums.

See also:
Smart Alec
Smart Alec Upper Modular Pocket

Excerpted from the post “Gear List – 12 Month Round the World Trip” @ The Quest for Awesome:

You’re leaving the country for a year. What do you pack?

It took me 6 months to finish answering this question. Not only did people say I was crazy when I told them I’d be trying to do it with a 32 liter bag, they said it wasn’t possible. I ended up leaving the country with a 26 liter backpack [the Smart Alec].

Traveling as light as possible was the driving factor because of the freedom it allows (and partially just to see if I could do it). When a 26 L backpack is all I have:
There’s no need to check baggage
I look less like a tourist
I have higher mobility
I have lower dependency on having to find a spot to store/lockup my bag

Read the full post, complete with a detailed packing list, over at The Quest for Awesome.

“The lastest Tom Bihn Ristretto Bag for iPad is an evolutionary step in an already terrific bag. I’m not used to the zipper for the front accessory compartment, but it’s a whole lot more secure now. I don’t suggest you get hit by a car to test out the durability of Tom Bihn bags. I’ve done that for you already. You’re welcome.”

Read the full review (and find out what Andy Chen means by that whole hit-by-a-car thing) over at The Gadgeteer. See also: the Ristretto for iPad

“As a gear tester, there are those rare moments when you take something out of the box and you know instantly that you have something in hand that is going to be difficult to review because you’re not sure that words and pictures can do it justice. My unboxing of the Tom Bihn Smart Alec was one of those moments. The quality of materials and attention to detail is evident. Everything just feels better, which is strange because I’ve reviewed bags that on paper are constructed with many of the same raw materials.”

Read the full review — with 20+ photos — over at Loaded Pocketz.

Tools & Toys lists their favorite gadgets, designs, and gear of 2012. Making the list is our Smart Alec backpack:

“This year, I ordered an all-black Tom Bihn Smart Alec backpack. It’s got tons of space, but is comfortable, even when fully loaded. Tom Bihn has a ton of accessories to trick out your bag, and I use several, mainly for cable storage. If you’re like me and have lots of gear to haul, you really should check out this backpack.”

Read more @ Tools & Toys

The Ristretto for iPad in Black/Steel.

Excerpt:

On the recent MacMania 15 trip to Australia, we had over 20 hours of air travel to endure, and the Ristretto managed to keep both my wife and I in sufficient gadgets for the entire trip. It actually held:

3 x iPad 2 (well they only have 10 hours of battery life)
1 x iPad mini
1 x iPod touch
1 x Kindle Paperwhite
1 x Kindle
1 x Bose QC 15 Noise Cancelling Headphones (in hard case)
Spare Batteries
Apple Headphones
Various pens and styli
Spare glasses
Passports and Travel documents
Sweets (got to have some sweets)

The Ristretto just swallowed the lot!

Read the full review by Don McAllister @ The Mac Screencast Guy.