Tom Bihn ID Messenger Bag Review

Tom Bihn is one of my favorite companies of all time. I have had multiple bags of theirs and have never been disappointed. From their build quality to their lifetime warranty and made in the US company motto. I found this ID bag for a very good deal on a Facebook group I am a part of. I got this bag for $25 used and as you can see it is in great condition. This bag as actually been retired from Tom Bihn from a few years now but I know people are still interested in the bag.

The ID when it was still in production was sold for $120 new from Tom Bihn’s website. I believe this price to be fair for a bag of this quality and with TB’s reputation. The bag I picked up even came with an absolute strap which is a $30 upgrade from TB’s website alone. Again, I got a very good deal on this pack.

CARRY

When it comes to messenger style bags I have never really liked them for extended EDC carry.. However I may have found one I actually enjoy carrying. This ID bag is upgraded with the Absolute strap from Tom Bihn which is super comfortable and has a padded grip that helps the bag from slipping off your shoulder. I have this strap on every one of my shoulder bags. Even when fully loaded the ID carries extremely well.

LAYOUT

On the very front of the ID there is a vertical zipper that has no internal pockets but just one compartment and it a great spot for keys, wallet, headphones. Next to this pocket, there is a plastic buckle to keep the bag strapped closed. At some point, I may look at upgrading this buckle to a Cobra buckle which would give it a great, unique look.

Under the flap that covers the meat of the bag, there is a front pouch that has no dedicated closure other than the flap. This pocket has tons of organization in it and is where I keep most small items and my EDC kit. This is a Tom Bihn style pocket through and through. It has tons of slots for everything you carry and does it well.

The pocket has plenty of space for all your tools and extra. I have my pens, trauma sheers, flashlight, leather-man, portable power bank, charging cables, and a mouse for my laptop. There is also two Tom Bihn “O” rings on either top side of the pouch for attaching Bihn’s army of pouches and pocket accessories.

On either side of the previous pouch there is a side pocket that is almost suede lined. On one side I have my sunglasses, as I believe this is what these pockets were intended to hold. It fits them perfectly and feels very secure. On the other side I have my pill holder that I take with me everyday.

Behind the side pockets on the right side of the pack there is a stretch mesh pocket that fits a water bottle perfect. This pocket has two compression straps that you can use to make sure whatever you are carrying does not fall out. This is an amazing feature on a bag of this size and honestly is very important to me in what bag I use as my everyday carry pack. I always have water with me and this is a must have.

The main pocket of the pack is perfectly simple. It has some rails from Tom Bihn that can be used to attach their retired Brain Cell laptop case but do not intrude into the pocket. I use a separate padded laptop sleeve as the bag is not very padded which is fine. It can fit my 13-inch XPS easily and I would assume could fit a 15-inch as well. I also throw my tablet in here along with a book and some winter gloves easily. Even when this pocket is stuffed the other pockets still have room which is the magic of a Tom Bihn bag, and why I continue to use them day after day.

OVERALL

Normally, I am a fan of using backpacks for my EDC. I feel they normally have a better layout and carry much better than messenger style bags. It has the amazing build quality and great craftsmanship I have come to expect from Tom Bihn. I love using this bag when heading down to Starbucks or the library to do some work as it looks a bit more professional than a backpack but still has useful features and build. If you are lucky enough to find one of these on the second-hand market like myself I would not hesitate. I have talked to Tom Bihn and they mentioned possibly bringing the ID back or remaking a new bag that is similar which I would love to see, so we will keep our fingers crossed.