The Synapse 19 in Aubergine (dark purple) Ballistic. Synapse 19 in Aubergine Ballistic with a Northwest Sky 200 Halycon interior The Synapse 19 in Aubergine (dark purple) 525 Ballistic with Wisteria (pale purple with white grid) 200 Halcyon interior. The Synapse 19 in Aubergine (dark purple) 525 Ballistic with Dusk (blue-grey with light blue-grey grid) 210 Cerylon interior. The Synapse 19 in Aubergine (dark purple) 525 Ballistic with Mountain Grey (grey with light grey grid) 210 Cerylon interior. The Synapse 19 in Aubergine (dark purple) 525 Ballistic with Tidal (pale blue with white grid) 200 Halcyon interior. The Synapse 19 in Ursa (brown-grey) 630 Ballistic. The Synapse 19 in Ursa (brown-grey) 630 Ballistic with Tidal (pale blue) 200 Halcyon. The Synapse 19 in Ursa (brown-grey) 630 Ballistic. The Synapse 19 in Black X-Pac®. The Synapse 19 in Black X-Pac® with Northwest Sky 200 Halcyon interior. Synapse 19 in Black X-Pac with a colorful label. The Synapse 19 in Black Ballistic with Acai (dark purple with white grid) 200 Halcyon interior. The Synapse 19 in Black Ballistic with Zest (orange with white grid) 200 Halcyon interior. The Synapse 19 in Nebulous Grey (medium grey) 630 Ballistic The Synapse 19 in Nebulous Grey (medium grey) Ballistic with Zest (orange with white grid) 200 Halcyon interior. The Synapse 19 in Nebulous Grey (medium grey) Ballistic with Solaris (yellow with white grid) 200 Halcyon interior. The Synapse 19 in Nebulous Grey (medium grey) Ballistic with Island (bright blue with white grid) 200 Halcyon interior. The Synapse 19 in Nebulous Grey (medium grey) 525 Ballistic with Island (blue with white grid) 200 Halcyon interior. The Synapse 19 in Marine X-Pac®. The Synapse 19 in Marine (blue) X-Pac® with Tidal (pale blue with white grid) 200 Halcyon interior.. The Synapse 19 in Black Ballistic The Synapse 19 in Black 630 Ballistic with Northwest Sky (light grey with white grid) 200 Halcyon interior. The Synapse 19 in Black Ballistic. The Synapse 19 in Black Ballistic with Acai (dark purple with white grid) 200 Halcyon interior. The Synapse 19 in Black Ballistic with Seafoam (pale green with white grid) 200 Halcyon interior. The Synapse 19 in Black Ballistic with Cerise (pink with white grid) 200 Halcyon interior. The Synapse 19 in Black Ballistic with Zest (orange with white grid) 200 Halcyon interior. The Synapse 19 in Black Ballistic with Island (bright blue with white grid) 200 Halcyon interior. The Synapse 19 in Deep Blue (dark blue) Ballistic. The Synapse 19 in Deep Blue (dark blue) 525 Ballistic with Sakura (pale pink with white grid) 200 Halcyon interior. The Synapse 19 in Deep Blue (dark blue) Ballistic with Acai (dark purple with white grid) 200 Halcyon interior. The Synapse 19 in Deep Blue (dark blue) 525 Ballistic with Solaris (yellow with white grid) 200 Halcyon interior. The Synapse 19 in Deep Blue Ballistic with Seafoam (pale green with white grid) 200 Halcyon interior. The Synapse 19 in Deep Blue (dark blue) 525 Ballistic with Zest (orange with white grid) 200 Halcyon interior. The Synapse 19 in Deep Blue 525 Ballistic with Mountain Grey (grey with light grey grid) 210 Cerylon interior. Synapse 19 in Burnt Orange The Synapse 19 in Burnt Orange 525 Ballistic with Mountain Grey (grey with light grey grid) 210 Cerylon interior. The Synapse 19 in Cloud (light grey) 525 Ballistic. The Synapse 19 in Cloud (light grey) 525 Ballistic with Island (bright blue with white grid) 200 Halcyon interior. The Synapse 19 in Cloud (light grey) 525 Ballistic with Ultraviolet (purple with white grid) 200 Halcyon interior. The Synapse 19 in Cloud (light grey) 525 Ballistic with Ultraviolet (blue with white grid) 200 Halcyon interior. The Synapse 19 in Wilderness (forest green) Ballistic. The Synapse 19 in Wilderness (forest green) 630 Ballistic with Island (yellow with white grid) 200 Halcyon interior. The Synapse 19 in Wilderness (forest green) 525 Ballistic with Mountain Grey (grey with light grey grid) 210 Cerylon interior. Synapse 19 in Mars Red Ballistic. visible variant TB0112-MKND Synapse 19 in Mars Red Ballistic with a Northwest Sky 200 Halcyon interior. The Synapse 19 in Coyote (brown) 525 Ballistic. The Synapse 19 in Coyote (brown) 525 Ballistic with Mountain Grey (grey with light grey grid) 210 Cerylon interior. The Synapse 19 in Coyote (brown) 525 Ballistic with Northwest Sky (light grey with white grid) 200 Halcyon interior. The Synapse 19 in Constellation (light blue) Ballistic. The Synapse 19 in Constellation (light blue) Ballistic with Cerise (pink with white grid) 200 Halcyon interior. The Synapse 19 in Constellation (light blue) 525 Ballistic with Mountain Grey (grey with light grey grid) 210 Cerylon interior. Synapse 19 in Saguaro 630 Ballistic Synapse 19 in Saguaro 630 Ballistic with Acai 200 Halcyon interior Synapse 19 in Raspberry 630 Ballistic Synapse 19 in Raspberry 630 Ballistic with Persimmon 210 Cerylon interior The Synapse 19 in Taiga 400 Halcyon with a Northwest Sky 200 Halcyon interior
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$240.00


Color: Aubergine Ballistic/Dusk 210 Cerylon

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A backpack well suited to hiking, travel, or commuting.

19 liters / 1160 cu.in.

Looking for the Synapse 25, Synik 22, or Synik 30?
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$51.00 - 10A (10.5" 2021 iPad/ iPad Air/Pro)
visible variant TB03310A TB03310B TB03311A TB03312A TB03313A TB03313B TB03313C TB03313D TB03313E TB03315A TB03315B TB03315C TB03315D TB03316A TB03317B^^A Cache on the Horizontal side.

TLDR

The Synapse 19 is the supreme backpack for everyday carry, ultralight travel, or a day hike. The original of the Syn- backpacks, the Synapse 19 was designed with ultimate utility in mind:

  • Main compartment with 2 O-rings
  • Interior, banded open-top pocket
  • 5 exterior front pockets with independent volume
  • Comfortable, durable, edgeless shoulder straps
  • Breathable back panel
  • Removable sternum strap and waist strap
  • Webbing loop on exterior bottom of bag to hook items on the outside
  • Meets the personal item size requirement on most airlines
  • Generally fits folks between 5' and 5'10" comfortably

For a larger version, check out the Synapse 25.

Full Description

 

Main Compartment

The main compartment closes with #8 YKK® Racquet-Coil zipper and is designed to fit large, flat items like notebooks. On the front interior side of the main compartment, there is a banded open-top pocket. It's spacious enough to fit a wide range of items, such as books, tablet, pair of sandals, or our Clear 3D Organizer Cube. Above this open-top pocket are two O-rings for you to attach our Mystery Pouches or Ghost Whale Organizer Pouches. Between the two O-rings is a set of Cache loops where you can secure a device as large as the 13" Macbook Pro in a Cache. All these tethered items can be stored inside the open-top pocket too, if you want. 

5 Front Exterior Organizational Pockets

The Synapse 19 has an abundant amount of organization for your everyday essentials, big and small: the exterior of the bag has five pockets with independent volume. The pockets are designed and patterned in such a way that they don't steal space for each other and they look good (not too caved in, not too bulgy) whether full or empty.

The water bottle pocket is intentionally centered in the bag, allowing one of the heavier objects in your bag to be balanced in the middle, resulting in a more comfortable carrying experience while maintaining a clean, straight-forward exterior aesthetic. We've found that most standard 32 oz / 1 liter bottles can comfortably fit in the water bottle pocket. 

Below the opening for the water bottle pocket is another small zippered pocket that is just deep enough for keys, a wallet, glove liners, or a small camera.

The side pockets are generously sized for sunglasses (in a case or alone), a first aid kit, or even a light Windbreaker-type jacket or down vest compressed in a Travel Stuff Sack. The right side pocket has a small organizational pocket; the left pocket has one pen slot and two wider slots for tools or more pens.

The bottom pocket is a great spot for extra clothing or snacks and will easily accommodate a thin sweater, light down jacket, or Windbreaker-type jacket. If you care to add organization, we recommend storing a Size 1 Handy Little Thing here. 

Each of the top four pockets has its own O-ring, and the bottom pocket has two O-rings. You can use them to attach our mini or small Ghost Whale Organizer Pouches or Mystery Organizer Pouches

Edgeless EV50 1/2" Shoulder Strap

Conformity is overrated — except, perhaps, when it comes to shoulder straps. The edgelessness of this strap allows it the more softly conform to your shoulder; we find that this increases comfort. Yet the straps aren't too soft: the 1/2" thick foam means the strap is robust enough to carry a heavy load.

There's enough length on the shoulder straps to accommodate a wide range of body types. If you need to tighten the straps to the maximum amount, don't worry about having dangling ends — we've included sewn-in strap keepers to help keep those at bay. 

Breathable Back Panel

The back panel of the Synapse 19 is padded with 1/4", high quality, closed cell-foam with an exterior of Spacer mesh and 210 denier nylon. This combination of mesh and smooth nylon is designed to provide maximum breathability while still being gentle on your clothing.

Webbing Loop on Exterior Bottom

On the exterior bottom of the bag is a 1.5" / 38mm webbing loop. Originally, the Synapse was designed for hiking, so the intended use of the webbing loop was for hooking on a flashlight (highly recommended if you ride a bicycle or walk in the dark). If you're planning on using the Synapse for travel, we've found the webbing loop serves as an extra grab handle, allowing you to easily pull the Synapse from under the seat of the overhead compartment no matter which direction you stowed it on your flight.

What's Included

Included Removable Sternum Strap + Waist Strap

As with all of our major backpacks, we include adjustable and removable sternum and waist straps: if you don't like or don't use your waist or sternum strap, remove them!

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

Size 1 Handy Little Thing (HLT)

You can attach a Size 1 Handy Little Thing (HLT) to the pair of Cache loops above the open-top pocket, or you can store the HLT in the bottom front pocket of the Synapse 19. It is the perfect clamshell organizer pouch for those looking for a lot of organization. 

Packing Cube Shoulder Bag

The Packing Cube Shoulder Bag is the perfect 2-in-1 packing cube. It's big enough to store rolled up shirts. One you reach your destination, attach a shoulder strap and use it as a crossbody.

Freudian Slip

Love organizing and want even more pockets? The Synapse 19/Synik 22 Freudian Slip adds an additional ten organizational pockets to your bag. One side of the Freudian Slip has two folder pockets that can fit folders/papers horizontally or vertically, as well as three open-top pockets for a small tablet in a Cache or a notebook. The other side has two mesh pockets for bulky items, two pen slots, and a business card slot.

Cache

The Synapse 19 can accommodate a wide range of devices. If you plan on putting a laptop or smaller tablet in the interior banded open-top pocket, we recommend adding a Cache

The main compartment closes with #8 YKK® Racquet-Coil zipper and is designed to fit large, flat items like notebooks. On the front interior side of the main compartment, there is a banded open-top pocket. It's spacious enough to fit a wide range of items, such as books, tablet, pair of sandals, or our Clear 3D Organizer Cube. Above this open-top pocket are two O-rings for you to attach our Mystery Pouches or Ghost Whale Organizer Pouches. Between the two O-rings is a set of Cache loops where you can secure a device as large as the 13" Macbook Pro in a Cache. All these tethered items can be stored inside the open-top pocket too, if you want. 

The Synapse 19 has an abundant amount of organization for your everyday essentials, big and small: the exterior of the bag has five pockets with independent volume. The pockets are designed and patterned in such a way that they don't steal space for each other and they look good (not too caved in, not too bulgy) whether full or empty.

The water bottle pocket is intentionally centered in the bag, allowing one of the heavier objects in your bag to be balanced in the middle, resulting in a more comfortable carrying experience while maintaining a clean, straight-forward exterior aesthetic. We've found that most standard 32 oz / 1 liter bottles can comfortably fit in the water bottle pocket. 

Below the opening for the water bottle pocket is another small zippered pocket that is just deep enough for keys, a wallet, glove liners, or a small camera.

The side pockets are generously sized for sunglasses (in a case or alone), a first aid kit, or even a light Windbreaker-type jacket or down vest compressed in a Travel Stuff Sack. The right side pocket has a small organizational pocket; the left pocket has one pen slot and two wider slots for tools or more pens.

The bottom pocket is a great spot for extra clothing or snacks and will easily accommodate a thin sweater, light down jacket, or Windbreaker-type jacket. If you care to add organization, we recommend storing a Size 1 Handy Little Thing here. 

Each of the top four pockets has its own O-ring, and the bottom pocket has two O-rings. You can use them to attach our mini or small Ghost Whale Organizer Pouches or Mystery Organizer Pouches

Conformity is overrated — except, perhaps, when it comes to shoulder straps. The edgelessness of this strap allows it the more softly conform to your shoulder; we find that this increases comfort. Yet the straps aren't too soft: the 1/2" thick foam means the strap is robust enough to carry a heavy load.

There's enough length on the shoulder straps to accommodate a wide range of body types. If you need to tighten the straps to the maximum amount, don't worry about having dangling ends — we've included sewn-in strap keepers to help keep those at bay. 

The back panel of the Synapse 19 is padded with 1/4", high quality, closed cell-foam with an exterior of Spacer mesh and 210 denier nylon. This combination of mesh and smooth nylon is designed to provide maximum breathability while still being gentle on your clothing.

On the exterior bottom of the bag is a 1.5" / 38mm webbing loop. Originally, the Synapse was designed for hiking, so the intended use of the webbing loop was for hooking on a flashlight (highly recommended if you ride a bicycle or walk in the dark). If you're planning on using the Synapse for travel, we've found the webbing loop serves as an extra grab handle, allowing you to easily pull the Synapse from under the seat of the overhead compartment no matter which direction you stowed it on your flight.

Included Removable Sternum Strap + Waist Strap

As with all of our major backpacks, we include adjustable and removable sternum and waist straps: if you don't like or don't use your waist or sternum strap, remove them!

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.

Size 1 Handy Little Thing (HLT)

You can attach a Size 1 Handy Little Thing (HLT) to the pair of Cache loops above the open-top pocket, or you can store the HLT in the bottom front pocket of the Synapse 19. It is the perfect clamshell organizer pouch for those looking for a lot of organization. 

Packing Cube Shoulder Bag

The Packing Cube Shoulder Bag is the perfect 2-in-1 packing cube. It's big enough to store rolled up shirts. One you reach your destination, attach a shoulder strap and use it as a crossbody.

Freudian Slip

Love organizing and want even more pockets? The Synapse 19/Synik 22 Freudian Slip adds an additional ten organizational pockets to your bag. One side of the Freudian Slip has two folder pockets that can fit folders/papers horizontally or vertically, as well as three open-top pockets for a small tablet in a Cache or a notebook. The other side has two mesh pockets for bulky items, two pen slots, and a business card slot.

Cache

The Synapse 19 can accommodate a wide range of devices. If you plan on putting a laptop or smaller tablet in the interior banded open-top pocket, we recommend adding a Cache

Materials

Specs

Dimensions

11.4" (w) x 16" (h) x 7.9" (d) / 290 (w) x 410 (h) x 200 (d) mm

Weight

X-Pac®: 1 lb 8.5 oz / 695 grams
400d Halcyon/420d nylon ripstop: 1 lb 9 oz / 708 grams
630d High Tenacity Ballistic: 1 lb 11 oz / 752 grams

Volume

19 liters / 1160 cubic inches (ASTM Standard Measure)

Total O-Rings

8 (2 in the main compartment; 1 in the top center pocket, 1 in the small center pocket, 2 in the bottom front pocket; 1 in the left front pocket; 1 in the right front pocket)

4.9
Rated 4.9 out of 5 stars
Based on 266 reviews
97%would recommend this product
266 reviews
  • Gloria L.
    Verified Buyer
    Bought For Myself
    Product Standouts Thoughtful Design, Comfortable, Sewn in USA, Durable
    1 hour ago
    Bought For Myself
    Product Standouts Thoughtful Design, Comfortable, Sewn in USA, Durable
    Rated 5 out of 5 stars
    New Travel Buddy

    I have been using this bag now for the last 3 months as a EDC as well as a travel companion - it has expanded to fit all sorts of things, including lots and lots of maple cookies that I bought last minute at an airport, as well as clothing and supplies for an impromptu 5 day vacation! My favorite part of this bag is the “chin” or bottom bag - it is actually quite spacious and I can fit an extra outfit in here for travel emergencies, while not eroding into the main compartment or the front organizational pockets. I think that this bag is enhanced with using their accessories, though, and I found that the little pouches, leashes and the o-ring system very handy for myself. There isn’t a back panel, though, which allows you to pack a lot of stuff. I do make sure that whatever I pack into the back of the pack is flat, so it does not dig unpleasantly into my back.

    The shoulder straps are nice and plush. I have used both the sternum and the waist belt on my adventures and they do offer a little bit more support, but are not as good as, say my Osprey bag, but that is not what this bag’s purpose is.

    I will be purchasing a S25 though, as if I do want to do more travelling adventures, I would like to bring a little bit more stuff without filling this bag to the gills so that I can bring home extra things from my travels!

  • Hannah Y.
    Verified Buyer
    Bought For Myself
    Product Standouts Thoughtful Design, Comfortable, High Quality Craftsmanship, Versatile, High Quality Finishings
    3 days ago
    Bought For Myself
    Product Standouts Thoughtful Design, Comfortable, High Quality Craftsmanship, Versatile, High Quality Finishings
    Rated 5 out of 5 stars
    Perfect EDC

    Love this bag - for sure lives up to the hype. The pocket arrangement is brilliant and makes it easy to stay organized. The water bottle pocket fits anything 20oz or less comfortably. Could do larger, but it would be tight.

    Thanks TB for your ingenuity and craftsmanship! This bag makes me happy every time I use it!

  • Karen J.
    Verified Buyer
    Bought For Myself
    Product Standouts Thoughtful Design, High Quality Craftsmanship, Durable, Compact, High Quality Finishings
    4 days ago
    Bought For Myself
    Product Standouts Thoughtful Design, High Quality Craftsmanship, Durable, Compact, High Quality Finishings
    Rated 5 out of 5 stars
    My 19 Synapse - green

    Hi, I love the bag!

    The color, set up, look, and everything about it is just amazing.

    Thx for asking me.

    Avital

    avitalavitalsz@gmail.com

  • Gregory M.
    Verified Buyer
    Bought For Myself
    Product Standouts Thoughtful Design, High Quality Craftsmanship, Compact, Versatile, Comfortable
    5 days ago
    Bought For Myself
    Product Standouts Thoughtful Design, High Quality Craftsmanship, Compact, Versatile, Comfortable
    Rated 4 out of 5 stars
    It will be perfect once I get the Freudian Slip

    Well-made and rugged, with a layout which is useful for me. It will be perfect for my needs, once I can get the Freudian Slip.

  • Akira M.
    Verified Buyer
    Bought For Myself
    1 week ago
    Bought For Myself
    Rated 5 out of 5 stars
    Small but mighty

    So, I have this bad habit of misjudging the size of things. The actual item I receive is either 2/3 the size of what I thought I was getting, or it’s 1/3 larger. When I got the Synapse 19 and compared it to the backpack, I figured I did it again. It looked smaller than I thought and smaller than the one I was replacing. And my old one was wider, with two big pockets on the side. So I was afraid I would have to return it and wait for the 26 version.

    However, it actually holds MORE than my old backpack. The compartments are proportioned nicely, and as I have been using it for a couple of months now, I realize can actually fit more in it than my old one. I do use a separate holder (not Tom Binh) that Velcros to the strap for my 2 phones for ease of access, but otherwise the compartments are very useful and I appreciate the ability to attach key straps as well.

    All in all, another great bag from Tom Binh.

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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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