Please sign in to post.

A woman has a right to change her mind and props to REI

Mardee found new shoes, I found a bag :)

So a few months ago, I decided that I thought for an upcoming coming trip that will involve some short hiking, I needed to have a different backpack. I went to REI and bought a (not cheap) Cotopaxi backpack. It’s very nice, but I also have a Roka Canfield backpack that I really like. It is possibly not as waterproof as the Cotopaxi, and maybe the straps aren’t as comfortable, but we are talking short walks, not mountain climbing endeavors. I think the moisture problem could be remedied with a cover of some sort or a possible waterproofing spray if there is rain projected. After thinking it over, I decided I really didn’t need both backpacks.

So today, I decided to return the Cotopaxi backpack. Didn’t have the receipt, but it was never used and still had the tags on it. As an REI member, I received a full refund -no questions asked. Such a great policy! Thank you REI.

What I really need right now was a new every day purse/Crossbody type; one that I could take with me on a trip and also use every day at home. I have followed the discussions on here about Tom Bihn’s bags and did a lot of searching back through different earlier threads about the various options: the side effect, side kick, side hustle. I even cut out paper mockups for size comparison! (Husband walked in on that -he just started shaking head lol) Anyway, I just bought my first TB bag, the Side Hustle in Aubergine and Wisteria combo. :)
I went back and forth between it and the Side Kick, but I like to carry a small water bottle, so I thought the little bigger size might be better, especially for a trip. It’s interesting, the height on each of those is the same, it’s the width that is larger on the side hustle. I am super excited to see it in person! I didn’t order any of the little accessories yet, wanted to see if I like the size first.

What inside attachments have you all found really helpful to have?

Posted by
12398 posts

Ooh, Mustlovedogs, now you make me want to go find a new bag! 😂

Seriously, I love the Side Hustle. I do not own it as I have the Side Effect instead, but I do lust over it a lot, and maybe one of these days I will break down and nab one.

In answer to your question about accessories, I get a lot of ideas is by looking through the reviews on the bag page. Tom Bihn actually used to have a message board similar to this one, although they used a different software. It was really nice, and you could get all kinds of ideas and ask questions and so on. Sadly they did away with it about 7-8 years ago (maybe longer). Regardless, it was a while ago and I miss it, but the reviews are the next best thing, because they have lots of good information in there and people post with lots of details (and photos!).