Q's about the Synik 22 before purchase

[frogger]

While stuck in quarantine, I'm dreaming of traveling again when this is over and am thinking about buying a Synik 22. Below is what I would use it for. For those of you that have one, please tell me if this would work for what I want.

On trips with shorter flights where I don't need my travel pillow, it would serve a dual purpose of my personal carry on item and my day pack once we arrive. It would need to be able to hold the following.
A small emergency kit I built from a Tom Bihn pouch
A Medium Freudian Slip
An Aer Travel Kit (toiletry kit)
An Aer Cable Kit 2 (cables, chargers, battery, Bose headphones, etc...)
A small REI pouch with any needed meds that didn't fit in the toiletry kit
iPad Pro 10.5"
A 311 bag with my liquids
Any travel documents
Wallet, keys, etc...
A few other odds and ends.
A Hydroflask water bottle

Once we arrive at our destination, I'd pull out the toiletry and electronics kit and the iPad, maybe add in a rain coat if needed and use it as a day pack.

For longer flights, I have a larger 30L backpack I'd use on the flight so I have room for the travel pillow as well, so in those cases, I'd want to be able to lay it as flat as possible in my rolling suitcase and just use it as the day pack once we arrive.

I know Tom Bihn stuff is well made, but this is a lot of money for a bag that will get used on average about 2 weeks per year. Do you guys think this backpack would serve well for those items without being overstuffed?

[carrot]

Your packing list sounds alright to me. One thing to be wary of is if the Aer kits are too deep, they will not fit well in the Synapse 19 or Synik 22, which like mostly flat things inside the main compartment.

The Synik 22 is deceiving. It holds quite a lot despite the 22 liter rating. It is not nearly as humongous or deep as the Synapse 25 or Synik 30. The S25 and S30 are much more forgiving of thick items inside the main compartment and I might suggest you consider the S25 instead as a do-all bag, depending on your comfort with longer torso length backpacks.

I managed onebag travel with the Synapse 19 for two years (about 40 days of travel) before moving into the Synik 22. Here's an example of what they can hold:

https://forums.tombihn.com/packing-l...days-asia.html

https://forums.tombihn.com/packing-l...king-list.html

[frogger]

Your packing list sounds alright to me. One thing to be wary of is if the Aer kits are too deep, they will not fit well in the Synapse 19 or Synik 22, which like mostly flat things inside the main compartment.

The Synik 22 is deceiving. It holds quite a lot despite the 22 liter rating. It is not nearly as humongous or deep as the Synapse 25 or Synik 30. The S25 and S30 are much more forgiving of thick items inside the main compartment and I might suggest you consider the S25 instead as a do-all bag, depending on your comfort with longer torso length backpacks.

I managed onebag travel with the Synapse 19 for two years (about 40 days of travel) before moving into the Synik 22. Here's an example of what they can hold:

https://forums.tombihn.com/packing-l...days-asia.html

https://forums.tombihn.com/packing-l...king-list.html

Any idea how deep the main compartment is? I just measured my Aer pouches and they are each 4 - 4.25" deep. Also, would the bottom front pocket fit a fairly full 311 bag?

[frogger]

Any idea how deep the main compartment is? I just measured my Aer pouches and they are each 4 - 4.25" deep. Also, would the bottom front pocket fit a fairly full 311 bag?

Update, I emailed Tom Bihn and got a very quick reply. The interior of the Synik 22 is about 11" x 15.5" x 5-5.5". They also said most 311 bags should fit in the bottom front pocket. I went ahead and ordered one. Considering, I can test pack everything when it gets here and if I am wrong about how things fit, I can return it and only lose the shipping cost, it seemed worth the risk.

[Yarpy]

As carrot says, the Synik 22 is deceiving. When I got mine in December my GF said “You’re one-bagging it in THAT?” I then proceeded to do a test-pack and it did, indeed, fit all my stuff. Unfortunately, the trip I purchased it for is now cancelled.

[Skirata44]

It really seems like the whole Syn-family is basically bigger on the inside. I haven't been able to travel yet with my Synapse 25, but I've done a few test packs and I was pretty much able to put my entire onebagging setup that I'd use for a week-long trip into it. Which is super impressive, because my old onebag was a Farpoint 40.

[Perseffect]

When I first considered a Synapse 19 I remember viewing videos by Brittany Murphy (e.g. https://youtu.be/s2XbDlfO0Hk)

They helped show exactly how much you could get it. I’ve since bought a Synik 22 and it’s basically the same but just a little deeper in the main compartment which of course increases its volume a good amount.

I like the Synik 22 as a great small travel bag. The Synik 30 just feels too big to be a decent day bag at the destination.


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[Yarpy]

I like the Synik 22 as a great small travel bag. The Synik 30 just feels too big to be a decent day bag at the destination.

Yeah. I got tired of bringing my Air Boss AND a messenger/camera bag. The Synik 22 performs double duty. When I get to my destination, the compression pack, dopp kit, etc. come out. I keep a rain jacket, sweater, and stuff for walking around. I’m not traveling around with the camera gear nearly as much, and that saves a lot of weight.

I did consider the 30, but that seemed too large for my use. The 22 is perfect for me. YMMV.