Clamshell bags failing and opening up?

[tofulosophy]

Hi everyone, I would greatly appreciate some feedback with your experience with the Synik/clamshell bags. I have yet to purchase my first TB bag. I love everything about the Synik except the fact that it's a clamshell bag. I've always hesitated to buy a clamshell bag because of the potential flaw inherent in its design; it introducing a point of failure. I fear that with time and wear, one day a load heavy enough will tear the zipper 'teeth' apart from each other and send the contents of the bag spilling onto the ground. That being said, the synapse is not that attractive to me due to the lack of a built in laptop sleeve and the necessity of the additional frame sheet thingy. I can't make up my mind. There's a part of me that wants to wait for another design update but since the Syniks were recently released, I feel that's a ways away.

So, what are your thoughts/experience with clamshell bags? Ever had one fail on you? How are your Syniks holding up? I couldn't find anything on the website about any testing that may have been done in this regard. Thanks in advance!

[bartleby]

Hi @tofulosophy ,

I use my Synik 30 for almost a year now (received it end of July 2019) and I never had any issues regarding the zippers. I use the bag for EDC and travelling. Even if it is full to the brim and quite heavy which happens every now and then when I go shopping on my way home or when I carry my gym stuff in addition to my EDC the zippers stay put. The bag is equipped with YKK Aquaguard zippers that due to their extra coating move less easy than normal zippers. Furthermore, the teeth of the main zippers are quite big which is another reason why they don‘t move by themselves. Taken together I am very confident that no matter how I pack and load the bag the zippers will not open unintendedly.

[G42]

You can read more about the YKK zippers that TB uses in the Material Glossary here
https://www.tombihn.com/pages/materials#zippers

And some fun random info from YKK about testing here
https://ykknorthamerica.com/ykk-test...nsure-quality/

[lang]

I got one of the first Syniks and I've been using it daily since I got it. It's not an issue. If anything people are more likely to complain about the zippers being too stiff and burly than too easy to open. If you do get a Synik, I would recommend getting the zipper pulls as well, as you need to give the zippers a solid tug to open them. They don't open "on their own".

[tofulosophy]

@G42 thanks for the links! I've looked through the materials sections a bunch of times but must have skipped over the zipper section. Appreciate it.

And that ykk link was super informative!

[tofulosophy]

@bartleby , @lang thanks for your input! It puts my mind at ease a bit more. Once the stock is replenished, I think i'll be ready to order. And if they every do another Guide's Edition, even better.