Unlike most of the gear reviews on our blog, we’re going to keep this one short. Why? Because we won’t be able do the Tom Bihn Shadow Guide justice – the bag just didn’t fit us properly. 

While the Shadow Guide is exceptionally well-constructed and very well-thought-out for a minimalist laptop bag, we just didn’t jive with its harness system. The bag had a tendency to just hang away from our shoulders and feel uncomfortable pretty quickly. No matter how we tried to adjust the fit, we just couldn’t get it to sit right on either my frame (6′ and athletic) or May’s frame (5′ 3″ and skinny). So does this mean that we don’t recommend the bag? Well, not exactly…

If the Shadow Guide 23 does fit your frame and if you like the klettersack design, then it’s actually a solid bag – albeit expensive. Just realize, this bag solely caters to individuals who prefer minimalist top-loading organization and outdoorsy aesthetics – not exactly everyone’s cup of tea for urban environments. And in our humble opinion, the Shadow Guide comes with a lot of “ifs” for a steep price – which can be a hard pill to swallow for most people. 

So… “if” you’re die-hard for Tom Bihn bags, “if” you value minimalism, “if” klettersacks float your boat, and “if” you have the ability to try on the bag on before you commit to it, then you likely won’t be disappointed with the Shadow Guide. The bag is truly built like a tank, the materials are fit for kings. and the small usability details are meticulously considered – typical Tom Bihn.  

However… “if” you don’t meet all of the requirements above, then we’d highly recommend that you keep searching or just get the Tom Bihn Synapse 25 (one of the greatest bags ever made).