Which Size Cafe Bag is Right for You?

Kat Miller
2025-02-04T12:21:53-08:00

Want help deciding between the Small, Medium, and Large sizes of Cafe Bags or if the Maker's Bag is a better fit? This post is for you.

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Above: the Medium Cafe Bag in 630d 2x2 HT Saguaro Ballistic.

The Cafe Bag is incredibly simple and versatile. It was originally designed by Tom in 1991— read our Design Q&A with Tom: Cafe Bags blog post to learn more about the inspiration behind the design.

The Cafe Bag is typically available in two sizes: Small and Medium — it's great for hauling your everyday essentials. Classic and unobtrusive, it’s at home anywhere: the coffee shop, the office, the park, the movies, or on your next country stroll or bike ride to town. You can even use it as a minimalistic overnight bag (we admit that your mileage may vary with this one).

A few years back, we retired the Large Cafe Bag to create room in our production schedule for other designs. As a small company that sews our in-demand bags in Seattle, our production capacity is limited, however, we may bring it back if production capacity allows it.

If you're looking for a larger crossbody bag that's available now, consider the Maker’s Bag.

As the name suggests, it was designed with creatives in mind, first released in 2015 with knitters as a key inspiration. However, its spacious design and thoughtful organization make it a great choice for those who love the Cafe bag but wish it had a little extra capacity. With ample pocket space and organizational prowess, The Maker’s Bag is a great option for those who need a bit more room in their everyday carry.

The Cafe Bag fits in any urban environment but is tough enough to take to the beach or on your next light hike. If you want to figure out which Cafe Bag will work for you, you can do what Forum member jujigatame did and fabricate a mock-up.

No? Then maybe this guide will help.

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Design

Some design elements are common to all Cafe Bag sizes:

A large open-top main compartment

An asymmetrical flap that closes with a sturdy Duraflex buckle

A front zip pocket beneath the flap

A slanted, open-top pocket on the back of the bag

Attachment points for a waist strap (included only with the Large)

Every Cafe Bag also comes with one black 8” Key Strap.

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Particulars and usage examples

Small

Specs:

300 cubic inches / 5 liters

7.8" (w) x 10.2" (h) x 5.7" (d) /

1.5” nylon webbing shoulder strap with grippy shoulder pad, adjustable to 54"

2 o-rings in the main compartment and 1 in the zip pocket

4 pockets in main compartment: 3 for pens, 1 for a phone or tools

What fits:

TOM BIHN accessories: Freudian Slip (for Small Cafe Bag), Double Organizer Pouch (Small), Q-Kit (all sizes), Side Effect (it does take up a lot of room though), 3D Organizer Cube, Stuff Sacks (Size 1, 2)

Stuff: Hard or softcover book, 12-16 oz bottle, hat and gloves, sunglasses, box of 6 granola bars, notebook up to size A5, point-and-shoot camera

Medium

Specs:

475 cubic inches / 8 liters

10.4" (w) x 11.8" (h) x 6.3" (d) / 265mm x 300mm x 160mm

1.5” nylon webbing shoulder strap with grippy shoulder pad, adjustable to 54"

2 o-rings in the main compartment and 1 in the zip pocket

4 pockets in main compartment: 2 for pens, 2 for a phone or tools

What fits:

TOM BIHN accessories, in addition to all that will fit in the Small Cafe Bag: Freudian Slip (for Medium Cafe Bag), Double Organizer Pouch (Medium), Travel Stuff Sack (Size 3)

Stuff: Rolled-up T-shirt, 17-20 oz bottle, full-size magazine, notebook up to size A4, a change of socks and underwear, a compact umbrella, DSLR

Large Cafe Bag (Currently Retired)

Specs:

675 cubic inches / 11 liters

12.9" (w) x 13.3" (h)/ 330 x 340 x 85 mm

1.5” nylon webbing shoulder strap with grippy shoulder pad, adjustable to 54"

3 o-rings in the main compartment and 1 in the zip pocket

5 pockets in main compartment: 2 for pens, 3 for a phone or tools

What fits:

TOM BIHN accessories, in addition to all that will fit in the Small or Medium Cafe Bag: Freudian Slip (for Large Cafe Bag), Travel Stuff Sack (Size 4)

Stuff: Rolled-up light jacket/rain shell/cardigan, a texbook, 24-32 oz bottle, a change of clothes minus pants

Maker's Bag

Specs:

750 cubic inches / 13 litres

1.5” nylon webbing shoulder strap with grippy shoulder pad, adjustable to 54"

Detachable waist belt

4 o-rings in the main compartment and 1 in the zip pocket

5 pockets in main compartment: 2 expandable mesh, ideal for a travel mug or water bottle), a wide zippered pocket that can hold an 11” laptop

What fits:

TOM BIHN accessories, in addition to all that will fit in the Small or Medium Cafe Bag: Freudian Slip (for Maker's Bag/Swift), Side Kick, Travel Stuff Sack (Size 4), Travel Trays (Small and Large)

Stuff: Rolled-up, light jacket or sweatshirt, a textbook or art book, small-medium knitting projects, pencil cases, 24-32 oz water bottle, lunch, supplies of any kind, devices up to the size of the Macbook Pro M1

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So, if you are still thinking that the Cafe and Maker's Bags are basically the same thing, let us sum up the major differences between the two styles.

The Cafe Bags are available in three sizes: small, medium, and large. The Maker's Bag comes in only one size, measuring just slightly larger in depth and width than the Large Cafe Bag. Depending on the amount of items you are planning to carry, you may want to go with a smaller EDC, such as the Small Cafe Bag. But, if you carry more items day-to-day, go with the Medium/Large Cafe Bag or Maker's Bag.

The Maker's Bag is the only bag out of the four that has expandable pockets that can fit a water bottle or travel mug.

Only the Large Cafe Bag and Maker's Bag have detachable waist straps.

The Small and Medium Cafe Bags have 4 internal pockets, whereas the Large Cafe Bag and Maker's Bag have 5.

The Small and Medium Cafe Bags have 2 O-rings in the main compartment and 1 in the front zip pocket. The Large Cafe Bag has 3 O-rings in the main compartment and 1 in the front zip pocket. The Maker's Bag has 4 O-rings in the main compartment and 1 in the front zip pocket.

If you’re looking for a solid, crossbody or shoulder bag for everyday use, you can’t go wrong with the Cafe Bags or Maker's Bags. Designed to accommodate different packing needs, all your projects, both styles are crafted to last through all your adventures.

So, which bag is right for you?

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Frequently Asked Questions:

Q: Do these bags count as a “personal item” on an airplane?

A: You bet! The total measurements of all four bags fit within most airlines’ requirements for your secondary personal item. Of course, it's always a good idea to make sure by checking with your specific airline.

Q: What tablets/laptops fit in each bag?

A: While exact fit is determined by whatever protective case you might be using on your device, folks fit the following:

Small Cafe Bag: fits devices up to the size of the 11" iPad Pro.

Medium Cafe Bag: fits devices up to the size of the 13" MacBook Pro.

Large Cafe Bag: fits devices up to the size of the Macbook Pro M1.

Maker's Bag: fits devices up to the size of the Macbook Pro M1.

Q: Does stuff fall out of the top compartment?

A: This hasn't happened in our use of the Cafe Bags, and it's not something we can recall hearing over the years from customers, either. That said, it's possible if the flap is unlatched and the bag gets turned upside down. (While we generally support spontaneous cartwheels, we'd advise against them while one is wearing a Cafe Bag.) In general, items stay put when the bag is in normal use. You might want to secure stuff like your keys to the included Key Strap.

Q: Do the Cafe Bags have roll-aboard luggage pass-throughs?

A: No, none of the Cafe bags have roll-aboard pass-throughs. However, you may be able to get a little nifty using the Large Cafe and Maker's Bag detachable waist straps as a makeshift luggage sleeve.

Q: Which size Cafe Bag is right for me?

A: It all depends on what you are planning to carry. If it’s just the essentials, go with the Small. If you want a little extra room, just to be safe, do the Medium. If you need ample space for many things, you may want to go for the Maker’s Bag–as it is closest in size to the Large Cafe Bag.