Zeitgeist

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Description
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USA Sewn
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TLDR

Tom designed the Zeitgeist (you're here now) and Paradigm specifically for folks who’d been asking him for years to design a small backpack PLO (Purse-Like Object; read about the origin of that acronym in the Forums). The Zeitgeist is a reissue of a vintage TOM BIHN design from the 90's; the Paradigm is a more modern design.

Both backpacks share the same main compartment: a slightly teardrop shape with a zipper across the top and down the sides. Same shoulder straps too – a new style of strap offering a gentle contour and a touch of padding. Both have the same padded back panel with an interior padded sleeve suitable for a iPad or similar (sound familiar? It’s a scaled down version of the back panel of the Paragon).

After that, the Zeitgeist heads in one direction and the Paradigm heads in another…

The Zeitgeist features a simple flat front pocket with a diagonal zipper; we’ve trimmed the zipper with contrast colored grosgrain ribbon just for fun. We went with the new version of an old TOM BIHN label to give it even more of a retro flavor — we call it the “Moon Label”. The Zeitgeist has a small zippered interior pocket like the Paragon; the main compartment zipper (#8 YKK RC DWR) has an old school weather flap and is also a bit longer than the zipper on the Paradigm.

Full Description

Walk through the features of the Zeitgeist.

Padded Device Pocket

The Zeitgeist's padded compartment offers just-right padding without adding bulk or weight. Don't plan to carry a device? Know that most of the padding and construction of the compartment would be there regardless to offer comfort to your back and structure for the bag itself.

The Zeitgeist will fit devices up to the size of the 11" iPad Pro or Samsung Galaxy Tab S7 (but notably not the S7+).

Person putting a tablet in the device compartment of the Zeitgeist.

Diagonal Exterior Pocket

The Zeitgeist features a simple flat front pocket with a diagonal zipper; we’ve trimmed the zipper with contrast colored grosgrain ribbon just for fun.

A person pulling a Small Q-Kit from the diagonal exterior pocket of the Zeitgeist

Interior Pocket

Small interior zippered pocket: perfect for a wallet, passport, keys, sunglasses or other small items.

A person removing a protein bar from the interior pocket of the Zeitgeist (also filled with a wallet and cellphone)

Contour Backpack Straps

Our new Contour Backpack Straps were designed to be an upgrade from basic webbing straps. They have minimal foam padding to bump up the comfort factor, while remaining light and proportional to smaller or lightweight packs.

Tom developed the shape and fit of the Contour straps over several months, asking for feedback from friends and crew of all heights and sizes — many different refinements were made to the shape and fit. The result? While no backpack strap design is likely to work for everyone, it’s surprising to all of us how many of us love these straps in particular — folks ranging from 5’0” to 6’0” find them comfortable and well-fitted.

The Zeitgeist's straps on a person

Grab Handle

We added a simple webbing grab handle to the top of the Zeitgeist. It'll come in handy if you'd like to hang the pack on a coat hook, grab and hoist it up onto a table, or carry it briefly by the grab handle itself.

Person holding the Zeitgeist by its grab handle

Moon Label

The Moon label revisitation of a label Tom used briefly back in the mid-1990s.

Close-up of the vintage reissue Moon Label

Smooth Back Panel

The back panel of the Zeitgeist is always smooth 525d ballistic nylon in Black, no matter the main exterior fabric or color.

Zeitgeist back panel

What's Included

We include the following accessories to give you a good amount of options for your new bag right out of the gate.

One 8-inch Black Webbing Snaphook/Snaphook Key Strap

A Key Strap is a strip of webbing with plastic snaphooks on the end. The 8” Key Strap in Black that’s included in most of our larger bags is, for many, the gateway to a world of organization via Key Straps and Organizer Pouches. All the members of the Key Strap family are intended to make locating things in your bag easier and more instinctive. Pulling out a small item or pouch tethered to a strap is easier than rooting around aimlessly in the depths of your pack; you can also rest assured that anything hooked to a strap is much less likely to fall out or otherwise be left behind. You can find more Key Strap colors and varieties on the Key Strap page.

One Cord Zipper Pulls w/ Plastic Ends (8-Pack)

Some folks prefer metal zipper pulls. Others prefer cord pulls. So, what to do about that? We think the best solution (in most cases) is to offer metal pulls and include a starter pack of Cord Pulls with most bags. The most popular solution is to weave the Cord Pulls through the metal pulls, effectively silencing them without having to remove them. A video demonstrating various Cord Pull options and more colors/varieties of Cord Pulls can be found on the Cord Zipper Pulls page.

One Sternum Strap Assembly

An adjustable and removable sternum strap with leave-no-trace hardware: if you don't like or don't use your sternum strap, remove it and leave (almost) nothing behind.