brain cell

Apr 27 2009

A look at the Tom Bihn ID Messenger Bag

This may come as a total shock to you all, but I am into gadgets. I also like bringing with me every gizmo that I might possibly need when I go out. I’ve got my SwissTool, my iKlear, my zip ties and my FlyLight. My cell phone, my camera, my mouse pad and my iSight. For the last 6 months I’ve been toting around all that, my iBook and quite a bit more in my Willow PK-02: Thoreau Backpack and in those 6 months I have developed some considerable back pain from all that gadgetry.

Inspired to downsize

tombihnid A look at the Tom Bihn ID Messenger Bag

blueID A look at the Tom Bihn ID Messenger Bag Out of the blue came the Tom
Bihn ID Mid-sized Messenger Bag. I went through a bit of inner conflict
as I came to the realization that all the gak I used to carry in my Thoreau
simply would not fit in the ID. Don’t misunderstand me: the ID has plenty
of room for any normal human being with a healthy outlook on what one
should be expected to keep with them at all times. It’s just that, with
the Thoreau,
I was able to keep all the necessary tools for every eventuality packed
and ready, with the ID I am forced to pack only for the anticipated events
of the day. An exercise I was greatly in need of actually.

About the bag

The Tom Bihn ID Bag is a messenger style bag, meaning that it has a single
strap that is meant to cross you chest like a sling rather than the customary
shoulder straps of a backpack.

 IDbuckle A look at the Tom Bihn ID Messenger Bagwpzipper A look at the Tom Bihn ID Messenger Bag
idopen A look at the Tom Bihn ID Messenger Bag Open the front flap to reveal an open-top pouch and organizer for the
essential gadgets of the day ahead. On the flap itself is a rather large
pocket with a waterproof zipper. The main cargo bay of the ID has snaps
for an optional, and highly recommended, Brain
Cell laptop sleeve. The Brain Cell is designed to cradle you ‘Book
and absorb some of the shock it might encounter on the road. The flat
pocket on the back of this bag is the perfect size for documents.		 braincell A look at the Tom Bihn ID Messenger Bag
cateye A look at the Tom Bihn ID Messenger Bag Tom Bihn has also thought to give the ID a waist strap that keeps the
bag in place as you where it while riding or running for a train. Provision
has been made to allow for a Cat Eye flasher to be attached to the bag
for extra visibility by motorists at night and Tom Bihn has made the ID
available in several eye catching colors that will you similar attention
during day rides.		 flame A look at the Tom Bihn ID Messenger Bag

Pros and Cons

I really like the size of the ID and although it won’t hold all my iBook accessories
it is sufficient to hold the ones I’m likely to use in a single outing. It is
also very strong, well constructed and light. Gotta like that.

I really like the waist strap because it gives me an added sense of security
to know that anyone who might try to run by and snatch my ‘Book is gonna have
to take me along with it.

The Brain Cell add-on is a nice touch and keeps you ‘Book safe from your other
items while still leaving it accessible.

On the downside, I wish there were some divisions made in the main cargo area.
The organizer in the front of the bag is great but it would be nice to have
similar features inside that accommodated the larger items I carry. And while
Tom Bihn never specifically marketed this bag to wardrivers, being as this is
the Wardriver Wednesday column I don’t feel that it is totally inappropriate
to mention that the bag is not quite big enough to tote an iBook or PowerBook
and a Pringles
Can Antennaóyou are likely to crush your can if you try.

More info

According to their web site. the Tom
Bihn ID Mid-sized Messenger Bag is available in sizes to fit 12″ and
15″ PowerBooks and and the 12″ iBooks. It evidently is too small for
the 17″ PowerBook and 14″ iBook is uncomfortable positioned between
the 12″ and 15″ sizes.

All things considered, I must say that the Tom
Bihn ID Messenger Bag is my favorite of the multitude of bags I’ve tried.
For more information on this and other Tom Bihn bags, check out the
Tom Bihn site.

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Oct 29 2008

Tom Bihn adds laptop bags for new 15-inch MacBook Pros to their catalog

I am a huge Tom Bihn fan. This is a company that listens to its customers and makes some great products. I cannot recommend them highly enough.

Today, Tom Bihn announced sizes of their Checkpoint Flyer checkpoint friendly laptop briefcase and Brain Cell laptop case specifically for the new 15-inch MacBook Pro.

If you’re not familiar with the Checkpoint Flyer Briefcase, watch the video embedded here. It is the first airport security “checkpoint friendly” bag designed specifically for Mac laptops.

The Brain Cell is a laptop sleeve designed to be used alone or clipped securely inside a variety of Tom Bihn bags. Brain Cell compatibility in a Tom Bihn bag means that you will not just have your laptop held securely during transit, it also means if you buy a new laptop of a different size, you need only update the Brain Cell to make it fit in your bag!

The Checkpoint Flyer sells for USD$220 USD (including laptop insert). The Brain Cell (Size 4Z) sells for USD$60. Both are available for pre-order from the Tom Bihn website and ship by late November.

Note:

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Mar 17 2007

Tom Bihn ID Messenger Bag (2007)

idbag Tom Bihn ID Messenger Bag (2007)I was very excited when I found out I was going to get to review the next generation Tom Bihn ID Messenger Bag (USD$130); this will be my fourth review of a Tom Bihn bag and my second review of the ID bag in particular. The company has made several improvements to the design. I have to give Tom Bihn kudos because when you come out with a successful product like the original ID bag, most people wouldn’t think to say, “Oh well, back to the drawing board.” But Tom Bihn did and, now that I see changes they have made, I’m glad they took a crack at gilding the lily.

Keeping your stuff in

frontpocket Tom Bihn ID Messenger Bag (2007)pockets Tom Bihn ID Messenger Bag (2007)Many of the features that impressed me about Tom Bihn’s Super Ego bag have made their way into the new ID design. The first one that I’d like to tell you about is the structure of the front pocket. The opening has been made to curve in at the sides and form to the contour of the bag making it more efficient at keeping your stuff in the bag. And, after all, that is a bag’s prime directive no matter if it’s a messenger bag, a lunch bag or a barf bag–the point is, that whatever you put in it shouldn’t come falling out. This is a welcome feature indeed. The front pocket also has smaller inner pockets that you can use to hold and organize your stuff. In addition, there are two small plastic rings distributed strategically on the front of the bag that you can use to clip the ID’s key snap strap (included) or any Organizer Pouches (USD$5, USD$7 or USD$9) you wisely purchased with the bag.

The main compartment, back pocket and the Brain Cell

packedbag Tom Bihn ID Messenger Bag (2007)The business end of the ID is its laptop compartment which is located under the pocketed flap (unlike the Tom Bihn Super Ego) and provides ample room for a notebook the size of a 15″ MacBook Pro or smaller, some books, maybe a Wacom tablet and even a light jacket.

backpocket Tom Bihn ID Messenger Bag (2007)The back of the ID has an additional open-top pocket that is great for flat items like magazine, books or papers, or anything you want to be able to get at quickly.

If you are going to use the ID to tote around an Apple notebook computer, you should consider a few things first. One, the ID is not large enough to accommodate any of Apple’s 17″ notebooks: past or present. Secondly, you should seriously consider adding a Tom Bihn Horizontal Brain Cell (USD$50) notebook sleeve to your order. Consult the Brain Cell Fit List for the ID Messenger Bag to find the appropriate notebook sleeve for your portable. The Brain Cell notebook sleeve ingeniously snaps into place within the ID’s main compartment and also “holds its own” as a light-weight carrier for your notebook when you aren’t traveling with the rest of your paraphernalia.

annexclips Tom Bihn ID Messenger Bag (2007)One beef I had with the old ID design was the way in which Tom Bihn incorporated support for the Brain Cell. At that time, the Brain Cell attached via metal snaps, which was very handy when you wanted to pop it in and out. But it meant that if you didn’t buy the Brain Cell, you had two snaps inside your messenger bag waiting to scratch the dickens out of your laptop. Well, since then, the Brain Cell has changed and, with it, the way it connects to Tom Bihn’s various bags. Though I highly, highly, highly recommend getting a Brain Cell or some sort of laptop sleeve, if you do decide to forgo that extra line of defense, the ID is much less abrasive to laptops “going commando” in its main compartment since the Annex clips used to attach the Brain Cell are removable.

Straps

The ID is certainly a strapping example of a fine messenger bag. And as far as straps go, you now have a few to chose from. The previous ID bag design had the strap built in. It was adjustable, but that was about it. Now Tom Bihn has made the strap attach via a 1.5″ toothed slide that allows you to use either the standard strap that comes with the ID or the cushy Neoprene Absolute Shoulder Strap (USD$15).

The Starbucks Strap

qam Tom Bihn ID Messenger Bag (2007)One new feature of the ID Messenger Bag is something Tom Bihn calls the Q-AM or “Quick-Adjust Messenger” strap. I’m a big believer in giving things names that immediately tell you what they do and why you need them. For this reason, I call this strap the Starbucks Strap. Have you ever driven to Starbucks, realized you couldn’t leave your laptop in the car unattended while you went in and got your over-priced specialty coffee? That meant that you had to bring the bag into the coffee shop, which, is no big deal until you actually get your coffee and you have to customize it over at the cream and sweetener table. Because, as you reach over to get the carafe of half-and-half off the back shelf of the table, your messenger bag slides from behind your back, swings around and smacks your grande decaf half-soy, half-low fat, iced vanilla, double-shot, gingerbread cappuccino off the table and across the room. The Q-AM strap prevents this kind of tragedy. It effectively secures the messenger bag to your back by connecting one more point on the bag to the shoulder strap perpendicularly under your arm. It’s hard to explain, but after you use it, it will be harder to explain why other bags don’t have this feature. I’m told that this will also keep your bag on your back while you ride your bike like one of those guys who deliver documents downtown. Sure… I guess…

Soft Pockets

ultrasuede Tom Bihn ID Messenger Bag (2007)Mmm… soft. The new ID Messenger bag now comes with two pockets that are lined with some kind of velvety microfiber they call ” Ultrasuede” (presumably from Ultracows). Why? What you mean you don’t own any shiny objects that you want to keep shiny? No iPod? No cell phone? What about a PDA? Or sunglasses? These new little pockets are easily accessible even when the ID’s flap is down and your laptop is locked away tight. They also have splash-proof zippers so that their accessibility doesn’t change from an asset to a liability. There is even enough room at the top of the zipper for your earbud cord if you want to listen to your iPod or MP3 phone while it’s stowed away.

Water Pockets

waterpocket Tom Bihn ID Messenger Bag (2007)Like the Tom Bihn Super Ego I reviewed last time, the ID now comes with a water pocket that allows you to securely carry a water bottle with you. If you like your water filtered through roasted beans picked by Juan Valdez, the water pocket is adjustable and can accommodate a travel mug… just make sure it’s a water-tight one or you’ll be testing the ID’s splash-proof zippers in no time.

Conclusion

All in all, I am very happy with the changes in the new ID bag–in particular the Q-AM strap (aka Starbucks Strap), soft pockets and the structured front pocket. The construction of the bag, like every Tom Bihn bag I’ve reviewed yet, is second to none.

The ID carries a smaller load than other Tom Bihn bags. So, if you carry a bit more stuff than most, you might want to wait for my review of the Tom Bihn Ego Messenger Bag. And if you have a 17″ notebook computer, or if you carry around a bit more stuff than your Chiropractor would approve of, you’re probably going to find happiness in the Tom Bihn Super Ego that I reviewed last year.

If you travel fairly light and are looking for a quality messenger bag for your 12″ or 15″ notebook, I think the Tom Bihn ID Messenger Bag is perfect for you.

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