Buzz questions

[dsmking]

Hi,

I am considering a Buzz slingpack and have a few questions:

1) Will there be any other colors soon? I noticed that only 5 colors are listed and three of them won't ship until mid-February. The Buzz pictures show some colors that are not listed (like Black/Kelly/Steel).

2) Presumably the mid-February ones will be built soon. Will there be any changes to the design? Some of the reviews had suggestions and I
was curious if any would show up in the new model (such as padding on the grab handle or making the separator removable).

3) I would be carrying a 13" Macbook or a 15" Al Powerbook depending on the day. One of the reviews said that one would want a SoftCell or BrainCell for smaller/thinner laptops such as the Macbook as they are a little loose. Does anyone have experience with a 13" Macbook in a Buzz?

4) I would also want something to help organize my cables but I presume the Snake Charmer is too large. Does the Kit fit in the Buzz? What organizer pouches are people using with their Buzz?

5) The Buzz is the perfect size for me 80% of the time. However I also need to carry more at times and I really can only afford one right now. What other bag is just a bit larger and can carry a laptop? I am not certain whether the Synapse will be able to hold laptops and the Western Flyer, while intriguing, is probably too large (its volume is almost twice the Buzz even though its width and heigh are about the same).

Thanks,
David

[Darcy]

Hi,

Hi David!

1) Will there be any other colors soon? I noticed that only 5 colors are listed and three of them won't ship until mid-February. The Buzz pictures show some colors that are not listed (like Black/Kelly/Steel).

No. The colors listed in the drop-down menu are the only colors available for the foreseeable future. Black/Black/Steel, Black/Black/Black, Black/Steel/Olive, Black/Crimson/Black, and Black/Steel/Sapphire.

2) Presumably the mid-February ones will be built soon. Will there be any changes to the design? Some of the reviews had suggestions and I
was curious if any would show up in the new model (such as padding on the grab handle or making the separator removable).

No design changes. The Buzz is a sling bag, and isn't really designed to be carried by a handle at the top. Padding the handle would encourage people
to carry the bag in a way it isn't designed to be and would make the handle stick out a lot more, something most people probably wouldn't be that into. The webbing handle that is at the top is there for your convenience so you can grab the bag quickly and sling it over yourself or set it down somewhere.

3) I would be carrying a 13" Macbook or a 15" Al Powerbook depending on the day. One of the reviews said that one would want a SoftCell or BrainCell for smaller/thinner laptops such as the Macbook as they are a little loose. Does anyone have experience with a 13" Macbook in a Buzz?

Not me! Sorry.

4) I would also want something to help organize my cables but I presume the Snake Charmer is too large. Does the Kit fit in the Buzz? What organizer pouches are people using with their Buzz?

I think that the Snake Charmer would actually be a better choice than the Kit. The Snake Charmer is able to be squished down more and would fit better in a bag like the Buzz. The Snake Charmer isn't that much larger than the Kit.

5) The Buzz is the perfect size for me 80% of the time. However I also need to carry more at times and I really can only afford one right now. What other bag is just a bit larger and can carry a laptop? I am not certain whether the Synapse will be able to hold laptops and the Western Flyer, while intriguing, is probably too large (its volume is almost twice the Buzz even though its width and heigh are about the same).

The Synapse will only be able to hold the smallest of the small laptops, and isn't really designed to be a laptop bag. I'd recommend taking a look at the ID. I think the redesigned Smart Alec might be a good choice for you as well. I've been using the Western Flyer as a laptop briefcase for a few weeks now and have found it to be a great size: not too big but not small.

[dsmking]

Darcy,

Thanks for the info. The Buzz is a very appealing design and my question about changes was to make certain there were not changes on tap. My goal is to lighten my load and what I'm trying to carry is:

laptop (either 15" Al Powerbook or 13" Macbook depending on the day)
charger and a few cables
Motorola Q
printouts and some manilla folders
paperback novel
micro umbrella
water bottle

but be able to add some more stuff (iPod, more books, another cell phone) when travelling. I had discounted messenger bags because of my experience with a previous non-Bihn bag. I'll read some more about them.

Is it possible to get a side-by-side picture of a Western Flyer with some other Bihn bags? My ideal picture would be the Flyer, ID, Buzz, and new Smart Alec (yes, I am dreaming!).

Can anyone else say how well the Macbook fits in the Buzz?

Thanks,
David

Hi David!



No. The colors listed in the drop-down menu are the only colors available for the foreseeable future. Black/Black/Steel, Black/Black/Black, Black/Steel/Olive, Black/Crimson/Black, and Black/Steel/Sapphire.



No design changes. The Buzz is a sling bag, and isn't really designed to be carried by a handle at the top. Padding the handle would encourage people
to carry the bag in a way it isn't designed to be and would make the handle stick out a lot more, something most people probably wouldn't be that into. The webbing handle that is at the top is there for your convenience so you can grab the bag quickly and sling it over yourself or set it down somewhere.



Not me! Sorry.



I think that the Snake Charmer would actually be a better choice than the Kit. The Snake Charmer is able to be squished down more and would fit better in a bag like the Buzz. The Snake Charmer isn't that much larger than the Kit.



The Synapse will only be able to hold the smallest of the small laptops, and isn't really designed to be a laptop bag. I'd recommend taking a look at the ID. I think the redesigned Smart Alec might be a good choice for you as well. I've been using the Western Flyer as a laptop briefcase for a few weeks now and have found it to be a great size: not too big but not small.

[maverick]

Hi David,

I have a Macbook Pro and a Macbook, and I'll try carrying the Macbook in the Buzz tomorrow and let you know how it goes.

[dsmking]

Hi David,

I have a Macbook Pro and a Macbook, and I'll try carrying the Macbook in the Buzz tomorrow and let you know how it goes.

Thanks, that would be terrific! Also, do you use any organizer pouches with your Buzz?

David

[dsmking]

I think that the Snake Charmer would actually be a better choice than the Kit. The Snake Charmer is able to be squished down more and would fit better in a bag like the Buzz. The Snake Charmer isn't that much larger than the Kit.

My wife and kids got me the Buzz for father's day - first impressions are that it will be perfect for me with just a few organizers. The obvious ones are a mini organizer for small stuff like change and a small one for ipod/cell phone when the other is in the outer compartment. What other organizers are people using with the Buzz bag?

Darcy, the above quote was in response to my question about something for holding cables. I noticed that there is a picture of the medium organizer with a MacBook charger. Is that better than the Snake Charmer for the Buzz?

The 15" Ti Powerbook fits fairly nicely but the Macbook works better with a small sleeve.

Thanks,
David

PS: My wife said that the Buzz seemed perfect because it would encourage me to carry less than what I carry in her old generic sling bag which looks huge and bulky. She seemed surprised when I quickly put all that stuff in the Buzz and it didn't look too full.

[rabergnc]

I just got a Buzz less than a week ago and I am using it for a cross country trip (by air). Carrying a 13 in Macbook - fit is OK - a little loose when the bag is not being worn but the pouch is well padded and I have no real concerns about the little movement. Also carrying a Kindle, 4 TB clear pouches (medium sized), pens, a few file folders, cell phone, and some other stuff. There's room for other things - I was carrying a folded newspaper for a while and the bagg had lots more room. I do like the sling aspect. Other messenger type bags I have tried slide all around my side and back (I am not a fan of the stability straps that come with some). The Buzz stays put (I don't use the waist strap provided). I really cannot use a backpack because of shoulder issues on one side (fortunately my right side is fine as that's how the bag is worn.) As a travell bag, the Buzz is great - have not used it as a daily bag yet but will try it when I get back.

[outtaconte]

Loving the Buzz

I've had both versions of the Buzz. I use the newer, larger version on my daily commutes to work. I love these facts about the bag: I can put it on one-handed while walking as I leave the subway and I don't have to take the bag off to twist it to my front to open the compartments.

BTW, I use the older and smaller version when I travel on family vacations.

[nafnam]

Hi everyone,

I'm considering a buzz, but am curious about how well it protects a Macbook Pro. Any impressions from those who are currently using one?

Thanks!

[maverick]

Hi everyone,

I'm considering a buzz, but am curious about how well it protects a Macbook Pro. Any impressions from those who are currently using one?

Thanks!

the buzz does a great job of holding and protecting your macbook pro.

now, there are different levels of protection.

the buzz provides a certain amount of protection in an amazingly sized sling bag, similar to the protection afforded by the soft cell and ristretto.

the brain cell provides a whole different level of protection. the space occupied by a brain cell is greater than the soft cell or the laptop compartment of the buzz.

you can say that protection comes at the cost of space, or that space is saved at the expense of protection.

the good thing is that we are able to choose between these different solutions according to what is appropriate for us.

i have used the buzz and brain cell to carry my macbook pro, and i think the way i use them, they both provide an adequate amount of protection to make me feel comfortable carrying my macbook pro inside.

i will tell you that the monolith (predecessor to the vertical brain cell) inside the smart alec saved my powerbook when the bag fell from the hook on the door inside of a bathroom stall.

the buzz is not designed to take that kind of fall.

[maverick]

here is a video demonstrating the protection afforded by the buzz.

let me know if you have any questions.

Hi everyone,

I'm considering a buzz, but am curious about how well it protects a Macbook Pro. Any impressions from those who are currently using one?

Thanks!

[nafnam]

Update

Just wanted to post and thanks everyone for the feedback. I bought a Buzz a few months back and love it. It has replaced my primary work bag for my MBP and holds everything I need to bring into the office. Thanks!