Synik 22 / 30 Questions & Answers

[bogi]

Hey Darcy, thanks for the great answers! Would it be possible to actually buy the bag without an internal frame? I already have a synapse 19 that I already bought an internal frame for, and I heard you can transfer the frame to the synik 22 with no issues - is that true?

I also second this question as a person with the Synapse 25 frame sheet. The review video I've seen said it was optional and the frames were interchangeable. I would just like to be sure that I'm not misunderstanding something. Thanks for the great work over the years!

[Cristina]

Hey Darcy, thanks for the great answers! Would it be possible to actually buy the bag without an internal frame? I already have a synapse 19 that I already bought an internal frame for, and I heard you can transfer the frame to the synik 22 with no issues - is that true?

I also second this question as a person with the Synapse 25 frame sheet. The review video I've seen said it was optional and the frames were interchangeable. I would just like to be sure that I'm not misunderstanding something. Thanks for the great work over the years!

I wouldn’t say they are interchangeable. You can put the S25 frame in the frame compartment of the Synik30, however, the frame compartment is also the luggage pass through and as such it needs to have a wide enough opening to accommodate luggage handles. The S25 frame is very close to the width of a luggage handle and it feels like it might fall out the bottom. Putting the S25 frame in the laptop compartment raises it up since the laptop compartment is suspended, and changes where the frame is along the back of the bag. Also you may not want those metal t-bar ends near your laptop.

I believe the narrow width of the S19/S25 frame is one reason why they’ve made the Synik frame the way it is and possibly why it is included with the bag though I can’t speak to internal TB processes.

[hibell]

I haven't been here for a while. Synik 30 is my dream bag. Currently using my Synapse 25 as an EDC and used as my personal/carryon while traveling ever since I bought it in Nov 2014 (wow, didn't realize it has been almost 5 years now...I checked my old emails when I purchased it). My Black Dyneema/Iberian interior is so well used it kind of has a very worn out look to it.

And now it is time to upgrade! Talk about perfect timing. Well, kind of since it's not yet available. But I want the "Black 400 Halcyon/NW Sky 200 Halcyon" in Synik 30!!!!! I need to set my alarm for August 13th. So what time will it be available? I want to make sure I get one in time for my November trip!!! Crossing fingers.

All the extras are what I've always wanted. Well, I can do without the built-in laptop compartment since I no longer carry a laptop or tablet while traveling. But I can put a book or folder in there. But everything else...woo hoo! I literally squealed at work and had to try to explain why I was giddy about a backpack without sounding/looking weird about it. At least one of my coworker understood since he is a TB fan also (more on messenger style bags).

[Rei]

It’s Here!!!

I received my Synik 22 (S22 for short) earlier today and am pleased with the look of it. These are first impression pics and observations. I’ll give a more in-depth review once I have used it for a few days.

[...]

thanks a lot for the photos!!

I wondered if the Sn22 would please me since the size is appealing, and I think now I won't take it, I am one of these weirdos who prefer round shapes over boxy kind of bags (especially for daily backpacks), plus I am petite it would really look weird on me x,D

now what about the Sn33? decision...

[STX21]

After playing with this Synik 22, I say go for it. It’s very much Synapse-like with some cool upgrades.


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Thanks for the photos, tuskegee7294! Really helps visualize the size to see it being worn. I'll be curious to see how the official measurements come in, to compare it to the Synapse 19!

[nolegrl]

The thing that worries me a bit about this design is that the laptop is sharing the same space as the main compartment. So if your main compartment is full, it's probably a pain to pull your laptop out. I have a somewhat chunky (by today's standards) 15in work issued Dell laptop and know I won't be able to use that side access pocket. I also worry that the laptop will either end up being squished in there by the stuff stacked on top of it or it will protrude too much into the main compartment which cuts down on the packing space.

I'm really liking the design of the two compartment brain bag where each has its own dimension and space so I can put my laptop in one and my other stuff in the other and they don't interfere with each other or fight for space. If TB had a dedicated laptop compartment in a bag, I was hoping it would be similar to that.

Also, I'm still not sure about how well clamshell will work for edc. If you're not traveling, you probably don't use packing cubes. Instead, you probably have notebooks, papers, headphones and small stuff that you throw into your main compartment. It doesn't seem that this packing style lends well to clamshell.

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[ontheuptick]

Darcy,

If I place a pre-order for the bag in the same order as a bunch of other stuff, how will shipping work? I assume you would ship the in stock stuff right away, and the Synik when ready? And if that's the case, would I be charged both times for shipping?

In a world of free shipping elsewhere I get bugged by the $10 shipping fee, so I would wait a week to order all this other stuff if it saves me $10.

[Rei]

The thing that worries me a bit about this design is that the laptop is sharing the same space as the main compartment. So if your main compartment is full, it's probably a pain to pull your laptop out. I have a somewhat chunky (by today's standards) 15in work issued Dell laptop and know I won't be able to use that side access pocket. I also worry that the laptop will either end up being squished in there by the stuff stacked on top of it or it will protrude too much into the main compartment which cuts down on the packing space.

I'm really liking the design of the two compartment brain bag where each has its own dimension and space so I can put my laptop in one and my other stuff in the other and they don't interfere with each other or fight for space. If TB had a dedicated laptop compartment in a bag, I was hoping it would be similar to that.

Also, I'm still not sure about how well clamshell will work for edc. If you're not traveling, you probably don't use packing cubes. Instead, you probably have notebooks, papers, headphones and small stuff that you throw into your main compartment. It doesn't seem that this packing style lends well to clamshell.

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I agree,
I think the clamshell combo + dedicated laptop is more interesting for a digital nomad than for a regular worker

I am more in onebag travel/hiking so I also don't really need them (but it is still appealing though )

[Rei]

Darcy,

If I place a pre-order for the bag in the same order as a bunch of other stuff, how will shipping work? I assume you would ship the in stock stuff right away, and the Synik when ready? And if that's the case, would I be charged both times for shipping?

In a world of free shipping elsewhere I get bugged by the $10 shipping fee, so I would wait a week to order all this other stuff if it saves me $10.

I did order several stuff for Guide Edition Synapse as Pre-order, everything (even stuff added after the pre-order validation -but before shipping notification obviously-) has been sent at the same time in the pre-order shipping (and I do live far, so yes it is very important for me). So you need to wait, but dont have to pay twice the shipping

[ButtUglyJeff]

I was a bit of a cynic about the Synik, when I first heard about it... "A clam shell Synapse"... I get that feature is super appreciated by many many people.

But... I suffer from a little talked about disease; LZS (or Lazy Zippering Syndrone for the uneducated). As a sufferer of LZS, I often don't zipper bags all the way shut. Then out of forgetfulness put the backpack on and walk away, or pick it up to move it. In the past any clam shell I used, zippers would shift under the load and things tend to fall out. (to be fair, these bags were of inferior quality and didn't have the beefy YKK zippers that Tom Bihn consistently uses). But the Synapse (and now my new Luminary 15), can overcome this laziness/forgetfulness I seem to have.

I'm concerned about the Synik. And I want to ask the early testing team (damn you Countron, my nemesis) to test out how well a loaded out Synik, half zipped, holds up under movement. Thanks everyone for your attention...

[bchaplin]

This was a hilarious post!
Yes, I see people walking around all the time with half-opened backpacks, and sometimes I can't even stop myself from intervening when I see that a wallet or phone is obviously about to fall out.

I am one of the testers, because Countron inexplicably favored me. I will try to see if I can find a way to answer your question, with photos. I will say, after a day of use, that the clamshell design doesn't really make me feel insecure about my stuff. The zippers are VERY solid, and it seems unlikely that in day-to-day use, I would unzip either side far enough to cause a potential problem. I guess it could happen if you unzipped it completely to pack for a trip or something, but then you'd probably lay it flat, and it seems like an unlikely scenario that someone would not close it before picking it back up.

Anyway, this is a good question to answer, and one that seems to be a concern for a few people.

Beth

I was a bit of a cynic about the Synik, when I first heard about it... "A clam shell Synapse"... I get that feature is super appreciated by many many people.

But... I suffer from a little talked about disease; LZS (or Lazy Zippering Syndrone for the uneducated). As a sufferer of LZS, I often don't zipper bags all the way shut. Then out of forgetfulness put the backpack on and walk away, or pick it up to move it. In the past any clam shell I used, zippers would shift under the load and things tend to fall out. (to be fair, these bags were of inferior quality and didn't have the beefy YKK zippers that Tom Bihn consistently uses). But the Synapse (and now my new Luminary 15), can overcome this laziness/forgetfulness I seem to have.

I'm concerned about the Synik. And I want to ask the early testing team (damn you Countron, my nemesis) to test out how well a loaded out Synik, half zipped, holds up under movement. Thanks everyone for your attention...

[tuskegee7294]

thanks a lot for the photos!!

I wondered if the Sn22 would please me since the size is appealing, and I think now I won't take it, I am one of these weirdos who prefer round shapes over boxy kind of bags (especially for daily backpacks), plus I am petite it would really look weird on me x,D

now what about the Sn33? decision...

It’s not too boxy once you start playing with it. At first it did seem to look a little weird but once I started packing it with stuff it started to look like the Synapse only a little wider.



The frame sheet helps it stand on its own (love that feature).




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[tuskegee7294]

I was a bit of a cynic about the Synik, when I first heard about it... "A clam shell Synapse"... I get that feature is super appreciated by many many people.

But... I suffer from a little talked about disease; LZS (or Lazy Zippering Syndrone for the uneducated). As a sufferer of LZS, I often don't zipper bags all the way shut. Then out of forgetfulness put the backpack on and walk away, or pick it up to move it. In the past any clam shell I used, zippers would shift under the load and things tend to fall out. (to be fair, these bags were of inferior quality and didn't have the beefy YKK zippers that Tom Bihn consistently uses). But the Synapse (and now my new Luminary 15), can overcome this laziness/forgetfulness I seem to have.

I'm concerned about the Synik. And I want to ask the early testing team (damn you Countron, my nemesis) to test out how well a loaded out Synik, half zipped, holds up under movement. Thanks everyone for your attention...

Maybe over time the zippers might loosen up but as of right now these puppies don’t move unless you move them. I’ll load mine later today and walk around to do a complete test of this theory but I had it opened a little bit while using it and the zippers stayed in the same spot.


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[STX21]

It’s not too boxy once you start playing with it. At first it did seem to look a little weird but once I started packing it with stuff it started to look like the Synapse only a little wider.

The frame sheet helps it stand on its own (love that feature).


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This is how I felt about the Synapse as well - it was 'boxy' at first, but once you put some stuff in there to help build it's shape, it narrowed out a little bit; glad to hear the same magic is worked here!

[Rei]

It’s not too boxy once you start playing with it. At first it did seem to look a little weird but once I started packing it with stuff it started to look like the Synapse only a little wider.

[...]

Yes, thanks,
I did watch some reviews videos (shared on TB twitter) which show that,
for daily backpack (22L) I think it will still a little too boxy for my liking though