Tom Bihn's Empire Builder and Synapse Reviewed
I've been in the market for a larger, briefcase-style bag for work for quite a while. I wanted to get away from taking a backpack (a messenger bag or a briefcase seemed more suited to work) as a backpack lacked a lot of the organization that I need for the papers and teaching materials I carry with me to and from work. I used a Timbuk2 messenger bag for a little over 6 months, and it was okay, but it was a bit small and the build quality felt cheap in a few places. Now that I'm a Tom Bihn convert, I thought it's time that I upgrade to a better class of briefcase.
It's hard to gauge just how big a bag is from looking at an image of it on the Internet. When I first opened up the shipping box with my Empire Builder in it, I was shocked at how large it was. It's a beast of a bag. (It holds 22.5 cubic liters.) And if I have one thing to complain about with the Empire Builder, it's that it's huge. At the same time though, that's its reason for being. It's huge because it can carry a ton of stuff. And that's what I wanted. I was constantly running out of space in my Timbuk2 bag and I needed something bigger. I think it's because I've been used to carrying around such a small bag the last 6 months, I've forgotten how heavy a big bag can be. For most people (those who drive, especially), the size will never be a burden, but I'm often on a bicycle, and wearing the Empire Builder across your chest like a messenger (which isn't what it was built for) can be pretty heavy. It's not a strike against the bag. It's more about it not matching my commuting style. Right away, I found myself wishing I had gone with the Zephyr, which is the Empire Builder, only smaller. But who knows, I may have wound up finding the Zephyr too small, and ultimately have wished I had got the Empire Builder.
Tom Bihn bags are always well-organized. The pockets always seem to be just the right size and the number of pockets on the bag is perfect. The Empire Builder is no different. It's got a monster main compartment that eschews the trend of putting zippered pockets inside the main compartment (I never use those kind of pockets and it's a place for pointy things to stab at your stuff and make things generally lumpy) and adds nifty little clips to hold an optional (man I wish I had ordered one) Brain Cell laptop holder in place.
There's a large flap that closes over the bag and on the outside of the flap are two zippered pockets and one open pocket. I've found the two zippered pockets are great for things like earphones, my wallet and my Pocket WiFi (think MiFi). The unzippered one is just large enough to hold a Japanese canned coffee. Under the flap is a large wide pocket with spots just the right size for an iPhone, index cards or Field Notes, three slots for pens or pencils, and one small slot where a pack of gum or an eraser would fit nicely. (I'm using it for a USB-charging battery pack.) With the remaining space, I've been keeping my Kindle in a Tom Bihn padded organizer. And below that pocket is another zippered pocket That is also large enough to find a Kindle (in a case) as well.
As with all Tom Bihn bags, the Empire Builder is built like a rock. It's made of the same durable materials as all the other bags, the shoulder strap clips are heavy metal, the handles are well-padded (and quite comfortable) and all the zippers are YKK. (I hope you realize how important the quality of your zippers are!) In addition, the zipper teeth are covered from end-to-end, which will help keep dust, dirt and water from getting into your bag. I also love that the Empire Builder will stand all on its own and never wobbles, even on a bumpy train ride.
As far as gripes go, I wish the bag didn't waggle so much when worn messenger bag style. This might be due to the placement of the shoulder strap clips at the top of the bag on opposite sides of the zipper instead of being on the actual sides of the bag under the zipper. Doing that wouldn't allow the bag's zippers to go as far down as they do now (which is very nice). The zippered pockets on the flap are easily used when opening the pockets, but because there's only one clip in the center of the flap holding it down, there's nothing keeping the sides held to the bulk of the bag, and it makes it hard to zip those flap pockets up one-handed.
My gripes are very minor to be sure, because the Empire Builder is a very fine bag. If you're in the market for a large and durable briefcase, the Empire Builder will take care of you. It's currently $180 on Tom Bihn's site. If you love the style but are afraid of it being too big though, it's little brother, the Zephyr ($170), is also available.
If you're like me and your commute involves riding bikes and running to catch trains, check out The ID. It's a messenger bag with an optional quick-adjust strap and most of the same style of pockets as the Empire Builder. It's slightly smaller than the Empire Builder at 20.9 liters, but in a lot of ways, it's the bag I wish I had got instead of the Empire Builder. I would love to do a review of The ID sometime to compare the two.
I've had a lot of bad luck with backpacks. I'm hard on backpacks. Really hard. I've destroyed every backpack I've ever had by either ripping holes in the material or pulling zippers off. This time around, I wanted a tough backpack that would stand up to my rough treatment, would have lots of pockets (without adding a lot of bulk) and would be comfortable. The Synapse is all of those things, and might be the best bag I've ever owned.
The Synapse is not a big backpack. It's actually no bigger than the Adidas one I was using, but where the Adidas bag had just two pockets, the Synapse has six, including the main compartment. The Synapse is big enough to do light grocery shopping, go on a day trip, or just run around downtown. As everything I own keeps getting smaller (MacBook Air, iPad, Kindle) I don't need a huge backpack. I've got all my work and all my books on just two slim devices, and I've still got plenty of room left in my Synapse after that.
So the Synapse has a big compartment and a deep pocket inside of it. The pocket will fit a laptop or an iPad, no problem. On the back of the bag, there's a super deep pocket that's great for a mini umbrella or a big water bottle. (I've got a 22 ounce glass Life Factory bottle in mine.) There's a shallow pocket just above that that is handle for small things like earphones or a wallet. On the sides of the Synapse are two vertically zipped pockets with o-rings for key rings. The right side pocket has a suede pocket that's perfect for an iPhone (although if your phone's in a case, it might be a tight fit). In the left side pocket, there are slots for pens and other stuff. On the bottom of the Synapse is a long pocket that I've been using to keep cables in.
All the things about how well-built the Empire Builder is can be said about the Synapse as well. The bag is super tough. It comes with chest and waist straps to keep the bag snuggly against your back and has a little clip on the right strap that can be used to keep headphones from getting in your way. (You can switch which side the clip is on). But my favorite part of the Synapse might be the straps. They are dense. They feel soft enough when you're wearing the bag, but when you take it off and are slinging it around, you'll notice that they don't squish. They are very firm.
The Synapse is a tough backpack and super comfortable. If you need a good backpack, the Synapse is it. If Steve Jobs had ever done a keynote about the Synapse, he would've called it magical. It's $130 on Tom Bihn's site. You should buy one.
When I'm traveling, especially between the US and Japan, I take a lot of electronics and their accompanying cables with me. So I was quite excited about Tom Bihn's Snake Charmer. There might not seem like there's a lot to the Snake Charmer at first glance, but it's its simplicity that makes it so great. The Snake Charmer's sides are mesh while the encircling part is solid. This gives it the chance to show off its contents to you while still having a sturdy feel to it. The Snake Charmer is also split into two compartments. Dual zippers line the top of it and it makes organizing say your portable game system's cable separate from your MacBook's various cables. There's also a loop on the end that makes it easy to hang your Snake Charmer for easy access.
Something that I wish I had bought when I got my Aeronaut this past summer was a packing cube. The Aeronaut is quite a large duffle bag and I really wanted to be do some organization in the main compartment. I finally got a couple of the large packing cubes. You can fit two large cubes or one large and two small cubes into the Aeronaut. I've found them quite useful for separating casual clothes from business attire or just clothes from everything else. The large cubes go for $20 while the small cubes run $17.
I'm no fan of security checkpoints at airports. If you are looking for a sturdy see-through pouch for your liquids, the 3D Clear Organizer Pouch is nice to have.
I didn't know there was a Kindle Fire/Kindle Keyboard pouch coming when I made my last order, so as a replacement for my noisey velcro-fastening Kindle cash, I picked up a Padded Organizer Pouch (medium). There are various sizes and prices varying accordingly. The medium one is priced at $13 and while it's slightly larger than my last generation Kindle, it's worked out very well. At this point though, I'd recommend you buy the real Kindle Pouch for $15.
Assuming your have any touchscreen devices, do pick up an Ultrasuede Screen Cloth or two. I got a black one, and my only regret is that I didn't get a handful to keep in different bags and one to leave at work.
I really want one of Tom Bihn's new Travel Trays. They were announced after my order arrived. They are a super quick way to gather up all your stuff and go. If you go to a hotel, throw your various pocket items into a travel tray on your bedside table and when you're ready to checkout, just pull the drawstring and throw the Travel Tray into your main bag. You'll never forget another little thing at a hotel again.
I don't have a dog, but if I did, I'd get one of these Citizen Canine bags. They are good for walking the dog, with space for your stuff and your dog's stuff. (Even has a nifty spot for poop bags.)
Lastly, if the Empire Builder is too much for your needs, check out the new Cadet which has less emphasis on document management and more emphasis on your computer. If you're looking for a lightweight laptop-friendly briefcase, the Cadet looks awfully nice.
