In search of feedback from Writers on the best Bihn Bag

[BPritchard]

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And - on the other side of the coin - all you Ego (NOT Super Ego, I know that's too large for my needs) owners who also carry loaded B. Cells - how much room is left over in your opinion/s?
...Snip

Miguel

I have an Ego with a brain bag. I have about 5" left inside without the horizontal freudian slip inside.

What is nice about the brain cell, it also can be used as seperate carry case. You'll need a separate shoulder strap or use the handle.

Don't forget. If the bag you select doesn't work out, you can return it. I've done this a couple of times. Cost me the shipping charges, but worth it to get the bag you will be satisfied with.

[bagman]

I have a question on the Empire Builder too. I read in some places that the EB is not very comfortable to carry on your shoulders since it does not fit well against your hip. What is your opinion on this? I was thinking of getting the Absolute Strap to lighten the load feel.

[Nana8]

I have a question on the Empire Builder too. I read in some places that the EB is not very comfortable to carry on your shoulders since it does not fit well against your hip. What is your opinion on this? I was thinking of getting the Absolute Strap to lighten the load feel.

My husband carries the EB everyday with the Absolute Strap and LOVES it! He says it is the most comfortable bag he has owned - no complaints about it not fitting well anywhere.

[Miguel]

Come on all you Ego owners....be a little EGOtistical....and speak about yourselves! Tell me how much room is left over inside your (monstrously huge? or daintily petite?) Ego after you stuff in your fully-loaded Brain Cell....or your 3rd-party-non-TB laptop sleeve/protective shell?

And you Id owners....is it possible to be a little IDtistical too? How about stepping forwards and bravely ID-entifying yourselves....and tell me how much ID-le space remains in your Id after you've inserted your heft Brain C?

And.....for you Zephyr owners.....express your ZEPHYRcentricity....by weighing in and sharing the intimate details of your Zephy's capacity.....boast a little!

Miguel

P.S. My own Mac Powerbook is a shade over an inch wide....but a horizontal Brain Cell, as per TBwebsite specs, is almost 2 and a half inches wide. I know all that brilliant extra foam and padding provides unparalleled protection....but it also takes up space. For you Brain Cell owners out there, when you get BRAIN-y and slide your Cell in....does your laptop or Mac feel like the proverbial Sardine stuffed in a can? Or are you more like a Fish swimming in the deep wide sea?

[DQBunny]

And you Id owners....is it possible to be a little IDtistical too? How about stepping forwards and bravely ID-entifying yourselves....and tell me how much ID-le space remains in your Id after you've inserted your heft Brain C?

*poke* Go take a look at my post. When I have my Brain Cell in there, I can fit in two large, thick paperback books, a notebook and other stuff. On a separate occassion, I had a yarn stuff sack with a shawl, knitting needles and other knitting tools, a medium organizer pouch with spare underwear and socks, a Canon Powershot S5 IS, and more. You can see that post here.

[Miguel]

*poke* Go take a look at my post.

I did look at your post, DQBunny.....THANKS. It's very informative. The only thing (currently) missing from it is.....the PHOTO of your fully stuffed/loaded ID which (apparently?) you added to your original words/text....but which is currently no longer showing up in the post...

Would you mind reposting the Photo? Possibly in this thread?

Muchas gracias....

Miguel

[bagman]

Nana8 - thanks for your input. Another question on the EB... is there a thread anywhere that details the changes made to the EB since its original release? If anyone could summarize a few important ones in the past couple of years, that'd be great.

[BPritchard]

A look at what the EGO can contain.

[Pord]

I too would also like to see that photo.

[Miguel]

So....to come back on (my original) topic for a moment - namely which bags are ideal for writers in general....and screenwriters (me) in particular....

I always carry my Mac laptop with me in my bag. The big issue is - what kind of protection does my laptop need? And what level protection am I willing to live with?

I my previous (and generally excellent) laptop bags - one by sfbags/Waterfield Designs, the other by pioneer laptop Canadian bagmakers Willow Designs, both cases had BUILT-IN protection - the Waterfield bag had a padded/'dedicated' laptop sleeve built-in to one side of the bag - the Willow designs bag, which was more of a rigid foam design, had a padded inner compartment for a laptop inside of a well-padded case...

BUT. With Tom Bihn bags, it looks like I have two options. #1 - get a more protective Brain Cell which I then clip inside my bag. Advantage - lots of protection. Disadvantage - takes up a ton of space (relative to smaller solutions). Or #2 - get some kind of smaller protective sleeve for my laptop and shove it into the bag. The current Bihn offering is the Cache; other manufacturers made a whole variety of sleeves, some seem much better built and more protective than others. But - bottom line - if I go with #2, there's probably LESS protection overall - but MORE ROOM in the bag.

And, from all the reviews on the board, the two BIGGEST Bihn laptop bags - the Empire Builder and the Superego - have more than enough room for both an internal Brain Cell....and all kinds of other stuff as well. I get that...

What about the next 2 or 3 smaller bags? Specifically - the EGO - the ID - and the ZEPHYR ---- what happens when when you clip your Brain Cell inside of one of these? Is there.....plenty of space? Enough? A little? Too much? I know this is a subjective question but I'm curious....and not being in the Seattle area I can't just go down and conduct length size trials on each bag...

If there are any Ego - Id - or Zephyr Owners who regularly use a Brain Cell inside their bags....I'd love to hear your thoughts on this?

Miguel

[DQBunny]

I too would also like to see that photo.

Of course! Sorry about that, my fiance had heart surgery on Wednesday, so I was tied up with that.