What fits: accessories for the Synapse 19

Packing Cubes, Organizer Pouches, Key Straps… there’s myriad of ways to customize the interior organization of the Synapse 19 backpack. Here’s just one example of which accessories fit where:

What fits: accessories for the Synapse 19 backpack

Bottom exterior pocket: 3D Mesh (3D Clear or Dyneema/nylon would also fit) Organizer Cube in Steel Dyneema/nylon, tethered with a Key Strap in Wasabi Dyneema/nylon.

Left exterior front pocket: Pocket Pouch, Utility Strap in 14″.

Right exterior front pocket: Mini Clear Organizer Pouch and the included Key Strap, Black, in 8″.

Top exterior pocket: Nothing. As you can see, it’s zippered shut. It’s small enough that you might not need further organization. That said, you could fit a Pocket Pouch here or add an 8″ Key or Utility Strap to tether your keys, flashlight, knife, or other small items.

Exterior water bottle pocket: Travel Stuff Sack, Size 2, in Iberian.

Main compartment: Two Tri-Star Medium Packing Cubes would fit, but we chose instead to use one Tri-Star Medium Packing Cube, one Tri-Star Small Packing Cube, and a Travel Stuff Sack, Size 2, in Wasabi. We liked how the Travel Stuff Sack fit nicely on the other side of the Tri-Star Small Packing Cube. Yet another option would be one Tri-Star Medium Packing Cube and two Clear Quarter Packing Cubes (one in front of the other). And don’t forget the open-top pocket inside of the main compartment of the Synapse 19: put your tablet (in a case or sleeve) here, or a Medium Organizer Pouch. Last but not least, there’s a 3D Clear Organizer Cube in Black, tethered with a Key Strap in Wasabi, that’ll fit/rest on top of the Packing Cubes.

Available for pre-order: Smart Alec in 400d Dyneema/nylon

Smart Alec backpack in 400d Nordic Dyneema/nylon

The Smart Alec in 400d Nordic Dyneema/nylon. Available for pre-order now and ships by early January.

Travel Tray Goes Camping

TOM BIHN Travel Tray Goes Camping
Travel Tray + Guardian Light = illuminated camping bowl.

“Just getting around to posting this, but wanted to mention I took the Travel Tray camping this weekend. It is one of the best camping accessories ever! It was so nice to have a place in the tent to put all the things like keys, flashlight, knife, etc and be able to find them again easily. No more searching in the dark for the flashlight! Thanks Tom Bihn.”
– redranger

“I use mine every time we use our Travel Trailer. I agree, it’s wonderful to not have those little essential bits be hard to find.”
– dorayme

Just in case you were wondering…

Yes, you can strap a Christmas tree to the back of the Smart Alec using the soon-to-be-released accessory straps.

Smart Alec

New way to use the Horizontal Freudian Slip

When you get to the office, take the Freudian Slip out of your bag and hang it on a knob or hook on the side of your desk. You’ll have easy access to your pens, papers, cables, etc.

TOM BIHN Horizontal Freudian Slip

New photo: Imago in Aubergine/Hemp/Steel

TOM BIH Imago in Aubergine/Hemp/Steel

The Imago messenger bag in Aubergine/Hemp/Steel.

Happy Thanksgiving!

From the whole crew here at TOM BIHN: Happy Thanksgiving!


Thanksgiving day bounty from our local CSA, toted in a prototype Nordic Dyneema/nylon Shop Bag.

Small Cafe Bag in 400d Dyneema®/420d nylon ripstop

Small Cafe Bag in Dyneema/nylon
Small Cafe Bag in Steel Dyneema/Steel Dyneema.

The Small Cafe Bag is now available in 400d Dyneema®/420d nylon ripstop: an ultralight yet abrasion-resistant material. (Learn more about our 400d Dyneema®/420d nylon ripstop here and here.)

The Small Cafe Bag in Steel Dyneema/Steel Dyneema and Nordic Dyneema/Ultraviolet Dyneema is in-stock and ship within one business day.

Small Cafe Bag by TOM BIHN
Small Cafe Bag in Nordic Dyneema/Ultraviolet Dyneema.

Tom’s Smart Alec Design Update

Tom's Smart Alec Backpack Design Update
Smart Alec in Black/Steel/Steel.

The details:

1) Tom nuanced the shape of the front of the Smart Alec. It’s a little bit slimmer at the top, which means it zips easier, and the front holds its shape better, even if the bag is empty.

2) More loops were added to the front top of the bag, making a total of 13. This means there’s more places and ways to use the included reflective front bungee (remember: you can also remove it entirely if you don’t want to use it) to secure a rain jacket, umbrella, yoga mat, or bike helmet to the front of the bag. In the near future, we’ll be offering accessory straps and modular pockets that attach to the front via these loops. Ride your motorcycle or bike or walk at night with your Smart Alec? Add a 5′ / 1.5m Glowire kit which you can weave through these new loops. Scott, our Shipping Lead, has been testing both the modular pocket and the Glowire kit on days he commutes to and from work on his bike, and both are working out great.

3) Tom replaced the 1000d Cordura bottom of the Smart Alec with our 1050d high tenacity ballistic nylon: it’s just as durable, but less abrasive and less likely to attract lint and dog/cat hair.

Last but not least: the 1000d Cordura back has been replaced with a Breathable Drylex Aerospacer 3D mesh back panel. Tom uses his Smart Alec as a dayhiking pack and one thing he always wanted to add was a breathable mesh back panel.

These design changes were made in this latest batch of Smart Alecs, so all Smart Alecs available for order now have the design updates. Note: Black/Black/Steel has already sold out and is available for backorder with an expected shipping date of late February 2013. Other colors may also soon sell out.

Note: these improvements do add materials and labor costs to the Smart Alec. On Monday of next week, we will increase the price of the Smart Alec from $150 to $160. We know some of you have been waiting to order the Smart Alec until it was back in-stock and wanted to give you a heads-up so that you could order before we increased the price.

Tom's Smart Alec Backpack Design Update
The back is now made of Dri-Lex® Aero-Spacer® mesh and padded with 1/4″, high quality, closed-cell foam.

Tom's Smart Alec Design Update

In stock: Little Swift, all colors

The Little Swift is back in-stock and ready to ship in all colors.

TOM BIHN Little Swift

Left to right: Black/Black, Vulcana Hemp/Recycled Rubber, Aubergine/Aubergine, Cork