Cork and Cold Weather?

[Bag Lady]

Hi all, I am wondering about the effects of cold weather on Cork. I live in a town with lake effect snow and frigid temps. Will Cork chip/flake off?

I am not worried about the effects of moisture on cork (I think water keeps it supple?)

I am drooling over the Steel/Cork Imago, but ordered the safe Blk instead because I wasn't sure how the Cork panel would handle the sub-freezing temps. BTW, this will be my Daily Carry Bag, so it has to be able to handle a bit of rough handling.

Thanks all, in advance!

[Shiva]

Hey: I have not had any problems with the cork at all. I have had it soaking wet in major downpours...and nothing. I have not gone thru a winter yet, but I doubt it will. I have the Imago in Steel/cok/wasabi..and just love it!

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[backpack]

I have owned a Small Pouch, since Cork Organizer Pouches came out. It was either late 2005 or early 2006 whenever I placed my first order.

I have used it as my cell phone holder.
It has held many types of phones, including smart phones.
It is usually housed in the outside pocket of my Cafe Bag du jour.

As such it has dealt with East Coast bitter Winters, cool then warm damp Springs, very hot Summers and cool Autumns of the D.C area. It behaves like a champ in the cool Winter and burning hot and humid other seasons of the South.

I usually pay attention and make sure to put it in the outside Cafe Bag pocket after removing the phone but...
If my husband wants my smart phone, he just takes it and leaves the pouch to dangle from its lanyard, I have done it also when I had to make a quick phone call or answer it in a hurry.

As such, my Cork Pouch has been the least pampered of my TB Pouches.

While empty it made contact with restaurants floors, was rudely stuffed back in the Cafe Bag back pocket, or sometimes squeezed behind other pouches in the main compartment if I think that the Cafe Bag might stumble on a ride of some sort either on the back seat of a small plane, the underseat of an airliner or tucked between the car seat, floor, yours truly and the side panel.


Yet it still looks very good. There is a crease where the top of my cell phones usually stops.
A Mini is a much better choice for cell phones but I wanted more room to be able to slide the phone in and out of there in a hurry.

When I am in hurry, coordination becomes as good as Mr Bean's, things fall off at the most inopportune moment and it is a struggle to keep wardrobe malfunctions to a minimum.
I wear a sun hat and sunglasses from early Spring to late Fall and I always need a cardigan because I didn't grew up with the dreadful arctic air-conditioner during burning summers and I wear layers when it is minus something outside and the tropical heater is on at every mall, office or airport.


Tom Bihn bags have helped keep all my stuff in, get out the door and where I need to be in a reasonable time frame.

I love Cork and I am not a warm color person, Cocoa does nothing for me.
Owning a Cork item is like carrying a little piece of the forest where it comes from.

Knowing how vital that habitat is, I do hope TB is going to make more and more bags and accessories in Cork.

[Bag Lady]

backpack: Thank you for the loving detailed bio of your Small Cork Pouch. Your description of it makes me want to get one for my iPhone!

Shiva: As always, I love reading your posts, they are all ever-so-helpful to me! BTW, could you post pic of yourself wearing your beautiful Cork Imago?

However, I am still a bit uncertain as to the suppleness of Cork in frigid temperatures, esp. since the Cork panel on the Imago will be naturally exposed to it, as opposed to a pouch which is mostly sheltered from the elements. I hesitate on the Cork Imago only because last winter, I vividly remember a fabric on my vest made a crunchy noise as it reacted to the sub-zero temps we had! This was while I was wearing it in the car, before the car had a chance to warm up.

(sigh) I am resigned to carrying the Blk Imago when it arrives, although I did swear to never carry a black bag again... would so love the Steel ballistic Imago, but I'm more of a green girl, not so much the red, what with red being the color of the Sith and all... ;-)

[gmanedit]

Hi, Bag Lady.

"I am resigned to carrying the Blk Imago when it arrives": That's so sad—anticipatory buyer's remorse.

Why don't you call Darcy tomorrow and ask if the cork has been tested for your weather conditions? Does the product guarantee cover frigid weather?

[Bag Lady]

gmanedit: Hey, now that's a great idea!!! I'll call tomorrow! Cross your fingers... and I'll keep y'all posted. TB forum posters rock!

[gmanedit]

Fellow cork lovers: Wouldn't a cork Freudian Slip for the Synapse be a hoot? Anybody with me?

[backpack]

Fellow cork lovers: Wouldn't a cork Freudian Slip for the Synapse be a hoot? Anybody with me?

Hey that's a great idea!

And... a great challenge for Tom because I cannot imagine how it could be done.

Would the body had to be regular fabric and the pockets Cork? Could it be all Cork?

[moriond]

gmanedit: Hey, now that's a great idea!!! I'll call tomorrow! Cross your fingers... and I'll keep y'all posted. TB forum posters rock!

So what happened? My Imago with Cork looks like this Hunter/Cork/Sage bag of eristick's, and I really love the Cork.

[Bag Lady]

So what happened? My Imago with Cork looks like this Hunter/Cork/Sage bag of eristick's, and I really love the Cork.

The 3 hour time difference really screws me up, the best time for me to make calls is in the morning, but I don't think anyone will answer at 6:36 a.m Seattle time. I think I'll email instead. Sorry to keep you hanging...

BTW, beautiful bag, I'm happy to see the flexibility of the Cork in your photo! How do you like the Hunter green? I see Hunter is not even an option anymore.

[ex machina]

Fellow cork lovers: Wouldn't a cork Freudian Slip for the Synapse be a hoot? Anybody with me?

How cool is that?!

That is such an excellent design concept! How about the Horizontal Freudian Slip as well? Great idea, gmanedit!

I'd jump on a Horizontal one in a flash.

[ex machina]

The 3 hour time difference really screws me up, the best time for me to make calls is in the morning, but I don't think anyone will answer at 6:36 a.m Seattle time. I think I'll email instead. Sorry to keep you hanging...

BTW, beautiful bag, I'm happy to see the flexibility of the Cork in your photo! How do you like the Hunter green? I see Hunter is not even an option anymore.

I have a cork pouch. It's less like a cork board; it's very much a fabric with cork elements. I think you would be fine but in the end it is your coin.

[Bag Lady]

I have a cork pouch. It's less like a cork board; it's very much a fabric with cork elements. I think you would be fine but in the end it is your coin.

I had a thought of buying one of those cork pouches and storing it in the freezer...

[backpack]

I had a thought of buying one of those cork pouches and storing it in the freezer...

You shouldn't worry. It gets cold in Seattle and there are many pictures of Tom in all sort of environments where he tests his bags. I am sure the Cork fabric was given a test of freezing cold before being put on the market.

Emailing Tom Bihn Co is way better than emailing anybody or any company, you are assured of an answer in the shortest delay.

Keep us posted on the answer to the mystery of "Cork in the Cold".

[ex machina]

I had a thought of buying one of those cork pouches and storing it in the freezer...

You shouldn't worry. It gets cold in Seattle and there are many pictures of Tom in all sort of environments where he tests his bags. I am sure the Cork fabric was given a test of freezing cold before being put on the market.

Emailing Tom Bihn Co is way better than emailing anybody or any company, you are assured of an answer in the shortest delay.

Keep us posted on the answer to the mystery of "Cork in the Cold".

I agree with backpack, asking TB directly will likely prove the shortest route to an answer. However, I'd like to reflect on the experiment design. Instead of putting the cork pouch in the freezer, I would clip one to the coat worn in the cold. That would give a more accurate measure of what the bag would be going through. Temperature changes indoor/outdoor, and realistic times of exposure.