My new Tom Bihn gear

[i_clavdivs]

I received my first order from Tom Bihn last night, so have spent a bit of time getting to know my new luggage. I just did a practise pack (cos that's how I roll) for a short trip to SF at Xmas, and once 90% of the items were packed away, I hoisted the load easily onto my back and then shoulder without any issue. I'm going to take it out for a walk around the neighbourhood at the weekend just to see how comfortable it is, but I can't imagine any problems.

Here's my list:
Day bag

Clothing
Buff
Glasses cleaning cloth
Hoodies (wear 1, carry 1)
Jacket (wear)
Jocks & Socks
Trousers (wear 1, carry 1)
4 T-shirts
Walking shoes (wear)
Cap/hat

Toiletries
Cotton buds
Deodorant
Lip Balm
Medicine Anadin
Toothbrush & Toothpaste
Listerine Strips
EDT

Gadgets
Headtorch
Monocular
Sunglasses
Book/Magazine/Kindle
Driving Licence
Ear plugs and eyemask
Headphones
iPhone
Money
Passport
Personal Laptop & Mouse
Camera
Chargers (Camera, iPhone, Laptop, Kindle)
International adapter

Printouts
Car reservations
Flight reservations
Hotel reservations
Itinerary & directions
Route maps
Travel Insurance

Photos to come...

[i_clavdivs]

Pictures


1. The unboxening: What, no hand drawn picture?!


2. Ooh, that's a lot of Dyneema!


3. The complete collection. Clockwise from bottom: Aeronaut in Forest/Steel; size 1 Cache; 2 Clear Organizer Pouches in Iberian and possible Olive; 1 Travel Tray in Iberian; 1 Clear Quarter Packing Cube in Iberian; 1 Travel Stuff Sack Large in Iberian (I like red!); 1 Travel Stuff Sack Medium in Ultraviolet; 2 Small Packing Cubes.

Not pictured: the 4 key straps of various hues and you can just about make the Absolute strap attached to the Aeronaut.

[i_clavdivs]

4. Most of my packing list for a week in SF.


5. Left end pocket: Eagle Creek packing cube with underwear and socks. Nobody wants to see that. Also, clear ziplock bag with small liquid toiletries. I've used a ziplock for years, but I'll see how I feel about it after this trip, may need to get something more structured.


6. Small stuff sack with various cables and gadgets. You can see the battery charger for my camera, my moncular, my adapter, my head torch, a pen and a plug. There's other stuff underneath it. Also, this sack will hold my money (in bank bags) and anything else I need to get in at the last moment.


7. Right end pocket: Small stuff sack, a couple of key straps just in case and my Day Pack all rolled up (this rolls up into itself quite neatly, but I'm using it later so didn't bother). There's a load more room in here still.


8. Small packing cube holding 4 rolled shirts and a buff. Again, could fit a lot more in here before it started to become a problem.

[i_clavdivs]

9. Main compartment: on left, small packing cube as above; on right, hiking trousers and a hoody, both rolled. So. Much. Space.


10. Cache on top of contents of previous photo in main compartment


11. Organizer Pouches on top of Cache. One holds my passport and will also contain any e-tickets, reservations etc I have. The other at the moment holds my 'plane pack', so basically my Kindle, eye mask and head phones. Ear plugs, toothbrush, iPhone will also go in here on the actual trip. Both are connected to the O-ring in the main compartment. I'll probably swap these and the Cache on the trip as the Cache will need to come out at security.


12. All zipped up and ready to go.

Not pictured: things I've not found a use for yet; the travel tray, the clear quarter org cube, the large travel sack. Also have a second small packing cube, but not needed on this trip.

[i_clavdivs]

Hope you enjoy the photos. I do have some questions that occurred to me as I packed:

1. What do people usually do with the strap when carrying the Aeronaut on their back? It just sort of hangs there? I'm guessing you unbuckle it and stuff it in the back pocket, but I'm open to other ideas.

2. What sorts of things are people putting in the outer pockets of an Aeronaut, in particular the one without the zipper? It's deep but quite narrow and anything in it is going to get knocked around by whatever is in the end pockets. Niether pocket is particuarly easy to get to with the Aeronaut on your back.

3. Also, what are people finding the top mesh flap useful for? I was thinking of putting the Org pouches in there, they fit ok, but getting them out involves folding.

4. I got a bag of zipper pulls with my order but the video on YT on how to construct is a little dark, is it just a case of pushing the cord into the inner bit from the side until it sticks?

Once I've lived out of these bags for a week, I'll come back and give my reviews but so far I'm not regretting the rather large investment, and already have a few things on my next order list.

[Beau]

4. I got a bag of zipper pulls with my order but the video on YT on how to construct is a little dark, is it just a case of pushing the cord into the inner bit from the side until it sticks?

That's right! With one end of the cord shoved into the side, weave the free end through that hollow plastic piece. Then, push the cord through the hole of the metal zipper, slip it back through the hollow plastic piece, and shove that free end into the other side of the clamp.

[terayon]

Hope you enjoy the photos. I do have some questions that occurred to me as I packed:

1. What do people usually do with the strap when carrying the Aeronaut on their back? It just sort of hangs there? I'm guessing you unbuckle it and stuff it in the back pocket, but I'm open to other ideas.

I don't use the shoulder strap much - I mostly carry it on my back or by the handle - but I have just tossed the strap in the main compartment when I did bring it along.

2. What sorts of things are people putting in the outer pockets of an Aeronaut, in particular the one without the zipper? It's deep but quite narrow and anything in it is going to get knocked around by whatever is in the end pockets. Niether pocket is particuarly easy to get to with the Aeronaut on your back.

I have put a folded magazine in those pockets. I could also see using them for travel documents, though I generally keep the important stuff like my passport on me.

3. Also, what are people finding the top mesh flap useful for? I was thinking of putting the Org pouches in there, they fit ok, but getting them out involves folding.

I put non-311 toiletries and/or my iPad cord and tech stuff in there.

4. I got a bag of zipper pulls with my order but the video on YT on how to construct is a little dark, is it just a case of pushing the cord into the inner bit from the side until it sticks?

Can't help you here as I've never put those on myself.