Minimalist bag tour!| Tom Bihn Synapse 25 Litre Backpack | Best Minimalist Bag | Review After 1 Year

[@thatspiritualhumane]

Very good review..One of the greatest bags ever made has multiple reviews on KZbin, but very few make as detailed as yours..

[@theheftyherbivore3224]

Thanks very much, that’s really kind of you to say! For me, this was a really big deal to purchase, I wanted it to last and so I wanted to ensure I made the right decision. I wanted to pass on my experience with it to help others! Ps, it’s still going strong! I’ve re-waterproofed it with nikwax once but other than that the bag is still in the same condition despite another year of use. I’ve taken it to Costa Rica, Cuba, Iceland, Scotland and Sweden since this video and it’s still my ultimate travel bag!

[@sleepingcolours]

Been looking into buying this bag, thank you for such an in depth video! You are fabulous 😍👌🏼

[@plainjaneliving4946]

Another well done video, Nef! I have absolutely no use for a backpack but I watched the whole thing because a) your voice is soothing b) I loved finding out how you used it. It’s a really thought out bag and the accessories all make sense. He IS quite a clever man!

[@theheftyherbivore3224]

Thank you! I'm glad you enjoyed it :)

[@BinhDong]

Thanks for this review. I’ve been eyeing this bag for a while. I’ve been thinking about the black but that blue looks amazing!

[@theheftyherbivore3224]

Hi! Thanks for commenting! It’s such a great bag, I think you’ll love it. I don’t think they make it in this colour blue any more sadly, but there is a really nice navy blue they are making at the moment. If you go on my IG (thriveandsurvivetoday) a couple of rows down there’s a photo of the bags we took today and you can see how the black and also the navy blue compares to this French blue! My husband has the Synapse 25 in black with a wasabi lining and it looks great. He paid a few dollars extra to get the green pull cords to match and it looks so smart!

[@AkuaGeek]

Great job! I’m looking for that perfect small bag!

[@MsShadowLlama]

Great review! Especially like the bit about waiting 6 months to learn the bag before buying additional pouches.

[@theheftyherbivore3224]

I'm so glad you liked the review and found it helpful! Tom Bihn really are outstanding for niche organisation with their bags but it can be a bit of a rabbit hole since everything seems practical when you look through it on the website. Can you imagine if you had mountains of organisation pouches, it would be like russian dolls in your bag!

[@criselda.]

Great review on the synapse 25 :)

[@theheftyherbivore3224]

Thank you so much for watching, I'm glad you liked it!

[@allisonpollard31]

I really wanted one of these bags with the accessories but they're a bit out of my price range at the moment. But I managed to buy a second hand 19 litre synapse and am trying it out. Wonder if I could fit all my stuff for my 2 year trip to Hong Kong in it?! I'm not a minimalist but would love to get my belongings to a manageable state. At the moment they are overwhelming me 😞 Taking baby steps to begin getting rid of the stuff I don't need. Thanks for the videos - really encouraging! Any plans to do some on your fab crochet?

[@theheftyherbivore3224]

Ooooh, I love the Synapse 19, it looks so perfect. You should try and see how much you can pack in it! Do you watch Brittany Taylor's videos? She has several about travelling full-time with her Synapse 19. I'm not sure I'm quite ready to downsize to just that, but I reckon it would be an amazing experiment and you'd feel so light and free on your trip without luggage holding you back!

[@ObKling]

Hi there. If you said it, I didn't catch it: could you tell me what material the bag is made of? I know they have several options. But I'm trying to decide and was wondering what I was looking at in your video specifically. Thank you.

[@theheftyherbivore3224]

Hey! This bag is made of the cordura material, which I believe is not a current option that is offered. My husband has the same bag in the 525 ballistic and that’s a brilliant choice. Slightly more structured than this one, and I would say better waterproofing over time. We had one moment in Costa Rica wading through water up to mid waist and his bag was very dry inside (electronics absolutely fine). I can’t advocate this kind of behaviour on a regular or sustained basis but I was extremely impressed!

[@ObKling]

@@theheftyherbivore3224 Thanks for replying. Every time I see one of these Tom Bihn bags and like the look of it, it's made out of cordura and not ballistic. Can't bring myself to pull the trigger on a ballistic bag, especially since I live far away from the US and returning the bag will not be an option. Very much prefer the duller, more rugged - warmer? - look of cordura as opposed to what I perceive to be a less pleasing tactility and more "luggage-y" look in the ballistic.

[@theheftyherbivore3224]

Yes, I can absolutely understand the way you perceive the two materials. There’s a more classic feel to the cordura I think. You could have a post on the Tom Bihn forum, last time I checked there was a thriving community there who would happily advise if any lightly used cordura s25s are looking for a new home. It is a difficult decision to make when you’re not based in America and have to factor in additional shipping and customs charges. I’ve got a variety of Tom Bihn bags and accessories now and I don’t regret purchasing any of them. Take your time, do some research and check out the forum and I am sure you’ll be able to find an outcome that will suit you. It’s definitely not a decision to rush, the bags are so well built it will be with you for some time!

[@GlobalAdventurer]

Do you pack clothes in there?

[@theheftyherbivore3224]

What bags do you own? I have three - this backpack, my larger Tom Bihn bag for longer trips and a small cotton handbag. And that's it! It's easy to select the ideal bag for any situation with these options!

[@thatspiritualhumane]

I don't understand this: After nearly 3 yrs of using a stainless steel bottle, I noticed stains that won't go, maybe the steel got worn out..I understand it was 3 yrs old, but is the answer a glass bottle ? And then we have to care more coz its glass ? Watz ur take on this ?

[@theheftyherbivore3224]

I’ve switched to using a hydro flask as my daily water bottle (my Klean kanteen now stays in my fridge and occasionally is a backup water bottle or spare if required). My main reason for switching was I regretted my choice not to get an insulated bottle after being in hot countries. I’ve not noticed any discolouration in either bottle so far, but they’re about 2 years and 1 year old roughly. I don’t think I could cope with a glass bottle, I am too clumsy!

[@thatspiritualhumane]

@@theheftyherbivore3224 agree with u