TLDR
A medium, yet versatile everyday crossbody shoulder bag that can also be used as a sling bag, waist pack, or organizer pouch.
- Main compartment with lots of organization: 7 open-top interior pockets of varying sizes
- 4 O-rings inside to tether extra organizer pouches and/or Key Straps
- Two exterior pockets, front and back, one zippered and one open-top
- Wear it crossbody with our 1.5" Shoulder Strap (included) or as a sling bag / waistpack with a 1" Waist Strap (optional)
Want a smaller version of the Side Hustle? Check out the Side Kick. Want an even smaller version? Check out the Side Effect.
Full Description
Main Compartment
The main compartment of the Side Hustle opens with two zipper sliders, making it convenient for left or right-handed folks. It also allows you to choose where the sliders end up when the bag is closed. This compartment can fit a medium water bottle, an iPad Pro 11", or even an ultralight rain shell or down vest stuffed into itself or in a Travel Stuff Sack.
On the front interior side of the main compartment are two large open-top pockets. They are sized to fit your phone, wallet, notebook, or even a pair of sunglasses inside an eyeglasses case.
On the back interior side of the main compartment is one large open-top organizational pocket that spans the width of the Side Hustle. You can fit 7" - 8" tablets, including the iPad Mini in our size 8A Cache.
In front of this large organizational pocket are four additional smaller pockets. The two on one end can fit items like granola bars, hand cream, or sunscreen. The two on the other end can each fit a pen or pencil.
All interior pockets are made with our super tough 200d Halcyon or 210d Cerylon fabric.
Four O-rings, two on the back side and two on the front side of the interior main compartment, allow you to trick out your organization even further: attach Ghost Whale Organizer Pouches, Mystery Organizer Pouches, and/or any of our Key Strap variants to keep essentials handy and tethered safely.
Two Exterior Pockets
The exterior of the Side Kick has a straight zippered pocket that spans the full width of the bag and is designed to fit your passport, notebook, tablet, or anything relatively flat. Inside the zippered pocket is one O-ring with a clipped 8" Key Strap. We consider this the front side of the bag, but you can always flip the bag around and make it the back side if you prefer.
On the other exterior side, there is an open-topped back pocket, for when you need to quickly put something away and deal with it later.
Ways to Carry the Side Hustle
Shoulder/Crossbody Bag
On either side of the Side Hustle are horizontal webbing loops to which you can attach the adjustable 1.5" Shoulder Strap (included), made from nylon webbing and with plastic clips (but no pad). When you're not wearing the Side Hustle, you can use the 1.5" Shoulder Strap to hang it on a coat hook or from a doorknob.
Waist Pack or Sling Bag
Also on the sides of the bag are unobtrusive webbing loops to which you can attach an optional 1" Gatekeeper Waist Strap, using our ubiquitous Gatekeeper clips. Wear the Side Hustle around your waist or hips, and you've got a sweet waist pack. Wear it crossbody with the bag on your back, and you've got a mini sling bag. Either way, it's great for cycling, hiking, or any situation where you need your hands completely free.
Use as an Organizer Pouch
Clip one side of any of our Key Strap variants to the Side Hustle and then clip the other side to an O-ring inside one of our larger bags. That way, the Side Hustle stays tethered to your bag.
What's Included
1.5" Shoulder Strap
This one is a little different than most of our other shoulder straps, but not by much. No pad or grip, just a plain shoulder strap the width of our Standard shoulder strap.
8" Snaphook/Snaphook Key Strap
As with most of our bags, we've included a key strap. 8" long from tip-to-tip, a snaphook on either end. Good for attaching your keys to.
A Set of Black Zipper Pulls
A set of pulls to extend or replace your metal pulls.
What's Optional
Gatekeeper Hip Belt
If you want to wear this as a sling, this is the thing. Attaches to either the front or back of the Side Hustle much like our Side Effect and Side Kick. You could also use it for a hip belt, but it will be pretty tall and wide to wear as a hip pack.
The main compartment of the Side Hustle opens with two zipper sliders, making it convenient for left or right-handed folks. It also allows you to choose where the sliders end up when the bag is closed. This compartment can fit a medium water bottle, an iPad Pro 11", or even an ultralight rain shell or down vest stuffed into itself or in a Travel Stuff Sack.
On the front interior side of the main compartment are two large open-top pockets. They are sized to fit your phone, wallet, notebook, or even a pair of sunglasses inside an eyeglasses case.
On the back interior side of the main compartment is one large open-top organizational pocket that spans the width of the Side Hustle. You can fit 7" - 8" tablets, including the iPad Mini in our size 8A Cache.
In front of this large organizational pocket are four additional smaller pockets. The two on one end can fit items like granola bars, hand cream, or sunscreen. The two on the other end can each fit a pen or pencil.
All interior pockets are made with our super tough 200d Halcyon or 210d Cerylon fabric.
Four O-rings, two on the back side and two on the front side of the interior main compartment, allow you to trick out your organization even further: attach Ghost Whale Organizer Pouches, Mystery Organizer Pouches, and/or any of our Key Strap variants to keep essentials handy and tethered safely.
The exterior of the Side Kick has a straight zippered pocket that spans the full width of the bag and is designed to fit your passport, notebook, tablet, or anything relatively flat. Inside the zippered pocket is one O-ring with a clipped 8" Key Strap. We consider this the front side of the bag, but you can always flip the bag around and make it the back side if you prefer.
On the other exterior side, there is an open-topped back pocket, for when you need to quickly put something away and deal with it later.
Shoulder/Crossbody Bag
On either side of the Side Hustle are horizontal webbing loops to which you can attach the adjustable 1.5" Shoulder Strap (included), made from nylon webbing and with plastic clips (but no pad). When you're not wearing the Side Hustle, you can use the 1.5" Shoulder Strap to hang it on a coat hook or from a doorknob.
Waist Pack or Sling Bag
Also on the sides of the bag are unobtrusive webbing loops to which you can attach an optional 1" Gatekeeper Waist Strap, using our ubiquitous Gatekeeper clips. Wear the Side Hustle around your waist or hips, and you've got a sweet waist pack. Wear it crossbody with the bag on your back, and you've got a mini sling bag. Either way, it's great for cycling, hiking, or any situation where you need your hands completely free.
Use as an Organizer Pouch
Clip one side of any of our Key Strap variants to the Side Hustle and then clip the other side to an O-ring inside one of our larger bags. That way, the Side Hustle stays tethered to your bag.
1.5" Shoulder Strap
This one is a little different than most of our other shoulder straps, but not by much. No pad or grip, just a plain shoulder strap the width of our Standard shoulder strap.
8" Snaphook/Snaphook Key Strap
As with most of our bags, we've included a key strap. 8" long from tip-to-tip, a snaphook on either end. Good for attaching your keys to.
A Set of Black Zipper Pulls
A set of pulls to extend or replace your metal pulls.
Gatekeeper Hip Belt
If you want to wear this as a sling, this is the thing. Attaches to either the front or back of the Side Hustle much like our Side Effect and Side Kick. You could also use it for a hip belt, but it will be pretty tall and wide to wear as a hip pack.
Still Have Questions?
- emailus@tombihn.com
- Call 1-800-729-9607
- Ask in our Forums
Materials
Exterior Fabric
Interior Fabrics
bluesign® and OEKO-TEX® certified 200 denier Halcyon/nylon ripstop
— or —
bluesign® certified 210 denier Cerylon 6,6 Ripstop nylon
Zippers
Specs
- Robert M.Verified BuyerBought For MyselfProduct Standouts Thoughtful Design, Comfortable, High Quality Craftsmanship2 hours agoBought For MyselfProduct Standouts Thoughtful Design, Comfortable, High Quality CraftsmanshipRated 5 out of 5 starsSide Hustle
I am very happy with quality and utility of the Side Hustle.
Was this helpful? - DrewVerified BuyerBought For MyselfProduct Standouts Thoughtful Design, High Quality Craftsmanship, Sewn in USA2 weeks agoBought For MyselfProduct Standouts Thoughtful Design, High Quality Craftsmanship, Sewn in USARated 4 out of 5 starsGreat bag but a little large
I have a Side Kick and wanted to get something a little bigger for traveling. My Side Kick is perfect for the gym (fits tablet, phone, earphones, keys, wallet, etc. But, it was too small to travel with. The Side Hustle seemed perfect. I took it on a 2 week trip and while I could fit a water bottle and a light rain/windbreaker in it, it still seemed a little large. Maybe if there were a few more compartments inside or a zippered section.
This is still high-quality Tom Bihn, but I think for traveling, I love my Synapse 19 backpack better.
Was this helpful? - Angie T.Verified BuyerBought For MyselfProduct Standouts High Quality Craftsmanship, Good Storage Size, Comfortable2 weeks agoBought For MyselfProduct Standouts High Quality Craftsmanship, Good Storage Size, ComfortableRated 3 out of 5 starsGreat bag with one issue…
I love this bag. It organizes a generous amount of my stuff, allowing me to leave for the day well equipped for anything. I can carry my iPad, sketchbook, pens/pencils, wallet, phone, keys, a snack, and a light jacket. The exterior pockets keep essentials at hand.
The issue…it squeaks. The shoulder strap has a plastic clip that attaches to a plastic piece on the bag—they rub against each other and …squeak. It’s constant. I thought something was wrong with my shoes at first.
It’s not a deal breaker, but it is annoying.
Was this helpful? - Lori S.Verified BuyerBought For MyselfProduct Standouts High Quality Craftsmanship, Easily Adjustable, Comfortable, Good Storage Size3 weeks agoBought For MyselfProduct Standouts High Quality Craftsmanship, Easily Adjustable, Comfortable, Good Storage SizeRated 5 out of 5 starsPerfect Size
This is my first purchase from Tom Bihn and I’m a customer for life. The bag is perfect for my IPad Pro and all the additional gear I needed to carry on my cruise. It is well made. I’ll be using it for a long time.
Was this helpful? - George F.Verified BuyerBought For MyselfProduct Standouts Good Storage Size3 weeks agoBought For MyselfProduct Standouts Good Storage SizeRated 3 out of 5 starsFeels unfinished.
I like the size but it feels unfinished. The bag is completely limp floppy. It's missing a handle on the top. The pockets on the inside need some kind of closure especially since the bag is so floppy and the outside pocket is worthless as there is no way to keep something in the pocket in the floppy bag. That said I am going to have a seamstress sew a zipper on the outside pocket, a handle on top and stiffen the bag opening. It fits my Samsung S8+ tablet perfectly so its worth fixing.
Was this helpful?TBTOM BIHN3 weeks agoThanks for sharing your thoughts, George! We appreciate the feedback. =)
The soft-sided nature of the bag is intended to allow it to conform to any shape, but we understand that some folks might prefer more structure. The design is based on the previous Side Effect and Side Kick bags, which also were soft-sided and didn't have a ton of structure. A bigger version of those bags in this precise size is exactly what folks had been asking us to make for literal years, so that's what we did. ;)
Adding a handle and interior pocket closures are great ideas to make the bag perfect for your needs. We're glad to hear the size works well for your tablet, too.
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Sewn in Seattle
Our bags are designed and sewn right here in Seattle, Washington, U.S.A.
That allows us to be control freaks in the best way possible; we have direct control and oversight of the quality of our materials, our products, and the jobs and working environment that we help create. It also offers us a unique spontaneity: when we have an idea for a new product or accessory, we can design it, figure out how to build it, add it to our website and be ready to ship it out our front door all within just a few weeks. How cool is that?
Intrigued? You can find out more about the unusual way we do business on our Company Philosophy page.
THE BIHN Guarantee
Everything you buy from us here at TOM BIHN is satisfaction guaranteed. We’ve been in business since 1972 and we stand behind what we make.
If something goes wrong and it's our fault, we'll fix it for free. Repairs due to normal wear and tear or due to other things that are not our fault will be performed, when possible, at a reasonable charge right here in our Seattle factory where your bag was made. Defects in materials or workmanship are uncommon and almost always evident while the product is still new. Keep in mind that bags and packs are often subject to extreme wear in everyday use: do not expect them to last forever. Only true love lasts forever! You can expect a TOM BIHN product to give years and years of hard service.