I've been using the Nomad 16 as my work tote for about a month now and absolutely love it.

The straps are comfortable and just the right length. I haven't had need for the crossbody strap so far, but it also seems to be high quality.

The front zip pocket is perfect for things I need easy access to like my keys, mobile phone, work badge, kleenex, pens, etc. The main compartment is spacious and easily accommodates my water bottle, a small toiletries/make up bag, my wallet, a medium sized notebook, an e-reader, my lunch when I bring it to work, and has room to spare. I don't typically have to bring a laptop back and forth, but do use the laptop pocket for papers and folders, and it works great. I haven't traveled with it yet, but I could also see it working wonderfully as a personal item.

As one would expect from Tom Bihn, the craftsmanship is top notch, and I love that it's sewn in the USA. I chose the black ballistic exterior with Northwest Sky halcyon interior and the light colored interior makes it easy to find anything I'm looking for in any of the pockets. I'm very tempted by a couple of the other colors on offer, and may have to spring for a second, or even third one.

So, I’m not sure how this started . . . it was a dark and stormy night and I realized with horror that my old, peely handled, unimaginative travel tote was deceased. I mean I loved that thing for years but when it started to go, it went. And that’s how I came to be searching for under seat/carry on options. Lo and Behold, up popped Tom Bihn. And I got it into my head that I might try . . . NO! That I really NEEDED a backpack. I proceeded to then spend more time with Tom Bihn than I had spent in my last three relationships. I tried to decide how many liters I needed? What color combos were the very, very best? Why is everyone so in love with Halcyon? I looked at all the travel bags, all the totes, everything! Then one night, after hours spent trying to decide I thought, “I haven’t carried a backpack since college. I need a tote.” And in that moment, I chose the Nomad 16 tote in black ballistic lined in Wisteria Halcyon, a matching Wisteria Handy Little Thing and travel tray. It all came in three days. A day ahead of schedule! I opened it. Well, the Nomad seemed a bit more narrow width-wise than I had envisioned. And what about my backpack dream? Had I done the right thing? I started to put some items inside. Wait there’s more room. Put in some more. Clip that HLT into an O-ring. You know if I ordered the packing cube/cross body I think it would fit in there too. And maybe a mystery pouch. Maybe two mystery pouches and what about more carabiners? Is one enough? Are six too…

I really like that this is the same bag as the original Nomad, but bigger. I was already using the original Nomad and loved the horizontal format of it, but really needed more space. When I got this bag, it was super easy to transfer everything over while keeping the same placement in the bag. That nothing needed to be reinvented about my organizational scheme was a big bonus (and I could get the same color combo as I had in the original Nomad, too!). I thought I would like the crossbody feature as well, but it turns out that I prefer the main handles, just as I was using with this bag's little sister. (Side note: I felt that the strap for the crossbody function had a sort of strong rubbery smell when I got it. It might well be that it would air out when used, but I don't know because I just didn't like carrying the bag that way when I tried it.)

Pros:

- Just the right size for me. Big enough for files and groceries.

- Handles. I had Side Hustle for my everday carry , but I found the absence of handles more of an issue than I would have guessed.

- Stands up. You can set it down and it will usually stand up, even if empty.

- Double zippers. Again, the Side Hustle only had one zipper but the double zippers on the Nomad make it easier to access without thinking too much.

- Top access. Both a pro/con. The top access forms a sort of trough when carrying it. My arm sits nicely in the trough when carrying over the shoulder.

- Unzippered pocket. This is the side I have to the inside when carrying over the shoulder. I like being able to reach in there for my keys without needing to unzipper.

Cons:

- Weight. It is heavier than expected. Maybe the option of Halcyon for the exterior?

- Rings. Never thought I'd be saying this about a Tom Bihn product, but I could have used a few more rings, esp. in the main compartment and the zippered side pocket. A couple on the unzippered side would be great as that is where I attached a key tether.

- Top access. The top of the Nomad forms a sort of trough along the top. I'm concerned that in a rain water would pool there.

- End attachments. There are attachment on the end for the shoulder strap. It would be great to have another one. I have a carabiner that I attach to one end so that when I'm in a coffee shop I can attach the bag to the chair handle. This keeps the…