A 22L Synapse please...

[knifed]

I've owned the Synapse 25 and the 19. Being a shorter guy, I stuck with the 19 and sold the 25 since it was a bit too large.

But something right in between would be perfect. The smaller synapse is great for a laptop and some small items, but I can't easily carry any gym gear in that bag. I can squeeze it in, but since the Synapse 19 doesn't have a back frame it's super uncomfortable.

So please, give us a middle child Synapse and I'll be first in line

P.S. - If you make it in black cuben fiber I will sacrifice my first born in your honor. NOBODY is making cuben fiber bags with plenty of pockets. I guarantee they will sell like hotcakes.

[PaulT00]

What's the significance of cuben fiber, particularly? From what I can tell, it seems like a kind of reinforced version of Tyvek. Is there a specific advantage to it?

[maverick]

It's like in Goldilocks, looking for the bed that was just right...

I would love to see a mid-sized Synapse! I'm not familiar with cuben fiber, but 1000d Cordura, 420d Parapack, 400d Dyneema -- it would be just wonderful in any of those fabrics. Whichever Tom is in the mood to use to make the Synapse 22, I am sure it will be marvelous!

[knifed]

What's the significance of cuben fiber, particularly? From what I can tell, it seems like a kind of reinforced version of Tyvek. Is there a specific advantage to it?

It's basically a super textile. Lets define what I'm talking about here as the ultra high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE), made by Dyneema. It's sometimes called CTF3 or Cuben fiber. It's different than the Dyneema Tom Bihn uses which I believe is called Dyneema X.

Here's what it looks like:


The fabric is completely waterproof, super light weight and strong. Stronger and lighter than Tom Bihn's Dyneema. The black version of it also patina's nicely, gaining deeper blacks in the creases it gradually forms.

But it's actually its lack of deformation and stretch that is remarkable. Most bags are made of woven fabrics that subtly deform and stretch out. However, UHMWPE has almost zero stretch or give in any direction. This is important because the contents of your bag are constantly shifting around slightly as you move. When a bag fabric has stretch or give these internal movements cause the bag to deform with their momentum. This (very very) slowly stretches and wears the material, but also gives the bag a less stable feel when wearing it.

Finally, I was never a huge fan of the hatching Tom's Dyneema has. Using UHMWPE lets you have a single, flat color.

It has virtually no cons in this application, but if I have to name a few I'd list:

• The material is expensive
• Initially, the material has that "crinkly" feel/sound to it that Tyvek does. Some people don't like this, but it surely goes away after the bag is broken in for a few weeks and softens up.

[knifed]

Some examples of cuben fiber in use:

https://www.hyperlitemountaingear.co...mmit-pack.html
http://www.zpacks.com/backpacks/zero.shtml
ZB2 - Auxier - ZimmerBuilt

[garrily]

I do like the Cuben fiber for ultralight applications like backpacking. Not sure I'd go for it in a Synapse, though. One of the reasons I have both a Parapack S19 and a Dyneema S19 is for the slightly extra stuffing capacity of the Dyneema version due to the stretch. Also, I think the very small weight difference between the Cordura and Dyneema Synapse is because of the backpad, which is significant when considering whether the Cuben would matter all that much. I'd be interested in a Cuben Aeronaut 30 for the lighter weight, because it would make a bigger difference for that bag compared to the Synapse.

[jawnsayrau]

I echo the call for the 22 litre Synapse. I am a cuben ignoramus. I would love it in Dyneema 400.

[maverick]

Is it just me, or does the cuben fiber look like seaweed?

[NWhikergal]

I have a Zpacks tent I love, but I have found the cuben fiber to be somewhat sheer. I don't know that I would prefer my backpack to be somewhat see through, if the material functioned the same.


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[Lime]

A 22L synapse would be just right. When used my synapse 19 while taking a course, I struggled to fit in a one inch binder and a lunch box (ziploc Tupperware). An extra inch or two would have made a huge difference.

In parapack would be perfect!

[Sasquatch]

Another vote for a Synapse in 22L. And since we're taking requests here, how about in MultiCam Black?

[Johnykwst]

I would love to see a 22L Synapse also, as the S25 is a bit big and the S19 too small. Don't know about the cuben fiber though..

[nukediver]

Count me in on a 22L Synapse - I've been switching back and forth between my S19 and S25 almost weekly!

[bchaplin]

l also like the idea. Something similar has been mentioned in the context of the Smart Alec, and that would be even better. A bag sized for EDC use, but slightly more generous than the S19.

The cuben fiber is interesting but I would probably not buy it.

[DeBru]

+1 for a Smart Alec Jr.!