Brain Bag for small woman

[autumnmist]

Most of the week, I carry my laptop in a Brain Cell, 1 L water bottle, lunch, and miscellaneous items (charger, cell phone, keys, wallet, etc.). However once or twice week, I'll usually head straight to the grocery store from school and get groceries for the week (usually including a gallon of milk, maybe 0.5-1 gallons of orange juice, etc. and these go into my backpack to be carried home) I currently have a Swiss Army/Victorinox Sorbonne backpack which is ok for my uses so far, but the middle/secondary compartment isn't nearly as sturdy as the main compartment and my vertical Brain Cell does not fit well at all.

I'm trying to decide between a Brain Bag and a Smart Alec (been saving money for a purchase for a while now). It looks like the Smart Alec might be too small for my uses... but I'm only 5'1" so I'm really hesitating. Any insight or photos of a Brain Bag on a smaller person?

[Shiva]

Brain Bag for smaller women

I have the same question too--I have been eyeing the Smart Alec/Brain Bag--and can't tell. I am small made--and my shoulders are quite narrow too...and am just 5 feet tall!!!

[bluedawg]

i was actually waffling back and forth between a buzz and a smart alec (with similar concerns... need a bag big enough for my laptop and some stuff, but small enough for my frame), and i settled on the smart alec two days ago. i'm 5'3" at most, and i'm worried that it might be a big larger than i want, but i really need to stop carrying messenger bags and be kinder to my back and shoulder(s). here's hoping it's perfect!

[Samonid]

First of all, I'd like to go on record saying that I may not be qualified to answer this question as I'm a 6'3" 220lb gentleman. However, I am a brainbag owner and have one sitting right next to me. Looking at the way I have it configured for my frame, it seems as if it has ample adjustability to suit frames far smaller than mine. The adjustability that I'm referring to is in the shoulder, waist and chest straps, all which can be cinched down quite a few inches past where they are for me. For me, this is where the BrainBag might become ideal for someone with a smaller frame. The bag is 14 inches wide and 18 inches tall.

I have a few petite classmates, so if there are no pictures posted when I'm in class next, I'll see if I can get a couple of people to model it for me.

My gut feeling is, if you can handle the weight that you put in it, the brain bag will do as good a job as anything making sure that weight is distributed well across your frame.

[MagicTiki]

I second Samonid's assessment! But I am also alarger human at 6'1", 210 lbs. So....

When I was researching which backpack to choose, I heard from several people with smaller frames that praised the Brain Bag and the ability to adjust it to your individual size.

I think it really comes down to your comfort level with wearing a large backpack. If you're good with that, despite your size, then the BB is a winner!

[Darcy]

I
I think it really comes down to your comfort level with wearing a large backpack. If you're good with that, despite your size, then the BB is a winner!

MagicTiki nailed it. Judging from years of watching women come into the store and try on Brain Bags, what it comes down to is how comfortable they are using a big backpack. I've seen petite women 5'1" try on the Brain Bag and love it - and it looked great on them. I've also seen women 5'5" try the Brain Bag, and because they felt it was too big, it looked awkward: it just wasn't right.

I have a few petite classmates, so if there are no pictures posted when I'm in class next, I'll see if I can get a couple of people to model it for me.

That would be really cool!

Personally, I'm 5'5" and fairly petite, and I find the Brain Bag to be too big. But that's probably in large part due to the fact that I seldom need such a large bag - the Smart Alec or the Synapse are the perfect size backpacks for me. I do think you could fit two 1-gallon cartons of juice or milk in the Smart Alec along with your Brain Cell, though that would take up the entire main compartment. (Small stuff and water bottle would have to go in the side pockets and zippered pockets.)

[Radio bug]

I am also a smaller woman (5'1") but I love the Brain Bag that I received in December. However, I don't mind larger backpacks. I always have quite a lot to carry, so I need a way to carry it effectively. I don't think that being small is a sole reason for not getting a Brain Bag.

Just my two cents!
Good luck with your decision!

[autumnmist]

I am also a smaller woman (5'1") but I love the Brain Bag that I received in December. However, I don't mind larger backpacks. I always have quite a lot to carry, so I need a way to carry it effectively. I don't think that being small is a sole reason for not getting a Brain Bag.

You don't happen to have a picture of yourself with the backpack on your back do you? Thanks for the advice!

[timarelay]

I'm 5'3" and planning on buying a Brain Bag as soon as my tax refund comes in/my brother pays me back/I get paid for next month, whichever comes first. Or really soon if my boyfriend finds time to stop by the store while he's Seattle Thursday/Friday. I'll post pictures soon as I have it.

I've hesitated on buying the Brain Bag for two years now, because I was worried about the size, and because I thought they were making a smaller Brain Bag (which turned into the Synpase which I think is too small for what I want). I want a bag for carrying heavy/bulky stuff without hurting my back, and as a travel bag. Yes I could get an aeronaut (which I really want!) or a western flyer, but I want something that is actually designed to always be a backpack. Because I'm small and not very muscular, it doesn't take much weight before things I'm carrying start to stress my back/shoulders.

[mrae]

I'm about 5' and find my Brain Bag too large for daily use. I mainly use it for weekend trips.
Still planning on getting the Synapse but right now I use my solar bag as a general carry all.

[timarelay]

I'm about 5' and find my Brain Bag too large for daily use. I mainly use it for weekend trips.
Still planning on getting the Synapse but right now I use my solar bag as a general carry all.

Yeah, I'm not planning on using mine as a daily bag. My Imago still works for day to day use, but I need something to travel with and I'm not sure about the actual travel bags because I want something that's really comfortable on my back and designed to be worn on my back.

But we'll see when it gets here! I might find it too big anyway.

You're using a shop bag as your general bag? I'm debating getting one or a swift as a general tote. Wish I hadn't missed the small batch of Saphire ones.

[dclawyer]

I am a 5' 5" tall man and my Brain Bag just feels too big for me. It's very rugged but honestly it just sits. I keep thinking of selling it on eBay but I admire its workmanship too much to part with it. I like bags. What can I say?

[timarelay]

I am a 5' 5" tall man and my Brain Bag just feels too big for me. It's very rugged but honestly it just sits. I keep thinking of selling it on eBay but I admire its workmanship too much to part with it. I like bags. What can I say?

Ack! I'm having second thoughts again now. =(

eta: And my tax refund just came through and I'm under budget for the month so I can go ahead and make my order but I'm not sure anymore... Hm.

[mrae]

Yeah, I'm not planning on using mine as a daily bag. My Imago still works for day to day use, but I need something to travel with and I'm not sure about the actual travel bags because I want something that's really comfortable on my back and designed to be worn on my back.

But we'll see when it gets here! I might find it too big anyway.

You're using a shop bag as your general bag? I'm debating getting one or a swift as a general tote. Wish I hadn't missed the small batch of Saphire ones.

I love the swift but the shop bag is so light that I use it when I don't have too much to carry. I love the dyneema material. I use the Swift when I have larger loads. I've switched from the Imago to the Swift using the clear quarter packing cube - in solar of course- for extra internal storage.

[Guest]

I think the Brain Bag would be ideal for traveling. I'm currently trying to decide on a backpack but I think I'll get the Smart Alec instead of the Brain Bag. I'm tall (5'11") but have a very small torso. I'm comfortable with big bags but my problem is that I tend to fill whatever bag I carry so I'm afraid if I had a brain bag, I'd simply carry too much weight around which would not be good for my back. The Smart Alec would make me think twice about the stuff I need to carry around on a daily basis...