TOM BIHN Pilot Review

TOM BIHN, the folks that gave us the “Truckasana,” “Side Hustle,” and the “Bummer,” has always had a knack for cleverly naming their gear in a way that’s both easy to remember and still related to functionality. So, when we heard of the TOM BIHN Pilot, we immediately knew it would be some sort of bag you can take aboard with you. That said, it’s not like TOM BIHN has a shortage of carry-on-compliant bags in their lineup. The Synik 26, for example, is a daypack-sized bag with built-in hold-down straps for your clothing, making it suitable for travel as well as daily use.

So, the question is, what unique features does the Pilot bring to the table?

For starters, the TOM BIHN Pilot isn’t a one bag solution meant to hold everything. It’s more of an everyday bag designed for your daily gear, such as a laptop, travel keyboard, mouse, tablet, documents, and maybe a packable jacket if you need one. In other words, it’s a suitable companion to bring aboard and stow under the seat while your main luggage hibernates in the plane’s cargo hold.

Interested? Let’s dive into the details.

External Components

The Pilot’s exterior immediately catches the eye because of its fabric’s rather prominent diamond pattern. Is it ripstop? Yes, it is; it’s not just an aesthetic design choice. The fabric is called 420D Spectron, TOM BIHN’s follow-up to their 400D Halcyon fabric. See, once upon a time, a certain pandemic caused supply problems for the brand, thus forcing them to look for Halcyon alternatives—enter the Spectron. Interestingly enough, TOM BIHN doesn’t seem to have discontinued the Halcyon fabric. In fact, the Pilot variant we’re testing uses Halcyon for its liner. In other words, Spectron will likely sit side-by-side with Halcyon on the brand’s roster of materials.

Like Halcyon, Spectron fabric is thin and light, resulting in a lightweight bag for the Pilot’s 13-liter size. At the same time, the aforementioned diamond pattern acts as a reinforcing mesh. More specifically, it’s a 400-denier Spectra ultra-high-molecular-weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) grid holding everything together. It’s a sufficiently tough set of materials for everyday use. We’re also digging that this pattern has a very prominent sheen distinct from the main fabric, giving the Pilot its unique look.

All of that said, the Spectron fabric is only available in black at the time of writing. So, what do you do if you want a splash of color? Fortunately, the Pilot’s ballistic nylon variants offer two much more vibrant colorways: Burnt Orange and Raspberry. Practically speaking, the ballistic nylon variants are also much more structured than the thin and light Spectron, which feels much more malleable. In other words, the Spectron is much more susceptible to bulging and lumpiness than the ballistic nylon.

The rest of the bag’s components are nothing short of an all-star roster. There are #8 and #10 YKK-branded water-repellent zippers. The buckles are from Duraflex, Nexus, and Woojin. Meanwhile, the handle’s padding is made from PORON foam. And if these names mean nothing to you, they’re basically the industry standard, the go-to suppliers for reliable hardware for major brands.

Do they live up to the hype, though? We’re not ones to just go by reputation, after all. Fortunately, two weeks of testing (and lots of years testing other bags equipped with similar hardware) hasn’t turned up any major problems, only a tiny one: squeakiness. The snap-hooks that attach the shoulder strap to the bag squeak whenever we’re walking, and it happens often enough for us to notice. Hopefully, this is just an issue with our particular review sample, and we’d reach out to TOM BIHN for a replacement if you’re experiencing something similar with a retail sample.

The Pilot’s relatively modest proportions hint that it’s not designed to pack everything you’ll need on a trip. Hence, we’re happy to see a sizable luggage pass-through at the back. It spans almost the entire length and width of the back panel, ensuring a very snug fit once you slide the Pilot onto your rolling luggage’s handle. Even better, you can zip the pass-through bottom side closed and use it as a document sleeve when you’re not traveling.

The Pilot comes with a nylon webbing strap that’s 1.5 inches wide. It may not seem like much width to distribute the weight, but there’s also a built-in adjustable shoulder pad. Look closely; you’ll also notice that the shoulder pad’s underside has a different texture. It’s a lot grippier to help it stay put on your shoulder. We suspect it’s a polyurethane coating of some sort, though regardless of what exactly it is, it’s very effective.

The Pilot also has a built-in handle to carry the bag by hand. Unlike other messengers with a twin design, it’s only a single handle. This simpler approach is actually something we’re digging a lot, as it makes grabbing and going much faster in most cases. Sure, a twin design is better for balanced weight distribution, but a single handle leaves less room for errors. We hate it when we try to grab a bag by the handles and only grab one, so the bag sags—sound relatable?

Fit Notes

Of course, the primary way you’ll bring the Pilot around is by the shoulder strap. Whether you want to wear it crossbody or off to one shoulder, hauling the Pilot is comfortable. The shoulder strap and its pad more than adequately cushion all the weight you can put within the 13-liter capacity. As mentioned, the grippy underside also does a good job of ensuring the strap stays put. You can also opt to buy TOM BIHN’s Absolute Shoulder Strap if you want a bigger strap, but it’s honestly overkill for something as small as the Pilot.

Our only gripe is the squeaking of the snap hooks. You can alleviate this by using some WD40 or other lubricant to loosen them, but this shouldn’t be an issue in the first place. We did not experience this with other messenger or duffle-style TOM BIHN bags, so we’re fairly convinced it’s an issue isolated to this particular unit we’re testing. Again, definitely get in touch with TOM BIHN if you’re having this issue.

Inside The Messenger

The Pilot’s secondary compartments are laid out in a very interesting way. For example, whereas other messenger-style bags would have their water bottle pocket off to one side, the Pilot has it in the middle. This has its pros and cons, the pros being that it’s much better for weight distribution and a tiny bit easier to reach. On the other hand, the central positioning means it’s enclosed and embedded, which, in turn, means it’s occupying space within the bag’s volume.

This design also inherently limits the size of the bottle you can fit. For context, we can fit a 19-ounce Owala FreeSip, but that’s about as tall as we could manage. Wider bottles can be accommodated, but it’s the height that’s the most limiting factor. Also worth noting is that the pocket does have a drainage hole at the bottom. So, while it is an enclosed design, there’s at least a way for moisture and leaks to flow out.

Flanking the water bottle pocket to the left is a pocket. The inside is spacious enough for us to fit a pouch, such as the TOM BIHN 3D Organizer Cube or a similarly slim toiletry bag. On the back side is a liner pocket big enough for a Kindle, though it is too deep if you plan to put small accessories, such as lip balm, wireless earbuds, and coins inside.

The right-side pocket is equally roomy, allowing us to pack a packable jacket. The difference is that this one contains a few smaller pockets than the one in the left-side pocket, like an AirPods-sized pocket and three pen slots. There’s also a detachable key leash to keep track of your set. On that note, you can move this key leash to one of the other several O-rings scattered across the Pilot’s compartments. There’s one here, two in the main compartment, one in the water bottle pocket, and one in the left pocket.

Lastly, the main compartment opens from the back edge of the Pilot. It’s basically a huge laptop compartment for devices in the 14-inch size range, such as our 13-inch MacBook Pro. Also inside are two large liner pockets for accessories; in our case, these are a travel-sized wireless keyboard, a charging adapter, and a few cables. Our main gripe with this compartment is its lack of padding, which isn’t ideal since it’s meant to hold your precious laptop. We had to use our own protective case, and thankfully, there’s enough leftover space to accommodate one.

With three major compartments, the Pilot differs from the usual personal item bags with one large main compartment and smaller secondary pockets. Packing the Pilot requires a degree of planning, depending on your use case. For example, if you’re traveling and storing most of your clothing in your luggage, you’ll have no problem packing your laptop and other everyday carry accessories here. However, if you plan to use this as your sole weekend bag, you’ll have to make sure you’re not overly packing the front pockets so that you have ample space to fit clothing in the main compartment.