Road Buddy Pre-Order and updates to Daylight Backpack and Maker's Bag

[b1gsky]

Got my DLBP today and already went grocery shopping with it. I missed having an Original Halcyon DLBP (that was my first ever TB bag). Love it. Love the new straps too and I suspect they're going to get even better once they're broken in. But the strap ends are way too long once again, I think even longer than with the old straps! I think I'll have them shortened, they would drive me bonkers otherwise...

[latchford]

jealous! When I went to order my DLBP the Nightwalk was gone…

Traveltech According to the product page, there're some Night Walk DLBPs in production and they'll be restocked later this month.

[GrussGott]

MikeV will the road buddy come with cord zipper pulls & the TB plastic ends?

[G42]

jealous! When I went to order my DLBP the Nightwalk was gone…

Traveltech hopefully you saw in the blog that the restock on June 28 will probably be the last Night Walk DLBP... Someone asked how many were made since it sold out quickly last time and they said there are twice as many... But I would recommend ordering quickly

[MikeV]

MikeV will the road buddy come with cord zipper pulls & the TB plastic ends?

Yes! One pack of zipper pulls with each Road Buddy.

[frogmore]

TB noob here, so please forgive the ignorance. I stumbled upon the product page for the Buddy Duffel 36 just today. It's perfect for what I need and the burnt orange color makes it even more, er, perfecter.

I understand this item had a pre-order period in May and it is unavailable to order now. There is an option to be notified for when it becomes available/restocked, though based on what I am reading so far tonight that is probably not going to happen.

Am I basically out of luck on this one, at least in the foreseeable future? I mean, does "in production" mean that the exact number of pre-orders are being made and nothing more, or will there be any additional made available on the website after all pre-orders are filled? I just want to get an idea of whether or not I need to just move on and look for something else that comes close. Thanks!

[G42]

TB noob here, so please forgive the ignorance. I stumbled upon the product page for the Buddy Duffel 36 just today. It's perfect for what I need and the burnt orange color makes it even more, er, perfecter.

I understand this item had a pre-order period in May and it is unavailable to order now. There is an option to be notified for when it becomes available/restocked, though based on what I am reading so far tonight that is probably not going to happen.

Am I basically out of luck on this one, at least in the foreseeable future? I mean, does "in production" mean that the exact number of pre-orders are being made and nothing more, or will there be any additional made available on the website after all pre-orders are filled? I just want to get an idea of whether or not I need to just move on and look for something else that comes close. Thanks!

Hi frogmore and Welcome to the Forums!

The Road Buddy Duffels were introduced quite a few years ago (neat bags, eh?), then 'retired' or put into the 'design vault'. Basically, Tom Bihn is a small business and doesn't have the storage space or capacity to keep every item they design in constant production. So sometimes they'll offer a previously retired item for a single production run or sometimes for a pre-order.

When it's a single production run (like the recent Pick-Up Truck and Sprout), what you see if what you get for colour/fabric combos and whatever quantity TB made. For a pre-order, the fabric/color options are set, but you have about a week to place an order and you will get the combo you want.

Once all the pre-orders are completed and shipped, there will inevitably be some leftovers, cancellations, and returns...at some point that inventory should be available for purchase, but in very limited options & quantities. Lately, TB has announced on this Forum (sometimes with only a day's notice if they're busy, but usually about a week) and sometimes with a blog post, that there will be a Low Quantity Restock of various items...some from pre-orders, some from returns, inventory reconciliation, etc. For some items, that may literally mean ONE item is available other times it's a lot more, so there are no guarantees that you'd get one. Sometimes we get a detailed list of what items will be in the LQR, sometimes we don't.

Sooo... your best bet is to watch for notification on this Forum and to also sign up for the email notification of the newsletter (which will reference blog posts). Since LQR items often sell out instantly, you also want to be sure you have an account already set up with your payment info already loaded and be ready to buy if it's what you want.
All of this sounds kind of stressful, which it is for a lot of folks, which is why TB has pre-orders and regularly stocked items, so folks can mull things over and buy without pressure. That doesn't help if you're just finding the company or a bag once an item, fabric, colour combo, etc. is disco'd or pre-order is done, but they can't do every option all the time, so there it is.

I actually don't recall if the RB pre-orders have shipped yet (I already have one & didn't need another) as they often ship before the projected date... but we definitely haven't had a Low Quaitity Restock with them yet.
The way the TB inventory system works, too many items on a LQR takes a while to load up which frustrates folks, so TB has been trying to do them ever month or so...so I think we're do for one soon, whether the Road Buddies are in this one or not.

That was a lot of stuff all at once, but there's finicky little details that hopefully will give you a picture of how it all goes...

There is also a strong secondary market for TB bags if it comes to that...trading on this Forum in the Registered Members section (only TB trading, no selling or ISO), a pretty active group over on Facebook that does permit selling, eBay, Craigslist, etc.

The closest bags to Road Buddies are the Aeronauts, which are undergoing a design tweak and are supposed to be restocked at some point


ETA: signing up on the RB product page itself, for a retired item, basically signals interest to TB for a future run (as does contacting them other ways) but it won't email you for a LQR.

[epeterson]

I actually don't recall if the RB pre-orders have shipped yet (I already have one & didn't need another) as they often ship before the projected date... but we definitely haven't had a Low Quaitity Restock with them yet.

Looks like they are shipping on Friday. I got this email yesterday from TB:

First off, if you celebrate the holiday, we hope you had a wonderful July 4th! We're still catching up from the long weekend ourselves (it's the most Monday of Tuesdays currently...), but we wanted to give you an update on the Road Buddy Duffel Pre-order:

The bags are ready! Our plan is to start shipping them out this Friday, July 8th.

You will have up until this Thursdayto add any in-stock items to your held order. We recommend checking out our most recent restock if you haven't already.

[John1970]

Hi frogmore and Welcome to the Forums!

The Road Buddy Duffels were introduced quite a few years ago (neat bags, eh?), then 'retired' or put into the 'design vault'. Basically, Tom Bihn is a small business and doesn't have the storage space or capacity to keep every item they design in constant production. So sometimes they'll offer a previously retired item for a single production run or sometimes for a pre-order.

When it's a single production run (like the recent Pick-Up Truck and Sprout), what you see if what you get for colour/fabric combos and whatever quantity TB made. For a pre-order, the fabric/color options are set, but you have about a week to place an order and you will get the combo you want.

Once all the pre-orders are completed and shipped, there will inevitably be some leftovers, cancellations, and returns...at some point that inventory should be available for purchase, but in very limited options & quantities. Lately, TB has announced on this Forum (sometimes with only a day's notice if they're busy, but usually about a week) and sometimes with a blog post, that there will be a Low Quantity Restock of various items...some from pre-orders, some from returns, inventory reconciliation, etc. For some items, that may literally mean ONE item is available other times it's a lot more, so there are no guarantees that you'd get one. Sometimes we get a detailed list of what items will be in the LQR, sometimes we don't.

Sooo... your best bet is to watch for notification on this Forum and to also sign up for the email notification of the newsletter (which will reference blog posts). Since LQR items often sell out instantly, you also want to be sure you have an account already set up with your payment info already loaded and be ready to buy if it's what you want.
All of this sounds kind of stressful, which it is for a lot of folks, which is why TB has pre-orders and regularly stocked items, so folks can mull things over and buy without pressure. That doesn't help if you're just finding the company or a bag once an item, fabric, colour combo, etc. is disco'd or pre-order is done, but they can't do every option all the time, so there it is.

I actually don't recall if the RB pre-orders have shipped yet (I already have one & didn't need another) as they often ship before the projected date... but we definitely haven't had a Low Quaitity Restock with them yet.
The way the TB inventory system works, too many items on a LQR takes a while to load up which frustrates folks, so TB has been trying to do them ever month or so...so I think we're do for one soon, whether the Road Buddies are in this one or not.

That was a lot of stuff all at once, but there's finicky little details that hopefully will give you a picture of how it all goes...

There is also a strong secondary market for TB bags if it comes to that...trading on this Forum in the Registered Members section (only TB trading, no selling or ISO), a pretty active group over on Facebook that does permit selling, eBay, Craigslist, etc.

The closest bags to Road Buddies are the Aeronauts, which are undergoing a design tweak and are supposed to be restocked at some point


ETA: signing up on the RB product page itself, for a retired item, basically signals interest to TB for a future run (as does contacting them other ways) but it won't email you for a LQR.

I'd be really surprised if some were not available for sale in the next few weeks in the Tom Bihn BST Discussion Facebook group.

[bchaplin]

I'd be really surprised if some were not available for sale in the next few weeks in the Tom Bihn BST Discussion Facebook group.

Not mine tho.

[frogmore]

Hi frogmore and Welcome to the Forums!

The Road Buddy Duffels were introduced quite a few years ago (neat bags, eh?), then 'retired' or put into the 'design vault'. Basically, Tom Bihn is a small business and doesn't have the storage space or capacity to keep every item they design in constant production. So sometimes they'll offer a previously retired item for a single production run or sometimes for a pre-order.

When it's a single production run (like the recent Pick-Up Truck and Sprout), what you see if what you get for colour/fabric combos and whatever quantity TB made. For a pre-order, the fabric/color options are set, but you have about a week to place an order and you will get the combo you want.

Once all the pre-orders are completed and shipped, there will inevitably be some leftovers, cancellations, and returns...at some point that inventory should be available for purchase, but in very limited options & quantities. Lately, TB has announced on this Forum (sometimes with only a day's notice if they're busy, but usually about a week) and sometimes with a blog post, that there will be a Low Quantity Restock of various items...some from pre-orders, some from returns, inventory reconciliation, etc. For some items, that may literally mean ONE item is available other times it's a lot more, so there are no guarantees that you'd get one. Sometimes we get a detailed list of what items will be in the LQR, sometimes we don't.

Sooo... your best bet is to watch for notification on this Forum and to also sign up for the email notification of the newsletter (which will reference blog posts). Since LQR items often sell out instantly, you also want to be sure you have an account already set up with your payment info already loaded and be ready to buy if it's what you want.
All of this sounds kind of stressful, which it is for a lot of folks, which is why TB has pre-orders and regularly stocked items, so folks can mull things over and buy without pressure. That doesn't help if you're just finding the company or a bag once an item, fabric, colour combo, etc. is disco'd or pre-order is done, but they can't do every option all the time, so there it is.

I actually don't recall if the RB pre-orders have shipped yet (I already have one & didn't need another) as they often ship before the projected date... but we definitely haven't had a Low Quaitity Restock with them yet.
The way the TB inventory system works, too many items on a LQR takes a while to load up which frustrates folks, so TB has been trying to do them ever month or so...so I think we're do for one soon, whether the Road Buddies are in this one or not.

That was a lot of stuff all at once, but there's finicky little details that hopefully will give you a picture of how it all goes...

There is also a strong secondary market for TB bags if it comes to that...trading on this Forum in the Registered Members section (only TB trading, no selling or ISO), a pretty active group over on Facebook that does permit selling, eBay, Craigslist, etc.

The closest bags to Road Buddies are the Aeronauts, which are undergoing a design tweak and are supposed to be restocked at some point


ETA: signing up on the RB product page itself, for a retired item, basically signals interest to TB for a future run (as does contacting them other ways) but it won't email you for a LQR.

This was an above and beyond effort in helping explain things to a newbie. You took a good chunk of time to help a stranger understand how all this works--and did so quite effectively. You put yourself in my shoes and answered the questions I would have along the way. I can't thank you enough for that. You = awesome.

I've been on the hunt for a satisfying duffel for the last couple years. Trying other brands has helped refine the specs I'm looking for, but has also been an expensive and time-consuming. TB's reputation, strong recommendations, the RB36's specific dimensions/construction, and the clean look of the bag all got me pretty hyped about trying it. I may not end up with one--at least not soon--but the hints you shared give me clear info on how to proceed trying to get one moving forward.

Also thanks for the info about the Aeronauts. I read an IG post from TB saying that they were designed based on the Road Buddy so I looked at those, too, then saw they were unavailable as well. Knowing they might come back sometime helps.

Take care and know you are appreciated!

[frogmore]

I'd be really surprised if some were not available for sale in the next few weeks in the Tom Bihn BST Discussion Facebook group.

I joined that group last night in hopes of this happening. Thanks for the suggestion!

[G42]

This was an above and beyond effort in helping explain things to a newbie. You took a good chunk of time to help a stranger understand how all this works--and did so quite effectively. You put yourself in my shoes and answered the questions I would have along the way. I can't thank you enough for that. You = awesome.

Awww, thanks! We try to be a welcoming group and everyone was new at some point; people were super helpful with my questions when I found this group.
Lots of folks here having fun test packing and answering questions for everyone 🙂

Based on the pre-orders starting to ship Friday, I'd keep an eye out over the next couple months for any extra Road Buddies

Also, I checked back on the blog posts... TB mentioned that Aeronauts should be restocked by August'ish

[Tonya]

Based on the pre-orders starting to ship Friday, I'd keep an eye out over the next couple months for any extra Road Buddies

I ordered both sizes of the RB, but I won't keep both (as much as I'd love to, but budget demands otherwise). I'm certain that I'm not the only one that did this, so there will be returns. I'm not opposed to reselling the one that I don't keep if it would help someone out, although returning to TB is the easiest way to do things so that's what most will opt for, which means that there's a good chance for a small restock. Definitely keep an eye out frogmore!

[frogmore]

I ordered both sizes of the RB, but I won't keep both (as much as I'd love to, but budget demands otherwise). I'm certain that I'm not the only one that did this, so there will be returns. I'm not opposed to reselling the one that I don't keep if it would help someone out, although returning to TB is the easiest way to do things so that's what most will opt for, which means that there's a good chance for a small restock. Definitely keep an eye out frogmore!

This is encouraging. Thank you for adding to the convo. Wish me luck when the time comes!