TOM BIHN

I’ve adjusted this review upward to a 3 based upon their customer service. I did email them regarding their return policy and was granted a full refund. I still think they make purchasing just too difficult with the location, minimal store hours, and return policy. And, I was not happy with the functioning of the zipper. I may give them another shot but only if I can find the time to get down to their store. Based on their return policy I wouldn’t suggest purchasing online unless you know exactly what you want.
This company is a total rip off. They ship a product, I wasn’t too happy with the functioning of the zippers, and then charge you to return it. I was going to purchase a larger bag but can’t take the chance of losing money again (lost $ 21 on the first order) if it too turns out not to be the right bag. They are primarily an online business so to charge their customers for returns is just plain bad customer service. Buy from Amazon instead, the quality of the Tom Bihn bags isn’t worth the hassle or expense.

What a great company. I have one of there older bags (probably 3 years old now), and I was having trouble with the original strap that came with it — it was becoming loose almost as soon as I tightened it. So, I emailed their customer service department and received an email back almost immediately. Not only did they offer to send me a new strap free of charge, but Tom who is the owner, was the one who handled my issue over email. After switching my new strap in, my bag works great now, and still looks new after being around 3 years old.
By the way, this issue of loose straps has been fixed with their newer bags, so no worries there if you’re thinking about purchasing a messenger bag (or any bag) from them.
They have affordable and durable bags (fashionable as well) and quick and friendly customer service. Awesome company.
Oh, and it’s always nice to have products hand made in the U.S.

Tom Bihn makes quality in an unsuspecting design.
When you look at a Tom Bihn bag it looks just like any other bag you’d see around a city. You don’t know (unless you know gear) that the bag is incredibly well made and costs a fair chunk of change, which is great. What I’m trying to say is that it’s not a target for theft like say a typical high-​end backpack is.
In addition their sew shop is located right next to (and is connected to) their show room so you can actually see bags being made while you look at the products. There’s something special about actually seeing your made in the USA bag ACTUALLY being made in the USA.
If you are a Tom Bihn fan (or a fan of gear and sewing) then I’d highly recommend making the journey down to the Tom Bihn location. Just know that they’re only open during the week and 10 am — 3 pm.

What can I say? I’m a huge Tom Bihn fan. I discovered the Synapse backpack in November 2014, and I haven’t looked back. The layout of the bag, and the ability to easily store (and quickly find) items is really what sets these bags apart from other’s I’ve owned. The Synapse is also super durable and waterproof. I have been caught in multiple downpours in NYC streets with my Synapse 19 and 25 (25 is Dyneema and 19 is Cordura) both bags kept the inside contents dry and really wicked the water away. I will say that the Cordura bag dries faster than the Dyneema fabric.

Even though I’m a local, I bought my ID bag online and have still never been to the retail store. I bought the bag to replace a Filson medium field bag, which I carried for six years. I commute on the bus, and the bag is with me every day. The Filson wore all the way through the heavy canvas from rubbing against my hip, so I decided to give Bihn a try. It’s held up perfectly, and shows no signs of wear after several years. A nice product, well made in the U.S.A.

If you’re fortunate enough to live in the Seattle area, Tom Bihn is a local merchant. But even if you don’t it’s a first class outfit worth patronizing. Locally designed AND manufactured, it’s nice to know that their great bags aren’t being produced in sweatshop conditions.
I own several of their bags. The luggage (Aeronaut) has seen tens of thousands of air miles. The TSA friendly laptop briefcase (sadly discontinued Checkpoint Flyer), likewise. And the backpack (Smart Alec), as well. Packing cubes, laptop sleeves, etc. etc. I could put any product I own back in their Seattle store and they would be indistinguishable from brand new items.
Others have commented on TB backing their products when they need repair. I can’t confirm that because over the years virtually nothing has ever gone wrong with anything I’ve purchased from Tom BIhn.
Tough as nails, stylish, unbelievably durable, and produced by folks earning a living wage. What more could one ask?

They make quality and they stand behind it.
I bought my briefcase from them about 8 or 9 years ago. It’s travelled widely, often loaded with books and notes and laptop. Until last month, nothing had broken. Then, the main zipper gave out. I contacted them, expecting to have to pay for repairs. They fixed it for free, even paid the postage both ways! And they fixed it fast.
Yes, their stuff costs a bit more. They make it right here in Seattle which means that their workers make decent wages. And, at any rate, it lasts and they fix it when it doesn’t! Of how many companies can you say this?

My review is all about the service you get when you walk thru the door.
First off, the bags are great, well made, well designed and you will forever be ‘happy’.
The personal service from th sales staff is wonderful. Matt, knew all the answers, made eye contact, smiled, laughed and made me feel welcome. The range of bags is confusing for a beginner. I was able to bring in my old crappy laptop bag that i was replacing with a TB bag. I played, filled, adjusted and asked a ton of questions before i bought my Pilot bag.
The owner walked thru the showroom as i was testing my bag. He looked right at me and smiled with pride. I am sure this is what makes this company and its staff, better than anybody else. Seeing the workroom and the sewers busy, made me proud to support the local made bag.
The young fella who rang up my order was well trained, excited about his products and could not help me enough. That is not something you see everyday.
I am glad i came down from Canada to check out the bags personally.

Replaced my old failing backpack with a Tom Bihn. Feels great to visit their store and see everyone in action… sewing, sorting and selling.
Pricier, but your supporting the local economy. Also if a part fails you can bring it in for cheap repair (so I’m told).

I love my Ristretto. I use it everyday and I can’t live without it at this point.

I have been a huge Tom Bihn fan since the now-​defunct Academichic blog introduced me to the Aeronaut and the idea of packing cubes. I love my Aeronaut, and used it extensively for two three-​week trips in Europe, as well as a two-​week trip in the US, in the middle of living in a dorm in France. I’ve used the packing cubes and travel trays to organize my stuff on a day-​to-​day basis. (When you pack up and move from the US to France for five months, you use what you can get!)
Today I visited the Tom Bihn showroom in South Seattle. The guy in the showroom was friendly and knowledgeable. And seeing some of the bags in person was invaluable to solidifying my list of bags that I want. For instance: I never, ever would have thought the Co-​Pilot was so tiny! It’s smaller than a textbook! Plus, the peek into the factory itself, with everyone sewing away, was fun and enlightening. Visiting the showroom, you are also much more likely to be able to purchase bags that are out of stock online or color selections that are either out of stock or not yet available online. Well worth the trip.

I bought my Big Brain (now Brain Bag) backpack from Tom Bihn in 1999.
I still use it everyday for work and when I travel — either for work or play. I use it as one of my carry-​on bags. I stuff it with work documents, travel pillow, waist bag (purse), large lunch, thermos, and other items, such as giant bottles of water, extra clothes and shoes.
My Big Brain still looks fabulous. There is just one little spot on the upper back side that shows a tiny bit of wear. And I do mean tiny. It washes beautifully, and it looks BRAND NEW when it’s clean. Best zippers ever.
I’ve purchased a couple of Brain Cells that fit inside the backpack over the years too. My laptops have been very well-​protected to say the least.
My daughter is starting a digital-​media program and will be transporting a very expensive laptop back and forth every day. I’m about to place an order for a Brain Bag, Brain Cell and a few more accessories. My daughter freaked at the prices (as if she’s paying for them), but I assured her that she will have her Brain Bag forever.
Pricey, yes, as an up-​front cost. But in the long run, you will save $$$$ because you may never need another bag (unless you get bored). The quality of Tom Bihn products cannot be overemphasized.

When I travel, I travel light. In fact, I only travel with carryons. My friends think I’m nuts, but it’s very doable with just a little extra planning, and with the help of some good travel gear.
In my opinion, there is no other travel gear manufacturer that makes better travel bags than Tom Bihn. His stuff NEVER comes apart. EVER. All of the stitching on the seams on his bags are reinforced and COVERED so you never wind up with fraying fabric that catches on the zippers. The zippers are hefty, heavy-​duty and will not ever come apart – if you’ve ever traveled with luggage where the zippers break, you are screwed! The fabric never even wears out. You can leave them on the floor or the ground outside and not worry about wearing a hole in them.
But it’s not just the workmanship. Tom personally designs all of the products, and they keep honing and improving on models they’ve released, be it a new pocket here or a new buckle there. And the designs? They’re wonderful. Everything is practical, and very cleverly thought out to make things easy to use.
Finally, there’s their famous customer service. If you EVER encounter issues, you just contact them and they will work with you. Plus, they have a very active discussion board online at their website where you can chat with fellow like-​minded travelers. They constantly keep up with the evolving social media landscape as well; they have both a Facebook and Twitter presence to which their staff are always participating in.
Once you get your first Tom Bihn bag, you will be hooked. If you get a primary carryon bag, you will likely want to get various stuff sacks and organizers to put in your carryon. Then you’ll join the discussion boards, and start sharing your thoughts about your new purchases. And before you know it, you’ll become a completely loyal Tom Bihn customer!
The ONLY down side is that the larger bags aren’t cheap. BUT you get a lot for what you pay – and keep in mind that their factory is located in Seattle, Washington – they actually manufacture right here in the U.S.
… and considering you’ll never need to buy a new bag after this, in the long run, TB is a fantastic value. Don’t let the price tag fool you into thinking it’s better to buy an el-​cheapo bag at your local box store. Nosiree.
Trust in Tom. Buy Tom Bihn. You’ll never regret it.

Tired of dealing with the hassle of checking in luggage for short
trips, I searched for the perfect carry-​on bag and came across the Tom
Bihn Aeronaut. My criteria was simple:
— Spacious enough for a week’s worth of stuff, if need be? Check.
— Easy to lug around and stow? Check.
— High quality materials and craftsmanship that will last forever? Check.
— Stylish, yet functional? Check.
— Affordable? Ch — well, 4 out of 5 ain’t bad.
Yes, it’s pricey, but considering the overall quality of the bag and
the years of use you’ll get out of it, it’s perfectly reasonable.
Also, with the average $ 25 fee per checked bag that airlines are
charging, you’ll be saving some money in the long run. I plan on doing
a lot of traveling, so the investment for me was worth it. The only
gripe I have about it is it’s a little large for my small frame. With
the comfortable straps, handles, and an option to sport it as a
backpack, this minor issue can be worked around.
Tom Bihn has a whole line of backpacks, messenger bags, laptop bags,
and other travel bag options. Check out the little SODO showroom if
you want to inspect these items closer.
While you’re browsing, here’s a tip: with the new bag ban, you should
pick up a couple shop bags as well. These babies are very comfortable
and the padded handles eliminate that slicing feeling on your
shoulders or palms if your bag is heavy (and these bags can fit a lot
of stuff!). And they don’t have an obnoxious pattern like most other
reusable totes.

Living in town has led me to a lot more walking, cycling and busing. Between carrying my gear and travel, I’ve tried a lot of bags.
I was delighted to find Tom Bihn’s place right here in between my home and work. I picked up the Western Flyer for an upcoming trip to Paris; I’m into packing lighter than light and will be packing for a week with this and the Zephyr that I picked up when I returned to Tom Bihn’s to get a shoulder strap.
I’ve been a big fan of Chrome in the past, but as I looked at briefs/​shoulder bags, I saw their Anton bag, while $ 40 less than the Zephyr that I ended up getting, is made in China and is getting poor reviews.
I’ve unloaded a Chrome and a Tumi bag on CL, and when I’m not on my bicycle, I’m carrying the Zephyr.
Their bags are very well designed and thought out, and you absolutely can’t beat the quality. They’re like the MIB suit. The last bag you’ll ever own.

When I went back to school, I knew I needed a better backpack. I now had to carry 30+ pounds or more regularly. I love my messenger bags, but unless I’m biking, it’s painful to carry a lot of weight on one shoulder. I also wanted something that could help protect my laptop against the constant Seattle rain.
These bags are designed like hiking backpacks so that you can adjust a variety of things about the fit. I’m very shortwaisted and most backpacks hang halfway down my rear, bumping it as I walk. Not a bad hiphop look, but it quickly starts to hurt my back.
The laptop compartment suspends the laptop in the air so that if you set the backpack down on a wet surface, the laptop doesn’t get wet.
It still looks as nice as it did the day I bought it. I got a variety of organizational pouches which have been very helpful for me (a total slob).
There is a reason why every review of Tom Bihn is 5 stars. The bags aren’t cheap, but they last forever, are very well-​designed down to minute details, are made locally here in Seattle rather than in overseas factories, and are generally just all kinds of awesome.
Tom Bihn for life, yo.

Damn I love their stuff. Too bad it is expensive, but it is made right here in Seattle — you can see it being stitched. Always good designs with fantastic practicality. Opening hours are non-​standard so you need to check the website.

The design of the bags is fantastic, you end up struck repeatedly by the degree of intelligence that goes into all of the little details. On top of that, quality and durability is amazing. I’ve been abusing my Ristretto for a year and a half, in cold Toronto winters (and hot Toronto summers!), and it still looks new. Not a loose stitch, not a flawed piece of fabric, not a single shortcut taken. The Aeronaut is the perfect max-​size carryon, just great for 3 – 6 days of clothes and gear.
It’s a testament to the quality and utility of the bags that everyone I know who has them absolutely loves them, and craves further bags.

I always look for items that will last as long as possible. The bags at Tom Bihn are made of ballistic nylon. These things are made to be rip-​proof, tear-​proof, and nigh-​indestructible. I got the «Super Ego» laptop bag. This thing is perfect for my needs. It’s a huge bag and holds all my geek gear. It’s the best made bag I’ve ever seen, and I know I won’t have to buy another bag for an eon. The bags are on the spendy side, but compare that to a cheap bag that you have to replace all the time. This is where I’ll buy any bags in the future for the shear attention to detail and quality of product.
Update 6÷3÷12:
My ‘Super Ego’ laptop bag I’ve had for a couple years now, and it’s still in perfect condition. No frays, no tears, no damage to the bag at all. It’s survived many trips, being thrown around the car every day to and from the office, and even being abused by small children and animals. This thing is more than worth what I paid, and I’m still super impressed with it. Thanks so much!

I’ve owned a Tom Bihn bag for some 7 – 8 years now. I first bought of their Messenger bags to tote my iBook G4 and stuff to school back when I taught class part time at George Mason University. I ordered it with the Brain Cell made for the physical dimensions of the iBook G4 — the Brain Cell is a padded protective sleeve that the computer slides into — and then into the bag.
When I sold the iBook G4 and was issued a PowerBook G4 and then a first generation MacBook Pro for work — I ordered the appropriate Brain Cell for those notebooks (same Brain Cell fit both notebooks).
And all of these Brain Cells work with the same Tom Bihn bags.
They’ve also repaired my bag once when part of it needed to be restitched — and they sent me new plastic buckle snaps when both of them eventually broke — all for free!
Then — with the new 15″ MacBook Pro (Early 2009) I just got for work — I needed a new Brain Cell as the dimensions are slightly different than the previous generation. I just received it today — looks great, sturdy, fits in the existing bag — no complaints!
I am now starting to eye, however, their new TSA-​approved compliant laptop bags — which allow you to keep the computer secured in the bag without removing it and risking them dropping and damaging your computer. I’m salivating over the «Checkpoint Flyer» model!