When I recently tripped in Times Square and nearly fell flat on my face, the one thing that saved me from a smashed pelvis was the Tom Bihn Cadet bag I use every day to protect my 11-Inch MacBook Air.  My iPhone and computer and teaching materials were in my Tom Bihn bag and, even though I fell, full-force on that bag, nothing was damaged except my ego and a few scrapes and bruises won on the way down.

The moment after I purchased my new 13-inch MacBook Air, I headed  over to the Tom Bihn website and purchased the larger Cadet bag for my new machine.  Yes, Bihn bags are expensive, but I wanted the comfort, protection, and ease-of-use that Tom Bihn is famous for in the web of real life.

Inside the main compartment of the Cadet clips a Cache for Cadet: a specially modified version of our popular Cache laptop sleeve. Using two Gatekeeper clips, the bottom edge of the Cache for Cadet attaches to two vertical pieces of webbing sewn into the Cadet. When passing through a TSA checkpoint, you can easily slide your laptop/iPad (still in its protective Cache for Cadet) out of the Cadet for X-ray inspection; your laptop remains protected and attached to the Cadet. Also inside the main compartment is a large open-top pocket: your files or magazines won’t come along for the ride when you slide the Cache for Cadet out at the checkpoint.

The reason the Tom Bihn Cadet bag has become my one and only go-to bag for all things large and small, is that it is perfectly set up to meet my needs.  Some days, I’m lugging lots of paper and no computer or iPad.  Other days, I’m on full-on electronics mode.  Traveling with the Cadet bag is easy and simple.  There’s never any hassle trying to decide what to take with me.  Everything fits.

The Cadet bag also provides outstanding protection in the rain and snow of New York City.  I’ve been drenched many times walking the streets of Manhattan, and while my Cadet bag also gets wet, what’s held inside stays dry.  That’s a massively big recommendation for any bag — let alone a computer bag — and a paramount point of importance for something in which you entrust the protection of your livelihood as well as your tripping life.

13 Comments

    1. David Boles – New York City – David Boles was born in Nebraska and holds an MFA from the Oscar Hammerstein II Center for Theatre Studies at Columbia University in the City of New York. He is an author, dramatist, editor, publisher, and teacher who writes across the live stage, print, radio, television, film, and the web. With more than 50 books in print, David continues to write 2MM words a year and has authored over 25K articles. He is a member of the Dramatists Guild, the Authors Guild, and PEN America, and founded The United Stage advocacy platform on the principle that playwrights have a duty to direct their own work. Read the Prairie Voice Archive at Boles.com | Buy his books at David Boles Books Writing & Publishing at BolesBooks.com | Study with Script Professor at ScriptProfessor.com | Touch American Sign Language mastery at Hardcore ASL at HardcoreASL.com | Explore the Human Meme podcast at HumanMeme.com | Train with Boles Bells at BolesBells.com.
      David W. Boles says:

      I just compared the old Cadet bag with the new one and there’s no difference in wear or tear! The old bag looks just as good as the new one. Buy once. Own forever! SMILE!

  2. excellent for us – might not be a good marketing strategy if they need a lot of turnover ! I really do fancy one of them now I am apple centric .

    1. David Boles – New York City – David Boles was born in Nebraska and holds an MFA from the Oscar Hammerstein II Center for Theatre Studies at Columbia University in the City of New York. He is an author, dramatist, editor, publisher, and teacher who writes across the live stage, print, radio, television, film, and the web. With more than 50 books in print, David continues to write 2MM words a year and has authored over 25K articles. He is a member of the Dramatists Guild, the Authors Guild, and PEN America, and founded The United Stage advocacy platform on the principle that playwrights have a duty to direct their own work. Read the Prairie Voice Archive at Boles.com | Buy his books at David Boles Books Writing & Publishing at BolesBooks.com | Study with Script Professor at ScriptProfessor.com | Touch American Sign Language mastery at Hardcore ASL at HardcoreASL.com | Explore the Human Meme podcast at HumanMeme.com | Train with Boles Bells at BolesBells.com.
      David W. Boles says:

      I think their hook is — they make a wide variety of really specific bags — and the chance that you’ll need one of their bags for more of your stuff is what will keep pulling you back. They’re happy to sell you a variety of bags that will never die than to keep selling you the same bag for the same device.

      I’m glad you’re getting Apple Centric! You will not be disappointed! It all just works…

  3. think I may just have to look and see if there is a purple one ……………. I understand their hook – something that does the job as well as these do and last that long are a are find these days.

    1. David Boles – New York City – David Boles was born in Nebraska and holds an MFA from the Oscar Hammerstein II Center for Theatre Studies at Columbia University in the City of New York. He is an author, dramatist, editor, publisher, and teacher who writes across the live stage, print, radio, television, film, and the web. With more than 50 books in print, David continues to write 2MM words a year and has authored over 25K articles. He is a member of the Dramatists Guild, the Authors Guild, and PEN America, and founded The United Stage advocacy platform on the principle that playwrights have a duty to direct their own work. Read the Prairie Voice Archive at Boles.com | Buy his books at David Boles Books Writing & Publishing at BolesBooks.com | Study with Script Professor at ScriptProfessor.com | Touch American Sign Language mastery at Hardcore ASL at HardcoreASL.com | Explore the Human Meme podcast at HumanMeme.com | Train with Boles Bells at BolesBells.com.
      David W. Boles says:

      If you don’t see purple, write to customer service and ask — they’re friendly and responsive and might be able to work a deal for you. I have always ordered black, but this time I ordered the blue and it is quite a beautiful color. Make sure you understand the color scheme — it can be confusing — there’s an outside color and an inside color for many of the bags… the lighter color is usually the interior color to help you find things… but not always…

      I think I’ve had 100 computer bags, messenger bags, and bags for bags over the last decade at least, and I’ve never found one that calmed me down and satisfied me like the Tom Bihn bags. You will not be disappointed. Just make sure you spend the extra $20 for the “comfort strap!” Makes a big difference if it’s offered on the bag you want. SMILE!

  4. ohhhhhhhh a comfort strap …………….. always need them – I always overload my handbags !

    1. David Boles – New York City – David Boles was born in Nebraska and holds an MFA from the Oscar Hammerstein II Center for Theatre Studies at Columbia University in the City of New York. He is an author, dramatist, editor, publisher, and teacher who writes across the live stage, print, radio, television, film, and the web. With more than 50 books in print, David continues to write 2MM words a year and has authored over 25K articles. He is a member of the Dramatists Guild, the Authors Guild, and PEN America, and founded The United Stage advocacy platform on the principle that playwrights have a duty to direct their own work. Read the Prairie Voice Archive at Boles.com | Buy his books at David Boles Books Writing & Publishing at BolesBooks.com | Study with Script Professor at ScriptProfessor.com | Touch American Sign Language mastery at Hardcore ASL at HardcoreASL.com | Explore the Human Meme podcast at HumanMeme.com | Train with Boles Bells at BolesBells.com.
      David W. Boles says:

      Ha! Yes, the Bihn straps are soft, but really strong. I think they should just increase the price of the bag and include the comfort straps by default.

  5. The offer Aubergine as a colour option on some of their bags but not this one ………….. choices choices

    1. David Boles – New York City – David Boles was born in Nebraska and holds an MFA from the Oscar Hammerstein II Center for Theatre Studies at Columbia University in the City of New York. He is an author, dramatist, editor, publisher, and teacher who writes across the live stage, print, radio, television, film, and the web. With more than 50 books in print, David continues to write 2MM words a year and has authored over 25K articles. He is a member of the Dramatists Guild, the Authors Guild, and PEN America, and founded The United Stage advocacy platform on the principle that playwrights have a duty to direct their own work. Read the Prairie Voice Archive at Boles.com | Buy his books at David Boles Books Writing & Publishing at BolesBooks.com | Study with Script Professor at ScriptProfessor.com | Touch American Sign Language mastery at Hardcore ASL at HardcoreASL.com | Explore the Human Meme podcast at HumanMeme.com | Train with Boles Bells at BolesBells.com.
      David W. Boles says:

      That’s why I wonder if they might be able to make one for you in that color? I think they hand make every bag in-house in Seattle.

      http://www.tombihn.com/CTUS.html

  6. I may just do that – just done the calculations the dollar/euro exchange rate is quite favourable at the moment.

    1. David Boles – New York City – David Boles was born in Nebraska and holds an MFA from the Oscar Hammerstein II Center for Theatre Studies at Columbia University in the City of New York. He is an author, dramatist, editor, publisher, and teacher who writes across the live stage, print, radio, television, film, and the web. With more than 50 books in print, David continues to write 2MM words a year and has authored over 25K articles. He is a member of the Dramatists Guild, the Authors Guild, and PEN America, and founded The United Stage advocacy platform on the principle that playwrights have a duty to direct their own work. Read the Prairie Voice Archive at Boles.com | Buy his books at David Boles Books Writing & Publishing at BolesBooks.com | Study with Script Professor at ScriptProfessor.com | Touch American Sign Language mastery at Hardcore ASL at HardcoreASL.com | Explore the Human Meme podcast at HumanMeme.com | Train with Boles Bells at BolesBells.com.
      David W. Boles says:

      Oh, wow! Fantastic! Leap on that! SMILE!

  7. Pingback: Boles Blogs reviews the Cadet - TOM BIHN Blog: We make travel bags in Seattle, Washington

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