Acronyms Guide

[Darcy]

On the Forum, we use a bunch of acronyms for different products or objects. Many thanks to tpnl and others for suggesting that we create a guide to help members (both new and veteran) figure out what everyone is talking about! If you're wondering about one of them, please refer to the list below.

NOTE: some of these acronyms are fairly standard, but others are for new products or have been suggested recently by forum members so they aren't really part of our forum vernacular yet. If we've missed something or you think a different acronym would be more appropriate, let us know and we will update the list periodically.

WELL-ESTABLISHED ACRONYMS

3DOC - 3D Organizer Cube
*variations:
3DCOC (Clear Organizer Cube)
3DMOC (Mesh Organizer Cube)
3DFOC (Fabric Organizer Cube)

A30 / A45 - Aeronaut 30 / 45

ADX26 - Addax 26
ADX31 - Addax 31

BB - Brain Bag

CB - Café Bag
*variations:
LCB (Large Café Bag)
MCB (Medium Café Bag)
SCB (Small Café Bag)

COP - Clear Organizer Pouch

COW - Clear Organizer Wallet

CP - Co-Pilot

CQPC - Clear Quarter Packing Cube

DLBC - Daylight Briefcase

DLBP - Daylight Backpack

DOP - Double Organizer Pouch

EB - Empire Builder

EC - Everyday Cubelet (previously the TC - Travel Cubelet) sometimes called the E/TC

FAK - First Aid Kit

FJN - Field Journal Notebook

FOMO - Fear Of Missing Out

FOT - Friend Of Tom (Forum members)

FS - Freudian Slip

GB - Grab Bag - originally only one size (now Large); two sizes: SGB Small Grab Bag and LGB Large Grab Bag

GWOP - Ghost Whale Organizer Pouch

HLT1 - Handy Little Thing Size 1

HLT2 - Handy Little Thing Size 2

HsJ - The Hero's Journey

LCB - see CB - Cafe Bag

LQR - "Low Quantity Restock"... during the pandemic & recovery times, TB would pre-list the handful items from inventory reconciliation, returns, miscounts, etc. and then make them available for order all at once. There were some system issues with this, not least of all the amount of manual time it took TB. Post pandemic, LQR mostly means that someone in the Forums has noticed that a batch of random single items have appeared as they are no longer accumulated & announced by TB.

L12 / L15 / - Luminary 12 / 15

LGD - Le Grand Derriere

LPD - Le Petit Derriere

LS - Little Swift

LSB - see SB - Shop Bag

MB - Maker's Bag

MCB - see CB - Cafe Bag

MF - Moveable Feast

MT - Monster Truck

NFTD - Night Flight Travel Duffel

OP - Organizer Pouch

OSCA - Old School Carry All

PCBP - Packing Cube Backpack

PCSB - Packing Cube Shoulder Bag

PD - Paradigm

PG - Paragon GE PG Guide's Edition Paragon

PLO - Purse-Like Object (credit: dorayme); can refer to any bag that one might use as a purse

PU - Parental Unit

PUT - Pick-Up Truck

PT - Pop Tote

RB36 / RB60 - Road Buddy (Duffel) 36 / 60

S19 / S25 / GE S25 - Synapse 19 / 25 / Guide's Edition S25

SA - Smart Alec

SB - Shop Bag
LSB / oLSB - Original Large Shop Bag
SSB / oSSB - Original Small Shop Bag

SC -Snake Charmer
SSC - Small Snake Charmer
LSC - Large Snake Charmer

SCB - see CB - Cafe Bag

SE - Side Effect

SG - Shadow Guide (original 31L version)... now also SG23 - Shadow Guide 23 and SG33 - Shadow Guide 33

SH - Side Hustle

SK – Side Kick

SN22 - Synik 22

SN30 - Synik 30

SS - Stuff Sack
*variations:
TSS (Travel Stuff Sack)
YSS (Yarn Stuff Sack)

SSB - see Shop Bag

T30 - Techonaut 30

T45 - Techonaut 45

TB - TOM BIHN (in reference to bags or the company and not Tom himself)

TC – Travel Cubelet now known as the Everyday Cubelet

TLSS - Travel Laundry Stuff Sack also newer MTLSS - Mesh Travel Laundry Stuff Sack

TS - Tri-Star

TSS - see SS - Stuff Sack

TT - Travel Tray also STT - Small Travel Tray and LTT - Large Travel Tray

VPC - Vertical Packing Cubelet see also 3DVOC, V3DOC

WF - Western Flyer

YD - Yeoman Duffel

YMMV - Your Mileage May Vary (your experience and conclusions may differ from mine)

YSS - see SS - Stuff Sack

ZG - Zeitgeist



LESS COMMON or
RECENTLY SUGGESTED ACRONYMS


3DVOC, V3DOC - Vertical Packing Cubelet The size is the same as the 3DOC, but vertical orientation...however there is no hanging hook, so it is like an extended vertical Cubelet

AS - Absolute shoulder Strap (yes, yes, ha ha ha; we won't go there, okay?)

BC - Brain Cell
*variations:
VBC (Vertical Brain Cell)
HBC (Horizontal Brain Cell)

BH - Black 400d Halcyon (black with dark grid, as opposed to 'Original' 400d Halcyon which is black with white grid and was offered first)

CC - Citizen Canine

CIO - Camera Insert / Outsert

CPF - Checkpoint Flyer

FB - Founder's Briefcase

GP - Guide's Pack

GPLP - Guide's Pack Lead's Pocket

GPLP / GPRP - Guide's Pack Left side Pocket / Guide's Pack Right side Pocket

LMP - Lower Modular Pocket (for Smart Alec)

PP - Pocket Pouch

QAM - Quick-Adjust Messenger Strap

SK - Spiff Kit
*variations:
SKD - Spiff Kit Deluxe

UMP - Upper Modular Pocket (for Smart Alec)

SZTSB – Small Zip-Top Shop Bag

LZTSB – Large Zip-Top Shop Bag

[dorayme]

Oh Darcy, I cannot take credit for PLO. I thought it was backpack actually, but I cannot remember who coined the acronym. Thanks for posting this list. I can figure out the bags I own, obviously by my siggy, but a time a two I have had difficulty with others. This makes it easy!

[Badger]

Dangit, I was sure it was you, dorayme! Anyone, can we verify that backpack coined PLO?

...


moriond? Anyone?


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[backpack]

Dangit, I was sure it was you, dorayme! Anyone, can we verify that backpack coined PLO?

...





moriond? Anyone?


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I can verify it was Dorayme, because I read it and I said to myself: "that's a mighty clever acronym, it is a perfect description of Tom Bihn accessories that can be used as purses but were not created for that purpose."

I'll always remember my reaction to her first mention of it.


I think it was about the Original Side Effect, Dorayme had done something mighty clever with it, which made it more of something that became a "purse like object."


I do know that I started using PCSB because I found out it was a perfect inner pocket for the Swift and wanted to share with everyone who would listen.

[Badger]

Well, the origins of PLO may be relegated to apocryphal status, but from henceforth we shall attribute it to dorayme.

Thanks for clarifying, backpack!


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[moriond]

Well, the origins of PLO may be relegated to apocryphal status, but from henceforth we shall attribute it to dorayme.

Thanks for clarifying, backpack!

The earliest reference I can find to "PLO" used as "Purse Like Object" is a post by dorayme dated 01-12-2012 in the thread titled My Tom Bihn Family…erm, Collection, where a number of people posted group pictures of their Tom Bihn bags and accessories.

Midway through the thread, jeffmac posted his "family pic", with the comment:

It is just possible that my TB addiction has reached critical mass.

...well...of course...I don't actually own a TB Backpack yet, so...

and dorayme replied:

ahem, isn't that a packing cube backpack in Iberian under your F.O.T. and FoJ and other small organizer pouches on the right?

nice collection btw

[Since you've all read the Acronym Guide, you are aware that F.O.T. stands for "Friend of Tom" -- celebrated in a Blue, UltraSuede pouch. FoJ refers to a limited edition Fourth of July Pouch (Navy Ballistic Nylon with Red Trim) that was produced for orders sent in before the Fourth of July weekend one year.]

Jeffmac responded with a plaintive appeal:

Dorayme I thought you of all people would help me in that transparent little bit of self-justification!

Really by definition, I guess the Tristar is a backpack as well.

No more bags for Jeff...sigh

And never one to let a fellow forum member down, dorayme came back with:

Well, you don't have any dedicated backpacks. You have other bags that just happen to be designed so well that they have backpack options. You need a dedicated backpack to round out your collection, and all around knowledge of various types of bags done TB style
As a matter of fact, I don't see any totes in your collection, better add a Shop Bag in that backpack order as well!

To which jeffmac happily replied:

Now THERE is my TB enabler! Can I put you on the phone with my wife to explain that?

And dorayme ended with the helpful comment:

Well for that matter, I see no Swifts or anything that resembles a PLO "Purse Like Object". . . Mrs. jeffmac NEEDS some TB, then she won't feel so bad when you add to the herd! Bear in mind, if you start her down this path, it may have irrecoverable consequences such as her deciding to occasionally borrow some of what used to be previously identified within jeffmac's family pic.
Those of weak constitution, do not tread here.

Before this thread, I recall that dorayme still spelled out "purse". Backpack discussed the possible use of many bags in their purse function before this -- and doubtless planted the idea for purse use of the Cafe Bags, Swift and Little Swift, Co-Pilot, and Kit in the minds of many forum readers in her earlier posts. But my recollection is that dorayme took the next step into making this an official forum acronym.

Maybe someone else can find an earlier reference?

[jannilee]

Omg how I LOVE research minded people! Perhaps TARDIS should be added to the acronym list. The first known reference to the tardislike qualities of Tom Bihn bags was in a May 2010 review of the Synapse by Femina Geekoides (but she's a girl...). See, I can do it too!

[dnarud13]

I didn't notice "EDC" (everyday carry) on the list.

[Badger]

Awesome, guys! Keep the acronyms coming and I will update this list over the weekend.


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[kkintea]

Moo-over for COW: clear organizer wallet.

[kkintea]

Just had another thought looking @dnarud13's list: pocket pouch and passport pouch would have the same acronym.

[tpnl]

Thanks Darcy for making this a Sticky thread and for the hillarious comments (ie - AS)! I love the PLO (is there a male verson - ie murse? ). I am impressed with your investigative research work, moriond! Badger, thanks for doing the updates.

One possible edit: the acronym for the Leads Pocket and the Left Side Pocket on the Guide Pack are the same GPLP.
Perhaps update it to be as follows:

GPLP - Guide's Pack Lead's Pocket

GPLSP / GPRSP - Guide's Pack Left Side Pocket / Guide's Pack Right Side Pocket

Cheers!

[BPritchard]

TBA - Tom Bihn Addict

[Badger]

Good catch, tpnl! I'll be sure to fix that.

@BPritchard, and others: we have another acronym I forgot: TBAS, or TB Acquisition Syndrome. I am wondering about the word "addict" or TB-aholic or some other variation of that. Given that the term "addict" described a serious condition but is sometimes used in a lighthearted way (i.e., chocoholic) gives me a little pause. Is TB Addict something forum users think is appropriate? Maybe I'm overthinking this, and if that's the case, please let me know. I'm just wondering and not criticizing anyone who uses this phrase, by the way.


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[moriond]

I love the PLO (is there a male verson - ie murse? ). I am impressed with your investigative research work, moriond! Badger, thanks for doing the updates.

I don't think that "murse" is standard usage throughout the forums. Some forum members, like cucciasv, often use "murse", while others tend to use words like "man-bag". If "murse" is used, the poster usually gives a definition. However, with PLO, the abbreviation was popping up frequently enough in posts that I often felt the need to supply a definition. Frankly, Cafe Bags, Ristrettos, and Co-Pilots (among others) are pretty unisex, but here are links to a couple of threads discussing the topic:

• Are men carrying the cafe bags?
• Which is the best man-bag??

On the other hand, earlier posts, such as this Cafe Bag - Initial Reaction and Question thread from 2004, dwelt on the fact: "And it doesn't look like a purse, which was important to me."

@BPritchard, and others: we have another acronym I forgot: TBAS, or TB Anticipation Syndrome.

I would suggest simply linking to the sticky thread started by ex machine in March 2009 (corrected definition of acronym to match the above, though undoubtedly many might feel that "acquisition" is the more appropriate word) describing the process of waiting for the newly shipped bag order to arrive.