Finding the right messenger bag is a
matter of personal preference. Comfort, style, capacity and
construction all play an important part in selecting this type of
product. In terms of style most bags are only available in a limited
set of one or two colors. Fortunately there is company making bags
on a more personalized level.
Tom Bihn is a Seattle based company
that has been making bags for over 37 years and have garnered quite
reputation in the industry. One of the main selling points for the
Tom Bihn line of bags is the ability to customize various features so
that your bag is unique.
For today’s review, Tom Bihn has sent
us a Super Ego messenger bag to examine. In addition, they provided
us with a Horizontal Brain Cell, which is a padded laptop case sleeve
and four Cordura line accessory pouches. The Horizontal Brain Cell
comes in eleven different sizes for various sized laptops. For a
more detailed look at the Brain Cell, check out Kris’ review here.
The Super Ego is a big spacious bag and
can easily hold your laptop and much, much more! This bag has five
color combinations to choose from, a plastic or seat belt style
buckle and the ability to select from one of nineteen strip colors to
the bag to make it more personalized. So many choices!
So let’s take a better look at the
Super Ego messenger bag…..
The
Tom Bihn Super Ego Messenger Bag
Reviewed by: Tomas Ratas
Sponsor: Tom
Bihn
Tech Specs,Features or the
Basic Info:
1050 denier ballistic nylon lined with 500 denier Cordura
-Becomes a protective laptop messenger bag with the addition of
our Brain
Cell hard-sided laptop case.
Swappable front strip available in 19 different colors allows you
to continually customize the color combination of your Super Ego.
-Volume: 27 liters (1680 cu. in.)
Weight:
Super Ego w/plastic buckle: 2lb, 10.65
oz.
Super Ego w/seatbelt buckle 3 lb., 3.1 oz.
-Dimensions: 17″ x 14.5″ x 6.75″ / 370mm x 435 mm x
175 mm #8 and #10 YKK Uretek splash-proof zippers.
Hard-sided laptop case provides optimum protection
Aplix hook and loop closure on top makes it easy to access your
laptop 500 denier Cordura
-Heavy-weight stretch mesh front pocket
-Weights:
Size 1: 1 lb. 2 oz.
Size
2: 1 lb. 3.7 oz.
Size 2M: 1 lb 6 oz.
Size
2XL: 1 lb. 6.55 oz.
Size 3S: 1 lb. 2 oz.
Size
4: 1 lb. 0.2 oz.
Size 4X: 1lb 0.1oz.
Size
4Z: 1lb 0.2oz.
Size 5: 14.2 oz.
Size
6: 14.3 oz.
Size 6T: 14 oz.
Size
6X: 13 oz.
Size 7: 12.2 oz.
-Available in 11
different sizes to fit a wide range of laptops
A Better Look at Things
:
The Super Ego arrives in a plain
cardboard box with a Tom Bihn sticker affixed on the top of the box.
In keeping with their “Green” policy, Tom Bihn uses recycled
content for their shipping boxes. Opening the box we find the bag
without any plastic packing or other unnecessary packing materials.
For this review, I received a Super Ego
in Black/Steel/Sapphire w/Sapphire Strip and a matching Q-AM Shoulder
Strap.
Inside the bag were the Horizontal
Brain Cell, a soft cleansing cloth and four Cordura Organizer
Pouches. Please be aware that these items and the Q-AM Shoulder
Strap do not come standard with the Super Ego and add an additional
cost to the messenger bag.
On the bag are several cardboard Tom
Bihn labels. We find tags for each accessory, one for the Q-AM
Shoulder Strap, one for the Horizontal Brain and one for the Super
Ego itself.
Right away, you will notice how well
this bag is constructed. It is composed of a ballistic nylon and
Cordura fabric; which is known to have an exceptional strength to
weight ratio, making this material light weight yet incredibly tough.
In terms of weight, the Super Ego can
weigh either 2 lbs, 10.65 oz with the plastic buckle or 3 lb 3.1 oz
with the seatbelt buckle. The Super Ego’s dimensions are 17″
x 14.5″ x 6.75″. In addition you will also notice that
this is a spacious bag with 1680 cubic inches of storage capacity.
Starting from the outside of the bag,
we see a padded black handle composed of high-quality, 0.5″
thick Poron foam which sits on top in front of the main front flap.
Just above this flap is the #10 YKK Uretek splash-proof zipper which
seals the main compartment of the Super Ego. All the zippers on the
Super Ego feature easy to grab zipper pulls which can be removed if
the user so desires.
The front flap features a stripe
running down the center which is customizable with one of nineteen
colors. This stripe is attached with Velcro and can be exchanged for
additional color stripes that can be purchased from the website. At
the end of this stripe we find the plastic buckle. This front flap
is composed of two layers of ballistic nylon in black and steel. The
inside of the flap is composed of another layer of nylon, which
matches the color of the outside stripe, in this case blue.
Turning the messenger bag around, there
is a large flat nylon open pocket on the back side of the bag, which
is a good size for storing a magazine or newspaper.
On both sides of the Super Ego are two
external pouches with adjustable straps, which are perfect for
holding beverage containers.
Just above these pockets we find the
padded foam shoulder Q-AM (Quick Adjust Messenger) strap. This
special strap allows the wearer to keep the bag slung low on the hip
one moment, and then with a quick tug, cinch the strap and the Super
Ego will ride high on the wearer’s back. At the base the back
pocket is the Messenger Stabilizer strap, which attaches to the
shoulder strap to provide extra stability for the Super Ego.
Lifting the front flap reveals two YKK
#8 Uretek splash-proof zippered pockets that are accessible with the
flap open or closed. These two side pockets open into two small
wallet size open compartments.
Behind these smaller pockets is a large
open area with multiple small pockets for holding pens, cables, etc.
Just above the corners of this large area are pair of key snaps that
can hold items such as the Cordura organizer pouches.
Finally, the main compartment is
located at the top of the bag and as I mentioned previously is sealed
with a splash proof zipper. This large open space also has two key
snaps and two Annex clips on the inside of the back of the bag.
Using these clips, you can attach most versions of the Brain Cell to
the Super Ego to keep your laptop from being jarred around. The rest
of this compartment provides plenty of open room for storing your
remaining items.
{mospagebreak title=Usage and Testing}
Usage & Testing:
After using the Super Ego for several
weeks, I can say with certainty that it is the most comfortable
messenger bag I have used. The shoulder strap is extremely well
padded and the Q-AM feature makes adjusting the bag a breeze. Plus
the Messenger Stabilizer helps keep the bag from bouncing around when
walking prolonged distances.
The Super Ego is well crafted and
between the high quality material and the craftsmanship, you know
this messenger bag will last a real long time. The seams are
reinforced for durability and the bag is constructed to deal with
harsh environments and keep its contents well protected.
The beverage pouches on the side can
accommodate large bottles. Don’t worry if you spill any water onto
the bag because Tom Bihn made the Super Ego water resistant. They
applied water repellant to the outside of the bag and the Cordura
lining to keep water from getting into the bag. In addition the
zippers are also designed to be water resistant.
There is plenty of storage room and
between the pockets and additional components such as the Horizontal
Brain Cell and the Cordura organizer pouches; you should not be
lacking any storage space. In fact my main issue with the Super Ego
is there may be too much open space, if that can honestly be called a
complaint.
The front compartment is spacious
enough to some books or small electronic devices, while the zippered
pockets can hold items such as wallets, keys and passports. The main
compartment is huge and even with the Horizontal Brain Cell, there is
plenty of room for other large items. This compartment area has some
padding, but I would strongly recommend getting a Brain Cell or some
other padded laptop sleeve when storing a laptop in this area.
The nice thing about the Brain Cell is
it can be attached to the inside of the Super Ego using the Annex
clips; although, I did have some difficulty initially figuring out
how to attach it; plus, the Annex clips were a little difficult to
open at first. Once the clips are open then slide them through loops
on the side of the Brain Cell and lock them back into place. Now my
MacBook Pro is secure and well protected from any bumps and tumbles.
Summary and Comments
Overall, there is really nothing bad to
say about the Tom Bihn Super Ego. It is a superbly constructed
Messenger Bag which provides an immense amount of storage capacity.
In addition, the Super Ego allows the user some individuality by
customizing the stripe, buckle and strap. Although most Tom Bihn
bags are pricey, they are well worth the investment as bags are made
from the highest quality materials and should last for a long, long
time.
DragonSteelMods gives the Super Ego a 5
out of 5 score and our Editor’s Choice Award as well.
Pros:
-Spacious
-Comfortable
-Customizable Colors
-Quality build and materials
Cons:
-Expensive
-Need to get a Brain Cell or other
padded laptop sleeve for better protection.
I would like to thank Tom
Bihn for the chance to review the Super
Ego and for their support of DSM.
review# 546