Review (long): Tom Binh Empire Builder bag

[dpb]

I’ve owned the Tom Bihn Empire Builder for about six weeks, using it to carry my 9-cell T42 to the office and home every day. There was an 8-week backlog when I ordered it, so I used that time to research the market for briefcase-style bags with a zippered top opening and enough capacity to carry more than just a computer. I figured I could decline delivery if I found something I liked better. I never did.

While I waited, I ordered a ZeroShock sleeve from Shinza.com. This sleeve fits T42s nicely, especially the 9-cell T42s. Its memory foam is weird to hold as your fingers sink into it, but it’s probably pretty effective against shock. Except, of course, the zipper around three sides makes protection at the critical edges a hit-or-miss affair. I’m unaware of any sleeve or case that adequately protects the corners and edges of the laptop. For starters, how about putting the zipper on just one edge instead of three, with overlapping layers of foam behind it (instead of just an imitation of an overlap, like the ZeroShock)? Or, better yet, how about installing the zipper in a u pattern located away from the edge, like suitcases? I’ve only seen one sleeve, Tenba’s Computer Safe, that shows good six-sided protection, but even it doesn’t do enough to protect the corners and edges.

I ordered my Empire Builder through the Tom Binh Seattle shop because I can walk there from here and it would be easier to return it. When it arrived, I went to their shop and stuffed in my test load, which was my T42 in its ZeroShock sleeve, a Canon i80 portable printer and a large load of papers. I removed the three free-floating dividers in the main compartment. The thin plastic dividers are very simple to remove and are cleverly anchored in two dimensions while being fairly free to slide back and forth in the compartment. While that lets you easily place the dividers where you want them, there’s nothing to hold them there, diminishing their utility.

Minus the dividers, the main compartment has 5” of unobstructed width, 12.7” tall and 17” wide. The test load fit in easily. There’s also a large pocket behind the front flap. The pocket has a row of open pockets sewn to the interior wall for odds and ends. Otherwise, it’s a big, open pocket for carrying less-used items. The front of the flap has some slit-pockets for CDs and the like. Across the back is a magazine pocket. Again, it opens wide and holds a lot. I haven’t measured the width when the bag is stuffed, but I know it’s far more than the claimed 7 inches. You can find some excellent pictures of the bag at http://www.webslog.com/gallery/view_alb ... me=album06.

So, what’s it like to use? It’s a simple bag; like a Domke camera bag. The pieces are measured perfectly to be pretty trim when empty, but have enough slack to expand when stuffed. It stands by itself, empty or full. This bag has probably the fewest number of pockets in its class, so you know where everything is. You have to appreciate simplicity to appreciate this bag. This approach has the happy synergy of lowering its weight, even after taking into account the premium materials and robust American construction. Without the removable partitions or strap, it weighs only 2 lbs. 10 oz! Now admittedly you have to add the weight of a sleeve, but most bags in this class require a separate sleeve and start out weighing more than the Empire Builder anyway. And with the Empire Builder you retain the option of buying any sleeve you want, unlike bags that have a sleeve included.

I ordered mine in Black/Steel so I could use it at court without embarrassment. I was looking for anonymity and I got it; perhaps more than I intended. It’s nearly invisible. If I had it to do over, I would consider the Black/Charcoal/Steel or the Black/Black/Sapphire model. The ballistic nylon is very rugged and holds its looks very well.

The Empire Builder’s main compartment is padded with a 0.25” layer of very high-density closed cell foam everywhere but the top. It adds structure to the bag, but only average protection from shock. I added a 0.5” layer of closed-cell foam to the bottom of the main compartment. The improvement in shock protection is noticeable and welcome. Drops straight down are now totally protected.

Which brings me to the Brain Cell. It’s a pretty good sleeve and has the excellent ability to be clipped inside the Empire Builder by a pair of quick-release buckles. The interior wall it attaches to consists of a sheet of high density foam, lending some resistance to the descent of the computer sleeve when the bag is dropped. Inside the Brain Cell itself, the computer rides in a foam sling attached to the top of its side walls to help absorb shock, except the Brain Cell walls are a lot stiffer than the foam ones in the Empire Builder. Underneath the foam sling is a gap and then a layer of high-density foam at the bottom of the Brain Cell. Then there’s another gap between the clipped-in Brain Cell and the padded bottom of the Empire Builder. All in all, it’s a lot of protection for straight-down drops, but a much iffier situation for offset impacts, like when you fly off a bicycle. I decided not to buy a Brain Cell because the Size 4 couldn’t quite fit the 9-cell T42 and the Size 3 was much too loose and bulky. So I’m still using the Empire Builder with the ZeroShock, a 3 lb. 2 oz. combination, waiting to see if Tom Binh will release a slightly deeper version of the Size 4.

The handles are surprisingly good. They’re very comfortable and always stand up straight, making them easy to grab. Being made of the same cloth as the bag, they contribute to the anonymity of the bag. I really like them.

Downsides? The bag is very plain. There isn’t a “caddy strap” across the back for slipping over the handle of a wheeled bag. The padding isn’t very substantial (but neither is it on any of the competition); it’s worthwhile to add a layer of foam across the bottom. There’s no extra abrasion protection on the bottom, just the same tough material as the rest of the bag. It won’t satisfy those who are looking for lots of pockets—you have to appreciate its simplicity. At $130, it’s somewhat pricey, but nowhere near the top. The Brain Cell flap is closed with Velcro, which is LOUD when you’re in a quiet courtroom or conference room.

Bottom line: it’s a big keeper for me. I can add complexity when I need it, but I can’t add simplicity to a bag that’s already overly partitioned. For me, the simplicity and thoughtful design of the Tom Bihn design are well worth it and might even be better if a suitable Brain Cell can be obtained.