Nomad 16

So, I’m not sure how this started . . . it was a dark and stormy night and I realized with horror that my old, peely handled, unimaginative travel tote was deceased. I mean I loved that thing for years but when it started to go, it went. And that’s how I came to be searching for under seat/carry on options. Lo and Behold, up popped Tom Bihn. And I got it into my head that I might try . . . NO! That I really NEEDED a backpack. I proceeded to then spend more time with Tom Bihn than I had spent in my last three relationships. I tried to decide how many liters I needed? What color combos were the very, very best? Why is everyone so in love with Halcyon? I looked at all the travel bags, all the totes, everything! Then one night, after hours spent trying to decide I thought, “I haven’t carried a backpack since college. I need a tote.” And in that moment, I chose the Nomad 16 tote in black ballistic lined in Wisteria Halcyon, a matching Wisteria Handy Little Thing and travel tray. It all came in three days. A day ahead of schedule! I opened it. Well, the Nomad seemed a bit more narrow width-wise than I had envisioned. And what about my backpack dream? Had I done the right thing? I started to put some items inside. Wait there’s more room. Put in some more. Clip that HLT into an O-ring. You know if I ordered the packing cube/cross body I think it would fit in there too. And maybe a mystery pouch. Maybe two mystery pouches and what about more carabiners? Is one enough? Are six too…

The name Nomad totally fits this bag. I was a bit hesitant at first (did I really need another crossbody bag?), but using it has been a useful delight.

Things I love:

- The horizontal zipper access makes it so easy to open the bag and access items. It's faster for me to access my Nomad 16 with a single hand than any other zippered backpack or bag

- The luggage passthrough was useful during a wedding trip with a roller bag. I loved that the tote bag stood upright underneath a regular-cabin flight on a Boeing 737 MAX 9. I usually use a backpack and am a bit skeeved that my back becomes the new home for whatever germs lurk on airplane carpet

- The organization pockets and O-rings make it a snap to transfer between this tote for work and travel needs and my Bantam for other outings

- I found myself having to use this tote for the gym and it worked out so well! It fit my workout clothes easily and traveled well from spot to spot in the gym. I don't carry a water bottle to the gym (plenty of fountains there), but it would have fit regardless

Things I'd improve:

- I wish the tote straps tucked in more neatly and cleanly into the bag when using the shoulder strap

All in all, this is a gorgeous tote bag that is great for so many uses!

After falling in love with the Nomad 11, I couldn't pass up the larger version. I've been using the Nomad 11 as a daily purse/work bag. I never go anywhere without my laptop, so it's been perfect for that. So far, I've used the Nomad 16 for travel. The larger size allows me to throw in a book, water bottle, and/or my lunch, and to also include an Ipad. The bigger pockets in the outsize zipper compartment have allowed a little bit more flexibility—larger items that had to go in the pockets inside the bag can now fit in the outside compartment as well. I thought the Nomad 16 might be too heavy so I also bought a shoulder strap, but haven't felt the need to use it that much. The only thing I can possibly say negative about the Nomad 16 is that its pen slots are also larger, and if I don't clip my pen to the side they slip down inside and are hard to get out.