A Smart Alec in Burnt Orange 1050 Ballistic. A Smart Alec in Burnt Orange 1050 Ballistic with a Northwest Sky (light grey with white grid) 200 Halcyon interior. A Smart Alec in Steel (grey) 1050 Ballistic. A Smart Alec in Steel (grey) 1050 Ballistic with a Wasabi (green with white grid) 200 Halcyon interior. A Smart Alec in Steel (grey) 1050 Ballistic with an Iberian (red with white grid) 200 Halcyon interior. A Smart Alec in Verde (green) 1050 Ballistic. A Smart Alec in Verde (green) 1050 Ballistic with an Ultraviolet (purple with white grid) 200 Halcyon interior. A Smart Alec in Coyote (sand brown) 1050 Ballistic. A Smart Alec in Coyote 1050 Ballistic with a Northwest Sky (light grey with white grid) 200 Halcyon interior. A Smart Alec in Aubergine (dark purple) 1050 Ballistic. A Smart Alec in Aubergine (dark purple) 1050 Ballistic with a Wasabi (green with white grid) 200 Halcyon interior. A Smart Alec in Black 1050 Ballistic with a black label. A Smart Alec in Black 1050 Ballistic with a Northwest Sky (light grey with white grid) 200 Halcyon interior. A Smart Alec in Navy (dark blue) 1050 Ballistic. A Smart Alec in Navy (dark blue) 1050 Ballistic with an Iberian (red with white grid) 200 Halcyon interior. A Smart Alec in Nordic (blue with grey grid) 400 Halcyon. A Smart Alec in Nordic (blue with grey grid) 400 Halcyon with a Wasabi (green with white grid) 200 Halcyon interior. A Smart Alec in Nordic (blue with grey grid) 400 Halcyon with a Northwest Sky (light grey with white grid) 200 Halcyon interior. A Smart Alec in Black (black with grey grid) 400 Halcyon. A Smart Alec in Black (black with grey grid) 400 Halcyon with a Northwest Sky (light grey with white grid) 200 Halcyon interior. A Smart Alec in Black (black with grey grid) 400 Halcyon with an Island (blue with white grid) 200 Halcyon interior. A Smart Alec in Black (black with grey grid) 400 Halcyon with an Iberian (red with white grid) 200 Halcyon interior. A Smart Alec in Original (black with white grid) 400 Halcyon. A Smart Alec in Original (black with white grid) 400 Halcyon with an Ultraviolet (purple with white grid) 200 Halcyon interior. A Smart Alec in Original (black with white grid) 400 Halcyon with a Wasabi (green with white grid) 200 Halcyon interior. A Smart Alec in Black 525 Ballistic with a red label. A Smart Alec in Black 525 Ballistic with a Tidal (faded blue with white grid) 200 Halcyon interior. A Smart Alec in Deep Blue (dark blue) 525 Ballistic. A Smart Alec in Deep Blue 525 Ballistic with a Mountain Grey (grey with light grey grid) 210 Cerylon interior. A Smart Alec in Nebulous Grey (medium grey) 525 Ballistic. A Smart Alec in Nebulous Grey (medium grey) 525 Ballistic with a Cobalt (blue with light blue grid) 210 Cerylon interior. A Smart Alec in Ursa (chocolate brown) 525 Ballistic. A Smart Alec in Ursa (chocolate brown) 525 Ballistic with a Sangria (red with light red grid) 210 Cerylon interior. A Smart Alec in Aubergine (dark purple) 525 Ballistic. A Smart Alec in Aubergine (dark purple) 525 Ballistic with a Mountain Grey (grey with light grey grid) 210 Cerylon interior. A Smart Alec in Wilderness (forest green) 525 Ballistic. A Smart Alec in Wilderness (forest green) 525 Ballistic with a Taiga (olive green with white grid) 200 Halcyon interior. A Smart Alec in Alphaviolet (bright purple) 525 Ballistic. A Smart Alec in Alphaviolet (bright purple) 525 Ballistic with a Mountain Grey (grey with light grey grid) 210 Cerylon interior.
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$230.00


Color: Burnt Orange 1050 Ballistic/Northwest Sky 200 Halcyon

Clean lines and serious organization.

26 liters / 1600 cu. in.

We've retired the Smart Alec 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

Take it around the world, on a hike, or to the office: its top-loading design and optional modular organization helps you tailor this pack to your needs.

The Smart Alec is a modular backpack system: customize it to carry your gear with a variety of interior and exterior organizational pockets.

13 webbing loops on the front of the Smart Alec and an included removable black bungee make it easy to secure a rain jacket, umbrella, yoga mat, or bike helmet to the front of the bag.

Designed to attach to the webbing loops are the optional Upper Modular PocketLower Modular Pocket, and 1" Gate Keeper Straps. Each adds extra carrying capacity and custom organization to the Smart Alec.

The Upper Modular Pocket adds an extra 2+ liters of volume to the Smart Alec. Inside there are four small organizer pouches sized for the things to which you need quick access: smartphone, keys, multitool, flashlight. Two interior O-rings so you can attach keys or pouches or what-have-you. The Lower Modular Pocket adds an extra 3+ liters of volume to the Smart Alec. Fits two 1-liter water bottles, or one water bottle and other stuff, or just a lot of other stuff. Inside are two o-rings and an open-top organizer pocket sized for a wallet. 1" Gate Keeper Straps can replace the front bungee included with the Smart Alec with these straps (or leave the bungee in place and install the straps over the bungee). Useful for securing large/bulky items to the front or top of the Smart Alec: a yoga mat, snowshoes, raincoat, Christmas trees, or anything else too big or wet to go inside. Available individually or in sets of two or three; the Smart Alec has webbing loops for accommodating up to five 1″ Gate Keeper Straps. Wondering how many you need? Tom uses two 1″ Gate Keeper Straps to secure his snowshoes to the front of a Smart Alec

The streamlined main compartment of the Smart Alec opens wide, providing easy access to your gear, and zips with a #10 YKK Racquet-Coil water-repellent zipper. 

In the main compartment on the back panel are two unobtrusive webbing loops (that we call "rail loops") to which you can secure the optional Cache (available in sizes to fit for most iDevices, PCs, and tablets). When you add the Cache, the Smart Alec becomes a "checkpoint-friendly" laptop backpack. Here's how it works: on one side of the Cache are two parallel "rails" of 1" wide lightweight nylon webbing which extend down the long dimension (there's a pair on the other side going the other way for horizontal bags.) Included when the Cache is ordered are two Gatekeeper Rail Clips: unclip the side that isn't clipped to the Cache, slip it through the webbing loops in the Smart Alec middle compartment, and flip it shut. Slip the Cache inside the Smart Alec, and pull it back out: you'll see that the Gatekeeper Rail Clips ride the rails of the Cache, allowing you to remove your laptop from the Smart Alec entirely while it is still encased in the protective Cache. Doing this at the airport security checkpoint means the X-ray machines (and TSA personnel) will have a clear, unobstructed view of your laptop — allowing you to keep your laptop in the Cache and the whole affair securely held together as one unit. (We think that's much better than having to remove your laptop and dump it in one of those buckets.) Many of us will appreciate this functionality on a daily basis as well: the rail system can be a convenient and quick way to remove one's laptop from the bag. 

Inside the main compartment, you'll also find three medium-size organizer pockets: one near the bottom of the bag, and two at the top of the bag that zip shut so that, when you open the main compartment, the small stuff in those pockets won't fall out.

The main compartment has one O-ring with an included 8" Key Strap attached, ready and waiting to help you keep track of your keys.

If you need more pockets and organization for your gear, or if you carry a lot of papers or folders, you may want to consider our Brain Bag Freudian Slip insert. The Vertical Freudian Slip fits well inside the main compartment of the Smart Alec and has four slots for files and folders on one side; organizer pockets for cables, small electronics, business cards, pens, and more are on the other side. Best of all, you can pull the Freudian Slip out of the Smart Alec and hang it on a doorknob or near your desk, giving yourself easy access to your accessories while keeping them organized.

The Small and Large Snake Charmer, a two-sided organizational pouch with mesh panels, is also an optional accessory.

The top back of the Smart Alec has a comfortable, PORON® foam padded grab handle. While you wouldn't want to use the handle as a main carrying method for the Smart Alec, the comfort of the handle makes hoisting a fully loaded Smart Alec an easier task.

The Smart Alec has two long pockets on either side of the bag that zip with #8 YKK Racquet-Coil water-repellent zippers. We think it's important to do whatever we can to keep the elements out of your bag and we figure you'd agree. One of the side pockets has an expanding water bottle pocket that can fit water bottles up to 1-1/2 liters. The water bottle pocket has an eyelet at the bottom that will allow liquid inside the water bottle pocket to drain (just in case). The other side pocket has two pen slots and a pocket sized for a wallet or iPhone. This side pocket can also hold other items such as a book, power supply, ereader, or other small accessories. Each of these pockets has one O-ring.

The Smart Alec also comes with removable sternum and waist straps, just in case you do take it on a hike, urban or otherwise. If you do decide to remove the sternum and/or waist straps, you'll be pleased to find they leave no hardware behind.

Materials

Back and Bottom Pad

Closed-cell foam back and bottom

Shoulder Straps

Edgeless EV50 1/2” / 12mm shoulder straps (EVAZOTE® OEKO-TEX® foam)

Handle

PORON® foam handle

Zippers

#10 YKK Racquet-Coil zipper on main compartment
#8 YKK Racquet-Coil zippers on pockets

Other Components

Duraflex®, Nexus, and Woojin buckles and related components

Specs

Dimensions

18.5" x 11.75" x 7.75" / 470 x 300 x 200 mm

Weight

1050d Ballistic: 1lb 14.3oz / 860 grams
525d Ballistic: 1lb 13.8oz / 845 grams

Volume

26 liters / 1600 cu. in. (ASTM Standard Measure)

Total O-Rings

5 (3 in top zippered pocket; 1 in left side pocket; 1 in right side pocket)

4.9
Rated 4.9 out of 5 stars
Based on 23 reviews
96%would recommend this product
23 reviews
  • Ian
    Verified Reviewer
    Bought For Myself
    Product Standouts High Quality Craftsmanship, Durable, Unique, Versatile, Thoughtful Design
    4 months ago
    Bought For Myself
    Product Standouts High Quality Craftsmanship, Durable, Unique, Versatile, Thoughtful Design
    Rated 5 out of 5 stars
    The Best Everything Backpack

    It's a bit pathetic to be writing a review for a retired product but I want to record my love for this bag for the ages. Once a year I humor my Tom Bihn addition by searching for a new carry-on or packing cube and every year I realize that I have owned the best multipurpose backpack ever made for a decade or more; the Smart Alec.

    The outside design is sleek and unfussy, in contrast to packs that are webbing-festooned try-hards. I have a black pack and replace the black bungee with bright colored alternatives from time to time. The top handle has the right amount of padding to be easy to grab and I use it to swing the pack off my shoulders to get to something on the go. There are sternum and waist straps, removable to need or taste.

    The water bottle side pocket has a drain, and I've used it to accommodate inflatable seat pads, trash, whatever. The other side pocket has sleeves for pens or a toothbrush, and a larger one that fits my glasses case or phone perfectly. Wallet goes into the twin pockets in the lid. This is the only drawback - heavy items weigh down the lid, collapsing the bag if it is mostly empty. But it is a handy and secure location.

    These day I use the Smart Alec most as an air travel personal item. At my destination it holds groceries, then is a beach bag, then comes on a busy day of souvenir shopping or a hike. It holds its shape when I put it down at the check-in desk, and I can shove my fleece in the bungees once it's filled with duty free.

    I regret…

  • Ginny
    Verified Reviewer
    Bought For Myself
    6 months ago
    Bought For Myself
    Rated 3 out of 5 stars
    Oh well

    Finally found my perfect bag. Annnd, it’s discontinued. The fact that used versions of this bag are going on eBay for more than the tb asking price ought to tell the manufacturer something about demand for this bag. For the record, I will not put my water bottle inside the main compartment of my backpack, nor in an odd center pocket. It’s a pity…

  • Kris C.
    Verified Buyer
    Bought For Myself
    Product Standouts Thoughtful Design, High Quality Craftsmanship, Good Storage Size, Sewn in USA
    2 years ago
    Bought For Myself
    Product Standouts Thoughtful Design, High Quality Craftsmanship, Good Storage Size, Sewn in USA
    Rated 5 out of 5 stars
    Another great TB bag!

    I have so many TB bags I didn’t think the Smart Alec could fill a niche given all that I already own. But picked up a returned one recently and decided to try it out. I really like the big interior and cache attachments. It gives me more options when carrying larger items and I have plenty of TB organizers for smaller things. I really like the water bottle pocket and the other for some organization on the exterior. Another great TB bag — I’m surprised it’s now retired.

  • Erica P.
    Verified Buyer
    Bought For Myself
    Product Standouts Thoughtful Design, Comfortable, High Quality Craftsmanship, Good Storage Size
    2 years ago
    Bought For Myself
    Product Standouts Thoughtful Design, Comfortable, High Quality Craftsmanship, Good Storage Size
    Rated 5 out of 5 stars
    Excellent commuter pack

    This is the perfect "active" commuting bag for me to carry while I walk or bike to work. It's big enough to easily carry my laptop, notebook/pens, tech pouch, lunch, coffee thermos, jacket, and a few groceries if I want to grab stuff on my way home. It carries very well -- the shoulder straps are very comfortable with the bag fully loaded, and the mesh back panel keeps my back comfortable. And, the black/deep blue combo looks really slick :)

  • Erez S.
    Verified Buyer
    Bought For Myself
    2 years ago
    Bought For Myself
    Rated 5 out of 5 stars
    most comfy ever

    love it...would really like to see a mini Smart Alec, maybe 15-18 liters. call it the Smart Ass

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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.