The Steel Brain Bag

Hi, my name is Larry and I am a bagaholic. I have had many bags in my life from Jansport, Uphill, Booq, many different Dell designs, Timbuk2, and now a Tom Bihn Steel Brain Bag. I have always tried to find the perfect laptop bag, and I finally found it!! The construction and capacity is far more superior than any other bag I have had.
I did a lot of online research about Tom Bihn products before purchasing, and not one bad review could I find. I have included some pics of the bag and other goodies from Tom Bihn. Keep up the great work Tom and Crew!!

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This pic shows the width and depth of the front main compartment

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Both main compartments open

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you can see how the size 1 brain cell fits perfectly inside

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White Guardian Light with Lanyard

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Olive Snake Charmer

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This pic shows the O rings in each main compartment

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One side of the Vertical Freudian Slip

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Other side

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What I carry in it from day to day

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Great pictures! My first Tom Bihn purchase was also a Brain Bag and accessories just about one year ago. I agree with you that it is a tremendous backpack! I have used mine nearly every day since its arrival. Good luck with your new acquisitions!

Great review!

I too, am a fan of the Brain Bag and the Guardian Light!

Does anyone have outdoor pictures of what a steel-colored Brain Bag looks like while being worn?

Also, does anyone use a Brain Bag regularly without a Brain Cell/laptop as cargo?

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Originally Posted by MtnMan

Does anyone have outdoor pictures of what a steel-colored Brain Bag looks like while being worn?

Also, does anyone use a Brain Bag regularly without a Brain Cell/laptop as cargo?

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http://farm1.static.flickr.com/148/3...1ac65b34ec.jpg

I assume the person is around 5'7" because the bag falls exactly the way mine does.

I have posted on numerous threads about my Brain Bag(s) numerous uses.

I carry a Brain Bags as bookbag when I have a textbook heavy class.
I use it when I stock up on books at the library, used bookstores or independent book stores sales.
I used one with a Small Cafe and to carry a Contigo Cup in the outside pockets and clothes in the big pockets, while shopping for on sale items.

I did a big copy job at Office Depot using the same Small Cafe Bag and Brain Bag pair.

They are also our main travel bags paired with Large Cafe Bags.


My husband also carried two laptops and related things which included important DVDs and external HDs (hefty ones) with no problem.

I transported one laptop and other heavy stuff and some clothes for the flying part of a move, the Brain Bag felt heavy because I hadn't slept much for 3 days.


In my opinion the Brain Bag is the most versatile bag of the whole TB line.

Thanks for the response.

Maybe I should rephrase my second question: Does anyone use a TB Brain Bag for hauling cargo that NEVER includes things like laptops/Brain Cells, etc. In other words, does anyone use a TB Brain Bag for strictly NON-computer cargo on a regular basis? If so, how useful are the multiple compartments for your cargo?

Quote:

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Originally Posted by MtnMan

Thanks for the response.

Maybe I should rephrase my second question: Does anyone use a TB Brain Bag for hauling cargo that NEVER includes things like laptops/Brain Cells, etc. In other words, does anyone use a TB Brain Bag for strictly NON-computer cargo on a regular basis? If so, how useful are the multiple compartments for your cargo?

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When I carry books or clothes or do errands, I don't carry laptops.

When I travel, my netbook is in my Large Cafe Bag and thus, at the time, I don't carry laptops in the Brain Bags .

With the help of a Backpack Packing Cube or plastic zip bags which air I compress, I can haul a tremendous amount of things.

For my husband, I can pack dress shoes, 4/5 days of foundation garmnents, 1 or 2 swimsuits, an extra pair of Levi's, one or two pairs of dress pants, one or two dress shirts, 2 pairs of dress socks and 3 of casual socks.
His 3-1-1 usually rests on top of other things in the large front compartment.

Sounds like you use the Brain Bag as a suitcase!

And, of course, the Brain Bag is more backpackable than luggage like a Tri-star, no?

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Originally Posted by MtnMan

Sounds like you use the Brain Bag as a suitcase!

And, of course, the Brain Bag is more backpackable than luggage like a Tri-star, no?

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Yup! It is for me.

And I thought I was the only guy who carries a Toner around?

Ed

Quote:

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Originally Posted by MtnMan

Thanks for the response.

Maybe I should rephrase my second question: Does anyone use a TB Brain Bag for hauling cargo that NEVER includes things like laptops/Brain Cells, etc. In other words, does anyone use a TB Brain Bag for strictly NON-computer cargo on a regular basis? If so, how useful are the multiple compartments for your cargo?

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I use my Brain Bag for non-computer cargo on a regular basis, and I love it. In fact, the more I use it the more I love it's versatility.

I work full time, and go to school several nights a week. This means I constantly hauling some combination of binders, textbooks, lunch and/or dinner, and all of the other things I need to get through the day. The two-compartment system in the BB is perfect for this, because I can keep the paper stuff in the back compartment and the other necessities (lunch bag, travel coffee mug (empty, of course), a jacket, etc. In the front compartment. No worries about something spilling on the precious papers!

One of the really nice things I find about the BB is the cinch straps. If I am carrying less, cinch it up and you have a much slimmer profile. If I find I am adding things to my load throughout the day, I just open it up. This is also really nice to help balance your load, because you can cinch up the top portion, for example, if you have bigger items in the lower part of the bag.

I'll admit that I do occasionally haul my work laptop in the BB, but the flexible space allows me to swallow it up without any problem. I don't have a brain cel, admittedly... but usually the laptop is just going home from the office in these situations.

For travel, the BB is my go-to carry on. I recently posted some pics from my trip to Mexico with some comments on this. From plane to destination, my bag carries the whole range of requirements (snacks, spare clothes, reading material for the plane, electronics like cameras and my son's Nintendo DS). Shopping in the markets in Mexico, it just continued to swallow up every trinket and goodies we purchased so that I could remain hands-free and lug everything back to the resort.

For long weekend trips I have used my BB as my suitcase too.

Hope this helps!

I'm curious: how many of your Brain Bag backpack owners use the o-rings in your bags to hang organizer pouches, keychains and the like to maximize the organization of items your regularly carry? On Tom Bihn's YouTube channel, Maverick shows this being done with the Ruk's Sack and IIRC also with the Smart Alec. I don't think there are any videos on the Bihn channel of the Brain Bag, though.

I use organizer pouches clipped to the o-rings in my Brain Bag daily. Each of my pouches is a different color, so it is very easy to locate the correct pouch with the contents I am looking for. Without the organizer pouches, I would lose too many things in the bottom of my backpack (at least I always did in previous backpacks).

How many o-rings does each compartment of a Brain Bag have?

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Originally Posted by MtnMan

How many o-rings does each compartment of a Brain Bag have?

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There is one at the top of each of the main compartments, and one in the top front pocket.