Micro Improvement Elves Update Side Kick & Daylight Briefcase

[MarkWebb]

Take a look at the Side Kick photos. The shoulder strap is now set up to use the Gatekeeper strap instead of snaphook-to-o'ring attachment. This should result in less "bulk" at the attachment point since the Gatekeeper style attachment lies flat, while the old snaphook is perpendicular to the flat o-ring housing.

For folks like me it means no more choosing a wider neckstrap or moving straps from one bag to another.

For most folks it means a cleaner bag profile, and probably the ability to move the Gatekeeper strap from shoulder strap mounting position to waist strap mounting position, making it dual purpose, which is super clever. No more need to buy a separate waist strap.

I wonder it they will make a similar change to the Side Effect?

And on the Daylight Briefcase page, the snaphook strap attachments have been moved from the bag ends to the front and rear panels, at the ends on opposite bag sides. From the looks of it, this will get the shoulder strap and attachment hardware out of the way of the end of the zipper track for easier access to the main compartment. I had noticed on my Daylight Briefcase that I was constantly laying the shoulder strap ends out of the way.

The new Gatekeeper-as-shoulder-strap design for the Side Kick and the relocated Daylight Briefcase mounting point:

[Cristina]

That's great that you like it! I haven't seen the new one in person myself.

The reason for the change was that in very rare cases, the placement and profile of the swivel strap could damage the zipper.

Apologies for not being able to find a link to Darcy's post on this issue, I think it was early in 2018.

Anyway, I don't think the Side Effect is slated for such a change, they changed the SK and DLBC simply to avoid premature wear on the zipper and I imagine they would have considered whether or not it was necessary on other swivel-hook bags at the same time. Hope this sheds a little light.

[Go Navy]

Wish I could open the image, but I can't.

[pammy]

For folks like me it means no more choosing a wider neckstrap or moving straps from one bag to another.

@MarkWebb, I had the same concern as you, that the placement change would mean I could not use either a mini OP Tech strap or Absolute Strap. But let me direct you to @moriond’s excellent post in this thread when the change was first made. See post #20 with her pictures and instructions on how using 1” triangle clips will allow you to use a wider strap.

https://forums.tombihn.com/general-bag-discussion/13807-please-bring-back-snaphook-sk.html

Here is the picture she posted:

[Go Navy]

Does Bihn sell the double carabiner? Can't find it on the Bihn site.

[backpack]

Does Bihn sell the double carabiner? Can't find it on the Bihn site.

It can only be found in the Knitting Tool Pouches page, it is sold with them.

https://www.tombihn.com/collections/accessories/products/knitting-acc-pouch?variant=16409105223

[tress29]

Does Bihn sell the double carabiner? Can't find it on the Bihn site.

I found it when I clicked on More, then Parts. When you get into the options list, it was in there. Wasabi yellow for $1 each...

[moriond]

@backpack is correct that the only way you can get a Double Carabiner Clip now from Tom Bihn is by buying a Knitting Tool Pouch. They’re not allowed to sell the ones they still have, and they haven’t been available from Parts for many months (maybe over a year?), but they will still include one with any order of one or more Knitting Tool Pouches as long as the supply lasts. And they recently restocked these, so there are now Burnt Orange size 2 Knitting Tool Pouches — in fact, every size except 1 (which is in production) is back in stock, although they were all out a few days ago. I use these for a lot of non-knitting purposes like computer adapters or traveling eating utensils.

AFAIK, they still have (Wasabi) Double Carabiner clips when you buy a Knitting Tool Pouch.

HTH

moriond

[G42]

Does Bihn sell the double carabiner? Can't find it on the Bihn site.

It's a medium double swivel by Tyny Tools... AFAIK they started as a Kickstarter and have a website that doesn't seem to be maintained anymore... they've been sold out of practically everything for a year or more... if you google around, you might be able to find some on secondary sites (I had bought mine through a bicycle site a year or so ago) or eBay... they are somewhat similar items if you google 'double carabiner' that might suit as well
good luck

[JRH]

It's a medium double swivel by Tyny Tools... AFAIK they started as a Kickstarter and have a website that doesn't seem to be maintained anymore... they've been sold out of practically everything for a year or more... if you google around, you might be able to find some on secondary sites (I had bought mine through a bicycle site a year or so ago) or eBay... they are somewhat similar items if you google 'double carabiner' that might suit as well
good luck

Hi all,

New to the forums but not new to Tom Bihn (I bought an Aeronaut 45 in 2008 but have a beautiful new Synapse 25).

I looked and looked for the Tyny Tools double caribiners and couldn't find them anywhere. I found these:
https://suncompany.net/product/hikeh...ble-carabiner/ and they seem like a decent alternative. In stock and quickly shipped.

[pammy]

@backpack is correct that the only way you can get a Double Carabiner Clip now from Tom Bihn is by buying a Knitting Tool Pouch. They’re not allowed to sell the ones they still have, and they haven’t been available from Parts for many months (maybe over a year?), but they will still include one with any order of one or more Knitting Tool Pouches as long as the supply lasts. And they recently restocked these, so there are now Burnt Orange size 2 Knitting Tool Pouches — in fact, every size except 1 (which is in production) is back in stock, although they were all out a few days ago. I use these for a lot of non-knitting purposes like computer adapters or traveling eating utensils.

AFAIK, they still have (Wasabi) Double Carabiner clips when you buy a Knitting Tool Pouch.

HTH

moriond

moriond, here’s the thing. Shortly after tress29 posted that the double carabiners could be found under Parts, I checked and was able to click on the double carabiners. I was surprised because I thought they were not being sold separately. I did not try to put any in a cart since I have several in both green and black. So do you think it was just a glitch that they were showing up in Parts yesterday?

[moriond]

moriond, here’s the thing. Shortly after tress29 posted that the double carabiners could be found under Parts, I checked and was able to click on the double carabiners. I was surprised because I thought they were not being sold separately. I did not try to put any in a cart since I have several in both green and black. So do you think it was just a glitch that they were showing up in Parts yesterday?

Hi @pammy,

OK, here's what I know. I've been in touch with the support staff before, to alert them when the alternative sources of the Double Carabiner Clips were drying up -- this includes directly from Tyny Tools and also on sources like Amazon and eBay. That's been since Spring 2017. They're actually not allowed to sell the ones they still have. I don't know why Tyny Tools never restocked these, but I believe they have held the rights to the design for some time. You may be able to find this product on Ali Baba or some of the sites that will make knock-off products.

My guess is that someone might have added them back into parts, not realizing that they are not supposed to sell them. They do, sometimes discover a few items. Sometimes things get stored in the wrong location (e.g., when they have sometimes sold special pouches with different fabrics or trims that are not supposed to be used for general sales). Or, I was surprised to read Darcy's comments recently about the old "Cheater D-rings" being available, since I immediately fired off an example of one of the posted inquiries about their availability that I'd read in the last three to four years.

So, that's just my guess. They do still have some double carabiners, I was told they're not supposed to sell them, but they've put them in with the Knitting Tool Pouches as long as they last. And you can't buy two Knitting Tool Pouches in the same order and expect to get two Double Carabiners -- the deal is that however many you buy in a single order, they'll try to include a Double Carabiner Clip as long as they are available.

Just my thoughts. YMMV

moriond

[pammy]

Hi @pammy,

OK, here's what I know. I've been in touch with the support staff before, to alert them when the alternative sources of the Double Carabiner Clips were drying up -- this includes directly from Tyny Tools and also on sources like Amazon and eBay. That's been since Spring 2017. They're actually not allowed to sell the ones they still have. I don't know why Tyny Tools never restocked these, but I believe they have held the rights to the design for some time. You may be able to find this product on Ali Baba or some of the sites that will make knock-off products.

My guess is that someone might have added them back into parts, not realizing that they are not supposed to sell them. They do, sometimes discover a few items. Sometimes things get stored in the wrong location (e.g., when they have sometimes sold special pouches with different fabrics or trims that are not supposed to be used for general sales). Or, I was surprised to read Darcy's comments recently about the old "Cheater D-rings" being available, since I immediately fired off an example of one of the posted inquiries about their availability that I'd read in the last three to four years.

So, that's just my guess. They do still have some double carabiners, I was told they're not supposed to sell them, but they've put them in with the Knitting Tool Pouches as long as they last. And you can't buy two Knitting Tool Pouches in the same order and expect to get two Double Carabiners -- the deal is that however many you buy in a single order, they'll try to include a Double Carabiner Clip as long as they are available.

Just my thoughts. YMMV

moriond

Hey @moriond,

I really appreciate your explanation. That totally makes sense. I didn't realize until now that Tyny Tools quit making them and they were getting difficult to source. A couple of years ago when the black ones were being discontinued, I purchased some Tyny Tool ones, but then TB found wasabi ones and I bought some of those too. I would usually try to remember to add something from the Parts list on every order so I had extras to play around with. It's too bad they are becoming a rarity because they work so well.

[imagineez]

So glad I had purchased around ten of these double carabiner clips (in black) back in the day when they were available in the Parts section. I thought it might be overkill to get so many of these, but now I'm glad I did.

I too don't see them as available from Tyny Tools when I had checked recently.

[Go Navy]

Here's another alternative made by Nite Ize, at REI's website. Check the dimensions, though to make sure it'll work with whatever hack anyone has in mind.

https://www.rei.com/product/131705/nite-ize-slidelock-360-magnetic-locking-dual-carabiner