“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.”

Read rjthomas’ entire review of the Empire Builder, Brain Cell, and Absolute Shoulder Strap in the Tom Bihn Forums.

“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.

“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.”

Read the full post on baus.net

“Just a quick note: I’m confirming that the Soft Cell that I purchased recently for my MacbookPro-17 (Size 1 Vertical Soft Cell) does appear to satisfy the new TSA requirement for being a “Checkpoint Friendly bag”, at least in my first experience at PDX yesterday. They didn’t even question me when I put the Soft Cell containing the MBP as a separate item on the belt.” Read merlyn’s entire post in the TOM BIHN Forums. See the Soft Cell.

Above: the Soft Cell.

CanusDom writes: “I have been using my WF [Western Flyer] regularly since I bought it back in January. It was well worth taking the time and finding the Tom Bihn store in Seattle!! The WF is great for anything up to about 4/5 days.” — Follow the thread Wester Flyer as a ‘Suitcase’?? in our Forums.

“I have been the proud owner of a Brain Bag for 4 years and it accompanied me on all my trips since the day I ordered it.” Read backpack’s entire review of the Brain Bag backpack and Large Cafe shoulder bag.

“I have been able to pack my size 48 blazer in the Aeronaut without too much trouble. I put the blazer on a light weight hanger in a standard garment bag. After I have my packing cubes ready, I lay the garment bag on the open Areonaut and tuck the bottom of the bag into the main compartment with the top half of the bag draped over the back. I pack the cubes on top of this and then tuck the top of the garment bag over the cubes. This makes a loose bundle, with the garment bag around the packing cubes. I have done this with just a wool blazer and with a full poly/cotton suit with minimal wrinkles.” — Read the entire forum thread for more user experiences packing a blazer in the TOM BIHN Aeronaut maximum carry-on bag.


Above: a picture of the Aeronaut in Heathrow Airport posted by Zephyrnoid in the TOM BIHN Forums.

In July, dmr posted this question in the TOM BIHN Forums:
“I’m looking to purchase a Tom Bihn bag for my son who is starting high school this fall. First off, he needs a backpack that can carry a great deal of “stuff” back and forth from school. I’m talking books, folders, school supplies, a 1L SIGG bottle, lunch, etc.”

Forum members ozone and BJ Nemeth recommended the Brain Bag, as did backpack, who noted: “I wish I had a Brain Bag in high school! I have one now, it so well balanced, has such adequate cushion on the back and straps and it is a very sturdy item it is the greatest backpack I ever owned.” ratdeau suggested the Smart Alec, as “My two daughters have a Smart Alec with Freudian Slip. Two years of use and still perfect.”

dmr ended up ordering the Brain Bag. The result?
“My son’s Brain Bag and its accessories came just in the nick of time, the day before school started. The Brain Bag doesn’t look much bigger than any other back pack but I was amazed when my son brought back all of his textbooks, there were seven of them, and assorted workbooks, etc. at the end of that day. They all fit in his new backpack with some room to spare! I could barely lift the thing, but he won’t be taking that much with him back and forth every day, at least I hope not! Wow! That’s all I can say for now, just “Wow!”

Read the entire forum thread “Which backpack is best for high school?” from start to finish.

Excerpted from “Another reason to love Seattle – Bihn bag lost and found”, posted by timothy at his Slashdot journal:

“I would perhaps not admit to losing my nice new bag, if it hadn’t been found. But it was, so I will: on Tuesday morning, I set out for a bagel at The Bagel-Deli Company (340 15th Ave E # 201 Seattle, WA 98112). (Chose one of the lunch specials, the Gobbler, with no mayonnaise, of course.) I had brought along a book to read as I ate, and was carrying it in my Tom Bihn Super Ego bag. But somehow, somehow I forgot I had the bag along with me, and left with the book in my hand instead. On the way back to the house, I stopped for some yogurt, bought two of the (quite good, reasonably priced) QFC house brand fruit-on-the-bottom ones, and walked about, now with the book under my arm, a yogurt in each hand. Still hadn’t occurred to me that I could have had a bag along, one capable of carrying dozens of yogurts and bunches of books. This is called being absent-minded, if you enjoy euphemisms.”

Did Timothy find his Super Ego? When did he realize it was missing? Was there a happy ending? To find out, visit timothy’s journal and finish the story.


Above: a picture from the Imago Metrics review of the Super Ego.

In the TOM BIHN Forums thread “Western Flyer as personal item”….

ledrock asked: “I’m planning on taking my Aeronaut as my carry on bag, and I’m thinking of getting a Western Flyer to use as my personal bag/briefcase, but was wondering if anyone had encountered any problems with airlines claiming the W.F. is too large to be considered a personal bag.”

travls replied: “I’ve used a Western Flyer on United once a month domestically since it came out. It’s pretty loaded, including with a MacBook in a Brain Cell. I’ve been pleased that it always fits under the seat, even when there’s one of those metal boxes for video on the aisle seats. It’s a great choice for that application in my opinion, because everything zips up so there’s no chance of having things fall out when repetitively stowing it and taking it out.”

aiethabell offered a ton of great advice: “So, my suggestions: GET THERE EARLY. If you’re boarding at the tail end of the call, the bins will already be full, and that’s when the attendants onboard look for involuntary gate-checks.”

BJ Nemeth added: “I always put my Aeronaut in the overhead bin, and my “personal item” has been (at different times) a Super Ego, a Brain Bag, and a Smart Alec — all fully packed with a laptop, camera gear, and more. While I have seriously cut into my own foot room, I have never had a problem with flight attendants or other passengers.”

And lpotr4, rabergnc, peregrina added their experiences. Read the full thread in the TOM BIHN Forums and consider adding your own experiences and advice.