How do you use your Large Organizer Pouch?

[Bag Lady]

Hello everyone,

Recently I ordered a couple of Large Organizer Pouch to use in my Imago. I didn't check to see if they would fit (they don't.)

Now, I'm wondering how I can use them, or else I will be returning them and paying the return postage...

Thanks!

[MtnMan]

Maybe Maverick's video on the Tom Bihn YouTube channel can provide some hints for you.

[ex machina]

I use mine in the Imago, Bag Lady. Are you trying it in the inside or the outside pocket?

[falconea]

I have a number of these, and I use them to carry papers for smaller things where I don't need a full briefcase. And when I need to carry hand-outs that don't fit into my overstuffed briefcase!

Audrey

[Bag Lady]

I use mine in the Imago, Bag Lady. Are you trying it in the inside or the outside pocket?

Inside, ex machina, as I am carrying sensitive material and don't want to risk it falling into the wrong hands

[Bag Lady]

I have a number of these, and I use them to carry papers for smaller things where I don't need a full briefcase. And when I need to carry hand-outs that don't fit into my overstuffed briefcase!

Audrey

Thanks for your suggestion! I'm curious, so does that mean you carry the Large Organizer Pouches in your hands/arms to your destination?

[falconea]

Yes, I just carry one or two in my hand if I don't need anything bigger.

I keep meaning to bring one to work as well, and use it for containing all the meeting junk I need at work - reading glasses, papers, pen, notebook, mobile phone (cell phone), remote control for hearing aid.... At the moment I only use them for voluntary activities.

Audrey

[moriond]

I use mine in the Imago, Bag Lady. Are you trying it in the inside or the outside pocket?

Inside, ex machina, as I am carrying sensitive material and don't want to risk it falling into the wrong hands

Hi Bag Lady,

I also use my large organizer pouch inside of my Imago as shown in the picture included in this post. The pouch shown in the photo is one of the current generation of large cordura organizer pouches -- I also have the previous generation large organizer pouch, which is slightly smaller by a bit more than the width of the piping, and which is described in an earlier post that can be found by clicking the first link in that post. The current large organizer pouches work more easily with inserted folders and A4 paper, although they are only slightly larger in size. Note that I had to pull the pouch up out of the bag a bit in order to show the zipper and the inserted folder in the photo. I also had to pull out the laptop that was sitting in front of the pouch.


What problems are you having with using the large pouch inside the Imago? I imagine that if I tried to put several thick reams of paper inside of these pouches and hold them inside the Imago, that I'd run into trouble, but not for my general use.

moriond

[ex machina]

Inside, ex machina, as I am carrying sensitive material and don't want to risk it falling into the wrong hands

I use the large clear pouch in my Imago. I find that if I put it in upside/down, that is with the zipper toward the floor, things are neater on top. In fact, I did that today, and had a folder and a notebook in one pouch to keep my bag tidy for study group.

I am now, when feasible, using solely my Imago and Large cafe Bag for school. I have too much stuff to schlep on Mondays to be contained in the Imago (hence the Zephyr is on my radar), but for the other days, I try to make it so that I can just swap out large clear pouches and the text(s) (as needed) for that class.

I am also using a medium clear pouch as my school supply case, and I keep my pencil case (with pencils) in the medium case too. A little trick I developed is to tape up my pencil sharpener, so the shavings can't escape. They had really dirtied my pencil case, but things are much better now.

I had to expand to using the medium pouch because I also keep a stapler, small tape roll, various pens and highlighters, etc. The pencil case was fine until I added the stapler to my tools. Also, I had the previous problem of the leaky pencil sharpener so until I diagnosed what was doing this I segregated all pencil materials to the pencil case and everything else to the medium pouch (which contained the pencil case.)

OH! A major point in using any of the clear pouches: the urethane side must face fabric. I usually have it face the back of the bag and slide it down. If it were facing my text book and I tried to slide it in it would grip the book and be really tough to slide. Slides like ice on fabric, though.

I will post a couple of pics below. BTW, the bag closes just fine. The pouches are roomier than 8 1/2 by 11. So if they get a bit wrappy-round at the ends the contents in my case are fine.

[ex machina]

Hi Bag Lady,

I also use my large organizer pouch inside of my Imago as shown in the picture included in this post. The pouch shown in the photo is one of the current generation of large cordura organizer pouches --

Ah, I have the older ones, so yours will be a tad bigger than mine. I didn't realize that Tom resized the pouch. Great idea though, sounds like it will make it easier getting stuff in and out of it. Not that it is tough now mind you, but the fine tuning sounds great.

[moriond]

Ah, I have the older ones, so yours will be a tad bigger than mine. I didn't realize that Tom resized the pouch. Great idea though, sounds like it will make it easier getting stuff in and out of it. Not that it is tough now mind you, but the fine tuning sounds great.

The thread discussing the redesign of the large organizer pouch is here, and the new large pouches debuted in May 2008, as noted in this post. One of the size considerations was that the pouches be useful with the newer bags (which at that time included the Imago).

It occurs to me that there may be another factor in the large cordura pouch use: I always specify that I want my large pouches to be the finer textured 500 denier Cordura, as noted in this thread titled "Color and Fabric Options for Organizer Pouches". I like the finer texture of the 500 denier Cordura against papers. For those of you who may be confused about this, the 1000 denier Cordura is the texture used on the outside of most Bihn bags in Cordura -- the outside of the Imago in Cordura, the Ruck's Sack. the Synapse, the Brain Bag, the Buzz, the Swift in Cordura, the various Cafe Bags and Ristretto. The 500 denier Cordura is the texture used on the inner lining of the Imago, the Cafe bags, and Ristretto -- for example, the Cayenne in ex machina's excellent Imago pictures:






It's also used on the outside of the Brain Cell. You'll see that the color selections are now limited: generally Steel, Wasabi, Cayenne. I generally give my preferences by saying that I want the pouches to be 500 denier Cordura, and then suggest ordering of color preferences (Wasabi works well). I do find that I can use the new large organizer pouches with my Imago, though. If I go by the previous size posts on the product pages, large now measures 14.5" x 11.2" (370 x 285mm), and used to be advertised as 13.5" x 10.3", with the Imago dimensions quoted as: 14.5" x 12.25" x 3.5" / 370 x 310 x 90mm. Since when contents are placed in the pouch it's shorter (than 14.5") and thicker inserted into the Imago, I find the large pouch to be quite usable.

HTH

moriond

[ex machina]

The thread discussing the redesign of the large organizer pouch is here, and the new large pouches debuted in May 2008, as noted in this post. One of the size considerations was that the pouches be useful with the newer bags (which at that time included the Imago).

I do have the larger pouch. I thought this was a very recent change that was mentioned. I also measured one of my pouches (large, clear, solar dyneema - how cool is that!) and from end to piping end it's 14 1/2 x 11 1/2. As all my large seemed the same size when I had them together (rare times when none are in use) I have to figure they are the larger size (which makes sense to me with the timeline moriond gave) and that the measurements posted on the site may be internal dimensions. Another possibility is that they are an unmentioned variant in the evolution of the large clear pouch. I am very happy with them. I like that they are all different colors and material so that when I want to see what a particular color looks like I just rummage through my pouches. This is a great feature. It's like having a Tom Bihn swatch pack. I don't have every fabric Tom uses, but I have a chunk.

I'm glad you liked my pics moriand, I will be making some more over the Thanksgiving break, including ones of me posing with my bags. I'm a big guy, and I often see (and have asked a few times myself) for pics of people with bags for a better idea of what the size means as just reading the numbers doesn't do it for me. So I will pose with the three bags I have, and the forth (Medium Cafe - Linen(ie Sand) when it gets here.

After researching the Zephyr, I plan to order that, but I see that the color combos I would be interested in have either been discontinued or aren't available until well into the new year. My Imago will be working full time till then.

It's a real pleasure to own such fine bags and accessories. Thanks Tom Bihn and Co. for making a great line of goods. I'm thankful for them. Happy Thanksgiving all, and God bless.

[Bag Lady]

Thank you all for your input as to fit of the Large Organizer Pouch in the Imago. I read with interest the previous thread as to the size discussion, and I am inclined to agree that 10x12 would be a good size for the way I want to use the Large Pouch: for transporting loose pieces of letter size paper, accounts receivables, accounts payables, and payroll.

I'm still puzzled as to the fit... when I put my Large Pouches in the Imago, the sides of the Pouches seem too wide, and need to curl to fit. They do not slide in effortlessly as I imagined they would. It is a very snug fit in the Imago, and like I said, the sides (and thus the zippers) have to curl about 1.25".

Also, I'm not pleased with the way the Pouches sit above the seam of the side of the Imago, so that the snap hook is protruding quite inelegantly above the gentle curve of the seam as it swoops to its lowest point in the front. The Clear Organizer Pouch sits even taller (perhaps due to its being more rigid) than the Cordura Pouch, and the snap hook on it looks rather forlorn, and with no purpose since the Imago doesn't even have an O-ring on that side (the side with the zippered front pocket.) I realize that I could snap the hook off as suggested on the products page, but it seems a shame to disfigure a quality-made product.

Lastly, I didn't know about making a request about the 500 denier vs 1000 denier Cordura, so that was enlightening. Upon inspection, I noticed the finer Cordura in Cayenne (solid) and the Clear is backed with the coarser weave Olive.

In the end, although both are gorgeous, they just don't successfully serve the function I wanted them to, so I will be sending them back.

[Bag Lady]

Hi Bag Lady,

I also use my large organizer pouch inside of my Imago as shown in the picture included in this post. The pouch shown in the photo is one of the current generation of large cordura organizer pouches -- I also have the previous generation large organizer pouch, which is slightly smaller by a bit more than the width of the piping, and which is described in an earlier post that can be found by clicking the first link in that post. The current large organizer pouches work more easily with inserted folders and A4 paper, although they are only slightly larger in size. Note that I had to pull the pouch up out of the bag a bit in order to show the zipper and the inserted folder in the photo. I also had to pull out the laptop that was sitting in front of the pouch.


What problems are you having with using the large pouch inside the Imago? I imagine that if I tried to put several thick reams of paper inside of these pouches and hold them inside the Imago, that I'd run into trouble, but not for my general use.

boojum

Yes, yes, moriond! Your picture shows exactly the effect I was hoping for! You write, "Note that I had to pull the pouch up out of the bag a bit in order to show the zipper and the inserted folder in the photo." So I assume it sits below the side seam of the Imago? And that the snap hook does not protrude above the side seam? However, your picture shows exactly how my Large Pouch sits in the Imago without me pulling the pouch up out of the bag.

Plus, in your photo, the zipper on the Large Pouch seems to go straight across, without any bending or curling to fit into the Imago. It's looks like a good fit width-wise, again the effect I was hoping for!

I wonder if the Imago in Cordura has a slightly larger interior than the Ballistic?

Also curious, I see a TB keystrap hanging out above the zippered pocket... what is it attached to? Do you have an O-ring on that side?

[ex machina]

I'm still puzzled as to the fit... when I put my Large Pouches in the Imago, the sides of the Pouches seem too wide, and need to curl to fit. They do not slide in effortlessly as I imagined they would. It is a very snug fit in the Imago, and like I said, the sides (and thus the zippers) have to curl about 1.25".

Also, I'm not pleased with the way the Pouches sit above the seam of the side of the Imago, so that the snap hook is protruding quite inelegantly above the gentle curve of the seam as it swoops to its lowest point in the front. The Clear Organizer Pouch sits even taller (perhaps due to its being more rigid) than the Cordura Pouch, and the snap hook on it looks rather forlorn, and with no purpose since the Imago doesn't even have an O-ring on that side (the side with the zippered front pocket.) I realize that I could snap the hook off as suggested on the products page, but it seems a shame to disfigure a quality-made product.

I handle the hook by putting the pouch in hook/zipper first. No dangles that way. I also have a bit of curling but the more stuffed the pouch the less there is of it.

Your return had me reflect on my first Tom Bihn purchase, a Medium Cafe Bag in Navy/Cayenne. I was very tight for money at the time, but I needed a bag and was willing to sacrifice for the sake of quality. I was unsure at the time if the Medium would be large enough and thought the Large Cafe Bag too big. Well, after getting the medium sent, I decided after its arrival it was too small. I even called to ask about the return procedure. But in the end, its intrinsic quality so impressed me that I decided to keep it. I would find a use for it. It became my go-to every day carry bag for about a year. It's great. I only in the last couple of weeks switched to using my Large Cafe Bag as my EDC.

You might want to wait a week on that return. Sometimes the design in Tom's products is so powerful we don't see the forest for the trees. I am real happy I kept my Medium Cafe Bag.