Synik Preorder?? Sold Out (2nd attempt)

[dgentile]

Update:

I guess it's my place for an apology here.

I had decided to contact the staff at tom bihn to see if anything could be done...
But believe it or not, even before I found the time to write the email - darcy contacted me by email.

We were able to find a good solution - but let me just say this clearly: the customer service tom bihn offers is rather much unbelievable, in a good sense.

frankly this was unexpected, positively so, and highly appreciated.

And lets just say I will - like many here - be a repeat customer.


looking now forward to get my hands on the bag

[KathyH]

Update:

I guess it's my place for an apology here.

I had decided to contact the staff at tom bihn to see if anything could be done...
But believe it or not, even before I found the time to write the email - darcy contacted me by email.

We were able to find a good solution - but let me just say this clearly: the customer service tom bihn offers is rather much unbelievable, in a good sense.

frankly this was unexpected, positively so, and highly appreciated.

And lets just say I will - like many here - be a repeat customer.


looking now forward to get my hands on the bag

@dgentile - Glad to hear it worked out! What did you get?

[dgentile]

@dgentile - Glad to hear it worked out! What did you get?

@KathyH

I decided to go with the Black/Cloud Synik 22.

There was a lot of pondering in regards to size - whether I should go straight for the Synik 30 or the 22..

here's the thing, I already had a Synapse 25 , Frame-Sheet, Cache in the Shopping Cart on Tombihn.com - or almost - almost, because the frame sheet was out of stock,.
Then when it got available again, I noticed the Synik announcement (discovered that through a youtube comment btw...).
The Synik series sort of cancelled my Synampse order - or rather stopped it dead in its tracks.
namely because it offered a few changes/mods that I wish the Synapse would have had.... naturally I wanted it.
Size wise with the Synapse it was a bit of an easier choice for me. My smallest pack I regularely use for EDC and minimal travel is a 20-ish liters pack ... the largest I occasionally use is a 30... and usually I've been going with a 25ltr pack - but always had a bit of room to spare.
So naturally the Synapse 25 seemed like the logical choice here.
Then with the Synik 22/30 came the dillema (and see, you're not alone with "overthinking" it ) of having to choose a bag that is either on the UPPER end of my size-limit: 30ltr... or one that squarely sits just below of my 25ltr "standard".

I pulled the trigger on the 22 though (OK, and if I'm honest, I know that once the Synik 30 is in full production/standard availability, I'll probably buy that too, you know, just because, you can't really have too many backpacks... I guess).

My reasoning was this:
I love minimal travel and with that "onebagging"... for a number of years when I travelled I always take joy in trying to reduce my kit, get it down to even less. and I know I can get away for a multi-month trip with a 20ltr pack ... so I should be fine with a 22... Somehow I have hopes that the Synik 22 will actually hit a sweet spot.
The 30 would be on the large side - I still want it, for the time where I need to carry more stuff especially during coldest season travels (I hate the cold climates though, so mostly avoid it)...
I know the 30 would be large for EDC, it would be slightly larger trying to pass it off as a personal item on a plane (it probably, mostly still would work though).
but the 22 will be a good edc and travel bag I think.

Also the 22 is more exciting to me if I look at it closely - because knowing I'll have to play with my travel kit a bit, trying to optimise it further, to avoid packing the 22 to the gills .
And yes, I find that enjoyable .... so with the 30 I know exactly that I can fit everything I need in it AND the kitchen sink ... the 22, will maybe be a bit more interesting to get the travel configuration just right.
It can also force me to a degree in even further reducing what I carry, overthinking the stuff I've taken so far.

Another aspect was the camera... I love photography, and this has often posed a controversy for me when travelling with a minimal kit... take the DSLR, and well, it takes up massive space (lens, camera, charger, protective case...).... Take the compact camera... well sacrifice the IQ, still carry something.
But as of late - especially with the latest smartphone I have, I sort of found a tool that does what I want it to do... and well, it's compact so these days when I know I'll be doing lots of photography I take my trusty panasonic Lumix LX100 (which has a m4/3 sensor and a decent 24-70 lens) ... or most of the time my smartphone.
both allow me to pack lighter and far less volume.

Same with the computer... I mean these things got smaller and smaller
I've got a 10" MS Surface - which is my main travel computer ... or the 12" for my work stuff... both are tiny and will fit the Synik 22 easily.
At some point I will perhaps switch the 10" Surface for the 11" IPad Pro (not before iPadOS 13 is stable though)
And I have not owned any laptop larger than 13" for years (and zero plans to go 15" again, If I need more screen, I hook up a big screen).
So that was another factor favouring the 22 over the 30, knowing my choice of laptop will easily fit in it.

So long story short:
I think the 22 is just a tad more exciting for me ... so despite initially opting for the 30, my choice was clear by the end

Overthinking, I guess

[KathyH]

@dgentile — For me, I’m thinking the S22 will be my sweet spot for the fall, winter, and spring and the S25 will be held in reserve for travel. I’ve got an S19 too — and guess I’ll see if I keep it. In the summer, I can downsize to the L12 on really light days.