TOM BIHN Synik 26 Review

The TOM BIHN Synik 26 is as compartmentalized as its criss-crossed exterior suggests. There are three front pockets, two side pockets, a laptop compartment, and, of course, the main compartment. Dividing the bag’s 26-liter capacity into this many compartments is no easy feat, and we’re left with initial apprehension whether TOM BIHN could pull it off—and to a large extent, they did.

Most of the compartments and pockets have independent volume, except for the interestingly centrally-placed water bottle pocket. This makes organizing and accessing gear on the go very convenient. And with the Synik 26’s comfy harness system, taking it everywhere is genuinely easy. Read on to hear more of our thoughts.

External Components

Like most of TOM BIHN’s products, the Synik 26 comes in many eye-catching colorways. We’re sampling the bright and cheery Sunglow X-Pac/Sangira 210 Cerylon version, and that two-part name denotes the external shell and interior lining, respectively. X-Pac is an interesting choice for a daypack because it’s a tough fabric derived from material meant for sailing and heavy-duty applications. On the other hand, this yellow color scheme trades that seriousness for a bit of friendliness, which we don’t mind. And if you’re a fan, we’d grab it sooner rather than later, as availability is rather spotty, at least at the time of writing.

You might want to opt for a darker colorway, though. This Sunglow color is fantastic, but it’s also quite susceptible to markups. That’s inevitable, though understandably disheartening for travelers who want to keep their gear looking pristine. However, the Black Ballistic and Black X-Pac variants are good alternatives. They also blend better with the Synik’s many zipper tracks, so if you’re not a fan of the crisscrossed aesthetic, go for the darker colorways.

YKK has been the gold standard choice for a lot of brands, whether you’re talking about clothing or gear, and it’s no different for TOM BIHN. The main compartment has beefy #10 size zippers, while the smaller compartments get #8’s. While we don’t doubt they’ll stand the test of time based on our experience with YKK zips, the larger #10s are notably resistive. That might get easier once the bag’s broken in more over time, but they’re still stiff after three solid weeks of testing.

It’s worth noting that TOM BIHN also includes zipper pulls you can use to extend the metal ones. They also mute any jangling you may encounter, though they’re pretty quiet out of the box, so it’s really up to you whether you want to use them or not. In any case, TOM BIHN has always included these with their gear, and we’re glad they still do so with the Synik 26.

Despite the cluttered appearance, the Synik 26 only has two external features, excluding the entirety of the harness system. First is the grab handle up top. Like the rest of the bag, its sides have black fabric accents. Fortunately, it’s also folded over to give it some semblance of thickness, so its appearance has some meat to back it up. Meanwhile, there’s a loop near the bottom edge in case you need to hang a bike light (neither the fabric nor the Sunglow colorway is that reflective at night, unfortunately).

The first thing we like about the Synik 26’s harness system are the shoulder straps. They’re soft, flexible, and thickly padded—all the ingredients needed for a supportive carrying experience. This is especially true if you have a small frame and are looking to haul a relatively large daypack of this size. Complementing these shoulder straps is a sliding sternum strap, the kind we can make very minute adjustments for the ideal fit. There’s also a hip belt, which, like the sternum strap, we don’t find too necessary for a still-dailyable 26-liter backpack. If you think so, too, you’ll be pleased to know that the hip belt is removable via the gatekeeper clips attaching it to the bag.

The back panel looks a little stiff because the flat panels are broken into nine major pieces. However, they’re actually pretty flexible and contour nicely once you’re actually wearing the Synik 26. Plus, the entire panel is covered mesh, so breathability is not an issue, though a sweaty back should still be expected if the weather’s hot enough. The entire back panel also acts as a luggage pass-through, accommodating handles up to seven inches wide.

Fit Notes

The shoulder straps’ foamy flexibility pairs really well with small-framed users. Our primary tester for this bag has a 16-inch torso, and, despite the bag’s 26-liter size, arm movement didn’t feel restricted, nor did it feel constricting around the traps and neck areas. The bag’s length is nearing the edge of the tailbone, which is perfectly understandable, and we’d say this is the biggest Synik you’d want to go with if you have a small frame (there’s also a larger 30-liter version, in case you didn’t know).

Complaints? Well, for how thoughtful TOM BIHN has been with their designs—even as far as including extra zipper pulls—we wish the sternum strap and hip belt both had strap keepers. Their respective slacks aren’t ridiculously long, but they still dangle and feel too over-the-top for a backpack you’re meant to use daily.

Inside The Backpack

Compartmentalization is a huge part of the Synik 26’s design, and we’ll start with the laptop compartment first. It’s around the back, primarily accessed by a side-facing zippered opening with a reverse coil design to help keep splashes and debris out. A 13-inch MacBook fits, and it can technically hold devices up to 16 inches in size, such as the 16-inch MacBook Pro. That said, that particular model barely fits, so keep that in mind if you’re rocking a case or a separate laptop sleeve; the 30-liter Synik might be a better choice.

Up at the front and near the bottom is a zippered compartment. Looks can be deceiving as this initially seems like a shallow stash spot for small everyday carry accessories. When you open it up, you’ll find a relatively cavernous compartment that goes about half the depth of the Synik 26. The space is not quite large enough to use as a shoe compartment, but it is big enough for storing a packable jacket or a small tech pouch. It’s worth noting that this pocket doesn’t cut into the main compartment, nor is the opposite true, which also applies to the rest of the pockets.

At the sides are twinned pockets for storing everyday carry accessories. The left one has a pen slot plus two slightly wider ones for permanent markers or writing implements of a similar size. There’s also an O-ring in case you want to hang a keychain, and you’ll find more scattered around the Synik 26’s many compartments, which is true of TOM BIHN bags in general. Meanwhile, the right side pocket has only one internal pocket, along with the key leash attached by default to its O-ring. Both left and right pockets also have room if you want to store something like a wallet or a smartphone, so they’re equally viable for those items you can easily access in a pinch.

The central pockets of the Synik 26 are stacked adjacent to each other, with the rear (top) one being a water bottle pocket and the front (bottom) one being a small pocket for tiny gear. The former takes up a significant amount of space and can even rob some from its neighboring pockets if you pack a big enough bottle (think 32-ounce range). But if you use something like an 18- or 21-ounce insulated bottle, the issue isn’t as exacerbated. Case in point, we used the water bottle pocket to store a Kindle] and put small toiletries in the small adjacent pocket without struggling to fit them inside.

Getting into the main compartment is easier said than done because of the resistive zippers, so much so that we almost dread getting gear out. More specifically, the zippers seem hard to close together and even harder to pull apart open. Silver lining: the Synik 26 has so many secondary pockets and compartments that most of the gear we need frequent access to isn’t even in the main compartment—for the most part.

The main compartment is relatively simple, which makes sense given all the other compartmentalization. On the front side is a cinched drop pocket for large and somewhat bulky items. It’s almost like a secondary laptop sleeve, save for the fact it’s unpadded. We used this pocket to store a toiletry bag or an extra packing cube of underwear, leaving the bulk of our gear in the main bucket space.

There’s enough room in that area for two packing cubes and a rolled up hoodie. In total, it’s about two days’ worth of clothing, three or four if you pack more efficiently and squeeze out any leftover space between your gear. Built in are hold-down straps in case you’re not a fan of using packing cubes. If you are, these straps attach via gatekeeper clips, so they’re removable.

Lastly, the main bucket space’s backing is not the usual liner material. Instead, it’s a semi-see-through mesh with zippered access to the main compartment. The mesh itself has a rough texture but a soft consistency, so it should still be gentle when put up against the bare metal of a MacBook. The main benefit here is that it’s a convenient way to take your laptop out while you’re also unpacking the rest of your gear.