Bantam… Good Things Come in Small Packages
How is it possible that the sewing together of a few pieces of fabric into a 1 liter container could be as impactful as it has been since I opened the package the Tom Bihn Bantam came in?
Yes, “sewing together of a few pieces of fabric” is a gross oversimplification and not meant to be dismissive of the entire R&D process, because it truly did impact me and, in a way that changed me from being an overpacked “lugger” of stuff to a much more streamlined carrier of daily essentials.
Just look at it up there. What’s not to love?? I thought I was crazy about my Synik 30 in black X-Pac® with the Kiwi 200 Halcyon lining — and I am — but there was just something about this little 1 liter crossbody bag that pulled me in.
The Materials
Down the rabbit hole…
Bantam is made from high quality materials that are dependent on the colorway that you choose, as well as availability at any given time. It changes all the time. The one I bought is faced with and backed by the instantly recognizable and 100% recycled RX30 black X-Pac® that they’ve been using at Tom Bihn on other products. Forming the dome and going down the sides all the way around the bottom to add structure is a ring of black 525d ballistic nylon.
The bag also uses two plastic raquet coil #5 YKK® zippers and a 5/8" Shoulder Strap made from soft webbing with a bit of a sheen to it and what appears to be a Duraflex® sliplock adjuster and YKK LN-15-Z fasteners on each end.
You can…