Shadow Guide 23

$300

In Stock

Spaciousness. Simplicity. Top Loader.

Color & Material

Exterior Color:
Black

Interior Color:
Cloud

Exterior Material:
Ballistic

Interior Material:
210 Ballistic

Add a Cache?

$52.00 - 15 (M3 Macbook Air 15")

visible variant TB0331325 TB0331425 TB03310A TB03310B TB03312A TB03313A TB03313B TB03313C TB03313D TB03313E TB03315A TB03315B TB03315C TB03315D TB03316A TB03317B^^A Cache on the Vertical side.

Made in Seattle

Lifetime Guarantee

Laptop Compartment

Carry-on Friendly

Shadow Guide 23

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Description

The Shadow Guide 23 is a top-loader backpack, inspired by the retired Guide's Pack, that's available in two sizes — 23 liters (you're here now) and 33 liters. The simple yet spacious design allows the bag to be suitable for hikes, travel, and everyday use.

Upper Flap Pocket

The Shadow Guide has an upper flap pocket that includes 1 top-access zippered compartment for your keys, wallet, snacks, and other small items and 2 side-access zippered compartments on the bottom for your phone, passport, and more. Having this top loader allows you to have the stuff you need quick access to on-hand. There are also four total interior O-rings that are great for attaching our Clear Organizer Pouch, Double Organizer Pouch, Ghost Whale Organizer Pouch, or Key Straps.

Bucket-Style Main Compartment

Drawstring closure and features a 210d ballistic nylon lining on the bottom interior. Its simple design makes it perfect for storing large items like clothes and bulky items for travel, grocery for after-work-shopping, or for those who prefer to just throw everything into a bag (carefully) rather than deal with pockets. Since this bag is more minimal and simple, there isn't any interior organization, but you can attach organizational pouches to the 2 O-rings inside this compartment. Travel Stuff Sacks, Handy Little Thing, and Side Effect will also make great accessories for this pack.

Built-In Exterior Side-Access Laptop Compartment

Made with 2 layers of 1/8" 2 lb closed-cell (CXL2) foam. Because the back panel shape is rectangular, the zipper access on the sides can fit a wide range of laptop sizes. The Shadow Guide 23 easily fits 13" laptops and some thinner, smaller footprint 15" laptops.

Breathable Skeleton Panel

Instead of a solid rectangular piece of foam, we cut the back panel in a spine-like shape and use soft mesh so that it feels lighter, more breathable, and more comfortable against your clothing or even bare skin. It's a tried and true design that is just as durable as the solid rectangular piece of foam.

Removable Internal Frame With Nylon Webbing Sleeve And Aluminum Stay

The internal frame is made of die-cut .055" thick High Density Polyethlyene (HDPE) with a nylon webbing sleeve sewn down the center that encases a 8-1/4"/210 mm tall and 1/2"/13 mm wide 6061 aluminum stay. The stay is removable and bent to a general spinal curve that is suitable for most people, but you can rebend and/or adjust the curvature (see instructions here).

Slanted Bottom

When we made a Shadow Guide version with a flat bottom, the bag pulled away from our backs and was uncomfortable to wear. The slanted bottom didn't have these problems. To allow the bag to stand upright when needed, such as for packing, just lean it against the wall or your legs.

Edgeless Strap

Conformity is overrated — except, perhaps, when it comes to shoulder straps. The edgelessness of this new strap allows it to more softly conform to your shoulder — we (and most people who have worn these straps) 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.

Rolling Luggage Handle Pass-Through

Some of us use rolling luggage: maybe because we need to pack more gear or just because we find it more comfortable. Good thing the Shadow Guide's back panel has a pass-through that allows you to slide it over the handle of rolling luggage.
There are, of course, different sizes of rolling luggage with different handle lengths and widths. That said, the Shadow Guide 23 will fit handles up to 8" wide from end to end (which we think should cover over most rolling luggage handles).

Exterior Fabrics

bluesign® certified 525 denier High-Tenacity 2x2 Ballistic nylon

Interior Fabrics

bluesign® certified 210 denier High-Tenacity 2x2 Ballistic nylon

Zippers

#8 and #5 YKK Racquet-Coil Water Repellent zippers

Upper Back

Nylon Diamond mesh

Lower Back and Bottom

U.S. high tenacity 1050 denier ballistic nylon

Back Pad

Closed-cell foam

Shoulder Straps

EVAZOTE® foam

Hardware

Tough Duraflex®, Nexus, and Woojin buckles and related components

Reviews

4.6

Rated 4.6 out of 5 stars

Based on 21 reviews

Total 5 star reviews: 15 Total 4 star reviews: 4 Total 3 star reviews: 2 Total 2 star reviews: 0 Total 1 star reviews: 0

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21 reviews

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AC
Aaron C.
Verified Buyer
Bought For Myself
Product Standouts Thoughtful Design, Comfortable, High Quality Finishings, Easily Adjustable, Versatile
3 years ago
Bought For Myself
Product Standouts Thoughtful Design, Comfortable, High Quality Finishings, Easily Adjustable, Versatile
Rated 5 out of 5 stars
Daily EDC and one bagging with the Shadow Guide 23L
This is a very simple, albeit well designed bag that easily switches roles based upon your needs and whims. In my time with this bag it has functioned as a food hauler, kid bag, work gear hauler, library runs, OneWheel skate bag, and also a travel bag. Is it the best in class in all of those tasks? Probably not, but the killer feature is that it can actually accommodate many different needs, from being a glorified stuff sack for an impromptu picnic blanket to an office tech hauler. And that is pretty cool.
Since it’s mainly one huge compartment it has the ability to hold bulkier items that simply would not fly with say, a Boundary Errant (which can hold a total of a water bottle, laptop, one shoe, and some freeze dried carrots. But I jest.). Ever increasing complexity in bag design has the risk of lower usability and diminishing returns. My opinion, but not everything needs its own pocket. And trust me, you will have to embrace the pouch lifestyle if you want to keep your sanity and actually find stuff in this bag, as it truly is a Black Hole of a bag (hold up, Patagonia lawyers inbound!) if things fall to the bottom. But the focus on pouches is exactly what allows this bag to mode shift so easily. For example, it’s in Work Mode and I need to switch to Library Run Mode. Just pull out laptop, wire dopp, and pen pouch and I’m good to go. Low stress, low mess, and you can spend the free time you saved through expedited Carry Mode Switching to locate some fruit snacks for your…
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JB
Jeremiah B.
Verified Buyer
Bought For Myself
Product Standouts Thoughtful Design, High Quality Craftsmanship, Sewn in USA, Good Storage Size, Unique
3 years ago
Bought For Myself
Product Standouts Thoughtful Design, High Quality Craftsmanship, Sewn in USA, Good Storage Size, Unique
Rated 5 out of 5 stars
Fits my needs for travel and just biking around the neighborhood
Really fun design, I like the location of the zipper for the top part of the bag and appreciate that there aren't any other zippers exposed. I was able to pack this for a 1-week trip to Seattle, and a 2-week trip to Europe, and this smaller 23L size still works great for going around the neighborhood too which I love! I got the padded hip belt for carrying it fully packed out for travel and it works great too. Highly recommend!
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BO
Bill O.
Verified Buyer
Bought For Myself
Product Standouts Comfortable, Sewn in USA, Durable, Versatile, Unique
1 year ago
Bought For Myself
Product Standouts Comfortable, Sewn in USA, Durable, Versatile, Unique
Rated 4 out of 5 stars
My review of the shadow guide
I’m a big bag person… constantly looking to upgrade my carry. I don’t buy a lot of what I look at… but I pulled the trigger on the sg 23 bc I realized that my top priority was comfort followed by a desire to have a carry that was esthetically interesting and exciting to me. In that sense I am very pleased with my purchase. Although I have had to make concessions. Pros are a damn nice look, top notch comfort, an ability to hoover up cargo without looking bulky when mostly empty. My main concession to get these features was to give up on having exterior water bottle storage. And accessing the bag overall isn’t as easy as some other things on the market. But the bottom line is that I am happy with the bag. It’s unique and comfortable and I look forward to using it every day. Thus, I remain a huge fan and supporter of Tom Bihn.
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DR
Deborah R.
Verified Buyer
Bought For Myself
Product Standouts Thoughtful Design, Comfortable, High Quality Craftsmanship, Good Storage Size, High Quality Finishings
4 months ago
Bought For Myself
Product Standouts Thoughtful Design, Comfortable, High Quality Craftsmanship, Good Storage Size, High Quality Finishings
Rated 5 out of 5 stars
The Shadow Guide delivered exactly what this rusty old hiker needed
I had a need for a daypack for an upcoming trip to the Lake District plus another hiking vacation later in the year. We were going to do a series of day hikes and I needed a pack that had an internal frame to shift the weight off my shoulder and comfortably to my waist and hips. I also needed a good way to carry my work laptop as I was spending a week at our London office after the Lake District vacation. But I already owned a Paragon 2.0 and a Smart Alec. Do I need another Tom Bihn pack? My holy grail is an Addax 26, so can't I make do with what I already have? I was torn. But after an exchange with the ever-helpful Cody, I committed to the Shadow Guide 23 and it was a great solution.
The interior frame and padded hip belt shifted the weight as needed and after considering how best to carry a water bottle with easy access I realized I had a pile of TB accessory pouches just waiting to be put to good use. The HLT 2 fits on the waist belt (it's a bit awkward, but it works) which held a small water bottle, my phone and various trail food. I love the bucket interior of the Shadow Guide and the multitude of compartments in the upper flap pocket provides more than enough organization. And I was pleasantly surprised to experience the utility of the luggage handle passthrough- didn't realize how much I'd love that feature!
I love my Shadow Guide and it provided some needed inspiration to do a bit of early training by walking the dogs with some hand weights in the…
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MS
Maryn S.
Verified Buyer
Bought For Myself
Product Standouts Comfortable, High Quality Craftsmanship, Good Storage Size, Unique, Versatile
3 years ago
Bought For Myself
Product Standouts Comfortable, High Quality Craftsmanship, Good Storage Size, Unique, Versatile
Rated 5 out of 5 stars
My everyday bag
I LOVE my Shadow Guide 23. I wasn't sure if it would be too small vs the 33, but somehow I can always fit everything I need between the large bucket and brain compartments. I use it primarily for school or hiking alongside the padded hip belt, and it is incredibly comfortable on my bike commute and walking around campus. I really was on the fence about the price tag for Tom Bihn, but I'm just disappointed now that I didn't invest sooner. In comparison to a recent P*tagonia purchase I made, the quality and versatility is just worlds better with TB.
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