What Goes Into A TOM BIHN Backpack?
Description
The Techonaut 30 is the smaller sibling to the Techonaut 45 — more compact, but no less capable. It’s built for shorter trips or everyday travel. You’ll still get the same thoughtful organization, comfortable carry, and rugged build that define the Techonaut series — just in a slightly smaller package.
- Three carry options let you wear it how you want. Backpack, duffel, or shoulder bag — with stowable shoulder straps and a cushioned grab handle that stay out of your way when you don’t need them.
- Breathable skeleton back panel with soft mesh adds comfort without trying too hard. Airflow where you want it, structure where you need it.
- Three quick-access pockets for having the necessities close at hand. Good for your phone, wallet, passport, keys, or a small water bottle.
- Main compartment opens wide, U-shaped style. Easy to pack, easy to find what you’ve packed, even when you’re on the move.
- Expandable end pocket with removable divider. Keeps shoes or laundry separate, or open it up for one big space with the internal zipper. Your call.
- Edgeless shoulder straps engineered with long-haul comfort in mind.
- Luggage passthrough slides over your rolling bag handle. Makes airports and train stations a little easier, one less thing to carry.
- Suspended laptop compartment with exterior access that fits 16” laptops or tablets.
Dimensions
- 19.7" (w) x 12.6" (h) x 8.0" (d)
- 500 (w) x 320 (h) x 205 (d) mm
- Note: depth varies based on how full the bag is packed
Weight
- 420 Spectron: 2 lb 3.3 oz / 1000 grams
- 630d Ballistic: 2 lb 8.6 oz / 1150 grams
- 1050d Ballistic: 2 lb 11.6 oz / 1235 grams
Volume
- 30 liters / 1835 cu. in. (ASTM Standard Measure)
Straps
- .5" / 13 mm padded and contoured backpack straps with .75" / 20 mm removable sternum strap with removable 1" / 25 mm waist strap included
Laptop Compartment
- Maximum: 16” x 10” x 0.75” / 405mm x 255mm x 19mm
- 1x 8-inch Black Webbing Snaphook/Snaphook Key Strap
- 8x Pull Du Jour (Black)
- 1x Sternum Strap Assembly
- 1x Gatekeeper Waist Strap
- 1 pair of Tie-Down Straps
Total O-Rings: 6
- 1 in the mesh flap pocket
- 1 in the top pocket
- 1 in the left pocket
- 1 in the right pocket
- 2 in the bottom pocket
- Exterior: bluesign® certified 630 denier High-Tenacity 2x2 Ballistic nylon
- Interior: bluesign® and OEKO-TEX® certified 200 denier Halcyon / nylon ripstop
Laptop Compartment: Lightweight ripstop nylon - Upper Back: Pure Finish Diamond Mesh
- Lower Back: bluesign® certified 210 denier High-Tenacity 2x2 nylon
- Back: Closed-cell foam
- Straps: Edgeless EV50 1/2” / 12mm shoulder straps (EVAZOTE® OEKO-TEX® foam)
- Components: Duraflex®, Nexus, and Woojin buckles and related components
- Zippers: 2x #10 YKK Raquet-Coil Water-Repellent Zipper with lockable metal sliders
4x #8 Raquet-Coil Water-Repellent zippers with metal sliders
1x #5 Coil zipper with plastic slider
1x #5 Vislon zipper with plastic slider - Made In: Seattle, WA, USA
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Techonaut 30 Key Features
However You Haul, it Keeps Up
Backpack, duffel, or side carry — the Techonaut adapts to how you move, not the other way around. It’s built to handle the load of travel.
Pack More, Unpack Less
Wide opening U-shaped main compartment that lays everything bare — no rummaging for your last clean pair of socks. Clear access to your gear when you need it, whether that’s at a hostel bunk or an airport security line full of impatient strangers.
Your Laptop’s in Good Hands
Built-in protection without the bulk — the suspended laptop compartment keeps your laptop safely off the bottom, buffered from the bumps and thumps that come with travel.
No Digging, No Drama
Three quick-access pockets keep your passport, phone, headphones, or mid-flight snacks close at hand, no fumbling required. Because the moments between places are rarely graceful.
Room for the Unexpected
Dirty laundry? Pair of shoes? The end pocket expands when you need it, seemingly disappears when you don’t — because no trip ever goes exactly as planned, and that’s the point.
Let Your Bag Catch a Ride for Once
No more juggling act. Slide the Techonaut onto your rolling luggage and let it ride shotgun. It stays put and your shoulders will thank you.
Let it Breathe
Breathable skeleton back panel with soft mesh adds comfort without trying too hard. Airflow where you want it, structure where you need it.
However You Haul, it Keeps Up
Backpack, duffel, or side carry — the Techonaut adapts to how you move, not the other way around. It’s built to handle the load of travel.
Pack More, Unpack Less
Wide opening U-shaped main compartment that lays everything bare — no rummaging for your last clean pair of socks. Clear access to your gear when you need it, whether that’s at a hostel bunk or an airport security line full of impatient strangers.
Your Laptop’s in Good Hands
Built-in protection without the bulk — the suspended laptop compartment keeps your laptop safely off the bottom, buffered from the bumps and thumps that come with travel.
No Digging, No Drama
Three quick-access pockets keep your passport, phone, headphones, or mid-flight snacks close at hand, no fumbling required. Because the moments between places are rarely graceful.
Room for the Unexpected
Dirty laundry? Pair of shoes? The end pocket expands when you need it, seemingly disappears when you don’t — because no trip ever goes exactly as planned, and that’s the point.
Let Your Bag Catch a Ride for Once
No more juggling act. Slide the Techonaut onto your rolling luggage and let it ride shotgun. It stays put and your shoulders will thank you.
Let it Breathe
Breathable skeleton back panel with soft mesh adds comfort without trying too hard. Airflow where you want it, structure where you need it.
However You Haul, it Keeps Up
Backpack, duffel, or side carry — the Techonaut adapts to how you move, not the other way around. It’s built to handle the load of travel.
Pack More, Unpack Less
Wide opening U-shaped main compartment that lays everything bare — no rummaging for your last clean pair of socks. Clear access to your gear when you need it, whether that’s at a hostel bunk or an airport security line full of impatient strangers.
Your Laptop’s in Good Hands
Built-in protection without the bulk — the suspended laptop compartment keeps your laptop safely off the bottom, buffered from the bumps and thumps that come with travel.
No Digging, No Drama
Three quick-access pockets keep your passport, phone, headphones, or mid-flight snacks close at hand, no fumbling required. Because the moments between places are rarely graceful.
Room for the Unexpected
Dirty laundry? Pair of shoes? The end pocket expands when you need it, seemingly disappears when you don’t — because no trip ever goes exactly as planned, and that’s the point.
Let Your Bag Catch a Ride for Once
No more juggling act. Slide the Techonaut onto your rolling luggage and let it ride shotgun. It stays put and your shoulders will thank you.
Let it Breathe
Breathable skeleton back panel with soft mesh adds comfort without trying too hard. Airflow where you want it, structure where you need it.
Reviews
- JMJessica M.Verified BuyerBought For MyselfProduct Standouts Comfortable, Sewn in USA, High Quality Craftsmanship, Easily Adjustable, Versatile3 years agoBought For MyselfProduct Standouts Comfortable, Sewn in USA, High Quality Craftsmanship, Easily Adjustable, VersatileReviewingTechonaut 30Rated 5 out of 5 starsPerfect travel backpack
I got this bag in Ursa prior to a two week trip to Europe, and planned to use it as my carry-on under the seat with a Hartmann duffel as my overhead/checked bag. I have LOVED the backpack so far. The straps are super comfy, even when fully loaded with a laptop and other heavy stuff like books and the little bottles of booze I purchased in the main compartment. It has fit under every airplane seat I've tried so far, including the smaller crafts with only 2 seats on each side. I was worried at first about how easily things at the bottom might fall put when I unzipped the front compartment, but they really don't: firstly the zipper is super sturdy and doesn't open further unless you pull the tabs, and second the shape is designed so even slightly wide things are cupped in to the body of the bag even while it's standing up with the flap open. Genius. I love the bottom compartment too, it's perfect for an extra pair of shoes.
I'm a female who is 5'3" so a larger pack might have looked silly on me, but this one looks just right (although I have to adjust the back straps to almost their tightest). Check out my suave reflection in a window in Nuremberg ;-) And the Ursa color is a beautiful brown.
Overall very happy. I'm carrying this along with a Le Grand Derriere on this trip, which I will review separately: they are a great travel pair! I pack then differently for the plane than for a day trip, but love that I can bring one bag and use it many ways.
FeaturedWas this helpful? - KTKatie T.Verified BuyerBought For MyselfProduct Standouts Thoughtful Design, High Quality Craftsmanship, Durable, High Quality Finishings, Unique3 years agoBought For MyselfProduct Standouts Thoughtful Design, High Quality Craftsmanship, Durable, High Quality Finishings, UniqueReviewingTechonaut 30Rated 5 out of 5 starsBest. Travel. Backpack. Ever.
This backpack is honestly everything I ever wanted and needed in a travel backpack. Just a little background on myself...pre-COVID I did quite a bit of traveling, planning about 3-4 international trips per year. These were all short term trips about 10-14 days long and mostly on budget airlines that required strict cabin bag dimensions (I never check in bags). I've used a 40L backpack (Osprey Farpoint) as my carry on for 5+ years but gradually began packing more and more minimally, leading me to crave a smaller backpack for my travels. I had looked into Tom Bihn bags in the past but was not drawn to the Aeronaut since it is primarily a messenger bag that can be carried as a backpack. I wanted something opposite of that: something that carried like a backpack primarily but can also be carried like a messenger bag or had handles to carry it on my side when needed. Enter the Techonaut 30, which was released in the Summer/Fall right in time for my 2-week trip planned for Portugal in November. What I love about this backpack besides it's size is that it is incredibly functional while also keeping a very low profile. I personally have the black 525 ballistic with Taiga interior. I love that I can wear it in an urban setting and it doesn't scream "backpacker" like a lot of other travel backpacks made by hiking companies. The 525 ballistic nylon is perfect because it's very durable but also allows the backpack to stand on it's own when laid flat, which is essential for packing. The…
FeaturedWas this helpful? - AWAlexander W.Verified BuyerBought For MyselfProduct Standouts Thoughtful Design, High Quality Craftsmanship, Sewn in USA, Durable, Good Storage Size3 years agoBought For MyselfProduct Standouts Thoughtful Design, High Quality Craftsmanship, Sewn in USA, Durable, Good Storage SizeReviewingTechonaut 30Rated 5 out of 5 starsGreat travel backpack
Great build quality and materials on this bag. It's a pretty simple design without secret pockets or pen holdesr or small pockets, but I appreciate the simplicity. I tested this against several other bags (Aer Travel Pack 3, Cotopaxi Allpa 35, Peak Design Travel Backpack 45L, and the Minaal Carry-On 3.0) and the Technonaut 30 was the winner. It was easier to pack than the other bags and it was more comfortable than the other ones for me. The bottom pocket is great for shoes or anything else I would want segregated from the rest of the bag, but I like that the design of the divider allows you to basically negate it and give the main compartment some more space. It's also not so large that it would look silly as a day pack so that's a bonus too. Couldn't be happier with this bag!
FeaturedWas this helpful? - MMMike M.Verified BuyerBought For GiftProduct Standouts Thoughtful Design, Comfortable, High Quality Craftsmanship, Compact, Versatile3 years agoBought For GiftProduct Standouts Thoughtful Design, Comfortable, High Quality Craftsmanship, Compact, VersatileReviewingTechonaut 30Rated 5 out of 5 starsExcellent long weekend bag
My wife has been looking for a medium sized bag for long weekend car trips. She used to steal my A45 but that was too big. The s25 was not the right shape and too “chopped up” with pockets. Enter the T30. Is it a duffel? A backpack? A shoulder bag, a tech bag? Why yes it is. It is the Swiss Army knife of mid-sized travel bags and it does everything we ask of it very well. It looks great too! Other bags are envious when ever we take her out in public. I am looking forward to seeing how it will fit in overhead bins of small jets once we are back to traveling again.
Thanks again TB crew for helping my wife to join the BIHN Nation.
FeaturedWas this helpful? - BSBenjamin S.Verified BuyerBought For MyselfProduct Standouts High Quality Craftsmanship, Made in USA, High Quality Finishings, Good Storage Size3 years agoBought For MyselfProduct Standouts High Quality Craftsmanship, Made in USA, High Quality Finishings, Good Storage SizeReviewingTechonaut 30Rated 2 out of 5 starsGreat idea, expensive, execution leaves a lot to be desired
I'm a long-time Tom Bihn fan (obsessive?) and have owned and loved a great number of bags for different uses. My daily go-to is a Synik 22 (which replaced the earlier Synapse, much loved), and for travel I've enjoyed an Aeronaut 30 for many years. Along the way I've owned a number of smaller Tom Bihn bags, cubes, etc. and while I've occasionally sold some items for replacements which better suit my needs, I haven't really had a dud. The Techonaut 30 is unfortunately the closest that I've come to that - or at least, it's the bag that seems to have been made with the least thought or care for actual use. I wanted this to be the great upgrade to the Aeronaut I was looking for which had space for a laptop, etc., for a true one bag setup, but I don't think I've found that.
The pros of the bag are pretty straightforward: classically good build, reasonably good looks (chunky, but pretty enough), and you can certainly fit a lot in it. If you're used to the good construction of a Tom Bihn bag, this will not disappoint, and I do like the Design Lab logo in black that replaced the earlier gray one.
The cons are immensely frustrating, and they mostly pertain to carry, as in, it's not pleasant to carry this bag at all as a backpack. I am compact but not tiny - 5' 8" and athletic - and it is simply impossible to cinch this high enough up on the back to get comfortable. The straps, at their shortest available length, still have the backpack sitting way down under the hip, digging into…
Was this helpful?TBTOM BIHN3 years agoHi there! Thanks for sharing this feedback with us! I was revisiting some older reviews and came across this one again- I sent you an email when this review was new but never heard back. I'd love to hear an update to how your bag is working for you after some time. If you've got additional feedback, feel free to emailus@tombihn.com with an update. -Mike
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