THE GUIDES PACK - A REVIEW

Sporting an outdoors aesthetic, the Guide's Pack differs from most other Tom Bihn bags while maintaining the quality craftsmanship and functionality inherent in all their products. It's got a classic hiker feel with a practical, modern design. So, if you're in the market for a hiking bag, day pack, cross country trek gear or anything inbetween, keep reading and we'll walk through everything this new pack has to offer and find out just who it'll fit on best. 

My wife and I live in Japan and, with the exception of my mother's letters, we don't get much mail. So as you can imagine, I was even more beside my self than usual when the much anticipated Tom Bihn package arrived at my door.

Cardboard has never looked so pretty

Like usual, I wanted to review the pack the minute I got it, right there in my living room.

But I didn't, and over the last two months I've traveled across Japan with it on my back.
It's accompanied me on a tour of 4 of the largest cities in the country, hiked the mountains surrounding the prefecture I live in, and I've periodically used it as my day pack and for getaway weekends with my wife.

The New Diggs...

The first thing I noticed upon unpacking it was the brand new material the packs constructed of. 420d HT Parapack fabric -that's 420 denier High Tenacity 6.6 nylon. Literally the stuff Parachuters used. Now, I'm all for going into in-depth material reviews but Tom Bihn himself does a pretty good job covering everything (and more) you'd want to know about the fabric. You can check it out HERE.

Facing the morning sun, the Guide's Pack in Olive.

What do I think of it? 
Well, it put off a much brighter and reflective sheen than I was expecting. Keep in mind this is a synthetic material -so don't expect some cotton or cotton blend type of cloth. It's lighter then the 1020d the company offers for most their products but do not fear - there's no gain in vulnerability. It's still as strong as anything else they offer. Before seeing the bag in person I was expecting something with less of a shiny surface and more of a canvas-esqu feel. Depending on what lighting your in, the pack can fool you to thinking it's either one.

"In addition to our 420d HT nylon Classic Parapack simply being a beautiful, densely woven, tough-as-nails fabric, its smooth surface entirely lacks an affinity for pet hair, lint, sweater fuzz, and snow. "

-Tom Bihn 

The Back Bone

Besides sporting all new material the Guide's Pack steps into hiking territory with the inclusion of an internal frame. A removable internal frame actually...

With a 1" wide stay of aluminum running down the middle, the black polyethylene frame sheet fins slide neatly into 6 slips on the inside of the pack. Designed to make carrying a fully loaded hiking pack less of a burden, the internal frame helps with weight distribution and keeps the back of the pack  in line with your spine. 

The frame also keeps the bag from caving in. If you'd like your pack to always maintain its shape then keep it in. But if you're like me, you'll use the frame on hikes and keep it frameless the rest of the time. I love being able to toss my backpacks around, stuff it in my closet or throw them in the trunk. With the frame out, it feels more like an everyday carry sort of bag. And I love that I have the option to do both. 

With the frame in. 

With the frame taken out. 

ALSO: Notice the dramatic difference in the color of the packs as the light settings change. They should have called it the Chameleon.

ACCESSORIES

It wouldn't be a Tom Bihn product if there weren't any optional accessories. The Guide's pack has a couple different options for you. The "Lead's Pocket" and "Side Pockets".  Let's look at a Side pocket first.

You have the option of choosing either a right or left side pocket. These pockets are essentially open pouches that could easily hold two 16oz bottles of water and a pair of gloves. In the picture, I have a 16oz Thermos and, as you can see, there's plenty of room to spare. There's also an "o-ring" inside, incase you want to strap in your keys or some organizational pouches.


Pockets attach via a clipping system that is no doubt secure but a bit annoying to get on and off.


NOTE: My pack and all the accessories came with red and tan colored tie strings. You have the option of where and which color ties you want to connect with your zippers.

Speaking of zippers, both side accessories feature #8YKK zippers and a zipper flap covering the zipper.

With the side pocket placed on my right side, it's easily accessible to grab whatever I need. 

Here on the left side of the Guide's pack is the "Lead's Pocket". For a guy who is kind of obsessed with organization and compartmentalization, I have to say I adore having this addition to the pack. 

The Lead's Pocket

First off, both the "Side Pockets" and the "Leads Pocket" have a sort of 'secret' zippered section on the underside of the pocket. Inside the hidden slip you'll find a small section for your wallet, keys, Cell phone or whatever. There's even an "O-Ring" inside.

Again, this little hidden gem is on both pockets available. 

Pulling back the flaps reveal #8 YKK zippers. 

Inside the Lead's Pocket you'll find a variety of ways to store and place all your hiking and day-outing needs. Pens, pencils, knives, memory cards, city guides, bus tickets, flashlights, wallets, lighters, cell phones, batteries, cords and cables, whatever you might need to bring along... it'll take it.

There's even a way for you to attach waist straps to the Lead's Pocket that'll enable you to carry it around like a fanny pack. ...Or a satchel, if fanny packs aren't your thing.

Back to the Pack!

The Guide's Pack without the optional side pockets (above)

Hiking Mt. Tsukuba in Ibaraki Japan

The top flap of the pack allows for further storage, but before we go into that let me take a moment to complement the accessory strap holders. In my opinion, the diamond shaped leathery-looking strap holders are what really make the feel of this pack complete. I love it. It really gives off that old-school back packer, hitch hiking across the country, sleeping under bridges vibe. Ok, that might be over the top, but seriously, if it was a softer material I'd be sewing patches all over this thing.

Nylon webbing fastened under synthetic felt. 

The top flap that covers the main compartment of the bag also features a rather large storage section. Like the side pockets, the top flap features O-Rings inside the storage area and the zippers are covered by flaps to give some added protection from the elements.
The top flap is held secure via two buckles that can be tightened as desired.


There's easily enough space to fit a light rain jacket or sweater inside.

Flip the top flap over and hey! Guess what! More organization options! The top slip fits my iPhone 5 perfectly while the one below gives a bit more space.  Of course there's O-Rings too.

Two mesh pockets provide easy access to your electronic goodies. Or some Snickers. 

Just underneath the top flap is a grab loop to help with packing.

This is a ruck sack which means you'll be accessing all the contents of the bag via a draw string.  Like all Tom Bihn products, the draw string and cord lock don't seem like they'll ever wear out and I can hike assured that all my crap will stay put and (probably) bug free.

The inside of the pack is quite simple -nothing special. Just one large unobstructed open compartment ready to be cram packed.

With a higher chance of being drug along and worn down, the bottom of the pack features a tougher 1050d ballistic nylon. With two accessory straps on the bottom and an ice-axe loop, you have the ability to carry along your sleeping bag, (yoga?) mat, tripod or whatever.  If you'd rather not attach them to the bottom of the pack then you could strap it to the top.

The back of the pack features a quarter of an inch of closed cell foam padding covered with some type of special breathable mesh. The shoulder straps are second to none. Seriously, I've used all sorts of shoulder straps... from the Redoxx fluffy felt to the Patagonia pillow pads, and the shoulder straps on this pack (and all other Bihn bags) are my preferred choice.

The pack comes with a removable 1" waist strap.
Now, here's where I want to give some constructive criticism of the pack.
This bag has everything I want in a hiking pack. Quality material, internal frame, options for external storage and organization, comfortable shoulder strap and... a 1-inch waist strap?
If a waist strap is going to give any real relief then it's got to provide more coverage then an inch of your hip.
Now, I know I'm being a little difficult here because the thing is, if the bag featured big 'ol fat padded waist straps then it would have instantly lost any and all appeal to the casual backpacker (like myself). While extremely practical for hiking, padded waist straps would be an annoyance to the every day carry routine.
However, I have to say that big 'ol fat padded wast straps are, in fact, practical, and it's a bummer that the pack can't boast the benefits of such. It's the only thing I find lacking...

So here's my idea...

I've noticed that at the bottom of the pack you have the option of placing your 1" waist strap on one of two hoops.

The 1" waist strap, connected to the lower hoop. 

Perhaps this is already in the works, but I don't see why Tom Bihn couldn't make a padded, heavier-duty waist strap accessory. I think the two hoops could serve as a dual support system for a more serious waist strap that'd be of use to anyone wanting to go on extended hikes or would appreciate a bit more weight distribution.  I've drawn up a rough draft of what it could look like below.

"So where can we put an 'O-Ring' on it...?"  

Anyway, back to the review.

 Who is this Pack for?

The Guide's Pack is a rare breed of outdoor backpacks that caters to a few different crowds. For those who are looking for a dedicated hiking pack and want to stay away from mass produced name brand products, then the Guide's Pack could be a good fit for you. It's got everything a general purpose hiker/outdoorsman (or woman) would want but isn't so intimidating that us non-Everest'ers would be too afraid to use it. 

There's a charming, old school vibe about it that really makes it an attractive pack. For those who are looking for something to easily stuff your weekend belongings in for a quick getaway, I can imagine the Guide's Pack serving you well for many years to come. 

So to both the avid outdoor enthusiast and the casual backpacker, I highly recommend the Guide's Pack. With the large carrying capacity, its ability to remove the internal frame and to add and take away all the accessories, you have one pretty flexible pack that also happens to look really cool. 

The Guide's Pack

Cons

• for a pack largely geared towards outdoor excursions, there needs to be a more useful waist strap. 
• parachute sold separately 

Pros

• awesome aesthetics 
• fantastic quality and craftsmanship 
• plenty of organization and expansion options
• comes in a variety of colors
• made in the USA

Let me know what you think of the Guide's Pack Review. I'd love to hear your comments or questions. Thanks for reading. 

Try to Be the Only One, the Lord's work in Japan

Hey guys, Carmon here. First, to mom & the family, I know we haven't gotten the vlog together reviewing your stay here, but something has come up that I want to share right away.


Try to Be the Only One is a story in the textbook for my 8th grade students. I find it interesting that a story of this nature is a part of the curriculum. Japanese culture is very much about separating what is Japanese and what is not. Yet this story is in a Japanese school district's textbook!
While this story does not specifically name Christianity as the faith adopted by the main character, it is easily recognized as such. That is, it is recognizable to me, a western-minded Christian. I imagine that to the average Japanese student, it wouldn't be recognized as anything but a story. It is my hope is that this is a sign of the Lord's work in Japan; that this is His way of reaching to the youth of Japan.

Numerous Japanese encounters and conversations about Christian faith have clearly drawn the line which declares, "you are an American. Americans are religious, thus you are Christian. I am Japanese, therefore I am not."  To be Japanese is to be "born Shinto, and die Buddhist" is what I've heard. To accept Christianity is to stand out from the rest, deny your ancesters' beliefs, and live apart from what is the Japanese way.

With some guidance from our church leaders, I tested the waters to see what I could get myself into. I mentioned to one of the English teachers teaching this lesson that the story is about Christianity. After he agreed with me that it is, I also pointed out that Christianity is not a part of Japanese culture, but a part of my culture. Intrigued, he nodded in agreement. (Going in for the punch), I asked if it would be alright if I shared my own story that somewhat mirrored that of the character in the text book and explain how Christian faith helps believers through difficult times. I also added that I would like to show my favorite hymn being sung in Japanese. (drum roll) He said that he would like that and asked me to prepare to share this with the students next week, after they have read and learned about the textbook's story.

I am preparing a short presentation that very briefly tells the students of my dad's death and the chaos emotions of it all. I am attempting to explain how my faith has helped me and continues to help me every day. It is very challenging for me to do. I have never tried to explain my faith to anyone who knows absolutely zip about Christianity. Some of these kids may have never heard the term "Christian." How many people do you know have never heard the word "Christian"? If you're living in the United States of America, I don't think that is many.
I also didn't realize how "churchy" my language was until I sat down and started drafting this presentation. There are so many things we say that people who have no idea what our faith is about wouldn't understand.
Finally, I'm challenged to talk about my faith as my faith and not come off as persuasive or forward. (When, obviously, my hope is that this will spark some curiosity in a few of the 200 students that will be listening to my story.)

With the grace of God and the help of my husband and our Japanese church leaders here in Mito, I'll have this ready by next week for the 8th grade students of Gochu. If it goes well, they may let me give the same presentation for the 8th grade class of next year.

Please be praying for the 200 students that will hear this lesson next week and the two teachers that are allowing me to do this.

"It Is Well" (my favorite hymn) in Japanese, skip to 1:55 to bypass the introduction.

For those of you wondering, I personally will skip the introduction during class. Our ministers wife made a wonderful point saying that this kind of peace is difficult for most Christians to understand, much less someone who has never heard of Christianity before. And that after experiencing great loss, it usually isn't comforting (and actually quite insensitive) to hear people say, "REJOICE"!

I agreed with her 100%. After my father died, people told my mother "oh you're young. You'll remarry." Yes, it was true, my mother did remarry.  And this comment was made with the most loving intention. But how disrespectful of the marriage and years spent between my mother and father. And how insensitive to not allow a widow to be in her mourning. 

Therefore, the approach I am taking is from a personal stance and explaining "it is well with my soul", rather than encouraging that it should be "well with [your] soul."

And finally, here is Aragaki Tsutomu, the character from the story, singing Amazing Grace.

Writing English at Gochu Junior High

As always, I'm late posting something I drafted a month ago. My kids have done a lot of practice with writing English this year. My ninth graders wrote to my family during their first semester, my seventh graders made greeting cards, and numerous students wrote to Santa this Christmas season. My eighth graders were required to participate for class credit. I gave them an outline to follow as you will see by their similarities.

I decided to also show you a ninth grader's letter (the first depicted here). The ninth grade class was not given any outline. They were told they could participate voluntarily as long as they had it turned in to my desk by a certain date. Finally, I helped one of my special education classes write a few sentences as well. I believe that 250 letters were sent to Santa. A fine representation of Go-chu Junior High.

I am immensely grateful to the elves of Santa Claus Museum of Indiana, USA. Their speedy responses to my inquiries and requests were remarkable. Santa's letters in response to the students arrived before Christmas, but the kids were already on break. They will be receiving them first thing tomorrow upon their return to school.

I hope you enjoy reading these letters. We hope you had a Merry Christmas and send our best wishes for the New Year!
Mason is working on compiling a blog for our families holiday visit to Japan. Stay tuned.

9th graders have entrance exams that determine which high school they get into, which in turn determines what college they go to, and what company will hire them down the road. It's a stressful time for them.  

This student is feeling guilty for slacking off in club. table tennis = ping pong

Divorce is becoming more common in Japan. It is still in the early stages of development in regards to the law. Only one parent is given custody of the children and that parent makes the decision of how often the other parent gets to see the kids, if at all. I don't know this girl's situation exactly, but she surprised me by choosing to share this information with me. This is a very sensitive topic.

This guy is one of my "genki" boys. (aka class clown). He cracks me up.

Merry Christmas & Happy New Year!

The Artistic Expressions Of A Japanese Elementary School Student.

There are countless paintings, drawings and crafts hanging along the halls throughout my school. While most are what you'd expect to find coming from elementary school students, some have stood out more than others. So, I've decided to share some of my favorites with you and give my best guess at just what in the world these first through sixth grade artist were intending to get across.

The Artistic Expressions Of A Japanese Elementary School Student. 

Commentary by Mason

The first two pictures were drawn by some second grade students.  Every picture from their class featured an egg that had been broken and the following two pictures were just super cute. I asked one of my teachers what the deal was with the eggs and he told me of a story the class had read. In the story, a magical egg exists that, when cracked open, contains all the wishes and desires of your heart.  

Apparently, the artist of this drawing really didn't know what she wanted, so she tried to cover as much ground as she could… everything from pencils (very practical) to fish (please, don't stereotype) to Halloween pumpkins and ducks. I especially like the light bulb with the question mark inside… genius. 

I still can't tell what that green curvy thing is in the middle though. 

Same grade, different class. I chose to share this one because it displays the Japanese' peculiar ability to make anything and everything cute. These ghost are so adorable they make Casper look like he belongs in Paranormal Activity 5.

This is what happens when Teletubbies die. 

Next up is a water painting one of my sixth graders did. I'm pretty certain the assignment was "paint what you like doing," and I think this student did an excellent job. It definitely stood out above the rest. All the other pictures that surrounded it were of kids playing sports, practicing music, riding bikes and then there was this one. A lone student, sitting at her desk, on a seemingly nice day, studying. She looks very content and focused on whatever it is she's doing. Perhaps she's not studying, but drawing. Judging by the quality of this picture, I have to assume she likes to paint and draw.

….or she's studying for English class. Yea, that's probably it. 

This third grade peace of work is a stunning statement on the current socioeconomic and political effects that commercialism and marketing places on the individual in the public sphere. Conveyed as a bug, too big to be avoided or ignored, the boy is portrayed as uncomfortable and (more importantly) passive in relation to the rising influence of 'the bug' that is commercialism.

Or it could just be a boy looking at a bug made out of newspaper adds. 

Because of their red eyes, I have to assume that these rabbits are rabid, and therefore must be executed. The three children are probably workers at some facility that deals with such things. The one on the left seems to be enjoying his job while the middle child seems to be suffering from shock, and the one on the right might be wrestling with some form of depression. It's a great sign to see our young ones imagining themselves in the workplace with such enthusiasm.

So that's where all those lucky rabbit feet came from!

I thought this picture was cute. Two students eating lunch and one seems to be less then thrilled about his meal. From my limited knowledge of Japanese I think the boy is thinking "Oh no, there's so much leftover's to eat!" You can see their plates are full and the pot of food is still pretty full as well. There's a sort of semi-obligation in Japanese culture to finish your food and not leave any scraps… The States can be like that too, but it's a much stronger conviction here in Japan.

That's it really. These were just some of the ones that I thought were cute or interesting. Carmon's Junior High School has recently finished writing (in English) letters to Santa about what they want for Christmas. Let me tell you, some of them will break your heart and some will make you laugh out loud. But that's another post for another time. 

Till then, thanks! 

November: sickness, loss, soba, and more

Hanging out at church for the Thanksgiving meal.
Yoko, me, Young Ju Kim, and Sarah

November is drawing to a close and I’ve got to admit, we miss the family during this holiday season. The church was very kind to host a Thanksgiving meal for any AETs and church members who wanted to come. It was so nice to have something to help us feel a little closer to home.

Sickness

November was a very busy month. During the first weekend of the month, Mason came down with a cough. Two weeks later, after nights of no sleep (for the both of us), he finally saw a doctor and found out he had an acute case of bronchitis. They gave him some medication, and his symptoms were improving after just 24 hours of treatment. He is finished with the meds now and back in great condition.

David & Jordan

He didn’t let the illness keep him from being busy, though! He had a school event to attend three weekends in a row. He also went on a couple hiking escapades with a couple AETs and a Japanese friend named Saiki whom he got to know when he was studying abroad during college. I think we were both surprised at how much he has enjoyed hiking. He now intends to do at least one hike a month. Don’t worry family. Saiki will soon be an official hiking guide. This guy knows what he is doing. Mason is in good hands.

Saiki

Loss

On the 6th, a friend of ours from back home passed away. Rick Reed was a great friend and teacher. We met him at Bridgeway church and developed our friendship on the basis of our love for God and Japan. Rick had lived in Japan for a number of years and was teaching Japanese at a high school in Oklahoma City. He was very kind to tutor Mason and me before we moved to Japan. He was so supportive, positive, and loving. This is our first loss to experience since we’ve come.  I had a good number of tears to shed for Rick at first. Mostly because I was not aware of how sick he was. We knew he was in the hospital, but it was a shock when we discovered only a few days before his death just how serious it was. Nonetheless, we have peace and joy for Rick. He truly loved God. We trust he is well.

Overall, this experience showed me just how distant we are from everyone back home. While I thought I knew what was going on with our friend, I really had no clue. This is simply going to be the case while we are away, and that is just part of choosing to live abroad.

Soba

As for other events in November, hmmm.. Oh, I had a Japanese cooking adventure!! That’s right, soba lessons! And boy let me tell you, I don’t think I’ll ever successfully make that at home! Making noodles is really hard!!! It also requires a bunch of counter space that just doesn’t exist in most Japanese apartments. I’m thinking most people who make this from scratch are only making it in restaurants. Nonetheless, it was a fun experience.

And more..

I took this on my iphone, with no filters, and it was even prettier in person

The one “just us” thing Mason and I were able to squeeze into our busy month was a quick trip to Daigo. Daigo is the home to Fukuroda Falls, one of Japan’s top 3 waterfalls. The area is famous for its apples and we went in time to enjoy the kouyou (the autumn leaves). It was a MUCH needed day spent together. We had so much fun and will definitely return when we don’t have to be hurried back to Mito. 

That same night, I was volunteering to hang out with some students that are a part of a “Leadership Camp.” This is pretty much an honor society that hosts multiple events for the kids in our city. I got to eat dinner with some kiddoes, play bingo, then star gaze and peer through an INCREDIBLE telescope. It was a fun night. (I’m sorry that I can’t show you any photos).

Our apples from Daigo. They were  おいしい!!! 

Finally, Mason was given the honor of speaking to a church congregation for the second time last Sunday (his first time was in October). This small church of about 15 members is SO SO SO SO sweet. We really have enjoyed the two times they have invited us to join their worship. The minister of the church is my former college roommate’s father, Jim Holmes! (Those of you who don’t know, I potlucked my sophomore year of college and was roomed with a Japanese student named Anna! She is a dear friend who happens to be living back here in Mito, Japan with her family. Small world, huh?!)

And this all brings us to this week. I attended an enkai with a few teachers from my school. The enkai was for all of the schools within the "ichu" block. (In other words: in our neighborhood). There was only one other AET at the party, but we hardly talked. The whole night, I met and chatted with many Japanese teachers. It was a lot more fun than I expected. It was especially nice to joke and laugh with teachers from my own school that I don't teach with and therefore don't have much opportunity to get to know.

The origami flowers were prizes for a game we won.

Last night, I went to EBC (English Bible Class). I mentioned this to you guys in the last post I think. Since the retreat, I've been going more. We didn't have normal class last night, but instead we made ornaments in celebration for Christmas and simply shared the story of Christmas. Here is a clip of a little girl reading a story about the first Christmas for all of the adults. (かわいい!)

If you didn't see our last posts to update you on September and October, don't forget to check them out. 

Things to come:

-Today, Mason has gone to Nikko with a teacher who has a convertible. Sounds fun at first, but then when you consider the cold weather….. errr.. LOL should make for a great story about a new friendship.

-I’m going to begin tutoring with a Japanese friend, Yoko, from church to improve my Japanese starting Thursday. (she is pictured in the first photo of this entry)

-I’ll be hosting an ornament exchange party for the AET girls next Friday.

-My folks will be here in 3 weeks!!!! 

Thanks for your prayers. Happy Thanksgiving & we love you!!