Tom Bihn Small Travel Tray

Interesting! I already have two so really don't need another one, but I do like the green. Although my two are in bright orange and yellow, which works well for me as I don't lose them. :-) Here's a link to the colors! https://www.tombihn.com/products/small-travel-tray?variant=44711870103741

I do NOT NOT NOT need that hot pink one....sigh. I have it in Island and love the color but Hot Pink would be a great eye catcher for not being left behind!

I also recommend adding a carabiner to the drawstring loop. I wound up being able to hang it using the carabiner from a bedside lamp on a couple of occasions freeing up some bedside table space.

I’ve used the large tray on several trips, and it’s here in Trani, Italy now….glancing at it now as I rest my feet. : ). Mine is my signature “fun” color - orange, too! My bike, my kayak & my Tom Bihn tray are orange. I needed the larger one to hold my money belt, phone and the assorted sizes of lodging keys at night.

Every time I’m back in the Seattle area, I like to stop in at the Tom Bihn store in Bellevue and the Cotopaxi store….just to browse.

Thanks to Mardee I’ve become a TB aficionado. I love my small travel tray. I have it in a more subtle blue and definitely don’t need another one, sigh. I did buy them for daughter and granddaughters for Christmas. They are really handy when you travel and end up in a myriad of hotels. Keep all your s confined and in one spot and never worry about something sliding off the edge. IMO there’s definitely value in something that makes you smile when you use it.

Khansen, you are now officially counted as a RS enabler! :) I just bought my first one, too, in the pink color! So cute! I’ve been looking at these since reading abt them on here, but they were always sold out. Thanks for the heads up!

I could never match the enablerness of the folks here.

I kept going back and forth between the hot pink and bright blue. But who could resist hot pink? I'd really like the lavender color. Maybe for my next TB purchase. Looking at the stuff sacks and double sided laundry stuff sack too. I think I'd get more use out of the single stuff sacks than the double.

But Sea to Summit has stuff sacks too for less weight. Just not as many colors. Saw a bunch in an REI store and was surprised that everything was more camo colors considering they are geared toward camping and hiking. You'd think bright colors that stand out would be better in case you got lost and needed to be found.

Posted by Jean

Every time I’m back in the Seattle area, I like to stop in at the Tom
Bihn store in Bellevue and the Cotopaxi store….just to browse.

"Just to browse" huh?

The only thing that would save me from buying one of each of everything is the price.

Nice stuff, well thought out, but $$$.

Every time I’m back in the Seattle area, I like to stop in at the Tom
Bihn store in Bellevue and the Cotopaxi store….just to browse.

"Just to browse huh?

Exactly what I thought! Hmmmm, l have only used the small sized TB Small Tray traveling, somehow the larger size sort of loses things in the bottom when I don't have a light on by bed, but the larger size is nice at home.

Nice stuff, well thought out, but $$$.

khansen, their stuff is pricey, but I honestly don't mind paying it as I know that their goods are made right there at their factory in Seattle, and not shipped from China or other places. So I am willing to pay a premium for that. And it's good quality, too. I still have TB items that are 15+ years old that I continue to use and are in good shape.

As my mom used to say, "I don't know whatever possessed me" to click on this thread, but I did. Something that I've never heard of before, I now must have (say what?!) I do have some questions: do they fit well in a suitcase? Do they collapse? Are they soft-sided? Could I get by with just the small one for Burt's Bees lip balm, small tube of hand cream, cell phone and a packet of tissues? TIA.

“* As my mom used to say, "I don't know whatever possessed me" to click on this thread, but I did.*”

Hahaha…seee? This is how being enabled starts. You dip a toe into a thread. You go to a website. Before long you, too, have a TB Small travel tray in hot pink or bright blue!

“do they fit well in a suitcase?”

Yes

“Do they collapse?”

Yes, sort of.

“Are they soft-sided?”

Yes. There is a rim of stiffer fabric about halfway down but it’s still flexible.

“Could I get by with just the small one for Burt's Bees lip balm, small tube of hand cream, cell phone and a packet of tissues?”

Yes, for sure. I have chapstick, packet of tissues, phone, charger cords, adapter, a power bank, small memo pad and pen, a few cough drops. It’s bigger than you might think.

“TIA”

You are very welcome. Are you seduced yet, lol! By the way, Mardee was my enabler on this product although I’d looked at them for years.

I was watching a short video from Captain Steeeve this week (a United pilot). He was recommending people always have a ball cap at their bedside when traveling so all their important stuff is in one place in case of a late night fire alarm. I’m not a ball cap wearer but this functions the same way!

Editing to add: Found the video clip to the Captain Steeeve short.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XjdxLRyDLHY

Ok. I have Pam and Mardee's posts to be on the lookout to avoid, now. Just ordered the Zest 200 Halcyon small tray! Thanks for all the info, Pam. I just hope this isn't an example of Chasing the Dragon.

@Lindy...you realize this is part of the initiation rites....hahahaha!!! The Zest color will be easy to see in your hotel room! That's Jean's favorite!

I've been using one of these collapsable travel trays for years, and they're invaluable on trips when you want ONE place to look for wallet, tickets, room key, coins, phone ... especially if you're taking a 'movable feast' type of tour (like Rick's), waking up in a different hotel and new surroundings every couple of days. Folds up to nothing, easily stored in a backpack, and first thing out of the bag when getting into the hotel room. Mine's a boring grey, 'Northwest Sky' in TomBihn-speak, purchased after seeing a review here on the forum in early-2010's.

”..,especially if you're taking a 'movable feast' type of tour (like Rick's), waking up in a different hotel and new surroundings every couple of days.”

Matt, that’s a great title to describe it! That’s the reason I purchased mine a few years back. I have 12 room changes on this 3-week independent trip, by choice. It becomes more essential to be organized & quick for this type of travel to make sense.

Lindy, this may sound nerdy, but I cut out the dimensions of the two sizes of travel trays with paper & made the two versions out of paper & some scotch tape. These paper patterns helped me see the capacity & which size I wanted to order. Mine is the larger one and it collapses down to an inch high in my suitcase. (I remove the money belt, phone & room key in the morning.). The amount it will collapse depends on what you store in it & the compared diameter of the tray.

Okay, true confessions- LOL!

I did want to buy something in the Tom Bihn store two times when I stopped. But I just couldn’t find anything I needed.

I did buy two of the Cotopaxi packing cubes, ignoring the word need.because the fun colors lured me into a want - must have been the mesmerizing colors! One of them came along on this trip, and the colors make me smile - reason enough! : )

Like Jean, I also have a diy version. I took a brightly colored sturdy plastic bag and fold down the sides. I'm sure the real tray is better but this works for me.

Jean, "nerdy" means brilliant. I should have thought of your method when making my decision. Btw, isn't "want" the new "need"?!
I explained to my husband what the Tom Bihn Travel Tray is and tried to reason with him ("reason", the new word for "manipulate") into wanting the large one so that later on, he probably wouldn't want it and I would then have both. . ., but he was having none of it).

Matt, do you think you could bring yours to the next meeting? I would love to see it in person before deciding if I need it or not. ;-)

Budget alternatives:
Mountainsmith makes (used to make) a folding fabric dog food bowl for hiking.
I saw a post about using the lid off a peanut butter container.
A “Tupperware” type plastic dish.
Expensive option: RedOxx valet tray.
Amazon options for valet trays.
I have given my husband the expensive ones as gifts. Because he uses the RedOxx one all the time at home, I bought him the large Tom Bihn one with a TB 3-D clear pouch for TSA toiletries. I justified the RedOxx and TB options as supporting USA jobs.

Geez you guys, consider me influenced. Or enabled. Orange small coming soon.