TOM BIHN Brain Bag, Maximalist EDC Backpack, 36L, 14" x 18" x 9"

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Description
Materials & Specs
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Recommended Accessories
Sewn in Seattle

TLDR

The Brain Bag debuted in 1996 and its design has stood the test of time. The ultimate on-your-back student or business organizer, the Brain Bag is our Slant-6 of backpacks: it will surprise you with its utility, versatility, and longevity. Long after lesser bags have frayed their seams, blown their zippers, and popped their straps, the Brain Bag will continue to be your faithful companion.

Full Description

Two Main Compartments

In both of the main compartments (on the back panel of each) are two unobtrusive webbing loops (that we call "rail loops") to which you can secure the optional Cache. Many of us will appreciate this functionality on a daily basis: the rail system can be a convenient and quick way to remove one's laptop from the bag.

Three External Pockets

On the front of the Brain Bag are four external pockets. The small top pocket is perfect for a wallet and cell phone and has an inside snaphooks for keys. The two vertical pockets are large enough for water bottles or even a small thermos; inside both of these pockets are pen/pencil organizers. The left pocket has an outside flat mesh pocket for brochures, plane tickets, or even a small U-lock bike lock. Between the pockets are two lash straps for an umbrella or a raincoat, and above these straps is a heavy-duty snaphook so you can attach a water bottle, coffee mug, or what-have-you.

Side Compression Straps

Side compression straps compress the Brain Bag when it is not full and stabilize the load; you can also tuck a raincoat, hoodie, or yoga mat under these straps.

Breathable Back Panel

The back is made of Spacer mesh and is padded with 3/8", high quality, closed-cell foam. This combination of mesh and smooth nylon is designed to provide maximum breathability while still being gentle on your clothing.

Edgeless Shoulder Straps

Conformity is overrated — except, perhaps, when it comes to shoulder straps. The edgelessness of the Brain Bag shoulder straps allows them to more softly conform to your shoulder — we find that this increases comfort. Yet the straps aren't too soft: the 1/2" thick EVAZOTE® OEKO-TEX® certified foam means the strap is robust enough to carry a heavy load.

What's Included?

1x 8-inch Black Webbing Snaphook/Snaphook Key Strap

A Key Strap is a strip of webbing with plastic snaphooks on the end. The 8” Key Strap in Black that’s included in most of our larger bags is, for many, the gateway to a world of organization via Key Straps and Organizer Pouches. All the members of the Key Strap family are intended to make locating things in your bag easier and more instinctive. Pulling out a small item or pouch tethered to a strap is easier than rooting around aimlessly in the depths of your pack; you can also rest assured that anything hooked to a strap is much less likely to fall out or otherwise be left behind. You can find more Key Strap colors and varieties on the Key Strap page.

A Set of Black Zipper Pulls

Some folks prefer metal zipper pulls. Others prefer cord pulls. So, what to do about that? We think the best solution (in most cases) is to offer metal pulls and include a starter pack of Cord Pulls with most bags.

1x Sternum Strap Assembly

An adjustable and removable sternum strap with leave-no-trace hardware: if you don't like or don't use your sternum strap, remove it and leave (almost) nothing behind.

1x Gatekeeper Waist Strap

A simple webbing waist strap that can offer extra stability when running to catch a bus, plane, or train. It can also add a small measure of support for a heavy load (for a truly supportive hip belt experience, please see the optional 1.5" Padded Hip Belt.) Also features leave-no-trace hardware.

What's Optional?

1.5" Padded Hip Belt

The 1.5" Padded Hip Belt allows you to carry some of the weight of a loaded pack on your hips rather than just your shoulders.

Cache

Want to carry one (or two!) laptops? Get the Cache sized for your device and use the loops at the top of each main compartment to attach your Cache when you need it and remove it when you don't.

In both of the main compartments (on the back panel of each) are two unobtrusive webbing loops (that we call "rail loops") to which you can secure the optional Cache. Many of us will appreciate this functionality on a daily basis: the rail system can be a convenient and quick way to remove one's laptop from the bag.

On the front of the Brain Bag are four external pockets. The small top pocket is perfect for a wallet and cell phone and has an inside snaphooks for keys. The two vertical pockets are large enough for water bottles or even a small thermos; inside both of these pockets are pen/pencil organizers. The left pocket has an outside flat mesh pocket for brochures, plane tickets, or even a small U-lock bike lock. Between the pockets are two lash straps for an umbrella or a raincoat, and above these straps is a heavy-duty snaphook so you can attach a water bottle, coffee mug, or what-have-you.

Side compression straps compress the Brain Bag when it is not full and stabilize the load; you can also tuck a raincoat, hoodie, or yoga mat under these straps.

The back is made of Spacer mesh and is padded with 3/8", high quality, closed-cell foam. This combination of mesh and smooth nylon is designed to provide maximum breathability while still being gentle on your clothing.

Conformity is overrated — except, perhaps, when it comes to shoulder straps. The edgelessness of the Brain Bag shoulder straps allows them to more softly conform to your shoulder — we find that this increases comfort. Yet the straps aren't too soft: the 1/2" thick EVAZOTE® OEKO-TEX® certified foam means the strap is robust enough to carry a heavy load.

1x 8-inch Black Webbing Snaphook/Snaphook Key Strap

A Key Strap is a strip of webbing with plastic snaphooks on the end. The 8” Key Strap in Black that’s included in most of our larger bags is, for many, the gateway to a world of organization via Key Straps and Organizer Pouches. All the members of the Key Strap family are intended to make locating things in your bag easier and more instinctive. Pulling out a small item or pouch tethered to a strap is easier than rooting around aimlessly in the depths of your pack; you can also rest assured that anything hooked to a strap is much less likely to fall out or otherwise be left behind. You can find more Key Strap colors and varieties on the Key Strap page.

A Set of Black Zipper Pulls

Some folks prefer metal zipper pulls. Others prefer cord pulls. So, what to do about that? We think the best solution (in most cases) is to offer metal pulls and include a starter pack of Cord Pulls with most bags.

1x Sternum Strap Assembly

An adjustable and removable sternum strap with leave-no-trace hardware: if you don't like or don't use your sternum strap, remove it and leave (almost) nothing behind.

1x Gatekeeper Waist Strap

A simple webbing waist strap that can offer extra stability when running to catch a bus, plane, or train. It can also add a small measure of support for a heavy load (for a truly supportive hip belt experience, please see the optional 1.5" Padded Hip Belt.) Also features leave-no-trace hardware.

1.5" Padded Hip Belt

The 1.5" Padded Hip Belt allows you to carry some of the weight of a loaded pack on your hips rather than just your shoulders.

Cache

Want to carry one (or two!) laptops? Get the Cache sized for your device and use the loops at the top of each main compartment to attach your Cache when you need it and remove it when you don't.

Materials

Straps

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

Grab Handle

PORON® foam handle

Components

Duraflex®, Nexus, and Woojin buckles and related components

Zippers

#10 YKK coil zippers on main compartments
#8 YKK coil zippers on pockets

Specs

Dimensions

14" (w) x 18.1" (h) x 9.1" (d) / 355 (w) x 460 (h) x 230 (d) mm

Weight

Ballistic Nylon: 2 lb 13.5 oz / 1290 grams

Volume

36 liters / 2200 cu. in. (ASTM Standard Measure)

Straps

.5" / 12 mm padded and contoured shoulder straps with .75" / 20 mm removable sternum strap

Total O-Rings

9

(3 in the back main compartment
3 in the front main compartment
1 in the top small pocket
1 in left side pocket
1 in right side pocket)

4.9

Rated 4.9 out of 5 stars

Based on 155 reviews

94%would recommend this product

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155 reviews

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Sam S.
Verified Buyer
Bought For Myself
Product Standouts Thoughtful Design, High Quality Craftsmanship, Durable, Versatile, Comfortable
2 days ago
Bought For Myself
Product Standouts Thoughtful Design, High Quality Craftsmanship, Durable, Versatile, Comfortable
Rated 5 out of 5 stars
Tom Bihn's Slant-6 bag indeed!
I've owned this bag for a few years now. Back in 2016, in my mid-twenties, I started with a Synapse 19 when I went back to school to learn how to write software. A few years later, I upgraded to the Synapse 25 and gave the 19 to a friend — who still uses it to this day.
I got the 25 because I needed to carry a larger work laptop that wouldn't fit in the 19. From there, the Synapse became my only backpack for travel, work, exploration, EDC — you name it. Later on, I picked up the Brain Bag, and passed the Synapse 25 on to my partner, who now uses it for her work. Even after 8 years of near-daily use, it still looks new. (That exterior material? Black 400D Halcyon — it’s magic.)
I moved to the Brain Bag because I’m a parent now, and in addition to work, travel, and general use, I needed something that could also carry things for my kiddo. The dual main compartments are perfect for keeping multiple people's gear separated, holding another smaller bag (like a Daylight Backpack or Synapse 19) while traveling, and offering built-in organization that never feels fussy.
This bag carries everything I’ve asked it to — and then some. It stands up on its own, has a satisfyingly sturdy grab handle, expands and contracts depending on the load, and lets you lash extra gear to the outside. The rain flaps do a great job protecting the zippers, and the outside webbing pocket is a great spot for sunglasses.
The bottom of the bag is made from 1050D ballistic nylon and is basically…
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Tricia H.
Verified Buyer
Bought For Gift
Product Standouts Thoughtful Design, Comfortable, High Quality Craftsmanship, High Quality Finishings, Durable
1 week ago
Bought For Gift
Product Standouts Thoughtful Design, Comfortable, High Quality Craftsmanship, High Quality Finishings, Durable
Rated 5 out of 5 stars
Best Quality
This is our family's fourth bag. Every bag looks brand new after years of use. These bag hold so much. I appreciate organization, and these bags are all thought out.
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Fred P.
Verified Buyer
Bought For Myself
Product Standouts Comfortable, Thoughtful Design, Good Storage Size, High Quality Craftsmanship
1 month ago
Bought For Myself
Product Standouts Comfortable, Thoughtful Design, Good Storage Size, High Quality Craftsmanship
Rated 5 out of 5 stars
Phenomenal Bag
After about a year with a Synik 30, I started to want something that fit just a bit different. I couldn't describe what was wrong, as up until this Brain Bag, the Synik 30 was my favorite backpack I'd ever owned. I kept looking at the Brain Bag, and finally purchased one to see (even though it was technically bigger than my Synik 30) if it would be better for my EDC.
Within a week, the Brain Bag has moved to my number one all time favorite bag. I do miss a little of the organization of the Synik, but the Brain Bag has a ton of amazing organization on its own. I keep getting surprised as to what can fit in those front pockets.
Some call this bag a beast... I just don't see it like that. Sure, its ability to swallow anything I ask it to contstantly amazes me... but yet, it feels more compact than others. Very comfortable even at heavy weight and the handle... wow... just perfect.
Make yourself happy and get some strap keepers (2 pair at least) as this bag does have some dangle to contain. This said, the strap keepers work perfectly to contain the compression straps and the sternum/umbrella were handled with some rip cord.
Phenomenal bag. Looking forward to many long years with my new favorite bag.
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Daniel R.
Verified Buyer
Bought For Myself
Product Standouts Thoughtful Design, Comfortable, High Quality Craftsmanship, Unique, Versatile
1 month ago
Bought For Myself
Product Standouts Thoughtful Design, Comfortable, High Quality Craftsmanship, Unique, Versatile
Rated 5 out of 5 stars
Excellent Bag with a Pedigree
I have a Brain Bag from ~2003 as well as one from ~2024. Over 20 years apart! The updated version has a lot of nice improvements. This is a BIG bag. In a nutshell, this is a really interesting and big bag, and it's priced very modestly for what you get, especially for a Tom Bihn bag. If you want a Tom Bihn bag but are balking at throwing down $400+ for some of the newer ones, this may be the bag for you. It delivers all the space and more of more modern designs, some really nice and unique features to boot -- and you'll be wearing a bit of Tom Bihn history!
The original Brain Bag was designed to hold "Brain Cells", which was Tom Bihn's original laptop-holding device, which was thicker than a cache because it was designed for older-school non-slim laptops. They were a padded thin rectangle with crush-protection, so it had more structure than a cache. The bag feels amazing with a Brain Cell inside, as this provides additional structure, sort of like having a frame, but better.
I have a few Brain Cells -- one original and one I purchased from eBay. They are cool. I assume this bag would also work very well with caches. But the "correct" way to use this bag is to find a Brain Cell or two on eBay... or beg Tom Bihn to bring back the Brain Cell (I still prefer them!) or buy something equivalent to them from somewhere. They are cool.
The cut of this bag allows it to massively expand to hold lots and lots of things. You can throw in a couple of laptops, as well as bulky items…
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Melissa C.
Verified Buyer
Bought For Myself
Product Standouts High Quality Craftsmanship, Good Storage Size, Sewn in USA, Thoughtful Design, Compact
2 months ago
Bought For Myself
Product Standouts High Quality Craftsmanship, Good Storage Size, Sewn in USA, Thoughtful Design, Compact
Rated 5 out of 5 stars
Spacious Bag!
I have been on the search for a bag that was durable and comfortable enough to carry 2 workstations and 1 iPad. Upon finding the Brain Bag in various recommendation forums, I decided to give it a try. At first I was unsure of the design as it's two big pockets without much organization and I really wanted to test out if I could travel with it and not get tired. Upon recently traveling for 21 hours and having this bag, I can say that it was definitely the best investment of my year. I love that I am able to hold so much and can still compress it if needed.
The lack of "organization" is really not a deal breaker. I just like my bags to have more compartments inside and organization. Luckily, I did see that they have an organizer as an insert that I will definitely be purchasing when it's back in stock.
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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.

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TLDR