Review: Tom Bihn Large Cafe Bag

I needed a new messenger bag. I was in the process of switching over from years of using an efficient packable backpack and decided it was time to go hands free. But what to get. 

My requirements were many:

—It had to be sturdy yet not too heavy.

—It had to be able to act as a netbook bag as well as a vacation bag.

—It had to fit inside a standard non-wheeled carry-on bag. 

—it had to have some sense of extra security to thwart pickpockets.

—it had to pass the test of not being thought of as a “murse.”

For awhile, I’ve had a Rick Steves Veloce Bag and used it when having to take my laptop anywhere. But it’s way to big to pack inside my carry-on.

I then got a Pacsafe Metrosafe 250. An excellent bag that allayed my fears of pickpocketing but for most of my travels, it would be overkill.

I quickly realized there were literally thousands of messenger bags on the market. But for some reason, I couldn’t put my finger on one I really wanted. 

So, I turned to Tom Bihn to see what they had. I admit, I’m a fan of their products and the way they do business. I’ve never been disappointed with anything I gotten from them. 

Tom Bihn makes a few different types of messenger bags. It didn’t take me long to realize that most would not fit my needs. They where just too big. 

I thought about getting one of their newer Ristretto’s made specifically for netbooks/ipad but what function would the sewn in laptop sleeve  serve when I wasn’t carrying a netbook?

And then I zeroed in on the Tom Bihn Large Cafe Bag. 

Made of 1000d Cordura Nylon with a 500 denier Codura lining, the Large Cafe Bag (LCB) measures 13” x 12” x 3” and weighs a hair under 1 lb. (1.2 lbs with the upgraded Absolute Strap.)

The front of the bag has a flap that covers the open topped main compartment as well as a smaller zippered compartment. It attaches to the bag via an offset Duraflex Warrior buckle.

The top of the bag has a smaller carry handle.

The back of the bag has a removable waist strap should you want to attach it to your body. (This is popular with bicyclists who carry the bag messenger style but don’t want it flopping around.) There is also a magazine pocket and I have put a standard sized magazine in so you can get an idea of size. 

The main compartment of the LCB is open and contains 4 pockets: 2 large enough to each hold a PDA, smaller camera, notebook or cellphone. The other two are meant as pen slots. There are also three Tom Bihn signature “o” rings and one key strap.  

In the smaller zippered pocket, large enough to hold a smaller wallet, you will also find another “0” ring.

Next step, the tests of my requirements.

First up, how would it handle being a netbook bag. I wouldn’t suggest putting your netbook in this bag without some type protection. I turned to the Tom Bihn Netbook Vertical Cache.  This is an excellent protective cover. While it’s made to go in vertically, I prefer to carry it horizontally. It’s a snug fit but the netbook doesn’t bounce around as much.

At 13 x 12 x 3, the bag is small enough to fit into my carry-on, yet not seem too much like a man purse. It’s fairly lightweight at just under one pound but the optional upgraded Absolute Strap will take it up to 1.2 lbs. 

BTW, the main strap is not removable and my suggestion is to upgrade to the Absolute. I believe it’s worth it and your shoulder will thank you for it. 

And now the last category, safety from pickpockets. Sadly, as it is, a good pickpocket could slip his or her hand inside the bag and possible grab something. But being resourceful, I found two ways around it. And the answer, are the “o” rings. 

The first method I thought of was to get a few Tom Bihn pouches., and connect them to the “o” rings. I could put my camera, cellphone, ipod, and anything else of value in these pouches. It would then require a pickpocket to not just reach in but also unzip one of the pouches, sight unseen, and take what’s in it. Or if they tried to cut the bottom of the bag and grap what falls out, they’d be out of luck since anythng of value would be inside a pouch clipped to an “o” ring.

The pouches, of course, would be carried on the inside of the bag. They are outside in the photo simply to demonstrate what I mean.

The second idea I had may be even more practical. I decied to take my Tom Bihn Side Effect, use two key straps, and attach one on each side of the main compartment of the LCB. The other sides of the straps would then be attached to the outside “o” rings on the Side Effect. The SE would sit comfortably inside the bottom of the main compartment. Inside it has slots for smaller electronics or a notebook. With it zippered shut, it would be very difficult to get into and if the LCB was cut from below, the SE would stay connected to the bag via the two key straps. 

And here’s where it gets even better. Let’s say you go somewhere, like a museum, that makes you check a larger bag—yet you’re not thrilled about checking your valuables. All you have to do is unclip the Side Effect, put it around your waist, after all it is a waist pack, and then you can safely check the LCB. It may not be stylish, but it’s practical.

The Side Effect also comes with a removable thin shoulder straps for anyone who wants to carry it that way, (Guys can probably skip this.) It could be used as a small bag or clutch for evenings.

The LCB comes in numerous color combinations. Mine has a linen exterior and a steel interior. (Sorry about my photo abilities.) If you want to see better photos, go to the the Large Cafe Bag website This is first bag I own that is neither black or gray. The linen color is fairly neutral. 

All Tom Bihn bags are made at their factory in Seattle, Washington. 

The Tom Bihn Large Cafe Bag is a multi-functional, multi-purpose bag that is good for daily use, business use (assuming you don’t work with people who wear three piece Brooks Brothers suits,) and for travel. It can hold an amazing amount and is now my “go to” bag for most journeys—near and far. 

If the large cafe bag is too big for you, it also comes in a “medium” and small” version.

Tom Bihn supplied the Large Cafe Bag, the Cache, and two of the pouches for reviews. All other items mentioned or shown were purchased by the reviewer. 

(Frank II)

Review: Flylite Medium Foldaway Wheeled Cabin Holdall

A couple of weeks ago, I posted a question regarding lightweight wheeled bags. There were many suggestions but one bag, Flylite Medium Foldaway Wheeled Cabin Holdall , stood out. 

I’ve been aware of this bag for sometime but had never actually seen one. So, I contacted the manufacturer in the UK who was happy to send one for review. 

Honestly, I didn’t expect much. I mean, a bag weighing just over 3 lbs (1.4kg), with wheels and a strap for a pull handle? How good could it be?

First, the specs:

The exterior of the bag is made of 1680D woven nylon and the interior is lined with vinyl. The bag measures 55 cm x 40cm x 20 cm (21.7 x 15.8 x 7.9 in.) It weighs just over 3 lbs (1.4 kg.)

The pull handle strap is adjustable in length, has a padded grip, and folds away into its own pocket when not in use. The wheels are similar to those found on roller blades. There are three carry handles on each side of the bag for easy storage and removal from overhead bins. 

There is one large compartment for packing and one smaller, thinner compartment on the outside front. The larger compartment has two internal tie-down straps.

When not in  use, the bag folds down and is held together with a velcro strip.

Now, the verdict. Honestly, I was surprised. It’s a lot better than I thought it would be. When packed, the bag stayed upright and was easy to maneuver with the strap pull handle. 

The bag was made to meet the carry-on dimensions for low cost European airlines such as Ryanair. Those dimensions are slightly different than standard U.S. carry-on rules but since the bag is basically soft sided all around, except for the bottom where the wheels are attached, I doubt you’d have a problem carrying it on board most airlines unless the bag was over packed. 

I can’t say whether the Flylite would do well being continually checked, but for someone who wants wheels, doesn’t expect to take the bag into any rough terrains or over rough conditions, this Flylite may do the trick. 

The one downfall I did find was the lack of “D” rings to allow the attachment of a shoulder strap. Considering how light the bag is, I’d like the option of attaching a shoulder strap especially if I had to carry the bag for any distance. 

The Flylite Medium Foldaway Wheeled Cabin Holdall is available from the manufacturer.  The price is 45 GBP ($74) including shipping anywhere outside the UK or EU. 

(This bag was supplied by the manufacturer for review.)

(Frank II)

Coolest bags you've never heard of

As you know, I love to root out bags “no one” has heard of. (HT: Carryology)

QWSTION

theMADLY

WHEELMEN

(Brad)

Lightest weight wheeled carry-on

As many of you who read this blog on a regular basis knows, I’m not a regular user of wheeled luggage and, sadly, haven’t kept up with all the newer lightweight bags.

But that has to change. A good friend of mine has asked for help. He’s headed off for a long vacation to Europe and wants suggestions on lightweight wheeled luggage that will fit the carry-on standards of some of the discount European airlines. 

As hard as I tried to get him to go wheeless, I had no luck for most of the time he sat there with a fixed smile, glassy-eyed gaze meaning he was somewhere else while I rambled on. Wheels it must be. 

So to you, our faithful readers, I need suggestions for decent quality, light weight wheelies probably in the 20 x 14 x 8 size range. Under $200 would also be nice. 

(Frank II)

Timbuk2 for you?

This OBOW Forum thread mentions the new Timbuk2 Wingman case. Here’s another T2 offering from their rather large line - the lighter H.A.L backpack:

(Brad)

New lightweight wheeled bag

Antler, the people who brought us the Sub-0-G lightweight bag, has come up with a new line they call Liquis.

The Antler Liquis International Carry-on is a 4-wheel spinner bag,hardshell polycarbonate, weighs 4.4 lbs, and measures 22 x 14 x 9.

Already on sale in the UK and Austalia, they should be available in the U.S. shortly.

(Frank II)

New from Bailey Works

Bailey Works has added a couple of new made-in-the-USA bags and packs. Among them is the Citizen Pack (large). It weighs 2.2 pounds and measures 18x11x7. Bailey started as a supplier of bags to professional bike messengers. Their website is a little funky. You have click “view size chart” to find specs on any item. Be sure to check the item size before you do this since many come in more than one size. Some people use their Whalemouth duffel as a one-bag solution.

(Brad)

Update on February 10, 2011 by Frank@OBOW

The small Whalemouth is the only Bailey duffel that is comfortably carry-on legal. We used to have a reader who swore by this bag, as I recall.

Orange you stylish, Jack

Fashionable J. Crew gets into the weekender bag act with this 10 1/2”H x 19 1/2”W x 8 7/8”D nylon duffel in wildfire (orange for regular people). Nice enough.

Want to feel even better about yourself? Try Jack Spade’s $365 21” x 8” x 14.5” svelte carry-on.

(Brad)

Classic American bags

Not light (canvas & leather), not cheap, but made in the USA is this truly classic luggage from J.W. Hulme. The company used to make bags for Orvis and Gokey. You’d think these were English bags. Jolly good.

(Brad)

Update on February 4, 2011 by Frank@OBOW

Reader Review: Red Oxx Ruck Sack

The following is WSL’s review of the Red Oxx Ruck Sack/C-Ruck (has two names) first posted in the Forum:

I decided to give back to the OBOW Forum which was very helpful when I was looking for a new backpack. The following is a review that I submitted to Red Oxx’s site which is still under moderation. The addendums below are just to clarify a couple of points and were not in the original review.

So, after a trip where my twenty-year old backpack was soaked all the way through I decided that it was time for a replacement. I wanted something that could hold my Macbook Pro (MBP) and yet not look like a notebook bag and can be used for other purposes such as groceries, carry-on, day-to-day usage, etc. Basically a versatile, all-around bag that I didn’t have to worry about. Hey, my last bag lasted 20+ years and I didn’t see any reason why the next one shouldn’t either. 

After doing a lot of online and offline research and dithering about I finally decided to order the C-ruck. Ordering was dead easy and it arrived right on time. Within a week, it was on its way with me for a short jaunt to Jakarta. How did it perform? 

The good news first, it’s capacious - it looks big but it fits exactly the carry-on frame. The internal sleeve fits my MBP perfectly and I don’t have any worries there about the protection given by the C-ruck. And, yes, it did look as classy as I had hoped it would - sometimes you can’t really tell these things unless you have the item right in front of you. 

The bad news? It’s a heavy bag. The specs says it’s over 3 lbs and it’s easy to dismiss that until you have it in hand and realize how much that will cut into your carry-on allowance. The weight is also a factor in that this is a “hot” bag, meaning that the weight of the bag, the weight of your items along with the padding in the back may have you overheating pretty quickly. It’s not a problem if you’re in temperate climes but it can be unpleasant if you’re slogging through a tropical city such as Jkt. The straps are also very long and I suspect that the bag is sized for someone who is closer to 6 ft than my 5’8”. I’ll probably get them cut shorter and restitched when I get the chance. 

So, do I feel that I am getting value for my money? A qualified yes. It’s a well-built, over-engineered (this is a good point!) bag that looks great and will do all that I want it to do. Unfortunately, there are a couple of niggling points that were not mentioned in other reviews and holds me back from giving it 5 stars. If I had known about those niggling points it would have made me dither a lot longer than two months! 

P.S. I had sent an email asking about sizing and it was suggested that I purchase the mini-ruck but that item would not hold my MBP in its sleeve.

Addendum:

A. It’s a 15” MBP that I have and I also carry a couple of items specific to the work that I do.
B. Tom Binh and LLBean had bags that were in very serious consideration for my money. But, the Brain Bag had too much material that I would never use and the Expedition Travel Pack (from both retailers, respectively) looked too much like a carry-on. They were, though, half the price of the Ruck Sack.

Less than a pound a day

OBOW reader Heather reports great success in her first attempt at going very light:

Well, after two weeks in snowy Europe, we re back in sunny California! Our return flight from Munich was delayed by an hour due to snow, which made it even more important that we one-bagged it and were able to make our connecting flight in Atlanta. I see that an item or two from my packing list may have been misunderstood by fellow OBOW readers. We knew Germany wouldn t lack modern comforts; we just packed for familiarity, efficiency, and economy. In this case, the unnecessary spork helped us to demolish a large and gooey schokokuss in our room with minimal disruption to hotel staff (grin).

This was my husband s first one-bagging trip, and he did a great job, carrying the OPEC and doing laundry in the sink. We purchased in Munich: Rei in der Tube detergent, a washcloth for my husband, and a pair of tights as an extra layer for me. As the temperature dropped, we simply added more layers that we had brought from home, since we had packed three pairs of socks, three shirts, etc. By the time the temperature in Prague hit the teens, I was wearing an undershirt, a -sleeve t-shirt, a long underwear top, a wool cardigan, and a button-down shirt under my insulated raincoat. At first I thought I was cold because I come from a warm climate, but when I saw European tourists wearing ski pants to the Christmas markets an anomaly, for sure I thought that perhaps it really was frigid outside. But we thoroughly enjoyed ourselves.

Among the places we visited: almost every Christmas market in central Munich, the Asamkirche, Peterskirche, Hofbrauhaus (how could we pass it up?), Viktualienmarkt, Deutsches Museum, city museum of Munich (the marionettes and Oktoberfest/funfair memorabilia were an awesome psychedelic experience after 16 hours of sleep-deprived travel), the toy museum in Nurnberg, the Nazi Dokumentationszentrum, Prague s Petrin Park, Charles Bridge and the horological clock, remnants of medieval Prague which are buried below the current city, the Infant of Prague statue, the concentration camp at Dachau, medieval houses in Regensburg, and the German National Museum in Nurnberg. Although we are not planning to do another cold-weather trip (the Christmas sights were the motivator for this one), we found that doing it with one bag each is completely feasible. We stayed dry, kept moving, wore layers (and took them off when indoors), and indulged in lots of caloric foods such as smazeny cyr (fried cheese) with tartar sauce. Incredibly, neither of us gained weight, as we had undoubtedly burned it off trying to stay warm. It was a wonderful trip, full of thought-provoking places.

What a helpful and heartening account for those new to one-bag travel! Read about her preparation process here in the OBOW Forum.

(Brad)

Update on December 12, 2010 by Frank@OBOW

Read an earlier series of posts on a similar effort here.

Mid-size pack

Recommended by Jeff in this Forum thread, this Mountain Hardware pack comes in at 1850 cubic inches, looks comfy.

(Brad)

5 best lightweight bags for under $40

Gadling’s take on five under $40.NORTH FACE FLYWEIGHT MAP BAG

(Frank II)

Mil-spec convertible

Here’s the largish, bargain-priced convertible carry-on recently discussed in the Forum (thanks to Desmond):

(Brad)

Leisure/laptop duffel

Skooba announces a new bag…just don’t think you have to wear a leisure suit with it.

(Press Release) Rochester, NY, November 2, 2010—Skooba Design has added a unique new “hybrid” travel/laptop duffel to its award-winning line of laptop bags and accessories. The company calls the all-new Weekend Warrior™ a first-of-its-kind tech/travel carry-on bag, ideally suited for leisure travel. The duffel is designed to eliminate the need to carry a separate laptop bag—especially for overnight or weekend trips—reducing the air travel “bag burden”.

The Weekend Warrior boasts over 2-dozen pockets and other storage spaces, starting with a cavernous main compartment, large enough to hold two days of casual clothing and travel necessities. Two huge side cargo pockets hold shoes, toiletries or other bulky items. But that’s where the similarity to any other duffel bag stops. Inside the main compartment is a padded laptop sleeve that fastens to the side wall and has security strap to hold the laptop in place. The duffel is available with either small (15-16” laptop) or large (17”) sleeve included, and the sleeve—with its own stowaway flap cover—can be removed and used on its own or in another bag or backpack.

Adding to the tech-friendly design of the duffel is a front organizer compartment with storage for every portable gadget and accessory imaginable. Stretchy pockets protect and secure compact camera, iPod/audio device, phone, chargers, adapters, cables, pens, pencils and more. There’s even a special, labeled slot for a USB thumb drive. Yet despite its generous capacity and substantial assortment of pockets and features, the Weekend Warrior tickles the scales at only 49 ounces.

According to Skooba’s Bryan Hammer, “many leisure travelers take their laptops and gadgets with them, but would prefer not to carry a separate laptop bag or traditional business case. The Weekend Warrior packs it all in one easy-traveling carry-on.” Hammer also points out that the challenging state of airline baggage restrictions make this all-in-one solution even more useful and desirable.

The duffel is one of many products in Skooba’s new Techlife™ collection—a unique assortment of casual/sporty bags for netbooks, iPads, laptops and gadgets of all kinds. The Techlife collection offers stylish, colorful, ultra-lightweight bags with highly-protective laptop/netbook/tablet compartments and plenty of pockets and organization features.

 The Techlife series also includes messenger bags and neoprene skins for iPads and netbooks, a compact messenger bag designed for 13” MacBooks and similar-sized laptops, a slim zip-around laptop case, and the Digital Daypack® 2G laptop backpack in 2 sizes. All Techlife products are made of durable, water-resistant nylon twill in a variety of color combinations. The bags are designed to be ultra-lightweight and travel friendly. Skooba’s Hammer says, “We don’t know of any bags of comparable quality, features and capacity that weigh less.”

Techlife bags range from $19.95 to $124.95 suggested retail. Full specs at www.skoobadesign.com.

 —

(Turns out this is a pretty chunky bag at 24x12x12 — might not fit all sizers since it’s over the 45” limit of most airlines.)

(Brad)

Update on November 3, 2010 by Frank@OBOW

Gadlilng has a review of this bag:

http://www.gadling.com/2010/11/03/review-skooba-design-weekend-warrior-duffel-bag/

Personally, considering its size, I wouldn’t try to use it as a carry-on. Too big.

(Frank II)

Nice bag, old Chap

If you’ve a weakness for canvas and leather, prefer tea to coffee, and are sick of soulless mass production I have a bag maker for you. Chapman (UK) has updated their line for 2011 and as always there are some interesting pieces. The Gamekeeper (pictured) is a nice size and weight for the light traveler (L18”xH11”xD5”/0.75kg).

Featherweight roller review

Practical Hacks Kevin has a terrific review of a new ultralight roller (see video below):

If you survey the marketplace for lightweight, wheeled carry-on bags – defining lightweight as less than 5½ pounds (2.49 kg) – the landscape isn’t exactly cluttered.  A Saks offers a 4.8 lb. wheeled duffel, Travelite offers a “Starlight” wheelie that checks in at 5.07 lbs (2.3 kg) but is only available in Europe, and then of course there’s the Landor & Hawa IT-0-2, which tips the scales at 5.02 pounds (2.28 kg).

Update on October 15, 2010 by Frank@OBOW

Co-Pilot video look

By Maverick:

Update on July 7, 2010 by Frank@OBOW

Our post on the Co-Pilot.

Another no-bag travel trench

The first no-bag travel trench was greeted with some derision and skepticism. The latest from ScotteVest is being taken a good bit more seriously. Read more about it at the SeV blog or discuss in it on the OBOW Forum.

SOURCE: SCOTTEVEST (HT - MICHAEL ON THE FORUM AND ENGADGET)

A quick look from the airport today

I’ve had this bag a couple of weeks but have been too busy to write about or photograph it. The new Tom Bihn Western Flyer sans backpack straps:

It’s riding, quite unnecessarily, on my wife’s roller. The bottom of the back pocket is zippered  — becomes a magazine pocket when zipped. This is better than knotting the strap or clipping a carabiner to the handle, neither of which works well. I paid today - for the first time ever - the cursed checked bag fee. Not fun. Don’t worry, it wasn’t my bag.

More to come on this bag and its upgrades over the original version.