Inspired by our original Aeronaut, the Techonaut — two sizes: 30L (you are here) or 45L — is a maximum-size airline carry-on backpack that combines style with ultimate functionality. Features include:
Three carry methods: backpack, shoulder bag, and duffel
Skeleton back panel for improved airflow
Top-loading, suspended laptop compartment with exterior access, fits up to 16” laptops
1 spacious main compartment, 1 large end pocket, and 3 quick-access exterior pockets
6 O-rings for optional organizational bags and accessories
Breathable, supportive back panel for long comfortable wear as a backpack
Comfortable, durable, edgeless backpack straps that can be tucked away when needed
Rolling luggage handle pass-through pocket
Meets carry-on requirement for most North American regional commuter jets and intra-European flights
Full Description
Three Carry Methods
Backpack
The Techonaut can be carried on the back via our comfortable EV50 Edgeless backpack straps. The back of the Techonaut has our special skeleton back panel rather than a solid rectangular piece of foam to improve airflow, so you can carry the Techonaut for long durations as a backpack in comfort. The soft and durable mesh (finished to our specifications) will also reduce the chance of the back panel causing abrasion to your clothes.
Duffel
If you don’t want to use the Techonaut as a backpack, you can unbuckle the backpack straps and tuck them away behind the skeleton back panel. On the side of the Techonaut is our EV50 Edgeless grab handle, use it if you want to carry the bag like a duffel.
Shoulder Bag
Add an optional shoulder strap (we recommend the Absolute Shoulder Strap) and turn the Techonaut into a shoulder bag.
Suspended Laptop Compartment
Suspended off the bottom of the bag, the Techonaut's laptop compartment offers just-right padding without adding bulk or weight. Don't plan to carry a laptop? Know that most of the padding and construction of the compartment would be there regardless to offer comfort to your back and structure for the bag itself. Accessible from an exterior zipper and separated from the rest of the main compartment, your laptop will always be easily accessible even when your bag is fully packed.
The Techonaut 30 will fit laptops up to the size of the 16" MacBook Pro or Microsoft Surface Book 2 15".
Skeleton Back Panel
The name says it all: instead of the back panel being a solid rectangular piece of foam, it’s cut in a spine-like shape so that it provides all of the usual comfort with less of the weight and improves airflow. We use a soft and durable mesh finished to our specifications on the part of the back panel that’ll be in contact with your clothes to reduce the chance of abrasion. No, this new back panel won’t ensure you don’t experience any sweat whatsoever if you run through the airport or hike uphill in the summer; that’s just an aspect of wearing a backpack and, well, being human.
Wide U-Shaped Main Compartment
The Techonaut takes the amazing wide-opening main compartment that made the Aeronaut one of the most beloved travel bags ever a step further: it opens even wider and even bigger. You can live out of this bag (and easily find what you're looking for) without ever having to unpack it.
Compared to the Aeronaut, it has one end pocket instead of two to increase the amount of stuff you can pack in the bag without increasing the size or weight of the bag.
Hideaway Edgeless EV50 1/2" Shoulder Straps
Conformity is overrated — except, perhaps, when it comes to shoulder straps. The edgelessness of this strap allows it to more softly conform to your shoulder; we find that this increases comfort. Yet the straps aren’t too soft: the 1/2” thick foam means the strap is robust enough to carry a heavy load.
If you plan to carry the Techonaut as a shoulder bag or in-hand like a duffel — or wear it through the airpot as a backpack and, at the terminal, tuck away the straps so it'll slide even more easily under the seat on the plane or in the overhead compartment — you'll appreciate that the backpack straps of the Techonaut can easily tuck away behind the back panel when not in use.
Edgeless Duffel Handle
The Edgeless duffel handle of the Techonaut is designed to provide comfort and cush when carrying the Techonaut in duffel mode: it utilizes the same EV50 1/2” / 12mm EVAZOTE® OEKO-TEX® foam as our Edgeless Shoulder Straps.
Since we figure most folks will primarily carry the Techonaut as a backpack or perhaps as a shoulder bag with the optional Absolute Shoulder Strap — and carry the bag as a duffel for shorter durations — we wanted its duffel handle to be as (if not more) comfortable yet somehow more minimal and lower-profile than the Aeronaut grab handle. We believe we’ve achieved our goal on both accounts: you’ll, of course, tell us what you think.
Note that, because of the design of the original Aeronaut handle, it was effectively anchored at four corners in such a way that it did not “lift” much from the bag itself; the Techonaut handle, to achieve its goals of comfort and minimalism, is anchored at two points, and may slightly lift away from the bag if your Techonaut is packed very full. That doesn’t impact the utility of the handle or experience of carrying the bag (and of course the handle itself is robustly secured with multiple bartacks) but we thought we’d mention it because it behaves a little different than the original Aeronaut handle.
Rolling Luggage Handle Pass-Through
Some of us use rolling luggage: maybe because we need to pack more formal attire for a work trip, photography gear, or just because we find it more comfortable. Good thing the Techonaut's back panel has a pass-through that allows you to slide it over the handle of your rolling luggage.
There are, of course, different sizes of rolling luggage with different handle lengths and widths. That said, the Techonaut 30 and Techonaut 45 should fit over most rolling luggage handles.
One End Pocket
Whereas the Aeronaut had two end pockets, the Techonaut has one. Here's why: removing one of the end pockets saved some weight and increased the overall capacity of the bag. Think of it this way: instead of the fabric and build that went into that second end pocket, you've got more space in the bag for more stuff. It also means the main compartment is that much bigger and opens up even wider.
Need to fit a really big item in the main compartment, or just don't want the division of the end pocket? You'll see that there's a zipper inside the main compartment that creates the division between it and the end pocket: simply unzip it and you've got one very big packing area.
Quick-Access Pockets
Nik included three quick-access exterior pockets on the Techonaut.
The pocket on the right side of the bag is sized to fit a Passport, phone, wallet, and keys.
The pocket on the left side of the bag is the biggest; it can fit some water bottles or stuff like an umbrella or jacket.
And the pocket on the top of the bag can also fit stuff like a (smaller) water bottle, umbrella, or jacket.
Exterior Grab Handles
For your convenience, you’ll find two exterior grab handles on the Techonaut in addition to the Edgeless duffel carry handle. These grab handles work great for pulling the Techonaut out from under the seat of a plane or from the overhead compartment. They're also handy for steadying the bag as you insert your laptop in its compartment or even hanging the bag on a coat hook.
Removable Sternum Strap + Waist Strap
As with all of our major backpacks, we include adjustable and removable sternum and waist straps with leave-no-trace hardware: if you don't like or don't use your waist or sternum strap, remove them and leave (almost) nothing behind. There's also an optional 1" Padded Hip Belt and an optional Techonaut Internal Frame.
What's Included
We include the following accessories to give you a good amount of options for your new bag right out of the gate.
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.
An adjustable and removable sternum and waist straps with leave-no-trace hardware: if you don't like or don't use your sternum strap, remove it and leave (almost) nothing behind.
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" Padded Hip Belt.) Also features leave-no-trace hardware.
One pair of Tie-Down Straps
Our included tie-down straps are an alternative to packing cubes: use them to compress and secure clothing in place to help keep it wrinkle-free. They're removable so if you don't want or need to use them, you can leave them behind.
The Skeleton back panel structure of the Techonaut adds a surprising amount of support even without an internal frame. Add a laptop in the laptop compartment and there's even more support. When the crew tested fully loaded Techonauts here at the factory, pretty much everyone found the internal frame for the Techonaut 30 unnecessary. With the Techonaut 45, it was 50/50: half of folks preferred carrying the bag with the frame, half preferred it without the internal frame. Still, we heard from many folks who wanted an internal frame option nonetheless... so here you go!
You can view all of our packing cubes, pouches, toiletries bags and other organizational options at the link above. Want a guide to what works best with the Techonaut 30 and Techonaut 45? Check out our blog post Techonaut: Packing Cubes & Organizational Options.
Cinched up your bag and you've got a lot of dangling straps? Well, if that's something that bothers your, grab a pair of strap keepers and manage those straps!
Backpack
The Techonaut can be carried on the back via our comfortable EV50 Edgeless backpack straps. The back of the Techonaut has our special skeleton back panel rather than a solid rectangular piece of foam to improve airflow, so you can carry the Techonaut for long durations as a backpack in comfort. The soft and durable mesh (finished to our specifications) will also reduce the chance of the back panel causing abrasion to your clothes.
Duffel
If you don’t want to use the Techonaut as a backpack, you can unbuckle the backpack straps and tuck them away behind the skeleton back panel. On the side of the Techonaut is our EV50 Edgeless grab handle, use it if you want to carry the bag like a duffel.
Shoulder Bag
Add an optional shoulder strap (we recommend the Absolute Shoulder Strap) and turn the Techonaut into a shoulder bag.
Suspended off the bottom of the bag, the Techonaut's laptop compartment offers just-right padding without adding bulk or weight. Don't plan to carry a laptop? Know that most of the padding and construction of the compartment would be there regardless to offer comfort to your back and structure for the bag itself. Accessible from an exterior zipper and separated from the rest of the main compartment, your laptop will always be easily accessible even when your bag is fully packed.
The Techonaut 30 will fit laptops up to the size of the 16" MacBook Pro or Microsoft Surface Book 2 15".
The name says it all: instead of the back panel being a solid rectangular piece of foam, it’s cut in a spine-like shape so that it provides all of the usual comfort with less of the weight and improves airflow. We use a soft and durable mesh finished to our specifications on the part of the back panel that’ll be in contact with your clothes to reduce the chance of abrasion. No, this new back panel won’t ensure you don’t experience any sweat whatsoever if you run through the airport or hike uphill in the summer; that’s just an aspect of wearing a backpack and, well, being human.
The Techonaut takes the amazing wide-opening main compartment that made the Aeronaut one of the most beloved travel bags ever a step further: it opens even wider and even bigger. You can live out of this bag (and easily find what you're looking for) without ever having to unpack it.
Compared to the Aeronaut, it has one end pocket instead of two to increase the amount of stuff you can pack in the bag without increasing the size or weight of the bag.
Conformity is overrated — except, perhaps, when it comes to shoulder straps. The edgelessness of this strap allows it to more softly conform to your shoulder; we find that this increases comfort. Yet the straps aren’t too soft: the 1/2” thick foam means the strap is robust enough to carry a heavy load.
If you plan to carry the Techonaut as a shoulder bag or in-hand like a duffel — or wear it through the airpot as a backpack and, at the terminal, tuck away the straps so it'll slide even more easily under the seat on the plane or in the overhead compartment — you'll appreciate that the backpack straps of the Techonaut can easily tuck away behind the back panel when not in use.
The Edgeless duffel handle of the Techonaut is designed to provide comfort and cush when carrying the Techonaut in duffel mode: it utilizes the same EV50 1/2” / 12mm EVAZOTE® OEKO-TEX® foam as our Edgeless Shoulder Straps.
Since we figure most folks will primarily carry the Techonaut as a backpack or perhaps as a shoulder bag with the optional Absolute Shoulder Strap — and carry the bag as a duffel for shorter durations — we wanted its duffel handle to be as (if not more) comfortable yet somehow more minimal and lower-profile than the Aeronaut grab handle. We believe we’ve achieved our goal on both accounts: you’ll, of course, tell us what you think.
Note that, because of the design of the original Aeronaut handle, it was effectively anchored at four corners in such a way that it did not “lift” much from the bag itself; the Techonaut handle, to achieve its goals of comfort and minimalism, is anchored at two points, and may slightly lift away from the bag if your Techonaut is packed very full. That doesn’t impact the utility of the handle or experience of carrying the bag (and of course the handle itself is robustly secured with multiple bartacks) but we thought we’d mention it because it behaves a little different than the original Aeronaut handle.
Some of us use rolling luggage: maybe because we need to pack more formal attire for a work trip, photography gear, or just because we find it more comfortable. Good thing the Techonaut's back panel has a pass-through that allows you to slide it over the handle of your rolling luggage.
There are, of course, different sizes of rolling luggage with different handle lengths and widths. That said, the Techonaut 30 and Techonaut 45 should fit over most rolling luggage handles.
Whereas the Aeronaut had two end pockets, the Techonaut has one. Here's why: removing one of the end pockets saved some weight and increased the overall capacity of the bag. Think of it this way: instead of the fabric and build that went into that second end pocket, you've got more space in the bag for more stuff. It also means the main compartment is that much bigger and opens up even wider.
Need to fit a really big item in the main compartment, or just don't want the division of the end pocket? You'll see that there's a zipper inside the main compartment that creates the division between it and the end pocket: simply unzip it and you've got one very big packing area.
Nik included three quick-access exterior pockets on the Techonaut.
The pocket on the right side of the bag is sized to fit a Passport, phone, wallet, and keys.
The pocket on the left side of the bag is the biggest; it can fit some water bottles or stuff like an umbrella or jacket.
And the pocket on the top of the bag can also fit stuff like a (smaller) water bottle, umbrella, or jacket.
For your convenience, you’ll find two exterior grab handles on the Techonaut in addition to the Edgeless duffel carry handle. These grab handles work great for pulling the Techonaut out from under the seat of a plane or from the overhead compartment. They're also handy for steadying the bag as you insert your laptop in its compartment or even hanging the bag on a coat hook.
As with all of our major backpacks, we include adjustable and removable sternum and waist straps with leave-no-trace hardware: if you don't like or don't use your waist or sternum strap, remove them and leave (almost) nothing behind. There's also an optional 1" Padded Hip Belt and an optional Techonaut Internal Frame.
We include the following accessories to give you a good amount of options for your new bag right out of the gate.
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.
An adjustable and removable sternum and waist straps with leave-no-trace hardware: if you don't like or don't use your sternum strap, remove it and leave (almost) nothing behind.
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" Padded Hip Belt.) Also features leave-no-trace hardware.
One pair of Tie-Down Straps
Our included tie-down straps are an alternative to packing cubes: use them to compress and secure clothing in place to help keep it wrinkle-free. They're removable so if you don't want or need to use them, you can leave them behind.
The Skeleton back panel structure of the Techonaut adds a surprising amount of support even without an internal frame. Add a laptop in the laptop compartment and there's even more support. When the crew tested fully loaded Techonauts here at the factory, pretty much everyone found the internal frame for the Techonaut 30 unnecessary. With the Techonaut 45, it was 50/50: half of folks preferred carrying the bag with the frame, half preferred it without the internal frame. Still, we heard from many folks who wanted an internal frame option nonetheless... so here you go!
You can view all of our packing cubes, pouches, toiletries bags and other organizational options at the link above. Want a guide to what works best with the Techonaut 30 and Techonaut 45? Check out our blog post Techonaut: Packing Cubes & Organizational Options.
Cinched up your bag and you've got a lot of dangling straps? Well, if that's something that bothers your, grab a pair of strap keepers and manage those straps!
.5" / 13 mm padded and contoured backpack straps with .75" / 20 mm removable sternum strap with removable 1" / 25 mm waist strap included
Laptop Compartment
Maximum: 16” x 10” x 0.75” / 405mm x 255mm x 19mm
Choosing an Exterior Fabric
High Tenacity Ballistic Nylon
Weave:
2x2 “ballistic” weave
Fibers:
630 denier type 6,6 (high tenacity) filament nylon, twisted
Coating:
heavy urethane
Made in:
South Korea with Canadian yarn
Choose this fabric if
You want your bag to be soft and supple yet tough as nails.
You want a fabric that's stately enough to be at home at work, the mountains, or a nice hotel.
You don't want your bag to collect pet hair or abrade your clothing.
1050D High Tenacity Ballistic Nylon
Weave:
2x2 "Ballistic" Weave
Fibers:
1050 denier type 6,6 (high tenacity) filament nylon
Coating:
medium urethane
Made in:
U.S.A
Choose this fabric if
You want a super-tough fabric – originally designed for use in bullet-proof vests.
The weight of your bag isn’t a huge concern (though it’s worth noting that 1050d Ballistic is still lighter than cotton canvas or leather).
You want a smooth surface that won’t collect pet hair or sweater fuzz, slides easily into and out of the overhead bin, and fits in whether you're traveling for work or leisure.
Product Standouts Thoughtful Design, Comfortable, High Quality Craftsmanship, Sewn in USA, Unique
2 weeks ago
Bought For Myself
Product Standouts Thoughtful Design, Comfortable, High Quality Craftsmanship, Sewn in USA, Unique
Rated 5 out of 5 stars
A perfect bag for weekend trip, a long minimalist adventure or a heavy load everyday bag.
Like all Tom Bihn bags, the Techonaut is exceptionally well thought out, flexible, extremely high-quality, and can shapeshift between one's needs. I love the thoughtful addition of handles on all sides, the ability to split the main and secondary compartments (or combine them together), and the relatively compact size despite holding 30L of stuff. This bag is ideal for a 3-4 day trip when I don't want to take a roller bag but need to pack some extra gear. I also use this as a camera bag when I need to carry lots of equipment.
Kris D.
Verified Buyer
Bought For Myself
Product Standouts Thoughtful Design, Sewn in USA, High Quality Craftsmanship, Versatile
3 weeks ago
Bought For Myself
Product Standouts Thoughtful Design, Sewn in USA, High Quality Craftsmanship, Versatile
Rated 5 out of 5 stars
Pack light and be nice!
That’s my motto and TB helps me live by it. But, I had to visit the Seattle factory in order to decide if TB was for me — and with Cody’s grace and patience, I found the Techonaut 30! A large enough open packing area, only one large “shoe” compartment, and just enough small exterior pockets make this a good fit. And, for someone who’s 5’ 2”, fit is especially important. The 30L size is just right for packing light (carry-on only) and the upgraded shoulder strap ensures it will be comfortable even if I opt to carry it crossbody.
If you’re lucky enough to see TB products in-person before you buy, I highly recommend it. I had originally disregarded the Techonaut online, but an in-person inspection of it (and others) sold me. (Thanks, Cody!)
Megan H.
Verified Buyer
Bought For Myself
Product Standouts Thoughtful Design, High Quality Craftsmanship, Durable, Good Storage Size, High Quality Finishings
3 weeks ago
Bought For Myself
Product Standouts Thoughtful Design, High Quality Craftsmanship, Durable, Good Storage Size, High Quality Finishings
Rated 4 out of 5 stars
The closest thing to the perfect bag
Overall, this bag checked pretty much every box. I'm 5'1", so I wanted a pack that didn't make me look like a turtle, but still could hold about a weeks worth of clothes. My travel setup is pretty dialed in, but I can fit a large packing cube, medium packing cube, toiletries bag, and a pair of sandals with no problem. I'm still figuring out how to best use the smaller pockets. My only complaint is that with how small I am, I wish I could tighten down the shoulder straps a little more, but the clips that are on the pack so you can stow the straps make it so they are just a little too long. So far it hasn't been too uncomfortable because of the great padding. I'd definitely recommend this pack!
Conor O.
Verified Buyer
Bought For Myself
Product Standouts Thoughtful Design, High Quality Craftsmanship, High Quality Finishings, Good Storage Size
1 month ago
Bought For Myself
Product Standouts Thoughtful Design, High Quality Craftsmanship, High Quality Finishings, Good Storage Size
Rated 5 out of 5 stars
Fits more than I thought
Spent a long time debating 30 vs 45. Glad I went with the 30 as it carries the right amount.
Kristi T.
Verified Buyer
Bought For Other
Product Standouts Thoughtful Design, Comfortable, Sewn in USA, High Quality Craftsmanship, High Quality Finishings
1 month ago
Bought For Other
Product Standouts Thoughtful Design, Comfortable, Sewn in USA, High Quality Craftsmanship, High Quality Finishings
Rated 5 out of 5 stars
Excellent travel companion.
I am a relatively new to Tom Bihn. Earlier this year I purchased a Navy/Wisteria Synik 30 to use as my personal item for travel. It worked so well and was so comfortable for me, that my husband asked me to order a backpack for an upcoming work trip to Europe. He wanted something comfortable to carry, that he could use as a personal item and that he didn’t need all of the pockets that the Synik has. I thought that the Techonaught 30 would be a good match. The black T30 arrived just a few days after ordering. He was able to use it successfully as a personal item on his United flight (coach) packed at 80% capacity. It worked well with two of the smaller techonaught packing cubes. He said that it was very comfortable to carry during his train trips through the Netherlands. I also want to add that customer service was fantastic. I actually called and spoke to Cody. I asked if there was they had a black Techonaught in stock because there wasn’t one listed on the website. He walked back to the warehouse and found a black one! Cody also helped me with some questions about another product and followed up with me several days later. Thank you for offering great products and even better customer service.
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.