A Review Of the LCB.

[pocketsize]

So yesterday my LCB went to beautiful Lake Winnepesaukee yesterday. Sorry guys, no pictures of the bag near the lake. Even if I wanted to it was extremely windy and the bag would've sunk to the bottom in an instant.

I am one of those people who packs for just about every emergency you can have. I'm desperately trying to overcome this and realized it yesterday when I was busy scrambling for everything when it was time to go home. Here's a general list of the things I was able to cram in it.

Back Pocket
2 books (cryptogram book and an anthology of paranormal romance/urban fantasy that I picked up because it had one of my favorite authors in it, and was mostly vampire free. Haaaate vampires.).
Blue collapsible tote bag
Digital camera

Front Pocket

Fox 40 micro whistle in NEON! ORANGE! clipped to the front zipper
Chinese wallet containing money, ID and credit card (one of my favorite customers went to visit family in China and brought me back a small wallet...need recommendations for a better one as the zipper broke after two uses *eyeroll*)
Hairbrush
Larabars (apple pie and cashew cookie)
Blister bandages

Middle Compartment

The middle pocket evolved as time went on. I tucked a change of clothes inside my LOP and took it out when I went shopping. The middle pocket held sweets, chopsticks, chopstick rest and purple star ornament for my boyfriend, necklace for best friend as Christmas present, assorted pencils, pain reliever, sunscreen, friction stopping stick, albeterol inhaler, lactose supplement, activated charcoal, travel sized bottle of rubbing alcohol to combat swimmer's ear, swimsuit, plastic bags to stick wet clothes in, sandals, a sweater, keys attached to key strap, noise canceling headphones and shuffle and other miscellania that I've probably forgotten about. The bag went from being overstuffed to comfortably stuffed to not really stuffed.

Thoughts:

Could've used an extra small organizer pouch or two for the medical miscellania and cell phone, as I spent too much time digging for them. Of course, part of this problem is my own pack rat tendencies. I didn't even need half the stuff I bought with me, I'm upset with myself.

I hate how the size encourages you to fill it. :p I must buy myself a SCB, maybe then I won't cram everything in it.

The key strap is brilliant. I loved the fact that I could clip my keys on and never worry about losing them.

Should've gotten the absolute strap. The simple strap I got worked but the pad kept sliding and I ended up carrying the bag on a bare shoulder for a bit without realizing, which hurt. Maybe a couple pins would help this problem. But again, the weight of the bag was mostly due to my own fault.

It is a shame that TB is based on the west coast, I bet Tom would find a nice niche market in Boston, with Logan airport and all the various Ivy League colleges.

I love this bag. I found myself stroking it fondly without realizing every so often.

UPDATE: For a lark I decided to try cramming my 15" white MacBook in it just now. The bag swallowed it without a second thought. That's utterly impressive.

[darbs]

Great review! You should post some pics of your bag. :) You might want to add a few extra key straps to your next order. In addition to clipping keys to them, you can clip different pouches to them as well. I use the Tom Bihn Organizer Wallet and then another pouch for loose change and cash. Both stay clipped on a key strap in my MCB or Side Effect. And pouches become slightly addictive on their own. You end up adding them to every order. When they come in, you think, oh why did I order all of these? And then you find all sorts of uses for them and decide you need more. It is a vicious cycle! LOL! Glad you like your LCB!

[pocketsize]

Oh darbs, you are such an enabler. :p You read my mind, I was going to add a few pouches and key straps to my next order. But do I wait until I've saved up to buy the Aeronaut that I really really really want and throw everything in in one fell swoop or do I order the straps now? And so many choices! Do I want dyneema, cordura or ballistic? What color of key straps? The possibilities are making me crazy!

(I do have pictures of my bag, it's in the thread "My Large Cafe Bag Has Landed" in the pictures forum).

[darbs]

Oh, you order pouches and key straps now. And an Absolute strap! And maybe a SCB so the pouches don't get lonely in the box. ;) At least, that's how my latest order is looking. I'm waiting a on a few swatches Katy sent before I decide what color SCB I buy. Call to place the order for pouches and straps! They can tell you what colors they have and then you can pick.

[pocketsize]

I found an Absolute strap on ebay, I just can't seem to figure out how to get it on my LCB even with maverick's videos.

I doubt my pouches will get lonely with the keystraps, but now that I figured out I can fit my MB in, I may need a cache for that and for my ipad. And then the SCB in turquoise/cayenne.