Tip: If you criss cross the zip pull cord through both holes of the zipper tab it will help to quiet them as well as cover up some reflective surface and also reduce the amount of dangle length of the zipper pulls.
This helped me a lot! I’ve decided to go with the synapse 19. I needed something on the smaller side, even though I’m in love with the purple/gold color only available in the Synch 22.
I also noticed that there are holes in the bottom corner of the water bottle pocket. Thinking I had ripped the bottom by putting in a fat water bottle, I contacted Tom Bihn. They told me that the holes were put there on purpose so that if a larger water bottle is put in there, that there is space for the pocket to expand.
keep going back and forth on the 22 vs 30, lol. But the zipper pulls... take some tin snips to it. I have the same generation Synapse (but 25). I didn't follow changes they made and got an A45 last year. I waited a month or two because there's no undo... but so happy I clipped the pulls to match my S25. I wasn't happy with the various methods of threading cords through the pulls. It wasn't enough.
Thank you for comparing the 2 bags. My problem is that Tom Bihn cater mainly to apple 13" laptops, and I have a 14" lenovo laptop. So I am searching for the smallest possible TB backpack that will hold my 14" lenovo. When looking at the specs the synik 22 should be big enough to have a laptop compartment for a 14", but they choose not to, or am I wrong? Otherwise the 22 will only have waste of space for that room, and I should choose the synapse 19 and have laptop in main compartment.
the little holes in the middle pocket are grommets, has the purpose of draining the water, cause it's a water bottle pocket believe it or not, i think it's dum place to put the water bottle pocket. synapse fanboys claim the unusual placement of the water bottle pocket is so the pack doesn't lean when you have a water bottle on the sides like other backpacks. but won't it get your stuff wet inside the bag..
Tip: If you criss cross the zip pull cord through both holes of the zipper tab it will help to quiet them as well as cover up some reflective surface and also reduce the amount of dangle length of the zipper pulls.
Terrific review of these two backpacks
I appreciated that you showed the differences between the two models !
Thanks for posting
God Bless !
This was just the review I was looking for! Thank you!
This helped me a lot! I’ve decided to go with the synapse 19. I needed something on the smaller side, even though I’m in love with the purple/gold color only available in the Synch 22.
Excellent review! Hit on all the points I had questions about
I also noticed that there are holes in the bottom corner of the water bottle pocket. Thinking I had ripped the bottom by putting in a fat water bottle, I contacted Tom Bihn. They told me that the holes were put there on purpose so that if a larger water bottle is put in there, that there is space for the pocket to expand.
keep going back and forth on the 22 vs 30, lol. But the zipper pulls... take some tin snips to it. I have the same generation Synapse (but 25). I didn't follow changes they made and got an A45 last year. I waited a month or two because there's no undo... but so happy I clipped the pulls to match my S25. I wasn't happy with the various methods of threading cords through the pulls. It wasn't enough.
Thanks for this, I am hesitating between these two bags so the comparison is really helpful.
Thank you for comparing the 2 bags. My problem is that Tom Bihn cater mainly to apple 13" laptops, and I have a 14" lenovo laptop. So I am searching for the smallest possible TB backpack that will hold my 14" lenovo. When looking at the specs the synik 22 should be big enough to have a laptop compartment for a 14", but they choose not to, or am I wrong? Otherwise the 22 will only have waste of space for that room, and I should choose the synapse 19 and have laptop in main compartment.
Thanks for this comparison. Great job!
Great review!
Shawn T Thanks!
Laughed at the deodorant part. Very good.
Great review for some reason the synapse looks smaller to me even though they are the same dimensions
Thank you great review
Great review, very helpful!
Ryan - will the 22 stand on its own? Great looking backpack. I’d like to buy it but that’s my biggest pet peeve in a backpack.
look great.
Great review! Can you fit a 15 inch MacBook Pro in the laptop section?
DJ KISS Thanks! I don't think you can fit it in the 22, but definitely the 30!
Wondering the same thing : if the 15” MacBook Pro would fit in just the main compartment vs the laptop pocket?
toomanybarts just barely, but yes.
Nice
Is this the ballistic version or parapack?
Is that computer a 13" or 11" MacBook Air?
the little holes in the middle pocket are grommets, has the purpose of draining the water, cause it's a water bottle pocket believe it or not, i think it's dum place to put the water bottle pocket. synapse fanboys claim the unusual placement of the water bottle pocket is so the pack doesn't lean when you have a water bottle on the sides like other backpacks. but won't it get your stuff wet inside the bag..