Tom Bihn Super ego
Super Ego, we like your name, but we
love your style. Cool, compact, and with
plenty of room for flair (at least 15 pieces),
the Super Ego will keep your gear intact
and lookin’ good no matter where the day
takes you.
The design of this messenger bag is
fundamentally no-nonsense: A zippered
compartment holds your notebook (pad-
ded sleeve sold separately) and little else.
Or flip open the flap covering a second
storage compartment to access additional
pouches and pockets. A pair of water bottle
holsters and a slim document pocket can
be reached without opening the bag at all.
Don’t like the standard plastic buckle?
The Super Ego can be outfitted with a
hipper-than-thou seatbelt-style buckle
($10), complete with reflective strap. How
sexy is that? The zippers are even cov-
ered with “splash-proof” rubber. Frankly,
you might not be cool enough to pull
this bag off.
Without the laptop sleeve, padding is
minimal, but so is the size of the bag: It
doesn’t take up a lot of space and it stands
up well on its own. But it’s the looks—avail-
able in seven bag colors and 11 accent
strips for the buckle—that really earn this
bag top honors in our roundup.moBile edge Securepack
Despite its imposing appearance and
room for a 17-inch laptop, the Mobile
Edge SecurePack is second only to Tumi’s
bag in its light weight. And yet it’s jammed
full of features that make it an impressive
choice for hauling your gear, especially if
you’re on a budget.
Why the “Secure” in its name? Not
because of padding, which is on the aver-
age side. Rather, the name denotes a
unique design crafted to prevent bad guys
from getting at your gear while it’s riding
out of sight on your back: Aside from a
water bottle pouch, there are no external
pockets on the backpack. In fact, you can’t
even open the backpack unless you take it
off: The primary zipper can only be undone
after releasing two shoulder clips and
removing the bag from your body entirely.
Unfortunately, gaining access to the
SecurePack is challenging even after you
take it off: Getting in and out of the bag often
means fighting with the two large shoulder
straps, and if you’re in a hurry or need quick
access to your gear, this bag just isn’t for
you. It won’t stand up on its own, either.
The interior is roomy with a decent
number of pockets, a laptop section,
and two removable pouches held in
by Velcro.Tom Bihn Brain Bag
Tom Bihn calls this the “ultimate” orga-
nizer, and sure enough the Brain Bag
looks like it would be more at home on
the shoulders of a mountaineer than an
egghead. Festooned with zippers, clips,
pouches, and pockets, there’s plenty of
room for anything you might want to tote
and literally dozens of pockets, nooks,
and crannies to keep it all organized.
The bad news: This $140 bag doesn’t
include a padded laptop sleeve. You’ll
have to select from one of Tom Bihn’s
sleeves (which range from $30 to $50
depending on size and style) to ride
inside the backpack. Specialized clips
hold the sleeve firmly in place in a spe-
cial section of the bag, and combined
with the bag’s padding, this makes it one
of the most secure bags we tested.
Our only problem was in navigating
all the pockets, which can be both over-
whelming and difficult to open, thanks to
some large-toothed zippers that tend to
get stuck. Available in six colors, it’s an
oversize bag for the traditionalist with
a ton of gear, an underdeveloped sense
of style, and a penchant for falling
down a lot.reviews Tes Ted. Reviewed. veRdic Tized
84 MAXIMUMPC december 2006 december 2006 MAXIMUMPC 85
Though it packs plenty of gear, the Tom
Bihn Brain Bag’s difficult zippers and
labyrinth of pockets make this backpack
an also-ran.indulge your inner Sherpa with Spire’s
cavernous meta bag, which can carry a
week’s worth of gear.specs
acme Tumi Spire Tom Bihn Brain Tom Bihn Super ego moBile edge
Price $180 $275 $195 $140* $140* $80
TYPe Messenger Backpack Backpack Backpack Messenger Backpack
WeiGHT (UNLOADeD) 3 lb, 14 oz 2 lb, 10 oz 5 lb, 10 oz 3 lb, 14 oz* 3 lb, 10 oz* 3 lb, 4 oz
MAX NOTeBOOK 17-inch 15.4-inch 17-inch 17-inch 15.4-inch 17-inch
SiZe SUPPOrTeD
VerDicT 6 5 7 6 9 8* Laptop sleeve costs extra, and adds one pound to weight.6
tom bihn brain bag
$140, (without sleeve),
http://www.tombihn.com
9tom bihn super ego
$140, (without sleeve),
http://www.tombihn.comone of the most secure (and afford-
able) packs we tested, mobile edge’s
Securepack can’t be accessed unless
it’s off your back.8
mobile edge
$80, http://www.mobileedge.com