What Goes Into A Tom Bihn Backpack?
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Description
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Synik 26 Key Features
Smart Pockets, Seamless Access
5 external pockets keep you organized without adding bulk—each thoughtfully placed for balance & function.
Pack Flat, Move Fast
Full clamshell design makes packing easy, with padded protection and tie-down straps to keep everything secure.
Laptop Access, Two Ways
A dedicated compartment opens from the side or top, making it easy to grab your laptop without unpacking.
Perfect For Travel Days
Packs like luggage, carries like a backpack, fits under most airline seats, and slides over rolling bag handles.
Interior Storage, Simplified
A low-profile banded pocket keeps essentials tidy without adding bulk.
Comfortable Carry
Lushly padded shoulder straps and grab handle.
Smart Pockets, Seamless Access
5 external pockets keep you organized without adding bulk—each thoughtfully placed for balance & function.
Pack Flat, Move Fast
Full clamshell design makes packing easy, with padded protection and tie-down straps to keep everything secure.
Laptop Access, Two Ways
A dedicated compartment opens from the side or top, making it easy to grab your laptop without unpacking.
Perfect For Travel Days
Packs like luggage, carries like a backpack, fits under most airline seats, and slides over rolling bag handles.
Interior Storage, Simplified
A low-profile banded pocket keeps essentials tidy without adding bulk.
Comfortable Carry
Lushly padded shoulder straps and grab handle.
Smart Pockets, Seamless Access
5 external pockets keep you organized without adding bulk—each thoughtfully placed for balance & function.
Pack Flat, Move Fast
Full clamshell design makes packing easy, with padded protection and tie-down straps to keep everything secure.
Laptop Access, Two Ways
A dedicated compartment opens from the side or top, making it easy to grab your laptop without unpacking.
Perfect For Travel Days
Packs like luggage, carries like a backpack, fits under most airline seats, and slides over rolling bag handles.
Interior Storage, Simplified
A low-profile banded pocket keeps essentials tidy without adding bulk.
Comfortable Carry
Lushly padded shoulder straps and grab handle.
Reviews
Total 5 star reviews: 188 Total 4 star reviews: 15 Total 3 star reviews: 5 Total 2 star reviews: 2 Total 1 star reviews: 0
210 reviews
- JHJaye H.Verified BuyerBought For MyselfProduct Standouts Thoughtful Design, Comfortable, Sewn in USA, Durable6 months agoBought For MyselfProduct Standouts Thoughtful Design, Comfortable, Sewn in USA, DurableRated 5 out of 5 starsMuch Better Than I Expected
I bought the 26 L Synik after eyeing Bihn backpacks for years, but being reluctant to give up dual side water bottle sleeves. I’m also 5’4”, so I was concerned that a big enough volume for my work needs might not fit my torso. I previously had Tumi and Aer bags very happily, but nothing was quite perfect so… TLDR; I bought the 26 L Synik with Black Ballistic / Pink interior and I LOVE this bag. Like, serious love. I find myself being excited to pack it every day and get a little buzz every time I open a zipper on one of the many pockets and see the bright pink and endless organization. It turns out I’m fine with one bottle pocket; I carry my commuter 16 oz tea thermos in front in the morning with a 24 oz water inside, then swap positions for the afternoon. The device pocket does an awesome job with my iPad and Surface Pro, and if I use the interior entry I can *just* fit my clunky work laptop (it is 9” X 13.75”). Along with my device(s) I typically carry a thick folder of student reports for grading, and a lunch bag. There is room to spare, and I often cram a folded blazer inside so I don’t have to wear it while commuting.
On the outside, the front angled pockets are so much bigger than I expected and I love being able to divide “work” stuff into one pocket and “personal items” into the other side. In one of those pockets I easily carry sunglasses, wallet, and pencil case. The front top zipper pocket also perfectly fits my iPhone 11pro (yes, it’s old, I know.) What I’ve…
- JMJeff M.Verified BuyerBought For MyselfProduct Standouts Thoughtful Design, Comfortable, High Quality Craftsmanship, Sewn in USA, Good Storage Size3 months agoBought For MyselfProduct Standouts Thoughtful Design, Comfortable, High Quality Craftsmanship, Sewn in USA, Good Storage SizeRated 5 out of 5 starsThis Bag Violates the Laws of Physics and I’m Fine With That
Let me start by saying this: I don’t know what kind of eldritch wizardry Tom Bihn employed when designing the Synik 30, but I suspect it involves forbidden knowledge, tesseracts, and possibly a minor blood pact with interdimensional storage gods.
This bag is a portable hole - a real-life Bag of Holding. I kept putting things into it expecting to reach capacity - clothes, toiletries, tech, snacks, backup snacks, emotional baggage - but it just kept smiling politely and saying, “Yes, sir. May I have another?”
I’m 6’6”, and most backpacks make me feel like I’m wearing a child’s lunchbox. Not this one. This fits my frame like it was hand-tailored by ergonomic monks in a minimalist monastery.
And the zippers? I’ve never described a zipper as “seductive,” but here we are. These glide smoother than a jazz sax solo on satin sheets. They purr with satisfaction as you open and close compartments. I’m now emotionally attached to a #10 YKK.
The organization is sublime. It’s like someone peeked into my soul and said, “Ah, chaos - but make it manageable.” Everything has a place, but nothing feels overly rigid or micromanaged. And somehow - despite being cavernous - it slides under an airline seat with the humility of a much smaller bag.
Wearing it loaded down with two days of clothes, a self-inflating back support, an army of USB cables, a whole damn water bottle, and enough trail mix to hike the Pacific Crest Trail, I never once cursed my life choices. That’s high praise for me and…
- GGregVerified BuyerBought For MyselfProduct Standouts Thoughtful Design, High Quality Finishings, Comfortable, High Quality Craftsmanship, Good Storage Size8 months agoBought For MyselfProduct Standouts Thoughtful Design, High Quality Finishings, Comfortable, High Quality Craftsmanship, Good Storage SizeRated 5 out of 5 starsOne bag perfection!
I own the Synapse 19 and 25 as well as the Synik 30, and I can tell you with complete certainty the Synik 26 is the absolute sweet spot for anyone who wants one bag to use as a daily commute bag and as a travel bag for one-bag under seat air travel. Like the Synapse 25 and Synik 30 this bag has a Dr. Who Tardis-like quality to it, where it is just somehow bigger on the inside and swallows whatever you put into it. As with all the other Tom Bihn products the construction quality is top notch and will last for decades. I got the Black Ballistic / Northwest Sky Halcyon version.
I have it loaded out for travel as follows and have attached a photo of the fully packed bag next to a piece of 8.5x11 paper as a size reference. Fully packed the whole thing weighs in at 14 lbs. which is pretty amazing for the amount of stuff I have in it. And it feels much smaller than the Synik 30 on my back and will definitely fit under an aisle seat on a plane that has one of those annoying metal boxes taking up space. (My Synik 30 fits too, but this bag is smaller so I will have a little more leg room). Everything listed below that has the option is strapped into the bag using the available O-rings.
Main Pocket:
- Large Synik 30 (Western Flyer) packing cube for all my clothing (2 pants, 4 shirts, socks, underwear, shorts and shirt for sleep)
- Side Effect for my EDC items (power charger, cables, AirPods, 10,000 mAh power bank, adapters, etc.)
- Size 2 Handy Little Thing for all my A/V tech…
- UUglyheadVerified BuyerBought For MyselfProduct Standouts Thoughtful Design, High Quality Craftsmanship, Comfortable, Unique, Easily Adjustable10 months agoBought For MyselfProduct Standouts Thoughtful Design, High Quality Craftsmanship, Comfortable, Unique, Easily AdjustableRated 4 out of 5 starsAlmost perfect
I love the size, comfort, and all the pockets. It’s a very good layout. The only improvements I’d like to see are better shoulder straps, I’m not able to wear the bag on one shoulder because it slides right off.
- JCJames C.Verified BuyerBought For MyselfProduct Standouts Thoughtful Design, Comfortable, High Quality Craftsmanship, Durable, Unique5 months agoBought For MyselfProduct Standouts Thoughtful Design, Comfortable, High Quality Craftsmanship, Durable, UniqueRated 5 out of 5 starsNothing Not To Like
The Synik 26 adapts to every situation I’ve put it through and looks great doing it. Whether it’s my daily commute, traveling, or just out and about in my free time, I use a backpack on a near-daily basis. I won’t bore you with a list of bags I’ve tried, but let’s just say I’ve spent a small fortune on them. I’m kind of a backpack fanatic.
For whatever reason, until recently, the Tom Bihn aesthetic hasn’t appealed to me. Now, maybe I’ve run out of other bags to try—always finding little niggles I don’t particularly love after months of use—or maybe I’m just getting older, but I finally came around to Tom Bihn earlier this year. And I’m so glad I did!
The majority of my use so far has been cycling to work and back with my EDC and spare clothes. Everything has a dedicated place in the bag and I don’t have to dig around or remove things unnecessarily to get to what I need. Bicycle tools are easily accessible in the bottom exterior pocket should I need them on my commute and sunglasses, cellphone, gloves, etc. are likewise stored in their own space and easy to reach. When I get to work I open up the clamshell zipper and all of my larger items are neatly organized and ready for me to unpack.
I used it for a two night trip last weekend and discovered that my Synapse 19 (yes, I’ve already expanded my Tom Bihn collection) fit easily in the main compartment with plenty of room to spare. When I got to my destination I was able to transfer everything I needed throughout the day to…
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