Clear Quarter Cube or 3d Clear Organizer Cube

[sarahlin]

I am getting ready to place an order for some pouches and a trying to decide between the quarter cube and the 3d cube. I want it mainly for organizing in my backpack (which will be a Synapse! My husband and I are buying one another backpacks for Hanukkah...Synapse for me, Brain Bag for him) when I travel.

Any insight for me wise TB fans?

[TavaPeak]

I'm guessing most folks will tell you both! The 3D is a great size for 4-1-1 bag (it can be tethered to a bag with a strap, and hang outside a bag for going through security). The quarter cube is much bigger - you could search the forums to see what dorayme and other folks pack in that. Mazel tov!

[Grandcache]

I carry a 3D organizer in the water bottle pocket. When I am using my Synapse for travel, I use the organizer mas a 3-1-1 bag. At other times I use it to carry my knitting notions/power cords & cables/ sunscreen, hand lotion, lip balm etc. depending on my plans for the day.

The Synapse is a great bag...I think you will get a lot of use out of it. :-)

PS: You might also think about stuff sacks...I have a variety of sizes and have found them very useful too.

[sarahlin]

I carry a 3D organizer in the water bottle pocket. When I am using my Synapse for travel, I use the organizer mas a 3-1-1 bag. At other times I use it to carry my knitting notions/power cords & cables/ sunscreen, hand lotion, lip balm etc. depending on my plans for the day.

The Synapse is a great bag...I think you will get a lot of use out of it. :-)

PS: You might also think about stuff sacks...I have a variety of sizes and have found them very useful too.

I use the kit for knitting stuff which I love. I adore my yarn stuff sucks and do plan to get some other ones before my next trip (not until February, trying to spread out the spending with holidays) but now I am debating the quarter cube for my travel coffee supplies...

[JLE]

I have a 3D clear organiser cube (in Azalea, which is gorgeous!) and a clear quarter packing cube and they both serve a variety of purposes for me when I'm travelling.

3D organiser cube - at the moment I use this as my electronic cable and charger pouch. I keep it permanently packed with the cables etc I know I will always need with me, and because it's clear it is easy to check what else needs to be added for a specific trip (eg adaptors). I find it is the perfect size for this purpose. I don't use it as a 3-1-1 bag because I am always pushing the limits on total bag volume in this department and therefore I find it too small!

Clear quarter packing cube - I generally use this for "dry" toiletries, first aid requirements etc on one side and miscellaneous bits and bobs on the other. The contents change depending on the trip. It's really handy. It's quite a bit bigger than the 3D. It would only fit in the main compartment of the Synapse, whereas the 3D cube could probably fit in a couple of other Synapse pockets as well. It is not suitable as a 3-1-1 bag, btw, because of (a) its size and (b) the nylon/dyneema panel that separates the compartments.

You will LOVE the Synapse! I am not a backpack person but I adore mine!

[Grandcache]

Hmmm...I've been eyeing the Kit, but hadn't thought about using it for my knitting supplies. I may have to take another look.... Thanks! You may have provided the "rationale" for my next purchase. LOL. :-)

[dorayme]

I use my 3d cube as a toiletry/3-1-1 bag
I use one of my clear quarter cubes as a knitting kit to corals all of my needle sets crochet hooks and notions into one con isn't place. It almost always permanently resides in my knitting Swift.
My other clear cube is my bits organizer. Content varies depending on what I am carrying and where I am going, but I use it to corral my chargers and cables, small electronics like my camera and mifi which both fit into mini OP, small clothing items like scarves and other accessories, sunglasses, batteries, or anything small that I might pack. Everything is easy to find with the clear sides, but the cube has nice capacity. It's over double that of the 3d cube.
I use my kit mostly as a clutch bag with my handle loop. But it also is a great size for hair accessories. Being naturally curly, there are always accessories needed for my hairs.

[rlandis]

I use my 3d cube as a toiletry/3-1-1 bag
I use one of my clear quarter cubes as a knitting kit to corals all of my needle sets crochet hooks and notions into one con isn't place. It almost always permanently resides in my knitting Swift.
My other clear cube is my bits organizer. Content varies depending on what I am carrying and where I am going, but I use it to corral my chargers and cables, small electronics like my camera and mifi which both fit into mini OP, small clothing items like scarves and other accessories, sunglasses, batteries, or anything small that I might pack. Everything is easy to find with the clear sides, but the cube has nice capacity. It's over double that of the 3d cube.
I use my kit mostly as a clutch bag with my handle loop. But it also is a great size for hair accessories. Being naturally curly, there are always accessories needed for my hairs.

Dorayme (my fellow solfeggio-er)...I just looked at your signature in awe!!!! I can read all those abbreviations except the two in yellow---I'm most curious where you store your giant TB archive of stuff. Pretty impressive!!!!!

[dorayme]

rlandis, I used to worry about it too, but most of it is in some sort of useage flux at all times. The ones I store are the travel bags, my WF and BB's for DH and DS. They all squish down and return to shape without issue so they each have a home in the respective persons closet. I carry at least 5-10 TB items no matter where I go. If the kids are with me that number multiplies. I guess I'm a bag lady.
A typical outing to the library with the kids equates to me bringing my purse like object Little Swift or MCB, a Utility Tote or Shop Bag and my knitting bag. But inside of each one I have other smaller cubes, pouches, andmy FJN to keep organized. I'm always bihned out no matter where I go.
We're spending our last vacation of the year in our Travel Trailer at our Property at Lake Hartwell. The Travel bags, Cubes and Trays are all in use, as are the Shop bags.

[teresapoet]

I have three 3D Clear Organizer Cubes: one organizes the little things in my purse (usually a Small Cafe Bag, where fits perfectly at the bottom), one is a dedicated 3-1-1 liquids bag for air travel, and one is generally used for electronics chargers and cables. I think they work really well with the Synapse - for air travel, I often have my 3-1-1 cube in the bottom pocket, clipped with a long key strap so I can just pop it out at security and not even deal with a tray.

I have a Clear Quarter Packing Cube as well, but as others have mentioned it's significantly bigger. I've tried to use it in my Synapse, but I find it takes up too much space to work for me (I haven't managed to find the magical trick to amazing Synapse capacity that others report). Whether it works for you probably depends on both the size+quantity of things you'll want to organize in the cube and the size+quantity of things you'll be putting in the Synapse outside of the cube.

Get both and try them out? They're small and light enough that it would be easy to send one back, if you can manage to resist keeping them both.

[rlandis]

rlandis, I used to worry about it too, but most of it is in some sort of useage flux at all times. The ones I store are the travel bags, my WF and BB's for DH and DS. They all squish down and return to shape without issue so they each have a home in the respective persons closet. I carry at least 5-10 TB items no matter where I go. If the kids are with me that number multiplies. I guess I'm a bag lady.
A typical outing to the library with the kids equates to me bringing my purse like object Little Swift or MCB, a Utility Tote or Shop Bag and my knitting bag. But inside of each one I have other smaller cubes, pouches, andmy FJN to keep organized. I'm always bihned out no matter where I go.
We're spending our last vacation of the year in our Travel Trailer at our Property at Lake Hartwell. The Travel bags, Cubes and Trays are all in use, as are the Shop bags.

It's not just wonderful bags that make someone as organized as you are. It takes a person with a system. I wish I had a system. Getting the bags is the easy part. My house, which has been on the market for 3 years, would probably have sold by now, if it looks as organized as I'll bet yours is ;-)

[backpack]

I have one 3D Clear Organizer Cube and 2 Clear Quarter Cubes

I want a 3D Clear Organizer Cube in each color to organize my hair accessories, which are now in ugly ziplocks, inside a non-TB clear bag from a fabulous small needlework shop in the Bay Area, but I have more pressing purchases to make.

One Clear Quarter Cube is permanently packed in my big EDC which is my Synapse, it goes in the big pocket right behind the inner pocket.


I also pack a Kit in the lower pocket of the Synapse, it is the perfect dimension.

The Kit is made of tough , so supple and iridescent Cordura, same as the Travel Bags. Kit - The Modern Dopp Kit - TOM BIHN

I have 4 Kits and 2 have been tagging along during yucky moves, yummy travel and everyday errands.

My Kits are small needlework supplies holders (the 2 that stay home), the others are or have been web cam and protective packing holders, cable holders (power/usb/firewire/phone), powder makeup bag...

You name something that has no ability to be messy and it has been in my Kit.

They are great when you need to pack things in a more private way.

They also double as fabulous evening bags with the help of the Handle Loop; Handle Loop - Add a grab handle to the 3D Clear Organizer Cube - TOM BIHN


I use Dyneema accessories with stuff that can get messy or when I have a feeling messiness cannot be avoided like on car travel.

The Clear Quarter Cube is my EDC accessory for this reason, I can place lunch stuff on one side and my glasses in a Clear Pouch as well as my "everyday and emergency beauty kit" on the other.

If crumbs or other food related stuff gets into the lunch side, it can be wiped really fast with a paper towel, a tissue, or a baby wipe (whatever is handy).

It is very reassuring to know that beauty things safely corralled in the Clear Quarter Cube will be easy to use in those crowded places and the Clear Quarter Cube placed on top of a highway bathroom sink will be easy to wipe off or even given a quick wash and dry before being put back in the Big EDCs turned front seat carry alls.


I bought my EDC Clear Quarter Cube in Steel a long time ago, when they were first introduced, I think, because I cannot remember a time an ECD Tom Bihn Bag without it.



PS: the Kit in the lower front pocket help My Synapse stay upright.

PPS:the upright stand challenge has nothing to do with the Synapse, it took me a couple months to a year to keep my Brain Bag packed so it would stay upright, I bought 2 more Brain Bags, Tom Bihn Bags fan, I am. Physics major, I am not!

[dorayme]

It takes a person with a system.

If I didn't have a system I would descend into wailing, chaos, and self destruct. I literally come unglued if my system has a hiccup. You are probably way more care free than me with your non system ways. I wish I could be spontaneous and less anal about things, but thats how im wired.

That being said, my system is a work in progress, ever changing and morphing to deal with what life throws at me.

[backpack]

It's not just wonderful bags that make someone as organized as you are. It takes a person with a system. I wish I had a system. Getting the bags is the easy part. My house, which has been on the market for 3 years, would probably have sold by now, if it looks as organized as I'll bet yours is ;-)

You are so right Rlandis, Dorayme and Maverick bags are so organized, I look at Dorayme's pictures very carefully and play Maverick video multiple times.

No matter, Dorayme is always cute, Maverick always stylish and they both fit their things into Tom Bihn accessories with only millimeters to spare then arrange the accessories into the bags in perfect harmony.


I cannot put anything but really small things in the Mini Pouches, the Pouches and other accessories don't line up perfectly, like they do on the pictures and videos above.

Sometimes putting stuff in the accessories and bags requires a tussle between yours truly, the things and the most lovingly designed Tom Bihn beauties.

I think it has to do with the way I use my Tom Bihn bags, sometimes the weather turns unexpectedly (more sunproof , waterproof, warmer layers needed), an errand calls for more stuff to bring in (usually paperwork) and the way I feel I cannot leave the house without everything but the kitchen sink then suddenly remember I can only carry so much stuff.

I do hope that , in time, what the Field Journal Notebook has done to my portable writing and how the Clear Quarter Packing Cube has transformed my Beauty/Health EDC will happen in the every day life loading of my Tom Bihn Bags by streamlining, I am getting there but it is a work in progress.

[Where4art]

I love my Clear Quarter Packing Cube, especially because it takes the place of the dreaded ziplock bags at the airport, but also because it holds all my stuff. I put wet stuff on one side for the TSA to look at, and dry makeup stuff on the other and it becomes the perfect packing tool. I lent mine to my daughter recently for her trip to Spain, and now she is refusing to give it back until I buy her one!