2014 Tom Bihn Wish List

[moriond]

Freudian Slips are available in Parapack?! Had no idea too!
I wonder if it's for the exterior or the lining.
The Freudian Slips have a 200d Dyneema lining, and I thought that only Steel was used, found out recently that there are Iberian versions too, so I guess other colors exist too?
Does TB still stock 500d Cordura? In various colors? Would be nice to see Freudian Slips in Steel, Sapphire, Cayenne, etc, no?

I also had no idea that this was the case --- unless they are making new Freudian slips that use Parapack, and that will fit into more bags! And in any case the Freudian Slips are all still showing in stock. Yes, TB still stocks 500d Cordura, though they were moving away from this with the new Parapack fabric. I think the original plan might have been to move to bulk orders of the Parapack both for the production of the new bags like the Guide's Pack and Founder's Briefcase, and also to use for the outsides of bags like the Synapse, Cafe Bags, etc., including those Swifts @adalangdon mentioned. I don't think they ever shifted from 500d Cordura to Parapack for the Freudian slips and Brain Cells, though. Having to switch to Dyneema for Cafe Bag lining combos because of production shortfalls in the Parapack delivery might have contributed to the great Dyneema shortage that led to the special availability of Nordic and Black Dyneema PCSBs, Travel Trays, and PCBPs, though.

As long as you're making wish list requests @icebeng, how about for more new items in French Blue? (And BTW, even though it's not been the subject of a web site product update, the Synapse 19s in French Blue seem to have switched over to longer being an option sometime today.)

moriond

[adalangdon]

I think the original plan might have been to move to bulk orders of the Parapack both for the production of the new bags like the Guide's Pack and Founder's Briefcase, and also to use for the outsides of bags like the Synapse, Cafe Bags, etc.,

I love pp as an exterior and interior fabric, but I'm not-so-secretly hoping that in the long term TB will return to 500d Cordura :S Colourful and cheap(er)-- what's not to like? A Steel/Deep Blue LCB is on its way to me now and I think that will just make me wish for more Cordura interiors. But I'm sure TB has good business reasons for whatever they ultimately choose to do, and I trust more good stuff is on its way regardless of fabric choices.

[icebeng]

I like the idea of more French Blue! Specifically, SCBs and LCBs in French Blue/Steel Parapack please!
My French Blue/Steel Parapack MCB needs coordinated siblings lol
I may be mistaken, but it seems to me that when something is new, they make smaller batches of it at 1st?
I recall the French Blue and Burnt Orange bags being sold out within days after their debut?
And no, I can't justify another S19 and 25 in the same color just for updated zippers

I'm hoping all 3 interior fabrics(counting in Parapack) stay in rotation, because all 3 have different levels of structure/pliability. This means that there will be a perfect combination for everyone somewhere/sometime/somehow ^.^

[adalangdon]

Here's a wish for the rest of 2014 and beyond... that at some point a Deep Blue-like colour will return for 1000d Cordura. I remember some of us were hoping for a petrol blue-like parapack colour earlier in this thread. Having seen Deep Blue, I think it's the perfect petrol blue. I hope a colour like it will return someday! Have tried to capture the colour as best as I can-- it is a bit greyer IRL (pic is best viewed on an iPhone).

[moriond]

Here's a wish for the rest of 2014 and beyond... that at some point a Deep Blue-like colour will return for 1000d Cordura. I remember some of us were hoping for a petrol blue-like parapack colour earlier in this thread. Having seen Deep Blue, I think it's the perfect petrol blue. I hope a colour like it will return someday! Have tried to capture the colour as best as I can-- it is a bit greyer IRL (pic is best viewed on an iPhone

For some other pictures of deep blue, here's an old blog picture from back when they made Brain Cells in multiple colors:

The Brain Cells shown are in Steel, Crimson, Olive, Wasabi, Black, and Deep Blue (on the top), and the post announced the size 6T Brain Cell (which was a better fit to the ThinkPad T4x line than the Size 4 Brain Cell). (The last time someone referenced this picture and asked about color selections, I directed him to this post outlining factors behind color availability. That included links to the thread that first outlined plans for cutting down color selections in Brain Cells.)

For another reference to a picture of Deep Blue Cordura, see this August 2006 Schwarztech Review of the debut of the Imago, with pictures of a Steel/Kiwi/Deep Blue Imago. I think Deep Blue has always only been a 500d Cordura color -- used for the linings of bags, Brain Cells, and Snake Charmers. I have a Snake Charmer in Deep Blue.

HTH. moriond

[jalegg]

I'd like to see an Orange Dyneema. Not like a burnt/Texas orange but a nice bright (but not Tennessee bright) ORANGE! I think it will go well with my collection of Ultraviolet and Aubergine.

[backpack]

I tried to D.I.Y a light notetaker with the FJN hard plastic leaves and various means of keeping them and paper together.
It flopped.

I then checked the S25 page and found the new, to me, video about the S19 vs S25.
I watched it many times without and with the music.

I also checked many of the packing pictures of the S19 and realized that I had packed it all wrong, for a long time.

I packed some of my loose EDC stuff in two Travel Stuff Sacks size 1 and placed them in the side pockets. My iPad Mini in its netbook Cache in the elastic pocket, I opened the main compartment wide, placed my wind breaker at the bottom as a widening and cushioning device, then placed a 3D Cube and the FJN vertically instead of horizontally and it all fits.

That system will enable me to fit an LP for paperwork.

With the SCB, the S19 was perfect for the venue. I wanted to take notes and the FJN alleviated perfectly the uncomfortable down sloping caused by writing on one's lap.

I placed the TB bags on the chair next to me, opened the S19, took out the FJN, placed its strap in a supporting role and started to concentrate on the room layout.
I was thirsty and found a little milk carton that stays good for long in my bottle pocket. I took a couple of sips before the panellists sat down.

Very productive evening!

[scribe]

2014 is on its way out, and TB are understandably focusing on new products for Christmas, but I'd like to put in a early request for spring 2015: Linen Side Effect.

I know the current range is focused on ballistic nylon (which has some lovely colours and is nicely pet-hair-repellent), but they're a bit stiff for my liking. So, when the SE product line is refreshed, how about some light/bright Cordura (and maybe 200d Dyneema) colours for spring and summer? I'm sure they'd sell like hot cakes amongst fashion-conscious Bihnions!

Imagine, ladies - Plum and Kelly Green for spring, Linen and French Blue for Summer, Cocoa and Burnt Orange for autumn. It's a no-brainer!

[Janine]

+1 to the request for Cordura Side Effects in all the colors. I would freak out if there was a Navy Cordura/UV options (of course) but Cocoa would also make me jump with joy!

I like a more flexible fabric for the Side Effect. My 200d Steel Dyneema SE is perfect! I'd like more 200d options for the SE, too...since we're asking. :-)

[jess]

I'd buy so many of those! Grey/UV! And Plum, linen, French blue...

2014 is on its way out, and TB are understandably focusing on new products for Christmas, but I'd like to put in a early request for spring 2015: Linen Side Effect.

I know the current range is focused on ballistic nylon (which has some lovely colours and is nicely pet-hair-repellent), but they're a bit stiff for my liking. So, when the SE product line is refreshed, how about some light/bright Cordura (and maybe 200d Dyneema) colours for spring and summer? I'm sure they'd sell like hot cakes amongst fashion-conscious Bihnions!

Imagine, ladies - Plum and Kelly Green for spring, Linen and French Blue for Summer, Cocoa and Burnt Orange for autumn. It's a no-brainer!

[lisajt]

Here is another wish for the cork swift and a nice tightly woven hemp swift to make a come-back

[clockmilk]

I'm wishing for the return of the Western Flyer with the luggage pass-through panel. Or, gasp, *both* the pass through panel AND backpack straps. One can dream.