July 15, 2022

Cambiata FAQ

18 comments
Cambiata Black Zest Water Bottle Pocket
Debuting on July 20, 2022. Check out more photos, details on specs, and close-ups on color options on the Cambiata page.
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DIRECTORY

Pre-Order Questions

General Questions

Design Questions

Questions about Use

 

Pre-Order Questions

 

How long is the pre-order period?

 

7/20/22 from 7am PDT to 8/3/22 at 3pm PDT. We’re expanding the pre-order period from our usual one week to two weeks!

 

We received some feedback after the Road Buddy Pre-order that some of you would appreciate more time to make your decisions, and since this is a new design, we want to make sure you have as much time and information to decide whether this is the right bag for you.

 

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Will I be able to make any changes to the pre-order after the 2-week window?

 

Once the pre-order closes, you won’t be able to change the color or add a new color. If you change your mind entirely after your purchase, we can help with a cancellation. More information can be found in our pre-order FAQ.

 

We would greatly appreciate it if you can make the cancellation during the 2-week pre-order window. We’re a small company, our Customer Service crew also doubles up as Fulfillment crew and Factory Showroom guides as needed, so that means we stay quite busy! The smallest of adjustments can add up when lots of you request them and those can potentially cause delays for everyone else too.

 

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Will any of the colors sell out early (like in the case of Aubergine / Wasabi during the Knitting Goods Pre-order)?

 

It’s hard to say at the moment.

 

We feel pretty good about the amount of fabric we have on hand for each color of the Cambiata and other stuff in the works.

However, depending on demand and if it causes us to believe that we have sold the maximum for a color, we will close the pre-order early for that specific color.

 

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Will the Cambiata be offered for a regular restock?

 

Hopefully!

 

We like to offer new designs for pre-order to get a better understanding of which colors resonate the most with you all! Then once the pre-order batch is done, our goal is to offer another batch for restock. Depending on our production schedule, that restock batch could come as soon as 1-3 months after the pre-order batch ships or longer if needed. 

 

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When can we expect the Cambiata to ship?

 

Right now, we are tentatively targeting late September. This of course will depend on demand and where we are with other bags in production. We will update the timeline as necessary to keep you informed.

 

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General Questions

 

 

Why is it called Cambiata?

 

When coming up with the name, we wanted something that encapsulated the versatile, transformative nature of the bag. Cambiata is a musical term that refers to the “changing of notes” hence, the name.

 

 

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"Is this bag good for travel or hiking?"

 

This bag is best used for everyday carry, commuting, urban adventures, or as a secondary travel bag. While this bag wasn’t specifically designed for hiking, we think it would work for a light, minimalist day hike (Though keep in mind it does not have a mesh back panel, so it could get hot!). As for travel, this bag works great for a short weekend trip – though we recommend the Synik or Techonaut for longer duration travel.

 

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“Fill in the blank! The Cambiata is right bag for me if ______”

 

  • You love having options when it comes to how you carry your bag. 
  • You’re looking for an EDC bag that has a lot of storage.
  • You like a bag that holds its shape well and stands on its own.
  • You want a smaller capacity bag that is capable of carrying a large-ish laptop.

 

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“And the Cambiata isn’t the right bag for me if ______”

 

  • You’re looking for a heavy-duty travel bag.
  • You aren’t interested in wearing your bag more than one way.

 

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Design Questions

 

Was the Cambiata Designed to be a backpack or tote bag?

 

Early in the design process, we decided to create something that had the best qualities of a tote bag and a backpack. The Cambiata works well as both.

 

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“Okay, but what does it look like inside?”

 

The opening is a large, bucket-style compartment (it fits a lot!), with a mesh pocket at the top to hold your smaller items. We’ve also included an additional sleeve on the interior back panel to stow away an extra laptop, tablet, or whatever you desire. There are also two interior side pockets – perfect for some Ghost Whale Organizer Pouches.

 

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"Will this fit a MacBook Pro 16?"

 

Yes it will! We have included a separate padded compartment on the back of the bag to store your laptop with security. Additionally, we’ve included an interior sleeve for your tablet or a second laptop (though we suggest using a Cache to make sure your electronics are fully secure).

 

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"What is the maximum size laptop this bag will fit?"

 

Our padded compartment will hold a laptop up to 14.5" x 10" in size.

 

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Does the Cambiata have a dedicated water bottle pocket?

 

It does!

 

We’ve included a zipped pocket on the right exterior panel of the bag that can hold most size water bottles, including a 40oz Hydroflask.

 

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What about my quick-grab items (like my phone and wallet?)

 

We’ve got you covered!

 

On the left exterior panel we’ve included two small zipper compartments. This is a great place to stow away your phone, wallet, or other quick-grab items. And, of course, they include O-rings. If that doesn’t suit your fancy, there is also an exterior front pocket with no zipper for even easier access.

 

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"Okay but how much can it carry?

 

The volume of this bag is around 21L, which is similar to the Paramour. However, instead of allocating that volume space to a 3D front pocket, the Cambiata is mostly one big bucket with flat pockets on the front and side (minus your water bottle carrying pocket)

 

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"Why does the exterior laptop pocket use a different lining fabric from the rest of the bag?"

 

Great question! We use our 100 DENIER PISCINE to line the laptop pocket (More info on that fabric here in our Material Glossary.) Basically, it's a high tenacity nylon that's great for lining while saving on weight. We're big fans of the look and feel of the fabric. Piscine is also used to line the laptop pocket in the Techonaut.

 

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Questions about Use

 

"I will only use this as a backpack, can I remove the tote straps?"


Of course! The bag comes with our adjustable tote shoulder strap, which features a Gatekeeper clip on each end for easy customization.

 

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"I will only use this as a tote, can I remove the shoulder straps?"

 

While the backpack shoulder straps aren’t fully removable, the shoulder straps fold easily into the back panel to keep those straps out of the way. Just unclip the straps from the buckle at the bottom and tuck them away! We’ve also included a corner to tuck the buckles out of sight as well. 

 

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“Okay, but can I wear it any other way?” 

 

Adjusting the tote straps allows you to wear this bag as a messenger tote if you prefer a crossbody fit. We’ve also included a grab handle at the top if you favor carrying your bag like a grab tote.

 

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"Will any of the existing Freudian Slips fit into the Cambiata?"

 

Yes!

We recommend using the Synapse 19 or Medium Café Bag slip when using it in the Cambiata.

 

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“What about packing cubes?”

 

The Aeronaut 30 Packing Cube in small and the Synik 30 Packing Cube in small are both great options for this bag. 

 

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"And Travel Stuff Sacks?"

 

Any of our Travel Stuff Sack sizes will fit into the Cambiata! 

 

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"How long do the straps go and how do I attach other straps of choice?"

 

The removable nylon shoulder straps can be adjusted from 26" - 52" long. Perfect to adjust to your desires!

We will also be including the following removable d-ring attachment accessory for the pre-order (image below).


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18 comments

Gary - July 18, 2022

Finally! 😊😃😊👍🏼 Well worth the wait. As good or better than I anticipated! Gonna order this! Question: Is the interior completely lined?
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TOM BIHN replied:
Hi Gary! Glad to hear you’re excited! The main compartment’s interior is completely lined. :)

Tammy - July 15, 2022

How does the crew at Tom Bihn feel about possibly using this to haul groceries, etc from farmers market? I have the TB tote, but sometimes gets heavy. The backpack function could come in handy if you’re getting lots of veggies, etc.
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TOM BIHN replied:
Good question! It’s great for groceries, we will share more pictures soon with it as a grocery bag 😊

Matt - July 18, 2022

Do you think the the shoulder strap loops could be used in conjunction with a couple short straps as a bicycle side pannier solution?
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TOM BIHN replied:
Hi Matt! We do think that the Cambiata could be attached like a bike pannier with the right straps. The webbing loops that attach the shoulder strap are 1.5" wide and roughly .5" tall, so an attachment hook that was longer and flatter would work best to fit through that webbing loop.

Beth - July 15, 2022

I’m very excited for this bag! It will be awesome as a personal item. And since I’m an office manager of a music school, it’s a must have!
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TOM BIHN replied:
Sounds like a perfect match! :)

Manali - July 15, 2022

I apologies I did not see the water bottle answer. I am sure it would fit 32 oz Nalgene as per my previous question. I have so many Tom Bihn Bags but I think this would be perfect of my daily carry depending on the size. Thank you for bringing one more awesome product.
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TOM BIHN replied:
Thank you for your support! We really wanted to include a water bottle pocket, and hope this one will fit most daily carry water bottles out there.

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