New Bag Alert! Meet the Trinity

[MaiaH]

Introducing the Trinity: Your three-in-one travel companion - briefcase, shoulder bag, and backpack - designed with the savvy business traveler in mind. ⁠
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A culmination of five years of meticulous craftsmanship and innovation, we're excited to announce that the Trinity will be available for pre-order starting on September 15th and is set to start shipping just in time for the holidays. Pre-order ends September 25.⁠
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https://www.tombihn.com/products/trinity

[kurt]

I'm not sure about this one. It looks nice, and I love that a flexible water bottle pocket ala the Luminary one has been added ... but if I'm seeing this right, the bottle pocket gets tilted 90 degrees in backpack mode (horizontally any leaks would be a big pain). Why not have the pack unfold ala the Stowaway, which would keep the bottle holder upright among other things? Price seems a bit steep, too. And no 1050 ballistic option. I'm always excited for something new from TB, and open to being convinced but ... my first impression is mixed. Dig the removeable backpack straps, though, and the attention to a safe/snug laptop compartment that accommodates larger computers. Finally, to be fair: I'm not a professional business traveler type, so my use cases are different. YMMV!

EDITING TO ADD: Well, despite my initial annoyance about 1050, and partly because I spoke to someone from TB, and have been testing out my new 630 NFTD ... I've reversed my position. I'm going to preorder and try out the Trinity after all. I really like a lot of the features, and don't plan to use it in backpack mode much if at all (so not as worried about the water bottle issue). After watching the video and seeing other reviews, I'm not 100% convinced, but sufficiently convinced to try it out. I still think the price point is pushing the limit -- it'd be a much easier/surer lock otherwise -- but we'll see. Thanks as always to the folks at TB for answering my questions quickly and helpfully both on the forums and by email. Couldn't ask for better customer support!

[G42]

I'm traveling & won't get my courtesy review bag to play with until Tuesday next week.

All I'll say on the water bottle pocket is that it's definitely a personal comfort level thing; I cannot fathom traveling with any bottle that may leak and never depend on orientation in a bag.

I routinely carry a Microlite or Nalgene water bottle and a Zoji coffee bottle and they go sideways in my bags quite a lot.

[Jeff9266]

Less of a travel bag look than the TS or WF, but I did not expect the Trinity's price to be so high.

[moriond]

I'm not sure about this one. It looks nice, and I love that a flexible water bottle pocket ala the Luminary one has been added ... but if I'm seeing this right, the bottle pocket gets tilted 90 degrees in backpack mode (horizontally any leaks would be a big pain). Why not have the pack unfold ala the Stowaway, which would keep the bottle holder upright among other things? Price seems a bit steep, too. And no 1050 ballistic option. I'm always excited for something new from TB, and open to being convinced but ... my first impression is mixed. Dig the removeable backpack straps, though, and the attention to a safe/snug laptop compartment that accommodates larger computers. Finally, to be fair: I'm not a professional business traveler type, so my use cases are different. YMMV!

kurt and Jeff9266
I think that the pricing (which is closer to the Tri-Star pricing) derives from the fact that the Trinity has the 3 compartment design, but that what is really novel about it is that instead of the flat zippered pockets at the front side of the Tri-Star they've added the kind of built-in compartments that everyone wanted to see in the Side Hustle. Conceptually, this is a big difference for everyone who has wanted more of the briefcase like organization in pockets for carrying notebooks, small tablets, styluses, pens or pointers. In addition, the curved zippered pockets at the right and left side of the front panel give you the same type of Tardis-like sharing between compartments that we saw in the Synapse and Synik -- if you want to use those side pockets for more depth at the expense of space usage in what would be analogous to the Tri-Star's front zippered pocket (the one with the mesh zipper for a water bottle pocket) -- you can do it. In actuality I probably wouldn't store a packed HLT2 on each side in the side zippered pockets, but you've got that option if you want it. And I bet that some folks who have wide water bottles like the Yeti Ramblers (I don't) are going to like the fact that the flexible mesh can accommodate a large range of widths.

Another quick reaction: I think orienting the backpack straps with the length of the bag makes more sense in terms of general fit than the design of the Stowaway, where the bottom edge of the opened Stowaway in backpack carry mode hit at very different parts of the backs of users of different heights, and where there were a lot more problems in using this mode if you were not above a certain height. I'd be interested in hearing from folks who have experience carrying the Stowaway in backpack mode for comparison.

On materials, my impression is that the Ballistic Nylon is now 630d.

Just my quick comments, since I have a lot of work meetings today.

moriond.

ETA: I love some of the small details that I started noticing in the Trinity, which I just received from the Tom Bihn folks in Aubergine/Tidal in exchange for leaving a frank review, For example, I have the slightly larger latest Signature Kindle that is slightly larger than the older Paperwhite. I initially thought it might be too tight to fit into the pockets at the front of the Trinity (remember the built in organization?) but they made the left side pocket slightly deeper than the right side pocket, so it fits!

Cristina is also correct in stating that the left front zippered pocket can accommodate larger (deeper) objects. I can easily fit a Clear Quarter Packing Cube (retired) there. The Small Snake Charmer, Side Effect, and smaller accessories like the Small Grab bag and 3D organizer cubes easily fit into the these zippered pockets on both sides.

ETA2: In case this wasn't evident from context, with the Trinity, apart from the Tardis like space sharing with the front pockets, those side zippered pockets effectively let you access items that you might have placed into the front zippered pocket (the one with the mesh water bottle pocket that sports a half-zipper) from the outside of the bag. So in terms of total space usage, accessories that are slightly larger, such as a Standard Size Spiff Kit (which I personally don't use because i've gotten my toiletries down to much smaller size), I can put that in the inside of the bag in the front compartment. If I want to pull something out for ready access from the outside of the bag, like the aforementioned Clear Quarter Packing Cube, I can pull it out through the left side zippered pocket. This additional ability to reconfigure space usage and ready access from the outside of the Trinity is another feature that is new and conceptually different from previous generations of travel bags.

I'm only getting started with my explorations of the Trinity, so doubtless I'm missing lots of the design features that were incorporated into the construction of the bag. But ask yourself how many times you might have wanted to reconfigure your inflight bag for easy access to something like headphones of larger than usual size, or some other specific item before you dismiss the Trinity from your consideration because of price.

[BigBadD]

Looks a good and interesting design, but not sure it fits into my needs or a gap in my existing bags. And the price is shockingly high, so it certainly will not be a speculative purchase. But look forward to reading the reviews.

[vermonter16]

That thing is only 21 liters?

[John1970]

I like it, though may hold out for a future batch in Deep Blue or Ursa with a different interior color/fabric.

[latchford]

I'm stoked the Trinity is finally seeing the light of day after expressing a little sadness about the design being shelved around this time last year. Love the small details like the zip away water bottle pocket, organisation in the front pocket and the two sleeves in the device pocket. I can see this as the perfect flight/transit or weekend bag (paired with a Daylight Backpack) for my needs, but that's about it. I may be swayed by the right colour combo though. Too bad there's no more 400d Halcyon. A Night Walk Trinity would've been so pretty!

I'm just not sure if I'll like it as an everyday carry bag due to its weight. I'm also skeptical about the comfort in backpack mode and wary about the length of the backpack straps as I noticed in one of the teaser videos on instagram that the bottom attachment on the pack looks like exactly like the Techonaut's. I've had issue with the Techonaut hanging too low because I can't cinch the straps any shorter due to the excessive strap length of the bottom attachment point. If anyone who has one of the test models can measure and post the backpack strap's shortest length when they have the time, it'd be greatly appreciated!

[G42]

Revisited one of the Trinity threads that had a lot of what was initially being envisioned/designed for this bag, to reground myself on the history - not implying that all of this carried through to what was announced today, but it's interesting.

https://forums.tombihn.com/forum/tom-bihn-forums/general-bag-discussion/16063-trinity

Nuggets include:

"The Trinity is (or, rather, it will be) a travel / work bag that converts to a backpack. Like our other travel bags, it can be carried by its padded handles, with an optional shoulder strap, or backpack style. It is different from our other travel bags in several ways, including — it has a minimal, dedicated laptop/tablet compartment, and its backpack straps will be removable for folks who’d rather that additional weight/bulk be, at least some of the time, left behind. It also features a back pocket that can double as a slot for a roll-aboard handle"

Other things mentioned: flat pack like WF/TS; 525 ballistic & 400 halcyon; no waist strap on small size; two handles; cache option/protected centered laptop section that is balanced, etc.

Original draft sizes mentioned in the thread were:

medium 18.7” x 12.8” x 7.9”
small 16.5” x 11” x 7.9”

...with further reference from Tom on 45L max carryon and a size more like the Empire Builder to Western Flyer range.
Looks like it ended up with Empire Builder sizing.


Reference sizes:


Stowaway 12L 14.0" (w) x 9.4" (h) x 8.1" (d) / 355 (w) x 240 (h) x 205 (d) mm

Pilot 13L 15.4" (w) x 11.4" (h) x 5.1" (d) / 390 (w) x 290 (h) x 130 (d) mm

Trinity 21L Filled Exterior 10.75” (h) x 16” (w) x 11.4” (d) / 270mm (h) x 410mm (w) x 290mm (d)
Seam-to-Seam 11" (h) x 15.75" (w) x 6.5" (d) / 280mm (h) x 400mm (w) x 165mm (d)

Synik 22 22L 11.4" (w) x 16.0" (h) x 7.1 - 9.4 (d) / 290 (w) x 410 (h) x 180 240(d)

Empire Builder 22.5L 18.3" (w) x 12.8" (h) x 7.1" (d) / 465 (w) x 325 (h) x 180 (d) mm

Western Flyer 26L 17.9" (w) x 12" (h) x 7.1" (d) / 455 (w) x 305 (h) x 180 (d) mm

TriStar 33L 18.9" (w) x 13" (h) x 8.1" (d) / 480 (w) x 330 (h) x 205 (d) mm



ETA:

This bag seems to be designed to fit US airlines personal item (i.e., under the seat, not overhead 45L carry on) which tend to be in this range, noting that each airline has it's own exact requirements and enforcement norms (plus they change over time - looking at you Southwest):

• Length: 16 to 18 inches (40.64 and 45.72 cm)
• Width: 14 to 15 inches (35.56 and 38.1 cm)
• Depth: 7 to 9 inches (17.78 and 22.86 cm).

So the closest travel bags are probably the Synik 22 and Western Flyer 26L - that's what I'll probably focus my test pack comparison on.

[moriond]

I'm stoked the Trinity is finally seeing the light of day after expressing a little sadness about the design being shelved around this time last year. Love the small details like the zip away water bottle pocket, organisation in the front pocket and the two sleeves in the device pocket. I can see this as the perfect flight/transit or weekend bag (paired with a Daylight Backpack) for my needs, but that's about it. I may be swayed by the right colour combo though. Too bad there's no more 400d Halcyon. A Night Walk Trinity would've been so pretty!

I'm just not sure if I'll like it as an everyday carry bag due to its weight. I'm also skeptical about the comfort in backpack mode and wary about the length of the backpack straps as I noticed in one of the teaser videos on instagram that the bottom attachment on the pack looks like exactly like the Techonaut's. I've had issue with the Techonaut hanging too low because I can't cinch the straps any shorter due to the excessive strap length of the bottom attachment point. If anyone who has one of the test models can measure and post the backpack strap's shortest length when they have the time, it'd be greatly appreciated!

latchford the body length for backpack mode is not as long as for the Techonaut -- especially since this length is less than the Western Flyer, but larger than for the Pilot (which wouldn't be able to hold a 16" laptop!). It is heavy for its size (I carry the Tri-Star which is heavier at over 3 lbs) It weighs less than the A30 and T30, too, according to the specs.

moriond

ETA: OK a check shows the weight of the Trinity in Ballistic Nylon is comparable to the T30 in Halcyon. But it is definitely shorter! Remember that some of the reviewers like Halcyon and the Trinity is not being offered in Halcyon. So you're going to see comments about weight that compare the carrying experience in Halcyon against a bag that is only made in Ballistic Nylon because of the current lack of availability of Halcyon. It's a pound lighter than my 1050d Ballistic Tri-Star.

ETA2: G42 The Synik 22 cannot carry the latest model 16" MacBook Pro. The Trinity can.

[epeterson]

Reference sizes:


Stowaway 12L 14.0" (w) x 9.4" (h) x 8.1" (d) / 355 (w) x 240 (h) x 205 (d) mm

Pilot 13L 15.4" (w) x 11.4" (h) x 5.1" (d) / 390 (w) x 290 (h) x 130 (d) mm

Trinity 21L Filled Exterior 10.75” (h) x 16” (w) x 11.4” (d) / 270mm (h) x 410mm (w) x 290mm (d)
Seam-to-Seam 11" (h) x 15.75" (w) x 6.5" (d) / 280mm (h) x 400mm (w) x 165mm (d)

Synik 22 22L 11.4" (w) x 16.0" (h) x 7.1 - 9.4 (d) / 290 (w) x 410 (h) x 180 240(d)

Empire Builder 22.5L 18.3" (w) x 12.8" (h) x 7.1" (d) / 465 (w) x 325 (h) x 180 (d) mm

Western Flyer 26L 17.9" (w) x 12" (h) x 7.1" (d) / 455 (w) x 305 (h) x 180 (d) mm

TriStar 33L 18.9" (w) x 13" (h) x 8.1" (d) / 480 (w) x 330 (h) x 205 (d) mm


So the closest travel bags are probably the Synik 22 and Western Flyer 26L - that's what I'll probably focus my test pack comparison on.

It looks to me like the Cambiata is also an interesting comparison. Same advertised volume, same carry methods, but very different organization.

[latchford]

latchford the body length for backpack mode is not as long as for the Techonaut -- especially since this length is less than the Western Flyer, but larger than for the Pilot (which wouldn't be able to hold a 16" laptop!). It is heavy for its size (I carry the Tri-Star which is heavier at over 3 lbs) It weighs less than the A30 and T30, too, according to the specs.

Good point about the back length. I’ve already sussed out the specs and saw that it’s 16”, which is the same as the Synik 22 and the perfect length for my torso. However, my concern is the length of the backpack straps and not the length of the backpack itself. I noticed in this photo that Cindy is wearing the pack really low. While this may be her preferred way of wearing her backpacks, it could also be that she’s wearing it this low because the straps can’t be shortened any further. The S22’s straps can be shortened enough for the bottom of the pack to rest on my lumbar. Any lower than that is just uncomfortable for me.

[moriond]

It looks to me like the Cambiata is also an interesting comparison. Same advertised volume, same carry methods, but very different organization.

epeterson I would say that despite the volume match to the Cambiata, not only the organization is different, but so is the access to items being carried in the Trinity. As I mentioned above though, some forum users might not consider that to be an important or significant feature. And even though the height of the Cambiata may be similar, the breadth across the shoulder (12.8") feels different to me for backpack carry mode. But then, even though I can carry the Synik 30 the fit for me has always felt poorer than with the Synapse 25, or even the larger Shadow Guides. (Basically, it feels to me as though the bag was designed for someone with both a broader and flatter back, which is not the same sensation I get wearing the Synapse 25 or the larger Shadow Guide, despite the fact that I am just under 5'4" and have a petite build).

Cambiata dimensions 12.8" (w) x 15.9" (h) x 7.5" (d) x 325 (w) x 405 (h) x 190 (d) mm

moriond

[epeterson]

However, my concern is the length of the backpack straps and not the length of the backpack itself.

Given that the backpack straps are fully detachable, I wonder if it's feasible for TB to offer them in a couple different sizes...