My Very Long Review of Tom Bihn's Old School Carry-All

I've been a customer of the Tom Bihn company for quite a while, and one of the more fascinating parts of following their product line is seeing the creativity of new designs (or re-imagined vintage ones). In the category of small totes/bags, there have been quite a few fun products, including the OSCA, or Old School Carry-All. I was provided a review copy of this bag for free, in exchange for my feedback.

To read more reviews, check out the forums on the Tom Bihn site, or go to Facebook and search for the Tom Bihn BST & Discussion group. For this item, the forum has more reviews at the time of this writing.

TLDR

1. This bag is on the small side. It's 22 liters, which is about the same capacity as a Pop Tote, and midway between the Mini and Small Yeoman Duffel, for those familiar with these other Tom Bihn products. 
2. The OSCA is highly structured, with three internal compartments. It is similar to the now-discontinued Night Flight Travel Duffel in that respect, though the overall shape and aesthetic is different.
   
3. There is a long, narrow main compartment. It's hard to measure soft-sided luggage, but I'd estimate that it is about the same width as a typical paperback book.

But to go back in time for a sec...

In 2014 Tom Bihn came out with the NIGHT FLIGHT TRAVEL DUFFEL, which was a diminutive rectangular "duffel". In their description:

Though the Night Flight is designed to be your on-board companion for air travel, you may find it tagging along on a rail, bus, or boat trip, and perhaps even to the gym. When fully loaded, its external dimensions are 17" x 10" x 9" / 432 x 254 x 229mm, just meeting the maximum size for United Airlines' "personal item." Don't over-stuff it and you should be fine with Allegiant Air's 16" x 15" x 7" / 406 x 381 x 178mm limit.

I did take a few trips with the NFTD, and while it was a challenge to pack into something so small, it was light and easy to carry.

One drawback of this design was that the sizes of the three separate compartments were constraining, particularly the main section being just a little bit too narrow for certain iPads or even some books. But it built up quite a following! The NFTD was eventually discontinued, I believe in part due to a component that was no longer available. Perhaps I should have held onto mine, but I pared down my collection in 2020.

POP TOTE

The Pop Tote is another 20 liter size bag that falls into the "weekender" category. This is a simple tote bag -- no internal dividers -- with surprisingly strong handles. It is great for EDC, for shopping, or for throwing into the car on a road trip. I've even used it to haul books.

 

The shape of the Pop Tote makes it easy to pack, as it can fit a laptop, iPad, even a folder of papers. I've used mine for short trips -- it's shown here with two cubes originally designed for one of their other products, the Western Flyer.

But the single-carry mode limits its use a little, as there isn't anywhere to attach a shoulder strap (unless it's modified by a tailor).

 

The OLD SCHOOL CARRY-ALL

I liked this immediately when I saw it!

Front view (excuse the unfortunate moire effect):

 

Top view (and clear evidence that the colors rendered by my iPhone are somewhat arbitrary; it's a deeper shade than what appears below):

 

Rear view, with the partially-mesh side pocket:

Its curved shape, though maybe not as efficient for packing as something boxy, will make it easier to carry and more acceptable as an at-seat bag. And... it's just nice-looking. Very classic and classy. The one I requested is made in the company's toughest fabric, the 1050 ballistic. It's in the Coyote color, which seems richer and deeper than the way it appears in most photos.

It has the same side handles that jut out at a diagonal as the smaller Grab Bag. They can be used for hanging the bag, or just as a way to pick it up.

 

The top handles are well-done. Quite sturdy, but not too large to easily grasp with a hand.

Here's a quick shot of the inside of one of the side pockets. Sorry for the graininess from my iPhone camera, but I'm just showing that there is some built-in depth to each one (the area between the seams); they are not flat. The two pockets run along the entire side.  As a result, if the main compartment is not stuffed to the point of bulging, any of the Tom Bihn minibags (such as the Side Kick, Side Effect or Travel Cubelet) will fit nicely in one of the side compartments.

So what fits in the center compartment? If laid flat, a packing cube shoulder bag (PCSB) does, but projects a little bit into the side pockets. I would probably place it upright, like this. Two cubes could fit side-by-side.

 

I have other, smaller cubes that happen to fit perfectly and can lay flat on the base of the OSCA. I'm not pointing out these particular cubes, which are probably discontinued; just that it's worth experimenting. The endpocket A30 cubes -- and most likely the endpocket A45's as well -- also work.

 

Here is another view of the main compartment. It's long and narrow. A paperback book that is 5 3/8 inches wide is shown:

And this view of the bottom of the bag gives an idea of the overall divisions of the compartments (though the folds of the fabric obscure that a bit):

Opposite each shoulder strap attachment point is a loop, called a "webbing lash strap", for attaching items.

 

It does not seem like a good fit for my 13" Macbook, and I'd be more inclined to place that in an item with a protected sleeve. 

[EDIT: I just read another review of this bag by someone who thought their 13" laptop, in a case, fit fine. So opinions may vary. I prefer to keep mine in a dedicated device sleeve or a situation where it's well-padded, because I'll inevitably forget it's there and bang it against something.]

FINAL THOUGHTS

A quick chart comparing some other Tom Bihn products of similar sizes. I don't personally have any of the YD's, but they seemed like a logical thing to compare, as well as the Western Flyer, which I didn't photograph but in some ways it falls into this lineup. If any of my stats below are incorrect, feel free to comment and I will update the chart. (current version last revised 25-Nov-2021):

When I think about how I might use the OSCA:

• Combined with a backpack, there would be plenty of capacity for short trips. I'm thinking particularly of the Paragon, which is also 20 liters.
• Paired with a suitcase that goes into the overhead or gets checked.
  
• As a gym bag. If I were the type of person who went to gyms.
• Road trip bag.
  
• It could serve as one's only piece of luggage, if you were a very light packer.

This might not be for you if:

• You want to carry a laptop, or would like a dedicated device sleeve.
  
• You want a bag that maximizes packing efficiency; in that case, a regular duffel, or something with a squarish shape might be better.
• You're looking for the most economical option.

 

Hoping to pull this into service for upcoming holiday vacations! I may follow up with a packout of this with my Paragon or T30, which is probably how I'd use it on a real-life trip.