by I am a big bag lover. I am constantly on the move to find the perfect bag for every moment. It’s rare that you can find a single bag that can unite your days. It’s more likely you’ll have to use a purpose-drive purse — I mean “Man Bag!” — to help sort and protect your day.
I always wanted to try a Tom Bihn bag made by hand in Seattle. I have always liked the whole mission and purpose of the company —
At TOM BIHN, we design and manufacture sophisticated laptop bags and cases, laptop backpacks, messenger bags, briefcases, travel bags, checkpoint-friendly bags and accessories in our own Seattle factory. We offer eye-catching designs and unusually attentive customer service. We use the best quality materials, superior construction and Tom’s 30+ years of design experience to build a better laptop bag. Our bags are available for order through this Web site with worldwide shipping or at our Seattle retail store.
— and when my new MacBook Air 11-inch showed up needing some protection, I knew the time was right to sidle up and settle down $120.00USD to the West Coast for a Bihn bag especially made and designed for my tiny beauty.
I present to you the Tom Bihn Ristretto for the 11-inch MacBook Air:
Here are the Ristretto specs:
- Built-in padded compartment sized specifically for Apple 11″ MacBook Air
- Padded 11″ MacBook Air compartment measures: 11.8 x 8.2 x 1″ / 300 x 208 x 25mm
- Padded compartment made of .25″ (8mm) open-cell foam laminated with durable 4 Ply Taslan® / interior of super-soft brushed nylon protects from all sides
- Choose from two shoulder straps (Standard or Absolute, that attach to snaphooks via d-rings
- Overall measurements: 13.25 x 10.5 x 4.75″
- 335 x 265 x 120mm
- Exterior of 1000 denier U.S. Cordura® Lined with 500 denier U.S. CorduraI’m®
- Weight: 13oz
- Made in Seattle, Washington, U.S.A.
Even though my 11-inch Ristretto is crafted specifically for my MacBook Air, I find myself using it every single day — even on days I don’t lug my light beauty with me! That says to me the Ristretto is designed to live smart beyond its design ideals and cleverly carry the totems of your everyday life. I’m thrilled with my Tom Bihn bag and I am quite certain I will be purchasing more bags and covers and other protectants from him in the future. I will soon need a new way to carry my impending iPad 2!
How did you discover Tom Bihn? This is the first I am hearing of them and I love a good bag — especially one that is made by an American company employing people in the US — good for the economy! I’m visiting Seattle sometime next year and will have to pay a visit!
A couple of years ago I was doing a web search for the new TSA-approved bags that didn’t have to be opened to go through an airport checkpoint. I found the Bihn website and loved his “Checkpoint Flyer” — and after that, I was hooked as a frequent vistor looking and drooling over all the great products on the site.