Icon in Wilderness (forest green) 525 Ballistic with Coyote (tan) zippers. Reverse shot of an Icon in Wilderness (forest green) 525 Ballistic with Coyote (tan) zippers. Icon in Black 525 Ballistic with Island (blue) zippers. Reverse shot of an Icon in Black 525 Ballistic with Island (blue) zippers. Icon in Black 525 Ballistic with multicolor zippers. Reverse shot of an Icon in Black 525 Ballistic with multicolor zippers. Icon in Black 525 Ballistic with Black zippers. Reverse shot of an Icon in Black 525 Ballistic with Black zippers. Icon in Seapine (bluish green) 630 Recycled with Ultraviolet (purple) zippers. Reverse shot of an Icon in Seapine (bluish green) 630 Recycled with Ultraviolet (purple) zippers. Icon in Logic Blue (pale blue) 630 Recycled with Steel (light grey) zippers. Reverse shot of an Icon in Logic Blue (pale blue) 630 Recycled with Steel (light grey) zippers. Alphaviolet (bright purple) 525 Ballistic with Wasabi (green) zippers. Reverse shot of an Icon in Alphaviolet (bright purple) 525 Ballistic with Wasabi (green) zippers. Icon in Burnt Orange 525 Ballistic with Ultraviolet (purple) zippers. Reverse shot of an Icon in Burnt Orange 525 Ballistic with Ultraviolet (purple) zippers. Icon in Mars Red 525 Ballistic with Northwest Sky (light grey) zippers. Reverse shot of an Icon in Mars Red 525 Ballistic with Northwest Sky (light grey) zippers. Icon in Nebulous Grey (dark grey) 525 Ballistic with Iberian (red) zippers. Reverse shot of an Icon in Nebulous Grey (dark grey) 525 Ballistic with Iberian (red) zippers. Icon in Constellation (light blue) 525 Ballistic with Ultraviolet (purple) zippers. Reverse shot of an Icon in Constellation (light blue) 525 Ballistic with Ultraviolet (purple) zippers. Icon in Coyote (tan) 525 Ballistic with Coyote (tan) zippers. Reverse shot of an Icon in Coyote (tan) 525 Ballistic with Coyote (tan) zippers. Icon in Black 525 Ballistic with Island (blue) zippers. Reverse shot of an Icon in Black 525 Ballistic with Island (blue) zippers.
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$83.00


Color: Alphaviolet Ballistic/Wasabi Zipper

Small messenger bag with color zippers or a total black version; excess shoulder strap length hides away.

7 liters / 440 cu. in.

We've retired the Icon so we can focus our efforts on other projects. You can sign up for our newsletter at the bottom of the page to receive updates on what we're working on next!

Description

The Icon is a cross-body or over-the-shoulder bag. Tom designed the initial prototyping and rough patterning for the Icon in about three hours. It looked promising, so he spent the next two weeks nuancing the shape, adding a few features and perfecting the pattern. It’s a playful expression of a spontaneous inspiration and it doesn't take itself too seriously: if there is a Muse of Bags, we can say with some certainty that Tom was so visited.

You’ll know whether or not the Icon is for you simply by looking at it. Does it delight you? Are you smiling? There you go.

The Icon has one zippered main compartment and two zippered pockets (smaller one on the front and larger one on the back). Inside the main compartment, there’s a couple of pen slots on the side edge, two open-top pouch-pockets against the front panel for phone or wallet or passport, and two O-ring tether points for key straps (speaking of: one 8" Black Key Strap is included with the Icon) or accessory pouches. There’s two O-ring tether points in each of the two zippered pockets as well. That’s about it.

Akin to our Color Zipper Ghost Whale Organizer Pouches, we’re having some fun experimenting on the Icon with contrast color zippers. And if you find that a bit much, we’re offering a Solid Black Icon: its exterior fabric is black, its zippers are black, even our logo label is dark grey/black instead of the usual colors.

Good to know: the Icon’s main compartment zips entirely shut: this is cool but the compromise is that the opening is somewhat smaller than you might expect (only about 9.4” / 240mm). This means that some items which could fit inside the bag won’t fit through the zipper opening. Just thought you’d want to know.

But you know us: even in the most simple of designs, we make an effort to sneak in a bit of innovation. The Icon is the first bag to utilize the Rabbit Hole design solution engineered by Tom that hides excess shoulder strap length; instead of dangling down or doubling back on the strap, the excess webbing of the Icon’s shoulder strap seamlessly disappears down into a hidden rabbit hole in the side of the bag. 

 

Will the Rabbit Hole shoulder strap design work for everyone? Quite simply, no. Feeding the excess webbing into the hidden rabbit hole takes a little bit of time and effort; it’s effort we feel is worth it if you don’t adjust your strap all that often, as it’s an elegant solution for excess strap webbing. 

 

You’ll appreciate the Rabbit Hole shoulder strap design if…..

 

You’re a set-it-and-forget-it type shoulder strap person. In other words, you adjust the length of your shoulder strap only occasionally. 

 

You don’t like excess shoulder strap webbing hanging down; you prefer clean lines and a trim aesthetic. 

 

Height-wise, you’re a shorter person, or, for some other reason, you want to be able to adjust the strap down to be quite short, and possibly even handle length. (Though, of course, the Icon works great for taller folks as well due to how adjustable the strap is.)

 

You’d like the ability to remove the included shoulder pad entirely (using just the webbing as the strap or perhaps replacing our pad with one you’ve made yourself.) 

 

The Rabbit Hole shoulder strap design probably is not for you if….

 

You frequently adjust the length of your shoulder strap. 

 

You want the shoulder strap to be fully removable.

 

Some messenger-style bags with quick adjust buckles have straps that are sewn to the bag; others do not, and the Icon is one of those that do not.If you fail to fully close the cam buckle, or you open the cam buckle without first setting the bag on to a surface (like while you’re wearing the bag), it might fall to the ground. Just like how, if you’re wearing a cross-body bag with a side release buckle strap (so, like a Side Effect worn cross-body sling bag style) and if you undo that buckle, it’d fall to the ground. So, definitely don’t do that, but if you think you might, we recommend taking a look at our Small and Medium Cafe Bags instead — they have sewn-in shoulder straps. 

Materials

Zippers

3x #8 YKK color coil zippers

Shoulder Strap

Nylon webbing shoulder strap

Components

Duraflex®, Nexus, and Woojin buckles and related components

Specs

Dimensions

13.6” (w) x 9.6” (h) x 5.3” (d) / 345 (w) x 245 (h) x 135 (d) mm

Weights

525d Ballistic: 12.7 oz / 360 grams
630d Recycled: 12.3 oz / 350 grams

Volume

7 liters / 440 cu. in. (ASTM Standard Measure)

Total O-Rings

6 (2 in the main pocket, 2 in the front pocket, 2 in the back pocket)

4.8
Rated 4.8 out of 5 stars
Based on 43 reviews
95%would recommend this product
43 reviews
  • vj
    Verified Reviewer
    Bought For Myself
    Product Standouts Thoughtful Design, Comfortable, High Quality Craftsmanship, Easily Adjustable, Durable
    1 month ago
    Bought For Myself
    Product Standouts Thoughtful Design, Comfortable, High Quality Craftsmanship, Easily Adjustable, Durable
    Rated 5 out of 5 stars
    Great EDC

    I own a quite a few Tom Bihn bags, but this is the one I use the most, hands down. Elegant and carries a lot without looking bulky, and the zipper means things stay put. It breaks my heart that it has been retired.

  • Cynthia B.
    Verified Buyer
    Bought For Myself
    Product Standouts Thoughtful Design, High Quality Craftsmanship, Sewn in USA, Durable, Good Storage Size
    4 months ago
    Bought For Myself
    Product Standouts Thoughtful Design, High Quality Craftsmanship, Sewn in USA, Durable, Good Storage Size
    Rated 5 out of 5 stars
    EDC perfection

    I love this bag. It holds everything I need for everyday use, including 2 magazines and my little Glock 43. When it comes out of retirement, I’m getting it in 2 more colors.

  • Sharon B.
    Verified Buyer
    Bought For Myself
    Product Standouts Thoughtful Design, Comfortable, High Quality Craftsmanship, Sewn in USA, Durable
    1 year ago
    Bought For Myself
    Product Standouts Thoughtful Design, Comfortable, High Quality Craftsmanship, Sewn in USA, Durable
    Rated 5 out of 5 stars
    Icon

    I love the size, it holds everything I carry in a day. It is not bulky and fits close in to me when I am walking.

  • Abby B.
    Verified Buyer
    Bought For Myself
    Product Standouts High Quality Craftsmanship, Thoughtful Design, Good Storage Size, Durable
    1 year ago
    Bought For Myself
    Product Standouts High Quality Craftsmanship, Thoughtful Design, Good Storage Size, Durable
    Rated 5 out of 5 stars
    Great bag for urban travel

    There aren't that many bags in the current TB lineup that I would be comfortable wearing on public transportation in a European city (where pickpockets are inevitably a concern). This one has a sewn-in, nonremovable strap (check), is zippered (check), and has a zippered pocket held against the body (check); all the pockets have o-rings to which you can attach a wallet or organizer pouch containing passports (check, check, check, check). I liked it so much I bought a second in a different colour.

  • Martha C.
    Verified Buyer
    Bought For Myself
    Product Standouts High Quality Craftsmanship, Thoughtful Design, Comfortable, Sewn in USA, Compact
    1 year ago
    Bought For Myself
    Product Standouts High Quality Craftsmanship, Thoughtful Design, Comfortable, Sewn in USA, Compact
    Rated 5 out of 5 stars
    My Tom Bihn bag

    Is an outstanding addition to my wardrobe. It holds everything in a very organized fashion and takes up 75% less space than the purse I used before I got this bag. I would say it is worth every penny I paid for it, but, in truth, it is worth a lot more than that. Outstanding design, materials, and fabrication.

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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.