Compare Small Cafe, Medium Cafe, and Icon

[Go Navy]

Moriond, those pix are really useful and informative, especially since you're showing the new version of the Icon. You've removed any doubts for me about how that bag would work for me. I've placed a watch on it waiting for more color choices to come.

Any comments on the tweaks made to the new version, if possible? If you didn't own the original version, I know it would be difficult to answer that question.

[moriond]

Go Navy,

I prefer to use the Icon to the Medium Cafe Bag, unless you're using the Cafe Bag to carry something tall (some people use the MCB to carry 13" laptops, even though the top sticks up above the formal of the bag -- you definitely can't use an Icon for that.) There is more room in the Medium Cafe Bag, but some of it comes as the extra height.

These are pictures that I quickly shot with the new version of the Icon (in Constellation) and the packup that you described. (Sorry that lighting is not the best, but I was time constrained.). One of the things that I like about the Icon, is that the packed up bag stands up on its own, and that's not something that would be true of a Cafe Bag packup.


I'm carrying the iPad Pro 11", which is similar in size to the iPad Air. One thing I should stress is that I typically insert it vertically and access it this way in the Icon main compartment, but that I'm using an old iPad cache from the time the original iPad was first released, and that this cache is too large for the iPad 11 -- it's about ¾" longer than the iPad 11 and it's also wider. The very first cache they released was actual sized for a TouchPad and was also larger than the original iPad, but I really like the dense foam of the caches they used from that time so I continue to use them. The fit will look tight in all the pictures, but I manage to put this under the flap. The keys are shown attached to the keystrap in the front zippered pocket that comes Icon. In practice, I would separately attach the car key from the othe keys. I'm moving most of these organizers over from my Side Kick. Underneath the Icon are 2 checkbooks, my glasses in a Côte et Ciel eyewear pouch (discovered in these forums thanks to @adalandon). and a similarly sized Small Ghost Whale Organzier Pouch in Burnt Orange 525d Ballistic (which is holding laptop connectors and was moved from my Side Kick) Below the 11" iPad Pro lying on top of its oversized cache is a Leuchtturm1917 planner. According to the description, it is 7.48 x 4.92 x 0.55 inches (I had to look up 2021 specs since this is for 2020). So it is slightly longer than your notebook but the same width. I grabbed the Nik's Wallet and Clear Organizer Wallet (COW) from my Side Kick. You could use either one for Insurance Cards. And you could use a smaller pouch than my COW for stamps etc., like one of the leaf pouchkins from the First or Second Aid Pouch. The First Aid Kit is a Small Double Organizer Pouch in Iberian Halcyon (matches your 5x7" pouch size). Swiss Army Knife and a Quark Tactical light (this is the one I keep by my bed -- I usually carry a Quark MiNi inside a mini Q-Kit on top of a Jackery Power bar -- that's what's shown in the lower left of the picture. There's only one pen in the picture, but I packed 2 in the Icon.

This shows the 11" iPad in its cache being inserted into the Icon. I show the first aid kit in the small double organizer pouch overlying the front zippered pocket -- that's where I put it.

The notebook and the small Ghost Whale Organizer Pouch go into the back zippered pocket of the Icon

This is the top view of those items in the back pocket (sorry, not great lighting).

This is what I mean about the Icon being able to stand up after it's fully loaded. I couldn't find an easy way to show the placement of items inside the rest of the pockets without turning the back inside out, but the checkbooks, knife, flashlight, pens, Nik's Wallet and Clear Organizer Wallet are loaded into the pockets of the main compartment. I put the glasses case into the front zippered pocket. You haver room to put in gloves or a hat, too.

Here are more inside out views of the main compartment

… and of the back of the main compartment (which is similarly sized to the back zippered compartment that I can't show without specifically inverting that pocket -- but this lets you see where there are O-rings)


This is not a tight packup at all.

HTH

moriond

[KatrinkaWinkle]

Thanks! I really like it with the NWS zippers.

[moriond]

I'm going to assume you meant my Icon... that's the Logic Blue 630d Recycled with NWSky zippers - a super chill and calming combo to me... very meditative to stare at

My hypothesis for why that is the only color left is that (1) a lot of people who got the Icon in the first round really liked Logic Blue - of the mods, that would be Cristina, G42, and myself, and (2) the people who really like the Icon design from the first round weren’t willing to turn in or stop using their Logic Blue Icons to wait for the redesigned version. If I didn’t already have an Icon in Logic Blue, this is the color I would buy. Apart from the color, I really like the “hand” of the 630d Recycled material. It’s too bad that they sold out of all the Ghost Whale Organizer Pouches in the 630d material some time ago, so it’s not easy to get an impression of the material unless you request a fabric swatch sample. If they ever remake the Pick-Up Truck, I hope that I can get it in Logic Blue.

[G42]

Oooh, what color is your Icon? I love that shade of blue! I have one in SeaPine with ultraviolet zippers but have been considering a second one.

I'm going to assume you meant my Icon... that's the Logic Blue 630d Recycled with NWSky zippers - a super chill and calming combo to me... very meditative to stare at

[KatrinkaWinkle]

Oooh, what color is your Icon? I love that shade of blue! I have one in SeaPine with ultraviolet zippers but have been considering a second one.

[threeteez]

I just started using the latest version of the Icon for a work carry since I no longer carry a binder to and fro. I previously carried an Imago.
Front bottom pocket: small OP with phone charger/cord and iPhone
Middle pocket: HLT1 as a wallet (I also use it as a grab & go, stand alone bag for curbside pick ups), Contigo bottle, mini ghost whale and Q-kit pouches, couple pens and a spray sanitizer in pen slots
Back pocket: small notebook, ghost whale to place my mask in (I wear a V4 to get through screening, then I'm given a disposable mask), often a small round tub for half a sandwich as a snack and my ID badge

The Icon is pretty full, but I can still zip each zipper without difficulty. I love my Imagos but the Icon is easier to clean (I'm in a hospital and access screening through the ED waiting area) and not as precious as my Imagos if cleaning the bag ends up affecting the fabric.

[backpack]

If you own a 3D OC or Everyday Cubelet, one takes most of the space in a Small Cafe Bag main compartment.

I don't know about the Medium Cafe Bag, because I don't have one.

[Go Navy]

It's a 5x7 Bihn Clear Organizer Pouch.

And my notebook is a half inch thick. I use a small Whale Pouch (3.5x6.7") for the hearing aid bits.

Those are great pictures and so helpful. Based on that, I've scratched the small Cafe Bag off the mental wish list. I already have a Daylight Briefcase; haven't put it to regular use since I got it, so I need to load it up and start using it daily as a test. I like the size of it. In fact it'll hold both an iPad and a MacBook Air although that would be rare for me.

Big Sky and G42: I, also like a little more room in an EDC in case I take long something else for the day. I'm feeling like my medium Cafe Bag is about right for me vs. the Icon. Still don't like fussing with its flap, but nothing to be done about that.

The Icon, though, would work for me based on your pictures, although seemingly a bit tighter than the MCB, so it stays on the mental wish list. Right now they have only one color in stock, with up to 8 more in production or will be. And, they updated its design on 5/20/20 so I need to read through that carefully to understand what changed.

[Go Navy]

A4 is much bigger. How big is your first aid kit? I’m taking some pictures now.

It's a 5x7 Bihn Clear Organizer Pouch.

[b1gsky]

G42 Great pics! Go Navy I think the Icon should work for you, if you like the features of the bag. I liked the size when I had it, besides my water bottle problem (which you don’t carry). If you are good with the zippers and the strap it’s worth a try. I think it might work better than the SCB, unless you plan to leave some things at home in the future. I personally use the SCB mostly as an alternative to the EC, for days when I want to throw an umbrella or some gloves into the bag in addition to phone, keys, wallet and the few little essentials. As soon as I carry my iPad I always pick the MCB.

[G42]

Here's a short recap of what I generally carry daily in my Medium Cafe Bag: Regular size iPad Air with its own protective cover, two little pouches with stuff like insurance cards and hearing aid bits, two checkbooks, keys, 5x7 notebook (is that A4?), two pens, stamps and calling cards, first aid kit, flashlight, and sometimes a folding knife, glasses in a case.

I had to substitute similar sized items since I don't have an iPad or know the exact size of some of your stuff...
The red Moleskin notebook with the TB sticker is the size of the iPad; the blue Moleskin is a bit larger than a 5x7 - also not sure how thick your notebook was... my Dawn Nik's wallet stands in for stamps & calling cards; Small and Mini Ghost Whales stuffed... and I used a stuffed Eagle Creek cube to show a large FAK or whatever - it's pretty big at 8 x 4.5 x 3" thick




iPad standin shown in the back pocket - would potentially fit if you maneuvered, but probably not ideal... smaller moleskin on top to show relative size




iPad standin shown in main front pocket before being tucked in...




Fully loaded - checkbooks in back pocket (they could go anywhere)
iPad standin, blue Moleskin, two Ghost Whales, EC FAK standin all in front main pocket
Everything else tossed into front smaller lower pocket




Fully loaded side view - it's only the 3" thick EC FAK standin that's making it bulge out




HTH


ETA: it's been mentioned other places, but I could have rotated the iPad standin in the main pocket

ETA2: I also threw it all into a Daylight Briefcase which is 8L vs the Icon 7.2 and it fits easily obviously... especially the iPad standin, etc because of the shape and easy access zippers... I feel like the DBC doesn't get enough love for being such a good walking around bag...maybe because 'briefcase' is in the name...it's very similar to a Medium Cafe Bag, just Landscape vs Portrait, with zippers

[b1gsky]

Alright, I picked a book which is roughly the same size as your notebook. Not sure if the size of those pouches is right and I used my phone and pocket calendar instead of the check books. But I think you can see the scale pretty well. It all fit comfortably into the MCB and was a very tight squeeze in the SCB. I’m surprised I got everything inside tbh. It’s not comfortable to use, you can’t reach things very well and it feels very brick like. I personally prefer my Café bags underpacked, no matter which size, so the MCB wins hands down.

[b1gsky]

Here's a short recap of what I generally carry daily in my Medium Cafe Bag: Regular size iPad Air with its own protective cover, two little pouches with stuff like insurance cards and hearing aid bits, two checkbooks, keys, 5x7 notebook (is that A4?), two pens, stamps and calling cards, first aid kit, flashlight, and sometimes a folding knife, glasses in a case.

A4 is much bigger. How big is your first aid kit? I’m taking some pictures now.

[Go Navy]

Very helpful, Moriond!