I have an obsession. Does that mean that I'm finally one of the cool kids?

[snowbot]

I've finally admitted to myself that I have something resembling an obsession with Tom Bihn bags. It took a while for me to realize this because I am not a collector. I finally admitted that I don't really need a new backpack and "purse", but I want them. And, as long as I can continue to afford it, I suppose that having one material obsession is not that bad. Or at least that's what I'm going to tell myself.

I just placed an order for a Navy/Iberian Synapse and a Linen/Steel Small Cafe Bag. (And a travel tray. And some organizer pouches. And a luggage tag.) I would have preferred Linen/Olive, but I don't want to wait. (Yep, it's an obsession.) I'm going to Australia for a couple of weeks next month and I thought that I'd try out the TriStar, Synapse, and SCB combination. For my last trip, I used my Osprey Porter 46 and my MCB. I put the Osprey in the overhead bin for the nearly interminable flight, and had the MCB at my feet. But on a recent trip to Brazil, I learned to appreciate having a slightly larger bag (a Co-Pilot) as an under the seat bag.

My plan is to wear the Synapse on my back and carry the TriStar on my shoulder or by the luggage handles. (This means that I will need to watch the weight of the TriStar.) The SCB will be used as a packing cube in the TriStar while in transit. At least, that's the plan I came up with based on the posted bag dimensions. Then, when I'm not in airports, I can choose to wander around with either the Synapse or the SCB. I'm hoping that the Synapse will also work well as a foot rest while in flight.

Of course, this entire plan hinges on me being able to vacation-pack the TriStar, which in turn seems to hinge on my choice of shoes.

[Maria]

Snowbot - you are preaching to the choir here, in terms of being TB bag obsessed. Nothing wrong with having a choice / selection of TB bags to make each trip perfectly packable!

I've been drooling over the linen/steel Small Cafe Bag for a while now. Hope you post pictures along with a packing list...and may I ask - where are you going in Australia?

[peregrina]

I guess all of us "regulars" share the same love for TB bags... When we went to Europe, I had an Aeronaut + Swift + MCB and my husband had Aeronaut + Imago and the friend who was traveling with us made a comment about that

[Maria]

I guess all of us "regulars" share the same love for TB bags... When we went to Europe, I had an Aeronaut + Swift + MCB and my husband had Aeronaut + Imago and the friend who was traveling with us made a comment about that

Oh they were probably secretly wondering how you did it to travel like that and wished they had done the same too!

[Tlacltme]

Hmmm, I thought the coolness preceded the obsession

[snowbot]

Maria, the tentative plan is to spend a few days in Perth with some professional colleagues and then to meet up with my spouse in Sydney. Then, the two of us will spend a week or so in Melbourne before I go home and he goes to Brisbane for a meeting.

Recommendations for things to do in Melbourne would be appreciated. <hint>

[Maria]

Maria, the tentative plan is to spend a few days in Perth with some professional colleagues and then to meet up with my spouse in Sydney. Then, the two of us will spend a week or so in Melbourne before I go home and he goes to Brisbane for a meeting.

Recommendations for things to do in Melbourne would be appreciated. <hint>

Oh what an adventure! Half my family lives on the east coast, mostly the Sydney area. I long to go back and visit! I hope to make it to Melbourne on my next visit. I've never been to Melbourne and heard it is more "liveable" than Sydney. Usually when we visit family, we are up and down the NSW coast and as much as I love that country - would really like to see more of it!

[dougmon]

Here's the thing: I own four Tom Bihn bags, some organizer pouches, packing cubes, and a brain cell.

But I don't think of this as an obsession: I think of it as the right bag for the right purpose.

Zephyr for work (laptop, books, study materials)
Brain Bag for short haul one-bagging (clothes shoes everything)
Super Ego for carry-on (iPad, shoes, a few changes of clothes, glasses, kindle, room for the gifts I'll bring back)
Large Cafe bag for when I'm just walking around (iPad, books, kindle)

Now if I wanted another Large Cafe Bag just to have one in a different color (say Linen/Olive, not that I've thought about it more than a few times), then I might say I'm obsessed. Or I just might say that men have the right to accessorize, too.

But it's not obsession. I was even able to give one up that I wasn't using. So, no. Not obsessed.

[joiedwards]

We are all obsessed. I will be taking a weeklong trip for work using my Brain Bag alone. Should be fun.

[conversa]

this is a rapid onset obsession. one month ago, I was a mere lurker with not even a pouch to my name. It started with a need for a bag to carry a consolation iPad for the GF about to undergo surgery and two months bed rest. now we collectively own the following:

navy solar iPad ristretto with absolute
azalea small cafe bag with strap wrap
solar stuff sacks- small, med clear, large
3D organizer cube
two small solar OPs
mini padded OP
Iberian clear OPs - small and large
navy cordura mini clear OP
cork wallet
handle loop

I now find myself fantasizing about the non-existent steel solar co-pilot and grasping for the flimsiest justification for multiple 3D cubes in the new colors. I may need help but I don't want to admit it is a problem. how could something so beautiful and useful be wrong?

[backpack]

It is customary to match or contrast outfits with accessories, since we all wear clothes and need to carry stuff, the best way to accomplish this is with Tom Bihn bags.

I don't see beautiful things as obsessions but ways to make life more enjoyable.
A bag or other accessory made by Tom Bihn Inc is a great way to indulge without putting on the pounds, it might even lighten them.
Hauling backpack full of books counts as strength workout, toting one's Swift or Little Swift at the local yarn or craft meeting is good for the social activities which produce de-stressing hormones.

Beautiful bags neatly organized with great looking and very efficient accessories make life easier.

I have used all sorts of bags to carry my things but I can do without the sore shoulders, arms and hands; fumbling time to find stuff (even if I practiced containers with bags strategy) and various other bags construction frustrations.

I am always delighted to see that someone has found Tom Bihn Inc.

[conversa]

Thank you for the enabling, I mean, encouragement, backpack!

Done and done.

I can now add steel solar cadet 11 and azalea 3D cube to my list, not to mention the sundry accoutrements that are sinfully easy to justify throwing into the already open shipping box.

This is no mere infatuation. Thank you team TB!

[kmcg]

I'm jumping in to say that you're going to love the 3D cube. I was completely skeptical about its capacity, but really loved the indigo color so I bought it. It was marvelous on a recent 2 week trip. And I wish I owned a Cadet. They're so cool!