Travel Gear Review: Tom Bihn Bags

Other posts by MountainMama

I’ll be honest. I’d never heard of Tom Bihn, Designer and CEO of his eponymous Seattle-based company, before his friendly vice-president reached out to the Traveling Mamas with an offer to road test some Tom Bihn travel bags on our trip to San Juan.

Now I’m not sure how I ever went anywhere without my Medium Cafe Shoulder Bag. I. Love. This. Bag.

And I know I speak for all the Mamas when I say how great we think Tom Bihn products are. Of the four different bags we tested on planes, in airports, around Old San Juan and even in El Yunque rainforest (!), it was difficult for us to find much to complain about. Tom Bihn bags are simultaneously rugged and classy, functional and sleek. They’re downright cool.

The bags come with a ton of zippered and interior pockets for supreme organization, but if you’re like me (organizer freak), you’ll appreciate the different pouches and wallets Tom Bihn sells separately. I especially like my padded organizer pouches that keep my iPod and Flip video camera safe.

Here are more details about each of the bags we road tested:

Medium Cafe Shoulder Bag ($55): This is going to be my “purse of choice” this summer. I’m not a girly girl when it comes to pocketbooks; for about five years while my kids were young (read: in diapers and Pull-ups) I carried a backpack. I prefer a sporty-looking over-the-shoulder bag for my wallet, keys, cell phone and toiletries, and the Cafe Bag fits the bill. It’s actually tall enough to vertically hold a file folder, so I can use it for work-related meetings, too. I have it in the plum/olive color combo, and I suppose if there’s one thing I’d change, maybe I’d wish it were more “plum” than “bright purple.” That said, I love its versatility: the bag comes with a waist strap so I can carry it messenger-style across my back if I’m sightseeing my way through a city or hoofing it along a hiking trail.

bethImago Messenger Bag ($90): DesertMama is admittedly a bag aficionado. She hoards different bags and has a bunch of them in messenger style… but none she likes as much as her Imago. Like me, her bags do double duty, sometimes carrying work paraphernalia and sometimes carrying sippy cups and wet wipes, and the Imago can do it all. DesertMama, too, is a fan of all the different organizational pockets that are found inside this handy bag that’s not too big and not too small. Just right. (But if you need more space in a messenger-style bag, check out the bigger Tom Bihn Super Ego, Ego or the ID.)

Smart Alec Backpack ($130): CajunMama typically doesn’t travel without a backpack. She prefers the convenience of two shoulder straps, and doesn’t like walking down a plane aisle and knocking other passengers in the head with her shoulder carry-on. So she’s a huge fan of the roomy Smart Alec; this bag holds a surprising amount of stuff. One can fit a laptop in it, for sure (perhaps with the separate Tom Bihn laptop insert/shell), but CajunMama used the Freudien Slip paper organizer to carry around our photo releases and itinerary while we toured around Puerto Rico. It also housed her camera and towel for our walk through El Yunque rainforest to some amazing waterfalls!

jenWestern Flyer Overnight Bag ($160): MudslideMama was so funny about this Tom Bihn bag. She called it a backpack (”I love my backpack!”) through the whole trip. Here’s the thing: When I saw pictures of it on the Tom Bihn website, I pictured it more like a two-handled (with shoulder strap) bag — a many-pocketed, stylish carry-on. But Mudslide untucked the hidden shoulder straps and converted it into a backpack right away. She carried it on many of our adventures (including to Fajardo for some nighttime, bioluminescent bay kayaking) and couldn’t speak more highly about how roomy it is.

Let’s see… what else? Tom Bihn bags are crafted with waterproof fabric: coated with urethane inside and treated with a water-repellent outside. And all Tom Bihn bags are made right here in the USA, at a Seattle factory. In fact, if you’re in the Seattle area, you can buy live and in person from the factory showroom.

Are the bags expensive? Perhaps at first glance. But once you get your hands on a Tom Bihn bag to appreciate the craftsmanship with which it was made, you’ll understand its value. These bags are built to last — and I plan on using mine for a long time to come.

Before you scoot over to the Tom Bihn website to peruse all the company’s offerings (be sure to log into the forum, read the irreverent FAQs and the upbeat blog), check out this video I made of the Mamas talking about our versatile Tom Bihn bags. (Ignore the part where I say we went hiking in San Juan; I meant El Yunque, about 25 miles southeast of San Juan.)

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April 9, 2009 | Filed Under Travel Gear 

Comments

7 Responses to “Travel Gear Review: Tom Bihn Bags”

  1. CajunMama says:
    April 9, 2009 at

    I have to add that this bag is such a perfect size (not too bulky) that I’ve even been carrying it to work with me at the Fire Department. Love it! Thanks Tom Bihn :)

  2. Elliott Ng says:
    April 9, 2009 at

    Nice post! I have one of these “one bag travel” Tom Bihn Bags and I love it. Hafta say though, its a bit travel-pornish er I mean aspirational to think about traveling around with just 1 bag the size of the Tom Bihn bag I have!

  3. Elliott Ng says:
    April 9, 2009 at

    Nice post! I have one of these “one bag travel” Tom Bihn Bags and I love it. Hafta say though, its a bit travel-pornish er I mean aspirational to think about traveling around with just 1 bag the size of the Tom Bihn bag I have!
    P.S.: Wanted to say great post!

  4. Keith says:
    April 10, 2009 at

    I don’t think they’ll sell too well in Britain unless they change the name … ‘Bihn Bag’ sounds too much like ‘bin-bag’ … the plastic sack we use to line our dustbins (aka garbage cans) :D

    But, they look good to replace the Eastpak correspondent’s case, and the Lowe Pro backpack I’ve been hauling around for the last 15 years.

    (The backpack is called the ‘Book Pack’, and was designed to double as a hiking sack and a schoolbag … excellent for my purposes)

  5. Ships says:
    April 13, 2009 at

    Once I decide to travel I’m always sick of filling backs and wondering where to put these shoes. Oh, really the nice travel with “one bag” is my favorite. I decided to make such travel 3 months ago and believe me, I missed a lot of things, but never felt so free.

  6. CanCan (Mom Most Traveled) says:
    April 17, 2009 at

    I have never heard of these either…I will have to check them out! I love Mudslide Mama’s bag! :)

  7. Pages tagged "rainforest cafe" says:
    May 3, 2009 at

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