Love the Super Ego and the Zephyr but...

[ssmith3351]

For what its worth...

My wife and I discovered Tom Bihn last year and have spent enough on bags to put someone's child through college at TB. I have a Super Ego, my wife the ID and Zephyr. Not to mention a lot of accessories. I also have an Aeronaut-I think I got the last purple one.

I love the SE, but not so fond of the flap arrangement and the fact that the bag tends to fall over. The Zephyr seems to be the logical next bag, but I do really like the bottle holders on both sides. The Zephyr has no such thing. I would really like to see the Zephyr's successor with two bottle holders like the SE, but have the strap connections on the same side of the bag. The Zephyr isn't as comfortable with heavy loads as the SE due to the alternating strap connections on the bag. Picky perhaps, but simply a suggestion.

I don't know if its a matter of fabric colors, but I liked the unusual and bright colors. Colors that set your luggage and bags apart so they are easier to see in a group, etc. Please update your website as well. Often I've noted the color choices listed are no longer made.

Having said all of that, keep up the fantastic work. TB products are by far the best I've seen on the market and your customer service should be taught in business classes as a model for other companies.

Many thanks,

~Steve

[Darcy]

My wife and I discovered Tom Bihn last year and have spent enough on bags to put someone's child through college at TB. I have a Super Ego, my wife the ID and Zephyr. Not to mention a lot of accessories. I also have an Aeronaut-I think I got the last purple one.

Thanks for your loyalty, Steve!

I love the SE, but not so fond of the flap arrangement and the fact that the bag tends to fall over. The Zephyr seems to be the logical next bag, but I do really like the bottle holders on both sides. The Zephyr has no such thing. I would really like to see the Zephyr's successor with two bottle holders like the SE, but have the strap connections on the same side of the bag. The Zephyr isn't as comfortable with heavy loads as the SE due to the alternating strap connections on the bag. Picky perhaps, but simply a suggestion.

What it sounds like you're describing is a hybrid messenger/briefcase bag. The reason that the Zephyr stands up on its own most of the time is that it has a stiff foam bottom. The Super Ego doesn't have that because, traditionally, messenger or messenger-style bags are designed to contour to your body (that stiff foam bottom would get in the way), which is more comfortable if you're riding a bike. Same thing with the water bottle pockets: most folks who want a briefcase don't want the sporty look of a water bottle pocket. That said, Tom has been working on some great looking water bottle pockets as of late, and I can see the need for a messenger/briefcase style of bag.

Please update your website as well. Often I've noted the color choices listed are no longer made.

We update our Web site every day. In the past couple of years, we've responded to feedback from customers asking for more colors, more new color combinations, and always-changing color combinations. The compromise is that up-to-date pictures of these new color combinations aren't always possible, at least in a timely way.

Having said all of that, keep up the fantastic work. TB products are by far the best I've seen on the market and your customer service should be taught in business classes as a model for other companies.

Thanks again. We're glad to have you as our customer!