A Side Effect in Nebulous Grey (medium grey) Ballistic with Zest (orange with white grid) 200 Halcyon interior. A Side Effect in Nebulous Grey (medium grey) 525 Ballistic with Acai (dark purple with white grid) 200 Halcyon interior. A Side Effect in Nebulous Grey (medium grey) 525 Ballistic with Island (blue with white grid) 200 Halcyon interior. A Side Effect in Nebulous Grey (medium grey) Ballistic with Solaris (yellow with white grid) 200 Halcyon interior. A Side Effect in Nebulous Grey (medium grey) 525 Ballistic with Sangria (red with light red grid) 210 Cerylon interior. A Side Effect in Nebulous Grey (medium grey) 525 Ballistic. A Side Effect in Wilderness (forest green) 525 Ballistic with Tahoma (white with white grid) 200 Halcyon interior. A Side Effect in Wilderness (forest green) 525 Ballistic with Island (blue with white grid) 200 Halcyon interior. A Side Effect in Wilderness (forest green) 525 Ballistic with Moab (oxblood red with white grid) 200 Halcyon interior. A Side Effect in Wilderness (dark blue) Ballistic with Wisteria (pale purple with white grid) 200 Halcyon interior. A Side Effect in Wilderness (forest green) 525 Ballistic with Taiga (olive with white grid) 200 Halcyon interior. A Side Effect in Wilderness (forest green) Ballistic. A Side Effect in Deep Blue (dark blue) Ballistic with Wisteria (pale purple with white grid) 200 Halcyon interior. A Side Effect in Deep Blue (dark blue) 525 Ballistic with Moss (green with light green grid) 210 Cerylon interior. A Side Effect in Deep Blue (dark blue) Ballistic with Solaris (yellow with white grid) 200 Halcyon interior. A Side Effect in Deep Blue (dark blue) 525 Ballistic with Seafoam (pale green with white grid) 210 Cerylon interior. A Side Effect in Deep Blue (dark blue) 525 Ballistic with MountainGrey (grey with light grey grid) 210 Cerylon interior. A Side Effect in Deep Blue (dark blue) Ballistic. A Side Effect in Taiga (olive green with grey grid) 400 Halcyon with Northwest Sky (light grey with white grid) 200 Halcyon interior. A Side Effect in Taiga (olive green with grey grid) 400 Halcyon. A Side Effect in Black Ballistic with Kiwi (bright green with white grid) 200 Halcyon interior. A Side Effect in Black Ballistic with Sakura (pale pink with white grid) 200 Halcyon interior. A Side Effect in Black Ballistic with Acai (purple with white grid) 200 Halcyon interior. A Side Effect in Black 525 Ballistic with Zest (orange with white grid) 210 Cerylon interior. A Side Effect in Black Ballistic with Mountain Grey (grey with light grey grid) 210 Cerylon interior. A Side Effect in Black 525 Ballistic with Taiga (olive green with white grid) 200 Halcyon interior. A Side Effect in Black 525 Ballistic with Island (blue with white grid) 200 Halcyon interior. A Side Effect in Black 525 Ballistic with Northwest Sky (light grey with white grid) 200 Halcyon interior. A Side Effect in Black 525 Ballistic with Moab (oxblood red with white grid) 200 Halcyon interior. A Side Effect in Black Ballistic. A Side Effect in Aubergine (dark purple) Ballistic with Tidal (light blue with white grid) 200 Halcyon interior. A Side Effect in Aubergine (dark purple) Ballistic with Wisteria (pale purple with white grid) 200 Halcyon interior. A Side Effect in Aubergine (dark purple) Ballistic with Island (blue with white grid) 200 Halcyon interior. A Side Effect in Aubergine (dark purple) Ballistic with Mountain Grey (grey with light grey grid) 210 Cerylon interior. A Side Effect in Aubergine (dark purple) Ballistic with Kiwi (green with white grid) 200 Halcyon interior. A Side Effect in Aubergine (dark purple) Ballistic. A Side Effect in Mars Red 630 Ballistic with Zest (orange with white grid) 200 Halcyon interior. A Side Effect in Burnt Orange 630 Ballistic with Dusk (blue-grey with light blue-grey grid) 210 Cerylon interior. A Side Effect in Burnt Orange Ballistic. A Side Effect in Constellation (light blue) 525 Ballistic with Mountain Grey (grey with light grey grid) 210 Cerylon interior. A Side Effect in Constellation (powder blue) Ballistic with Sakura (pale pink with white grid) 200 Halcyon interior. A Side Effect in Constellation (light blue) Ballistic with Solaris Halcyon interior. A Side Effect in Constellation (light blue) Ballistic. A Side Effect in Coyote (tan) 525 Ballistic. A Side Effect in Ursa (grey-brown) Ballistic with Wisteria (pale purple with white grid) 200 Halcyon interior. A Side Effect in Ursa (grey-brown) Ballistic with Moss (green with light green grid) 210 Cerylon interior. A Side Effect in Ursa (grey-brown) 525 Ballistic with Dawn (blue-grey) 210 Ballistic interior. A Side Effect in Ursa (brown-grey) 525 Ballistic. A Side Effect in Cloud (light grey) 525 Ballistic with Tahoma (white with white grid) 200 Halcyon interior. A Side Effect in Cloud (light grey) 525 Ballistic. A Side Effect in Mars Red 630 Ballistic with Zest (orange with white grid) 200 Halcyon interior. A Side Effect in Mars Red Ballistic. A Side Effect in Saguaro 630 Ballistic with Zest (orange with white grid) 200 Halcyon interior. A Side Effect in Saguaro 630 Ballistic. A Side Effect in Raspberry (pale red) Ballistic with Moss (green with light green grid) 210 Cerylon interior. A Side Effect in Raspberry (pale red) Ballistic
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Side Effect

5.0
Rated 5.0 out of 5 stars
5.0 Stars (318 Reviews)

$67.00

Color: Saguaro Ballistic/Zest 200 Halcyon

In Stock

Available Color options

Next Batch

In Production Options

3D Organizational Pouch, Shoulder Bag, or Waist Pack: You Decide.

1.7 liters / 105 cu. in.

Looking for the Side Kick or Side Hustle?
Add a key strap?
$7.00 - 8”, Snaphook-Snaphook / Coyote Webbing
visible variant TB0513-CT^^An 8-inch Coyote (tan) Key Strap with a snaphook at either end.
A Side Effect with the included 5/8 Shoulder Strap attached. The interior of the Side Effect's pockets. The interior of the Side Effect on the pocketless side.
Person wearing a Side Effect as a crossbody bag. Person taking a phone from the front pocket of the Side Effect. Person opening the main pocket of their Side Effect while wearing it as a hip bag Person wearing the Side Effect as a hip bag A person running wearing the the Side Effect as a hip pack using the optional Gate Keeper Waist Strap. A person carrying the the Side Effect as a should bag using the included 5/8 Shoulder Strap. A possible loadout for the Side Effect. A 3x5 notecard in the front pocket of a Side Effect.
Thumbnail for a video explaining the features of the Side Effect.

TLDR

A small, yet versatile everyday crossbody shoulder bag that can also be used as a sling bag, waist pack, or organizer pouch.

  • Main compartment with 2 open-top organizer pockets and 4 O-rings
  • Zippered pocket on the exterior with an O-ring and a clipped 8" Key Strap
  • Wear it as a crossbody bag with our 5/8" Shoulder Strap (included) or as a sling bag / waistpack with a 1" Waist Strap (optional)

Want a bigger version of the Side Effect? Check out the Side Kick. Want an even bigger version? Check out the Side Hustle.

Full Description

Main Compartment

The main compartment opens with two zipper sliders, making it convenient for left or right-handed folks. It also allows you to choose where the sliders end up when the bag is closed. This compartment can fit essential items like your phone, sunglasses, wallet, snacks, or sunblock.

On one interior side of the main compartment are two open-top organizer pockets. These are designed to organize your smaller items, like earbuds, chapsticks, or chargers.

Inside the main compartment are four O-rings. Two are set in the middle towards the top of the bag and the other two are midway inside the bag along the side panels. You can use these O-rings to attach any of our Ghost Whale Organizer Pouches or Mystery Organizer Pouches.

Zippered Exterior Pocket

On the outside of the bag is a straight zippered pocket that is sized specifically for a passport. This pocket spans the full width of the Side Effect. There is also one O-ring with an included 8" Key Strap attached. You can choose to wear this as the front side of the bag or backside, depending on your preference. 

Ways to Carry the Side Effect

Shoulder/Crossbody Bag

On either side of the Side Effect are o-rings to which you can attach the adjustable 5/8" Shoulder Strap (included), made from nylon webbing and with the same plastic clips as our Key Straps.  

Waist Pack or Sling Bag

Also on the sides of the bag are unobtrusive webbing loops to which you can attach an optional 1" Gatekeeper Waist Strap, using our ubiquitous Gatekeeper clips. Wear the Side Effect around your waist or hips, and you've got a sweet waist pack. Wear it crossbody with the bag on your back, and you've got a mini sling bag. Either way, it's great for cycling, hiking, or any situation where you need your hands completely free. 

Wrist Bag

Clip the Handle Loop to one of the O-rings on either side of the Side Effect and carry the whole affair in hand.

Organizer Pouch

Clip one side of any of our Key Strap variants to the Side Effect and then clip the other side to an O-ring inside one of our larger bags. That way, the Side Effect stays tethered to your bag.

What's Included

5/8" Shoulder Strap

A simple and light-duty shoulder strap made of 5/8" nylon webbing. It is adjustable and has plastic snaphooks at each end. It does not have extra padding.

8" Snaphook/Snaphook Key Strap

As with most of our bags, we've included a key strap. 8" long from tip-to-tip, a snaphook on either end. Good for attaching your keys to.

A Set of Black Zipper Pulls

A set of pulls to extend or replace your metal pulls.

What's Optional

Gatekeeper Hip Belt

Attach this to the unobtrusive webbing loops on the sides of the Side Effect if you want to wear this as a sling bag or waist pack.

The main compartment opens with two zipper sliders, making it convenient for left or right-handed folks. It also allows you to choose where the sliders end up when the bag is closed. This compartment can fit essential items like your phone, sunglasses, wallet, snacks, or sunblock.

On one interior side of the main compartment are two open-top organizer pockets. These are designed to organize your smaller items, like earbuds, chapsticks, or chargers.

Inside the main compartment are four O-rings. Two are set in the middle towards the top of the bag and the other two are midway inside the bag along the side panels. You can use these O-rings to attach any of our Ghost Whale Organizer Pouches or Mystery Organizer Pouches.

On the outside of the bag is a straight zippered pocket that is sized specifically for a passport. This pocket spans the full width of the Side Effect. There is also one O-ring with an included 8" Key Strap attached. You can choose to wear this as the front side of the bag or backside, depending on your preference. 

Shoulder/Crossbody Bag

On either side of the Side Effect are o-rings to which you can attach the adjustable 5/8" Shoulder Strap (included), made from nylon webbing and with the same plastic clips as our Key Straps.  

Waist Pack or Sling Bag

Also on the sides of the bag are unobtrusive webbing loops to which you can attach an optional 1" Gatekeeper Waist Strap, using our ubiquitous Gatekeeper clips. Wear the Side Effect around your waist or hips, and you've got a sweet waist pack. Wear it crossbody with the bag on your back, and you've got a mini sling bag. Either way, it's great for cycling, hiking, or any situation where you need your hands completely free. 

Wrist Bag

Clip the Handle Loop to one of the O-rings on either side of the Side Effect and carry the whole affair in hand.

Organizer Pouch

Clip one side of any of our Key Strap variants to the Side Effect and then clip the other side to an O-ring inside one of our larger bags. That way, the Side Effect stays tethered to your bag.

5/8" Shoulder Strap

A simple and light-duty shoulder strap made of 5/8" nylon webbing. It is adjustable and has plastic snaphooks at each end. It does not have extra padding.

8" Snaphook/Snaphook Key Strap

As with most of our bags, we've included a key strap. 8" long from tip-to-tip, a snaphook on either end. Good for attaching your keys to.

A Set of Black Zipper Pulls

A set of pulls to extend or replace your metal pulls.

Gatekeeper Hip Belt

Attach this to the unobtrusive webbing loops on the sides of the Side Effect if you want to wear this as a sling bag or waist pack.

Materials

Exterior Fabric

bluesign® certified 630 denier High-Tenacity 2x2 Ballistic nylon

Interior Fabrics

bluesign® and OEKO-TEX® certified 200 denier Halcyon/nylon ripstop 
— or —
bluesign® certified 210 denier Cerylon 6,6 Ripstop nylon

Zippers

#8 YKK coil zippers

Specs

Dimensions

9.0" (w) x 5.5" (h) x 3.1" (d) / 230 (w) x 140 (h) x 80 (d) mm

Weight

6.9 oz / 195 grams

Volume

1.7 liters / 105 cu. in. (ASTM Standard Measure)

Total

5 (4 in the main compartment; 1 in the front zippered pocket)

5.0
Rated 5.0 out of 5 stars
Based on 318 reviews
99%would recommend this product
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318 reviews
  • Coby E.
    Verified Buyer
    Bought For Myself
    Product Standouts Thoughtful Design, High Quality Craftsmanship, High Quality Finishings, Compact, Durable
    4 hours ago
    Bought For Myself
    Product Standouts Thoughtful Design, High Quality Craftsmanship, High Quality Finishings, Compact, Durable
    Rated 5 out of 5 stars
    Another Winner

    I’m entrenched fully in Tom Bihn design ecosystem by now. I love the craftsmanship and thoughtful organization. I’ve used a Side Hustle since it debuted, and this is the perfect companion for a similar carry style with a lighter load. Love the color too, Saguaro is lovely!

    Was this helpful?
  • Jacqueline D.
    Verified Buyer
    Bought For Myself
    Product Standouts Thoughtful Design, Comfortable, High Quality Craftsmanship, Sewn in USA, High Quality Finishings
    3 days ago
    Bought For Myself
    Product Standouts Thoughtful Design, Comfortable, High Quality Craftsmanship, Sewn in USA, High Quality Finishings
    Rated 5 out of 5 stars
    So Simple, So functional

    My EDC now and it is perfect for my daily items, tired of lugging a larger other guy bag, this holds what i need for EDC essentials .. and I got one in another color too !!

    Was this helpful?
  • Bree S.
    Verified Buyer
    Bought For Myself
    Product Standouts Thoughtful Design, High Quality Craftsmanship, Sewn in USA, Compact
    4 days ago
    Bought For Myself
    Product Standouts Thoughtful Design, High Quality Craftsmanship, Sewn in USA, Compact
    Rated 5 out of 5 stars
    Perfect size for all day or a quick errand

    I love this bag! Like all of Tom Bihn’s products it is well made and feels durable.

    Was this helpful?
  • Joel N.
    Verified Buyer
    Bought For Myself
    Product Standouts Thoughtful Design, Compact, Sewn in USA, Durable, Easily Adjustable
    5 days ago
    Bought For Myself
    Product Standouts Thoughtful Design, Compact, Sewn in USA, Durable, Easily Adjustable
    Rated 5 out of 5 stars
    Perfectly Practical and Sized for Daily Use

    I recently got my hands on the side effect and it has quickly become my go-to for daily use. The size is perfect for all the essentials, without being too bulky or cumbersome. It even has a dedicated pocket that fits an iPhone Pro Max perfectly, making it easy to access on the go.

    The versatility of this bag is impressive—it transitions effortlessly from work to casual outings, and the thoughtfully designed compartments help keep everything organized. Whether you’re carrying a few items or packing it with all your daily essentials, this bag adapts to your needs. Highly recommend it for anyone looking for a practical, well-sized everyday bag!

    Was this helpful?
  • Mark W.
    Verified Buyer
    Bought For Myself
    Product Standouts Thoughtful Design, High Quality Craftsmanship, Comfortable, High Quality Finishings, Compact
    5 days ago
    Bought For Myself
    Product Standouts Thoughtful Design, High Quality Craftsmanship, Comfortable, High Quality Finishings, Compact
    Rated 5 out of 5 stars
    Perfect for EDC

    The Side Effect is perfect as an EDC bag for reading glasses, small notebook, pen, small med kit, multi-tool, and such. I added the 1" strap for a little more comfort over the shoulder. Very happy

    Was this helpful?
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Sewn in Seattle

Our bags are designed and sewn right here in Seattle, Washington, U.S.A.

That allows us to be control freaks in the best way possible; we have direct control and oversight of the quality of our materials, our products, and the jobs and working environment that we help create. It also offers us a unique spontaneity: when we have an idea for a new product or accessory, we can design it, figure out how to build it, add it to our website and be ready to ship it out our front door all within just a few weeks. How cool is that?

Intrigued? You can find out more about the unusual way we do business on our Company Philosophy page.

THE BIHN Guarantee

Everything you buy from us here at TOM BIHN is satisfaction guaranteed. We’ve been in business since 1972 and we stand behind what we make.

If something goes wrong and it's our fault, we'll fix it for free. Repairs due to normal wear and tear or due to other things that are not our fault will be performed, when possible, at a reasonable charge right here in our Seattle factory where your bag was made. Defects in materials or workmanship are uncommon and almost always evident while the product is still new. Keep in mind that bags and packs are often subject to extreme wear in everyday use: do not expect them to last forever. Only true love lasts forever! You can expect a TOM BIHN product to give years and years of hard service.

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