Fjallraven Raven 28 vs Tom Bihn Synapse 25

255 facts in comparison

Based on 891 Reddit opinions. Close race—Synapse 25 edges ahead.

891 opinions
Synapse 25 leads by 5pts
Fjallraven Raven 28
85%
A-
Based on
844 Redditors

Fjallraven Raven 28

~$95.84
515 opinions

tldr; Functional Fjallraven. Better organization than Kanken, same aesthetic. The practical choice.

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VS
Reddit's Pick
TB
Synapse 25
90%
A
Based on
632 Redditors
Winner

Tom Bihn Synapse 25

~$25.49
376 opinions

tldr; The original brain. Weird pockets that somehow work. Tom Bihn's gateway drug.

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Comfort & CarryOrganizationCapacityBuild QualityAesthetics
😌COM
ORG
📦CAP
🔧BUI
AES
76
Points
74
Points

Score by Category

Comfort & Carry
52%59%
Organization
83%90%
Capacity
75%88%
Build Quality
80%96%
Aesthetics
86%51%

Why is Bihn Synapse 25 better than Fjallraven Raven 28?

  • Higher Reddit score (90% vs 85%)
  • Better organization (90% vs 83%)
  • Better build quality (96% vs 80%)
  • Better capacity (88% vs 75%)
  • Better comfort (59% vs 52%)
  • Clever design
  • Unique pockets
  • USA made
Based on 1,476 Reddit opinions
Slight Edge

Reddit prefers the Synapse 25

Winning by 5 points (90% vs 85%)

Better organization
Better build quality
Better capacity
High confidence (1,476 mentions)

💬Reddit Sentiment

Based on 1,476 Reddit mentions

Overall Rating

Raven 28
8.5/10
844 mentions
Synapse 25
9.0/10
632 mentions
AESTHETICS
Raven 288.6/10
Synapse 255.1/10
VALUE
Raven 288.1/10
Synapse 255.7/10
ORGANIZATION
Raven 288.3/10
Synapse 259.0/10
CAPACITY
Raven 287.5/10
Synapse 258.8/10
COMFORT
Raven 285.2/10
Synapse 255.9/10
BUILD QUALITY
Raven 288.0/10
Synapse 259.6/10
⚔️

Head to Head

Head to Head

Raven 28: 2|Synapse 25: 4
AestheticsRaven 28
Raven 2886%
Synapse 2551%
ValueRaven 28
Raven 2881%
Synapse 2557%
OrganizationSynapse 25
Raven 2883%
Synapse 2590%
CapacitySynapse 25
Raven 2875%
Synapse 2588%
ComfortSynapse 25
Raven 2852%
Synapse 2559%
Build QualitySynapse 25
Raven 2880%
Synapse 2596%
Raven 2885%
Synapse 2590%
Synapse 25 wins by 5 points

Key Specs

SpecFjallraven Raven 28Tom Bihn Synapse 25
Brand
Fjällräven
Tom Bihn
Manufacturer
Fjallraven
Tom Bihn
Color
Black
Various
Weight
1.0 Pounds
0.9 kg (2 lbs)
Height
18.5 inches
20 inches

Key Highlights

Fjallraven Raven 28Winner
🔧 Better organization
💻 Laptop sleeve
🦊 Fjallraven quality
📏 28L capacity
Tom Bihn Synapse 25
🧠 Clever design
🔧 Unique pockets
🇺🇸 USA made
💪 Outlasts everything

Topic Battles

Raven 28: 1|Tied: 0|Synapse 25: 4
😌Comfort & Carry
Synapse 25 wins
Raven 28
52%
Synapse 25
59%
Organization
Synapse 25 wins
Raven 28
83%
Synapse 25
90%
📦Capacity
Synapse 25 wins
Raven 28
75%
Synapse 25
88%
🔧Build Quality
Synapse 25 wins
Raven 28
80%
Synapse 25
96%
Aesthetics
Raven 28 wins
Raven 28
86%
Synapse 25
51%

Based on Reddit sentiment across 5 categories

📈Where They Rank

💬What Redditors Actually Say

What Redditors Say

Best praise vs top criticism for Tom Bihn Synapse 25

Best Praise
+20 pts
I hate roll-top bags so the one on the right (the Tom Bihn).
r/Backpacks
View
Top Criticism
+5 pts
They sit too low on my back. Tend to be “droopers” and I like mine up high. I tend to prefer Evergoods and GORUCK for backpacks. I have a Synapse 25 that I need to sell at some point but it just isn’t a fit for me personally. It’s a well made bag though.
r/Backpacks
View
3 more quotes available below

What Redditors Say

Best praise vs top criticism for Fjallraven Raven 28

Best Praise
+24 pts
The raven is great, but it will not stand up on its own. Depends if that bothers you or not!
r/Backpacks
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Top Criticism
+4 pts
I have a slightly different raven, and hate the water bottle pockets with a fiery passion. They are short stiff and slippery, even the shortest water bottle will pop right out all the time
r/Backpacks
View
3 more quotes available below

📈Historical Price Data

Fjallraven Raven 28
Tom Bihn Synapse 25
$80$100$120Jun '25Jul '25Sep '25Oct '25Nov '25Jan '26Feb '26Mar '26Apr '26May '26Low: $83.96Current: $91.09
Fjallraven Raven 28
All-time low: $75.96(2024-04)
$25 below 90-day avg
Tom Bihn Synapse 25

Which is Better?

Tom Bihn Synapse 25 Wins
90%
25
vs
85%
28

Close race, but Tom Bihn Synapse 25 edges ahead by 5 points based on 1,476 Reddit opinions.

Why Synapse 25Winner
  • 🧠 Clever design
  • 🔧 Unique pockets
  • 🇺🇸 USA made
Why Raven 28
  • Better Value for Money (81% vs 57%)
  • More discussed (844 vs 632)

❤️The Love/Hate Breakdown

Sentiment Breakdown

54%Positive
Positive
54%
Neutral
41%
Negative
5%
Based on 632 Reddit opinions

Sentiment Breakdown

52%Positive
Positive
52%
Neutral
39%
Negative
9%
Based on 844 Reddit opinions

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is better, Tom Bihn Synapse 25 or Fjallraven Raven 28?
Based on 1,476 Reddit comments, Tom Bihn Synapse 25 has a slight edge with 90% positive sentiment vs Fjallraven Raven 28's 85%. The difference is small, so both are solid choices.
Should I buy Tom Bihn Synapse 25 or Fjallraven Raven 28?
Both have similar approval ratings (90% vs 85%), so focus on specific features, pricing, and what matters most to you.
What do Redditors love about Tom Bihn Synapse 25?
Reddit users highlight: Clever design. Unique pockets. USA made. With 632 mentions and 90% approval, it's a well-regarded choice in the community.
What do Redditors say about Fjallraven Raven 28?
Reddit users highlight: Better organization. Laptop sleeve. Fjallraven quality. With 844 mentions and 85% approval, it remains a popular alternative.
How many Reddit reviews were analyzed?
This comparison analyzed 1,476 Reddit comments: 632 about Tom Bihn Synapse 25 and 844 about Fjallraven Raven 28. Data was sourced from Backpacks community discussions.
How accurate are these ratings?
Our sentiment analysis is approximately 80-85% accurate compared to manual review. Well-discussed products with many mentions tend to have more reliable scores than niche items with fewer data points.
Why trust Reddit over professional reviews?
Reddit users bought products with their own money and have no incentive to mislead. You're seeing hundreds of real opinions across different use cases, not just one reviewer's take. This crowdsourced approach surfaces both common praise and recurring complaints.

891 Reddit opinions analyzed · Last updated 5/31/2026