Excited about new Imago on its way, but a bit worried about the color

[Ken]

So then I tried my Imago. I have been using it as a dedicated camera bag for my Olympus e620 DSLR, using a three-compartment camera insert made by a 3rd party. That works so well that I didn’t want to take all the camera stuff out in order to test it as a laptop bag, but grudgingly I did.

As it is not at all clear that Tom's upcoming insert will fit into bags the size of the Imago, may I ask what brand of insert that you are using in your Imago?

Thanks,

--Ken

P.S. You would probably not want to swap Imago bags with me, mine is all black (and without a curve on the front flap) with a wasabi interior. Very minimalistic looking, but I like its low profile as a camera bag.

[flitcraft]

You will probably love the steel/cork combo. It's so striking--I've had total strangers stop me to ask where I got my bag! I bought it two Christmases ago when I went into the Tom Bihn store to buy a Tristar for my husband (which I did, but somehow the steel/cork/wasabi Imago followed me home, too.)

[dorayme]

Congratulations, the Steel/Cork is my first choice too, however I was gifted a Cocoa/Cocoa/Wasabi. I was very pleasantly surprised with how much I liked the bag I received in person because I was pretty certain that the Steel/Cork was the combo that I was in love with. That being said, I agree with jeffmac, the bags, both colors and designs always seem nicer in person than they do in the pictures. Even the Swift that I fell in love with years ago and finally bought this year was better IRL.

[TXGirl]

Congrats! The Steel/Cork combination would be my first choice for the Imago. I hope you post pics when you get it.

[Kinsale]

I hope it's love at first sight when you get your Steel/Cork Imago. I saw that particular bag up close when we stopped by the new showroom for their Saturday opening a couple of weeks ago. It is a beautiful bag. Very classic and very stylish and not in the least bit dull.

[Badger]

This is ironic. I just placed an order for an Indigo/Solar Co-Pilot, and I'm a bit surprised that I'm not feeling more anxious that I didn't order it in Steel because I love greys and charcoals and various hues of black. However, the Co-Pilot was bought to be a bag I take on holidays, and the blue seemed jolly--also, you'll be pleased to know, ncb4, that your rhapsodic ode to Indigo swayed me. That has increased my confidence in my choice immeasurably.

So, thank you. And my wish for you is that you will love the Steel Imago (using it as a camera bag idea is great too, btw).

[jeffmac]

Congrats ncb! One of the things that I have found personally and seen on these forums is that the TB products usually exceed your expectations and the pictures hardly EVER do the bags justice.

Having said that, we would all love to see a family shot of your bags when your new Imago comes in! Try not to take your impatience out on the UPS man!

[ncb4]

I am once again in that happy state of anticipation as I await the arrival of my newest Tom Bihn bag: a second Imago. As always, I spent a few weeks changing my mind before committing: what bag did I want, what material, what color? I kept coming back to these forums, over and over, to see what the rest of you had to say about your favorites, and I stared lovingly at the photos of the different bags. (Yes, I know: this could be called a sickness.)

What prompted all this yearning and soul-searching was my purchase of an 11-inch Macbook Air last December. I LOVE that computer; Apple finally came up with just the right combination of design, features, and dimensions that I’d waited years for. But of course the new Air created a delicious dilemma for me: in which Bihn bag was I going to carry it?

I had a gorgeous Plum/Black ID, but the bag was just too big for me, so I found it a loving new home. I tried my 1st-generation Ristretto (Olive/Cayenne), and that worked well, actually, with the Air in an industrial felt slipcase that I made for it. But after trying it a few times, I decided that a vertical laptop bag isn’t for me.

So then I tried my Imago. I have been using it as a dedicated camera bag for my Olympus e620 DSLR, using a three-compartment camera insert made by a 3rd party. That works so well that I didn’t want to take all the camera stuff out in order to test it as a laptop bag, but grudgingly I did. And it worked beautifully. (Not that I was surprised!) I have a HigherGround Flak Jacket in which I put the Air, but I was also able to carry my large wallet, keys, sunglasses, iPod Touch, cell phone, a 16-ounce Starbucks thermal mug, two small Organizer pouches (one containing my AC adapter and the other containing a portable MiFi unit with its adapter), pens, notebook, and a book. There was room to spare, too! I love the Ultrasuede-lined pockets on the Imago: so accessible for storing my sunglasses safely, and also my Touch. I also love the two pockets under the flap: one zipped, one yoked with an O-ring. The only alteration I’ve made to the bag is to wrap a padded luggage handle around the web loop/carrying handle. I’d love to see this handle be made with the same Poron that’s in the Swifts and the Shop Bags.

That’s when I decided I needed a second Imago, so I could keep one for my camera bag and one for my laptop. But when I went to the Imago page, I confess I was disappointed at the limited color selections: Steel Grey/Cork, Plum/Olive, and Olive/Cork were the only ones in stock at the moment. Grey strikes me as somber, and even olive is a rather subdued neutral. Besides, I already have an Olive Ristretto. I debated getting the Plum, but I didn’t care for Olive as the accent color on the front panel. I hoped that maybe there would be some interesting new colors listed for the future: I could go for a blue, or Crimson, but I would really love a Cayenne. But all that was listed was Black/Black and Cocoa/Cocoa, and they were backordered until the end of June.

Disheartened, I looked at other bags with a wider color palette: the Co-Pilot or Large Café bag, But I didn’t think either bag would be big enough for all my camera stuff, and I didn’t think it offered enough protection for the Air even if I could squeeze it in there.

I like color; sometimes I think I need to surround myself with color. I realize that many people like the darker neutrals of black and grey and brown because they require a more polished professional look for their work, so bags in those colors probably sell better. But that’s not for me. The Imago I have now is in Indigo/Plum and I love, love, love Indigo. It’s a deep, saturated, jewel-like color that’s not so bright that you couldn’t take it to work. As far as I’m concerned, Indigo is the best color Tom Bihn has ever had, so I’m really sorry to see it go. Fortunately, I’ve got an Indigo Swift and an Indigo Tri-Star as well, so that should keep me in Indigo heaven for years to come.

But I’m crossing my fingers that some of the new colors that Tom and Darcy and the crew unveil later this year will include some brighter, richer colors along the lines of Indigo and Cayenne: not just black and brown and grey.

Having said all that, I still needed a second Imago, and now. So which one did I end up ordering? After debating endlessly, I surprised myself by ordering the Steel/Cork. I’m a little worried about it; I’m not a fan of grey, but I read what several forum members said about the ballistic Steel seeming to shimmer and pick up the light and color around it, so that reassured me. I also read what Katy said about how gorgeous she thought the Steel/Cork Imago was, and I saw a photo that Darcy took just last week of the Steel Co-Pilot. The light did seem to radiate off that bag, so I’m crossing my fingers that I didn’t make a mistake. I almost ordered the Plum/Olive, but that was in Cordura, and I thought I’d try a Ballistic Imago this time.

My new Imago should be here by the end of next week; I’ll let you know!