New! #5 Wallet, Super Mini Ghost Whale, and bags in 210d ballistic

[Darcy]

Happy Tuesday,

Here's a surprise mini debut! All of these items are ones you've been asking us to make, and they all came together around the same time, so we've gathered them together to offer in a mini debut.

While we usually give advance notice of a debut, this one felt different because none of the items are limited edition and we think we've made plenty of each so they won't sell out quickly. If any of the items do sell out, we'll begin making more right away and they'll be in-stock in 1-3 weeks.

Note: in other news, we're retiring Iberian and Wasabi 200d Halcyon, as well as Nordic 400d Halcyon. Our current plan is to offer a rotating "limited edition" color of 200d Halcyon in the future (we don't yet have timeline on the new color yet, or even what it'll be!), and it's possible that in a couple of years Iberian or Wasabi are brought back to be that rotating color. No new colors of 400d are planned; Black remains the most popular color ever. And an early heads-up: all versions of our Guardian Lights will also retire after they're restocked one more time (that'll be within the next two weeks).

Now, about the new items...



Super Mini Ghost Whale
We die-cut the fabric to make our various organizer pouches using a die press and that means we order a specific size of die for every organizer pouch. When we ordered the die for our Mini Ghost Whale Pouch, our die maker goofed and sent us a die that was smaller than the Mini -- lucky us (and perhaps you as well). This is probably the smallest size of Ghost Whale we can ever make.



Nik's Minimalist Wallet #5
The top requested variation on Nik's original minimalist wallets was: make a #3 wallet but replace its urethane clear plastic pocket with a fabric pocket. Done. And here it is...



Packable/Convertible Travel Accessories in 210d ballistic nylon
Full list of each item and its available colors is up on the blog.

Bags now available in 210d ballistic nylon for the first time:

Travel Tray
Spiff Kit
Tri-Star/Western Flyer Packing Cube Backpack
Aeronaut 30 Packing Cube Backpack
Aeronaut 45 Packing Cube Backpack
Travel Stuff Sack
Travel Laundry Stuff Sack

A note on the various hands of our 210d ballistic nylon
"Hand" in fabric refers to the feel of the fabric as you handle the item – most folks would relate to hand as a "soft vs. stiff" thing. Variances in weaving, and ever-progressing changes in treatments and coating due to evolving new, more environmentally friendly processes, can result in different colors or batches of fabric having slightly different hands. We've experienced a somewhat greater than usual variance in our 210 ballistic fabric, so here's a quick guide to the hand of each color of our current batches of 210d ballistic nylon:

Most structured hand: Black
Medium structure: Dawn, Viridian, Cloud, Grass, Island
Least structured/most similar to 200d Halcyon: Coyote

[pammy]

Wow, such exciting news. I love seeing the 210d ballistic in such a wide array of items. Just ordered several travel trays. So happy to see them in grass and viridian before those fabrics are retired.

[maverick]

I am thrilled about this debut!

Here is a video that demonstrates some uses of the Super Mini Ghost Whale Organizer Pouch --

Also, here's a video that shows what one could carry in the Deluxe Spiff Kit, featuring one made with Grass colored 210d ballistic nylon fabric --

[BWeaves]

I found Cloud zip top shop bags to be much floppier than the other bright colors 210 ballistic.

I prefer a bright, light color for interiors, so I can find stuff quickly. While Wasabi wasn't my favorite color, it was my favorite color for interior fabrics. Is something like a new Solar on the horizon?

[ButtUglyJeff]

Could any of the "Tom Bihn early testers" (I look on Linkedin all the time, but never see it listed) snap a photo of the Super Mini next to the Mini? It would be greatly appreciated...

Also could someone do the business card test on the Super Mini?

[bartleby]

here you go....

Unfortunately, I can't do the business card test as European business cards have the credit card format...

[tress29]

And stuff sacks in the 210 solid colors!

[pammy]

And stuff sacks in the 210 solid colors!

Thank you! I missed that earlier. Love the stuff sacks the 210d colors. Just placed my third order of the day.

[aedifica]

Also could someone do the business card test on the Super Mini?

The early consensus is that business cards do fit in Super Minis made with 210 Ballistic fabric, but they don't fit in Super Minis made with 525 Ballistic. The thicker fabric makes a slower curve when folding around at the edge of the pouch, which makes the pouch just a little bit shorter in the thicker fabric. You can see it in the two I held up next to each other--the Viridian one is a tiny bit longer than the Alphaviolet one.

[teresapoet]

Just placed an order for a #5 wallet in Nordic and Super Mini GWOPs In Dawn, Grass, Viridian, and Deep Blue. One of my quickest purchase decisions, mostly because I don’t want to be tempted to add more to my order! I think the SMGWOP is going to make a perfect cash+coins pouch to go with my minimalist wallet, and I was just thinking that it would be useful to have a little pouch for all the tiny things my daughter gives me for safekeeping. And they look so cute!!

[G42]

Another way to help visualize the size of the Super Mini Ghost Whale...its sitting on Mini, next to 'pocket' Kleenex




And here's some packouts I've tried so far... I also like it as a coin purse, as demo'd in @maverick's video

[maverick]

Here are a few more pictures of the Super Mini Ghost Whale Organizer Pouch!

As a wallet --







Getting some morning cappuccino --



With in-ear monitors --

[G42]

I've been using the #3 wallet (outside & inside fabric pockets, inside urethane pocket) since it was debuted... I love that wallet - it's been working great for what I carry. The only thing I ever noticed was that apparently I am a linty person - the urethane is a lint magnet... and I don't particularly need a clear/window pocket.

So right now I'm trying out the new #5 which has all three pockets in fabric. All my items transferred and fit into the #5 perfectly - I was concerned that the urethane window pocket might be more stretchy/forgiving, but all my stuff fits fine.

Oh, and both of them are in Dawn of course

[moriond]

@G42, I haven’t noticed lint with my #3 Nik’s wallets, but they’re usually in my 400d Black Halcyon/Island Side Kick, which played a major job in lightening my load and removing lint. I haven’t noticed that the Urethane window makes as much difference to the stretchiness as does shifting from 210d Ballistic to 400d Halcyon. I’ll be able to say more when the 400d Halcyon versions of the #5 Wallet that I just ordered arrive.

[G42]

@G42, I haven’t noticed lint with my #3 Nik’s wallets, but they’re usually in my 400d Black Halcyon/Island Side Kick, which played a major job in lightening my load and removing lint. I haven’t noticed that the Urethane window makes as much difference to the stretchiness as does shifting from 210d Ballistic to 400d Halcyon. I’ll be able to say more when the 400d Halcyon versions of the #5 Wallet that I just ordered arrive.

In my current Dawn #3, I can fit at least one more card in the urethane side than the fabric side, for whatever reason... could just be random manufacturing tolerances.
My wallet lives in my front jeans pocket, so cotton pocket lint is my friend...

I haven't seen the 400d halcyon versions, so that will be good to hear your thoughts on.