Thank you for all of your amazing entries in the #Wherewevebihn contest! Each week we will be sharing some of your thoughtful stories, starting with our 1st place winner, Hevi from the forums:⁠

"I am normally not someone that posts a lot of personal pictures online, but this fun celebration made me want to explain why the image below is connected to TOM BIHN.:

In 2017, after my old backpack gave up, I discovered TOM BIHN by looking around on the internet. The combination of a no-nonsense and elegant exterior with the utilitarian approach to design made me buy my first bag; The Synapse 25.

It went with me on many trips, always by my side.

More bags followed. Smaller ones in particular. The first reason (and most important one of course), is that I like looking at them a lot. Additionally, it allowed a lot of my utensils to be organized modular. Keeping them together for when I need them and am ready to throw them in a bag whenever. (Pro tip: dropping your keys in a small ghost-whale pouch makes carrying them in your pants pocket way more comfortable.)

TOM BIHN bags also became closely connected to my artistry. I love keeping my art gear organized in them. I even cut my sketchbooks to the size of the bags. For instance, I have the bigger 'Field-Journal-Notebook set', and also a smaller 'Vertical-Packing-Cubelet-set'. The square cubelet is perfect for holding my lens cleaning set.​

So TOM BIHN bags became the home to my art gear. It made me want to make a small 'ode' to TOM BIHN in my art. I didn't find a good opportunity until about 2 years ago. I was working on my own game with a small group of people and I had to design a bag for the main character.

In this game, you diligently plan your journey(s) and carefully manage the contents of your bag. So I decided to design it inspired by a bag I recently bought back then - the Guide's Edition Synik 30. This became my most used bag.

That brings me to the image at the top. It is the title-image I created for the game when it was released in 2022. If you look closely, you will see the figure in the image wearing a bag. 

It is a fantasy RPG tribute to the Synik 30! I decided this game-world has not invented zippers yet, so I 3d-modeled the side pockets as little sacks, which you can close with a rope. A nice cover-flap over the 2 center pockets and one for the front bottom pocket. The clamp shell main compartment isn't really held together all that well. Of course, being the guide's edition, it has the facility to hang a sleeping mat under the bag.

On the main character:

So now you know!

Thank you for reading and of course thank u TOM BIHN for your awesome bags. 

Cheers,

Hendrik"

Thank you again for your amazing entry!