Getting the Last of Some of the Best. And Happy, too!

[Adi]

Hello All:

I bought my first TB bag in 2006, a medium Cafe Bag in Black with plum interior. Still have it for short walks. In April of 2007 I bought an Imago in Forest-Steel with an Absolute strap and used it nearly everyday until today when my new ID arrived, in Black-Navy-Crimson, and also with an Absolute Strap. The Imago is still in excellent shape & I would continue to use it but I need a little more space to comfortably fit things and not "mush" them up. Plus, having a dedicated water bottle holder is really handy as is the top grab handle.

I seem to be buying things that get to be old-school TB and are discontinued after I get them. I'm happy with this as it tells me these are designs that have been around a while, put through their paces, refined and improved, and really can't get any better.

Anyone else find themselves happy to purchase retired products?

What has always sold me, in addition to the above, is the Absolute Strap. I have yet to find anything so comfortable to carry on my shoulder. As many here already know, it really is amazing. I forget sometimes how much I actually have with me and hand my bag to someone else & they are amazed at how heavy it is. They ask me if the bag feels too heavy. I tell them "Not when you carry it with that strap it doesn't!" And some try it out and are very impressed.

Thanks to everyone at Tom Bihn for making such well-thought, well-made and almost bizarrely sturdy products. I look forward to see what replaces the retired designs & also to buying them shortly before their replacements come along.

Best wishes to all,
Adi

[moriond]

Hi @Adi,

I do like these "old-school" Tom Bihn bags, and I have a similar model Imago to the one that you got in 2007, except that color then was "Hunter" green (rather than the later "Forest"), mine had a Cork flap, and the lining on my bag was "Sage", which was lighter in color than Steel. I also have an ID bag that is even older than that Imago (Black/Steel/Crimson) which I retrofitted to work with the Absolute Strap in 2007 by the addition of "Cheater D-Ring" adapters. And did you see Boolie's 11-year Review of the ID up on the Blog? (He's not set against new bags, since he also did a review of the Guide's Pack, with even more information and pictures in the version on his web site)

There also seem to be a whole slew of users who love the Imago, and want its return.

moriond

[Adi]

Hi @Adi,

I do like these "old-school" Tom Bihn bags, and I have a similar model Imago to the one that you got in 2007, except that color then was "Hunter" green (rather than the later "Forest"), mine had a Cork flap, and the lining on my bag was "Sage", which was lighter in color than Steel.

Hello Moriond:

You are exactly right -- mine is Hunter, not Forest. I still have my original receipt & it is Hunter indeed. I always liked the original model because of the symmetrical front flap you could get in the body color instead of the later offset look. But both are lookers, so to speak. So my bag is in fact Hunter-Hunter-Steel. I think the only noticeable wear on it is one scratch on the main buckle and one of the outer pocket zippers is fixed in a half-open position. Other than that it looks almost brand-new, which is remarkable given the daily wear of eight years.

I also have an ID bag that is even older than that Imago (Black/Steel/Crimson) which I retrofitted to work with the Absolute Strap in 2007 by the addition of "Cheater D-Ring" adapters. And did you see Boolie's 11-year Review of the ID up on the Blog?...

Thank you for posting that link -- I feel even better about my new ID. And I'm happy to hear yours is retrofitted and going strong. All this is testament to the fact that while ballistic nylon (either its less sturdy versions found elsewhere or the incredible stuff found here) can really be nearly impervious to wear, the overall life of a bag actually comes down to the skill with which it's designed, sewn and assembled. I've never seen any better bag than a TB, with the occasional exception of something bespoke that costs thousands of dollars.

There also seem to be a whole slew of users who love the Imago, and want its return.

moriond

You can count this "old user" as one of them, too! I'd love to see it available again, or perhaps one in an updated design. The single thing I thought it lacked was a few pen slots & I can't recall a more perfectly-sized bag for what I needed. I plan on keeping mine & using it if the occasion arises. But for now my new ID is just perfect.

Best wishes,
Adi

[timarelay]

Hi @Adi,
There also seem to be a whole slew of users who love the Imago, and want its return.

It truly is a fantastic bag. I bought mine in January 2007 from one of the first runs, when they did not have a handle, and that is one of my few complaints about the bag. There are numerous situations when I wish I could just grab it quickly by a handle instead of having to grab the long strap. I also often wish it was just a tiny bit wider in the main cavity, at most an inch, and that the small side zippered pockets were wide enough to fit modern smart phones. In terms of visual wear, my Imago (a cocoa/cocoa/wasabi, I believe in cordura) looks nearly new, except for some wear on the zippers and a little bit of fuzzing of the material on the bottom corners.

[Adi]

It truly is a fantastic bag. I bought mine in January 2007 from one of the first runs, when they did not have a handle, and that is one of my few complaints about the bag. There are numerous situations when I wish I could just grab it quickly by a handle instead of having to grab the long strap....

I agree about it being fantastic. And about that handle, or lack of one. Oh my! I recall many talking about that in regards to the bag. I just adapted over the years and grabbed a handful of the top of the bag (if it was buckled) or an end of the strap & hauled it up. I thought I'd not really miss a handle, though I'd like to have had one, that is until I've had a few days with my new ID bag.

Oh! but is the top Poron-padded grab handle handy. I can't believe how much I've been using it. And even after just a few days I think this is now my "make or break" thing with a messenger bag – has to have a top handle of some kind.

Who knows what Mr. Bihn is up to but perhaps a new mid-size messenger in the general style of the Imago or ID is in the works.

[residue]

I agree about it being fantastic. And about that handle, or lack of one. Oh my! I recall many talking about that in regards to the bag. I just adapted over the years and grabbed a handful of the top of the bag (if it was buckled) or an end of the strap & hauled it up. I thought I'd not really miss a handle, though I'd like to have had one, that is until I've had a few days with my new ID bag.

Oh! but is the top Poron-padded grab handle handy. I can't believe how much I've been using it. And even after just a few days I think this is now my "make or break" thing with a messenger bag – has to have a top handle of some kind.

Who knows what Mr. Bihn is up to but perhaps a new mid-size messenger in the general style of the Imago or ID is in the works.

This is exactly what I am looking for. I was so close to pulling the trigger on the last ID round but I need something just a touch smaller without the padded back. It should curve around the body rather than look like a sail. I'd love something with the styling of the ID and just slightly larger than the Imago (with a handle). Basically, a small messenger bag that can fit a water bottle and some personal items but not a laptop.

I guess this really belongs in the 2015 designs thread.

[Adi]

Residue, it's funny you mention that you did not want the padded back of the ID and prefer the curve-around feel of the Imago. Having used both now, I prefer the ID, its padding and the fact that it does "sail" a bit away from me. I find it much more comfortable. Also, when the Imago was really packed full, it would often let something pop out of one of the front or back pockets due to pressure on the bag & things sort of being squeezed up and out. The ID doesn't have this problem for me because if I ever fill it up its structure will keep that from happening. At least that's the way it works for me! I hope you do post on the designs thread and find what you are looking for. For me right now, my ID is perfect.