Best Carry On - Goruck GR2

“Our favorite Carry On for traveling the world with only one bag”

We can’t think of a better Carry On bag to travel the world with. The GR2 fits everything you need, blends in to anywhere you go, and can be customised with modules to most configurations you desire. If you’re a OneBag convert, the GR2 let’s you carry on everything, yet still present in front of a client or fancy hotel lobby.

This is not a cheap pack, but when you consider that the price includes a commitment to keep the bag in service almost no matter what you get up to, for life, it starts to feel like great value.

The GR2 is a large pack, which better suits a larger wearer. However it also has several smaller stablemates (including the cult GR1) if you don’t need to survive out of your bag for quite as long.

Goruck have more commitment to their product that almost any other brand, and we’re stoked to see them win Best Carry On.

Best Specialist - ABS Vario System 

“ABS created the category of life saving avalanche backpacks, and still own it with the Vario”

There are not many carry areas where good design can save lives. And there are not many brands that get to create entirely new categories. With ABS, we get both, with the German Avalanche backpack company having created this lifesaving carry category.

Their recent updates mean you can buy the refined Vario base unit, and then attach different capacity pack sections to the front. If you mix it up between side-country teasers and full back-country missions, this means you don’t need to double up on the expensive bits of these packs.

With recent changes in US laws, we’re now seeing a proliferation of avalanche airbag packs, but it’s ABS that are the benchmark, and a very deserving winner of our Best Specialist Carry Award.

So, the first Carry Awards are done and dusted, finalists announced, winners decided. Dreams both crushed and realised in the same day (well, we like to think so ). Feedback has been pretty good so far and we’re happy to know that all of you are amped on it. We’re already tweaking and planning for the next instalment…

One constant request was the breakdown of the winners, etc. So what we’ve got for you today is the Top 3 for each category. We didn’t want to break it completely down, figured we’d keep it Olympic style with the podium finishes.

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Carry Awards Work Backpack

1. Mission Workshop Arkiv Field Pack
2. Goruck GR1
3. QWSTION Backpack

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Carry Awards Work Messenger

1. Bedouin Barbary
2. Defy Recon
3. MW VX Messenger

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Carry Awards Active Backpack

1. Mystery Ranch 3 Day Assault Pack
2. Triple Aught Design Fast Pack Litespeed
3. Arc’teryx Quintic 28

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Carry Awards Active Messenger

1. Mission Workshop Rummy
2. Trakke Mule
3. Acronym 3A-5TSR

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Carry Awards Carry On

1. Goruck GR2
2. QWSTION Weekender
3. Lexdray London Garment

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Carry Awards Check In

1. Rimowa Salsa Air
2. Tumi Tegralite Large Trip
3. Patagonia Black Hole Duffle

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Carry Awards Specialist

1. ABS Vario 15
2. Kata 3N1-22 DL
3. Incase Ari Marcopoulos

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Carry Awards Carry Accessory

1. KILLSPENCER Dopp/Folio
2. Bellroy Travel Wallet
3. Incase Pathway Collection

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Carry Awards Hall of Fame

1. PAC Designs Pro Series Messenger
2. IKEA Big Blue Bag
3. Fjällräven Kånken

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QWSTION have a great tweak to a solid existing style. We got excited about it. Now we’re sharing…

The QWSTION Weekender is already a popular bag, serving as a versatile travel option that can move between work and play. A big part of the versatility came from the backpack or shoulder bag configuration option, a trait shared with several other bags. However this transition always required time-consuming rethreading and cumbersome actions, so you tended not to bother.

This update finds a wonderfully simple solution, with a central ring that allows you to hook the middle of the shoulder strap, creating two backpack straps from it. It’s fast, elegant, and doesn’t seem to compromise the strap function.

We haven’t had a chance to play with anything other than the press release, but it’s looking like a great approach. Well done QWSTION, we’re well impressed.

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Post note: Yep, we’re not yet sure where the second shoulder pad goes when in single strap form. But that feels solvable and small in importance…

An awesomely versatile backpack

OK, so this one has been a long time coming. In fact, so long that I feel pangs of guilt over not having shared it earlier.

The Tri-Zip is a tactical backpack that the Mystery Ranch guys helped CamelBak create for their Tactical range. While it’s meant for running around dodging bullets, it happens to double as one of the best travel and all-rounder backpacks I’ve ever used. It is hands down my go-to for travel or diverse needs. Below, I’ll try and explain why…

^ That’s why ^

Check the above image, and you’ll get an idea of just how radical this pack’s load carrying and access abilities are.

If you’re packing an SLR, you can reach it quickly at the bottom of your pack. If you’re hauling a couple of laptops, a uke, and a random collection of work bits, it will somehow find a way to wrap itself around their ungainly forms. This backpack finds ways to capture and contain anything you can throw at it.

With that initial gush out of the way, let me dive in with some of the geek details…

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The Good

There’s lots of good, so we’ll concentrate on the best-est goods…

Neat Modularity: The Tri-Zip is a Cargo + Hydration pack which comes with a modular build. Aside from all the PALS treatment, it leaves you free to ditch or keep the high-spec hydration, well padded waist strap, or even shoulder straps if you want to check it in. You need to pay for it all, but you don’t need to constantly haul it all.

Much of the time I run the Tri-Zip without the hydration bladder and waist belt. This keeps weight down and the look a little cleaner for work duty. But again, it’s modular, so you do whatever rocks your boat.

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Awesome access: The Tri-Zip works as a top load for fast grab stuff, or unzips fully for load planning and reaching those tricky bits. Other than having to unclip a compression strap, this all happens smoothly and without fuss.

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Those high internal pockets: High up on the sides, out of harm’s way but within quick reach. This is the single most under-utilised area of backpacks and messengers, as pockets here avoid crush zones and allow for fast access. The Tri-Zip puts mesh zip access pockets here the way almost every bag should.

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Excellent load carrying: Thick foam, well shaped straps and just enough structure to keep it up on your hips. This is a pack that you can wear all day and not fatigue.

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Height adjustment: The Futura Yoke lets you adjust the harness height to suit your torso length, which matters if you want to take load on your hips. It manages this without complicated or heavy structure, instead utilising velcro, PE board, and some clever design.

The curved ‘Blade’ gives the back panel its shape, while also acting like a spear that you shove down behind the shoulder strap assembly to separate it from the velcro holding it in place (when you want to adjust height).

The only downside to this neat assembly is if you forget that the Blade can be used to help adjust the harness height. Cough, cough, I might have remembered after a minute or so of trying to do it without the Blade…

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Enough bits: The Tri-Zip has ports for hydration and radio gear (or headphones), it has pullers and shapers and bits aplenty. The build is solid, the components bomber, and it’s all covered by a Lifetime warranty.

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The external side pockets: External pockets are for contents needed on the go, and these side pockets rock for that. I use one for work stuff, and the other as my Dopp kit. They work great for this, growing outwards just enough while staying streamlined and not snagging on passing branches/belts/pocket watches.

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The Not So Good

Nothing is perfect, or more specifically, perfect for all things and all folk. Here’s a bit of what could be improved for us…

Airmesh sucks: Yep, same as always. The stuff scratches bare skin, gets saturated with sweat, and is not as durable as it could be. Having said that, 99% of the bag world is guilty of it, so we can’t be too harsh in this case.

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Only basic water-resistance (WR1): None of the zippers are coated, and there’s a drain port in the base (that lets water in if you’re setting down in snow or puddles). That’s a bit of a pity, as the drain seems to hinder more than help.

One-piece shoulder straps: So this one is a compromise thing, where you win and you lose. One-piece shoulder straps (or strap yokes) work great as you see above; when you have all the straps on properly, buckles done up, and you’re marching in a normal upright position.

Where yokes are less than awesome is when you are carrying the pack on one shoulder, without the chest strap done up, or when in prone position (riding a bike). They tend not to adjust to irregular movements all that well, and can find their way off your shoulders or interfere a little with your neck/helmet.

So you win with heavy load carrying, and then lose a bit with irregular load carrying. It’s a compromise.

Best suited to:

Someone who asks a lot of their backpack, wanting versatility and load carrying ability. Frequent travellers. Adventurers. Boy Scouts. You need to be okay with a bit of a tactical vibe to run with this pack, but if you are, it rocks.

Not suited to:

Small people (there’s a bit of size there), suit wearers (it would just be a bit much), and folk after a really water-resistant pack (you’re better going with the Mystery Ranch 3DAP for that).

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You should also check out:

You want to be checking all of our Active Backpack nominees from the Carry Awards. You should especially pay attention to…

Mystery Ranch 3DAP – Yes, this is the pack that the Tri-Zip is based on. So what are the biggest differences? They’re subtle, but still significant. The 3DAP probably wins out for carrying really heavy loads (with a better waist strap, especially if you spec the Live Wing waist belt), it wins for surviving torrential downpours (with water-resistant zippers), and for durability (getting Dana’s attention to fabric and construction detail). The Tri-Zip then wins out for more civilian-friendly pocketing (especially those low external side pockets), and for price (typically selling for $50-$100 less).

Goruck GR1 – While not as good for heavy or awkward loads, the GR1 is generally better around the office with its geometric silhouette and fewer dangly bits. But with the GR1 you will struggle to carry your ukelele.

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Conclusion:

The Tri-Zip has truly worked its way into my comfort gear, as a bag that I feel really secure choosing. It is my favorite active pack for travel as it works really well, adapts to everything I ask of it, and represents strong value.

The tactical vibe is not for everyone, and the Mystery Ranch 3DAP is the more ‘pure’ version of it, but for mere mortals like me, it’s easy to fall for this thing.

Last week was pretty rad here at Carryology. In between chasing rainbows and talking general Carry awesomeness, we got the chance to interview Dan Green – the design manager for Arc’teryx and Arc’teryx LEAF. Anyone in carry knows who Arc’teryx are and what they’ve achieved not only in carry but in other categories such as gloves and outerwear, even their research into color. So we were pretty excited to get some time with their lead design manager.

We spoke to Dan about a number of various topics and got some really insightful answers back. It’s a great read and something we encourage you all to take five on to read. Anyway, enough gushing, enjoy the interview below…

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The Arc’teryx Brand

How much does the Arc’teryx ‘brand’ enter your design decisions? How different would your designs be if you were designing for yourself rather than for Arc’teryx?

The brand’s high performance and high quality expectations drive design decisions here. Our purest design motivations and inspiration come from personal mandate but those must be filtered so we end up with commercially viable, mass producible gear with wide appeal. Designing for myself is different without commercial constraints because I’m making something for a very specific purpose and I’m not paying retail for it. The genesis of Arc’teryx design philosophy is a full freestyle approach to make the ideal thing, but structure and discipline are the only ways to finish something that thousands of people will buy, otherwise you are just making art for yourself.

Company culture

How do Arc’teryx continue to resist the pull towards almost every other generic outdoor brand?

I think we hunt for creative people who will grow when they are pushed to work towards high ideals. Our new GM described this very well as a persistent-growth mindset and I see it manifested in nearly all aspects of our company. It’s just ultimately about doing the right thing at every level. And the right way is always the hardest way. In Design we have to struggle with this daily and try to find a balance so we can actually finish things and get them out there.

I guess on the same theme, Jeff Bezos (Amazon) writes about how most public companies are incapable of “sacrificing this year’s profits to invest in long-term customer loyalty and product opportunities that will create bigger profits next year and for years thereafter.” It feels like you guys manage to do it, focusing on rad product year in, year out. Can you talk a little about the company culture that allows for that? How do you champion R&D projects with unclear deadlines or returns?

We’ve traditionally been a design driven company, but we don’t approach all our design as a seasonal reinvention. While it would be great to revolutionize categories year after year (we’ve done this only a handful of times), we instead just recognize known product parking spots and work to incrementally improve them when we can and sometimes that can take years. The rest of the company is sort of along for the ride, putting a lot of trust in the direction coming from product. Companies that drive from near-term marketing needs for short-term commercial gains will just get half-assed products that they can’t stand on a decade later. Our products need to be worthy of that Bird logo instead of leaning on it. That’s a fine line to maintain as we grow but from historical examples in our space it’s obvious that textbook brand building is the fastest path to mediocrity. We have to do the right thing so we can get asked this same question 20 years from now.

Is there any collaboration with other brands in the Amer stable?

Not too much in product design but that could change where it makes sense to tap into a broader or complementary skill set or technology. There’s more back-end collaboration with Operations and shared systems.

How similar are the designers in your team? Do you guys shoot for consistency or diversity?

There is no prototypical designer at Arc’teryx. If there’s a common thread it’s probably having a hands-on approach but even that is a broad stroke. We’ve got huge diversity in our design and development skill sets that we can cut and paste together to get stuff done. Or we all disagree entirely, start fighting and get nothing done. Captive biodiversity like this is not always a good idea. It’s weird, like a zoo. Or more like Noah’s ark. Quarantine would be useful.

Is anyone in Arc’teryx able to say the full reptile name?

I doubt it! Only a handful of employees can even pronounce the abbreviated company name correctly and I think the majority of people who recognize the brand can’t say the full reptile name. We like it that way. The last thing we want is for anyone to think they understand us.

Innovation

It feels like Arc’teryx softgoods are natively 3D, rather than 2D just translated to 3D. Can you talk a bit about your creative process that lets you think and make such 3D designs?

We work with the understanding of realizing a 3D end result. 2D creative steps for visualizing, patterning and shaping are important parts of the process to get us there. Nothing functions two-dimensionally on paper anyway so it’s always speculation. Good ideas are only good ideas when they get built up and work in the field.

Arc’teryx seem to work pretty closely with some top suppliers and makers. Can you talk a bit about those relationships in the creative process?

We often work closely with suppliers to build us the right materials for our needs. Tight brand/vendor relationships are common in the industry. It’s not uncommon to have a dozen rolls of experimental yardage under our tables.

We can imagine lots of benefits to controlling so much of the manufacture yourselves. What are some of the negatives?

We don’t control the manufacturing as much as what we ask the factories to produce. The best we can do in Design and Development is make perfect samples and then push and support factories very hard to build these properly in bulk. Our Quality Control standards are extremely high and we reject everything (raw goods to finished goods) that don’t meet criteria. The downsides are the risks of losing entire production runs to quality. There is lots of trust with our numerous partner factories around the world, no different than all industries with a global supply chain.

Who sets the design briefs? And which customers guide your efforts?

We have a good partnership between product line managers and design managers to drill down into briefs. In LEAF we work closely with handpicked tier 1 users to steer and evaluate our gear, validating everything in the field before we launch it.

What was your journey to where you are now?

I started sewing and building personal gear for caving, climbing and paddling in 1991 when I was seventeen. While hunting down a sewing machine mechanic in Calgary, Alberta in 1998 I crossed paths with Integral Designs and joined them a few months later where I cut my teeth in production until I started as a junior pack designer with Arc’teryx in 2000. I had a few side projects between then and now, but I’m currently managing the design for LEAF, Gloves and Accessories.

Talking carry

Arc’teryx has a fair heritage with carry, including one of the first roll-top backpacks. How does that play into what you do in a general outdoor and winter goods brand?

Packs played a huge roll in defining how Arc’teryx approached design and production. Lots of innovation and tool building with our own factory. Over the years the bulk of the outdoor pack market has shifted from 80-liter backpacking to 45-liter sports, but we’ve maintained our load carriage thinking and applied it to lighter and smaller packages. Packs are a part of each category.

Which other crew do you rate? Others in the carry area?

Osprey is doing very well in the outdoor space and Mystery Ranch owns the Special Operations military space. It’s been impressive to watch these brands focus on their areas and establish themselves.

What carry products are you most proud of? What’s your daily carry?

A few years ago I was part of the Advanced Composite Construction (AC2) pack project to take packs and make them simpler. Though the products weren’t dialed the technology was good and we are still plugging away there and some developments had good spinoffs. One tweak was the laminated suspension in our outdoor Nozone packs and the LEAF Khard and Khyber packs. I’ve done long trips with these packs and they are solid and shockingly light. The simple combination of laminated materials is like plywood construction (several lesser layers combine into a single exceptional layer). I’m still carrying an early version of our new LEAF Khard 30 pack that launched in the Spring of 2013.

We recently reached out to a lot of people/brands to get more of these quick, insightful ’5 minutes with …’ happening. A lot came back straight away, a lot we’re still waiting on. I realise we only just posted ‘5 Minutes with Roztayger‘, but when this came in from John Duran at CamelBak we had to post it up straight away…

Based out of San Francisco where there’s a solid stable of Carry brands, John’s the Industrial Design Manager at CamelBak. Check out John’s portfolio on Coroflot, as well as taking a peek at the road test we did on the CamelBak Tri-Zip

Read on for some good carry talk…

C - What key insights drive your stuff?

JD - The main insight that drives innovation for all our products is the delivery of active hydration and properly designing around that experience. From a minimalist cycling pack that carries just 50 oz. of water and your house keys, to a 25L lightweight weekender that carries our water bottles as well as a 100oz reservoir alongside your backcountry gear, we aim to have the weight and volume of the water disappear while improving fit and function so you can just focus on the activity at hand. The same small team that designs our packs and bags also designed the Antidote reservoir, our water bottle line, even the All Clear UV Purifier, and that allows us to draw from several disciplines and experiences when ideating new ways to detail our packs.

C - Who else is doing rad things in the world of carry? And why do you think they’re important…

JD - Living in San Francisco places me close to lots of bag innovation, and my friends at Boreas have introduced some of the more functionally innovative pieces I’ve seen in a while. Another small San Francisco bag company, Joshu+Vela, is contributing to the growing movement of locally handcrafted products, while Mission Workshop continues to define technical style. Outside SF, I’ve always admired Crumpler’s lack of conformity, both in bag construction and attitude.

C - Are there any things other brands do that you think are great or could be improved?

JD - I like how Hyperlite Mountain Gear is pushing conventional material boundaries, it’ll be interesting to see how they evolve their technology and its application.

C - What’s next for you guys?

JD - We recently introduced a line of lumbar-based hydration packs (see image above) which move the water’s center of gravity to the lowest point in the bag, making it very stable while freeing cargo space up top. We also just launched a new ventilated backpanel platform on our NV™ mountain bike line, composed of articulating pods inspired by technical footwear.  Both these technologies have additional potential and we’re going to continue to think along these lines of unconventional carry for both water and cargo in order to improve and evolve.

C - What do you carry daily and how?

JD - My daily pack is the TriZip™ from our military collection, with some custom mods. It’s the one pack in our line that can accommodate my ridiculously large 3D workstation notebook. I throw all my quick-access essentials in the zippered top hood compartment, and when I travel for an overnighter I put everything in packing cubes, splay the bag down the center and pack my things from the front.

Sometimes good design gets forgotten. Not necessarily unappreciated, but we tend to forget about the people/designers who have created something that we might be enjoying every day. What you’re about to read is a great example of someone wanting to share the stoke – which makes us feel all warm and fuzzy.

The below is an email that got sent to us by a reader who wanted to share his enjoyment for a product, as well as give props publicly to the design team. Generally, it’s not something we’d publish, but there’s some good quotes and insight to be shared. The reader, who has asked to remain anonymous, is a bag designer himself and was so impressed with the product, he felt he needed to share it with us. Below is the article, slightly edited, but mostly in its raw form.

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I bought myself a Columbia Manifest II, with Techlite straps a while back – price was good, and the brand is dependable. When I reviewed it at the store, I was a little thrown back by the straps. I have seen everyone in the sporting industry address strap styling; memory foam, mesh overlays, fabric breaks, non-slip PU, molded insides, but these Techlite straps were different.

The whole strap was molded, (co-molded to be exact) with a mesh panel sandwiched in the middle. The molded part of the strap, a foam type material, was sturdy and soft. The straps were colored in the accent features from the pack. And, there was a nice soft but tactile texture molded into the resin. My first thought, “This isn’t going to feel good”, but after 2 weeks of traveling, the straps felt GREAT! The resin-foam material conformed to fit me, and the mesh panels never let the heat or sweat build up under them.

Other things to note about the straps, they were fitted with load adjusters, waist belt and a nice air flow back panel. The main body material of the pack was sufficient and the pack was equipped with side compression straps to keep the contents from moving all around in there.

Next step, find out how it was done. So, I called (many annoying times!) and got a hold of Tom Hinkle, Sr. Product Manager at Columbia Sportswear Company. Tom was the Sr. PLM Equipment and Accessories product manager when these straps were created.

Tom’s description on Techlite goes like this:

“This in-house innovation was put together by the great minds of Mark Gingo, Senior Designer in Equipment, and other talented folks in product development and the footwear team….ya, shoes! The Techlite LOAD (Lightweight-Open-Air-Design) is a patented process delivering lightweight/breathable backpack & duffel straps & hip belts. The straps are manufactured in a FOOTWEAR factory that specializes in performance foams and molds. They are made using a co-molded process where 2 layers of Techlite (patented) foam are sandwiched over a lightweight scrim mesh, which provides strength without weight. This process allows us to vary the durometer of foam on the underside vs. the top side. What that means is we can have softer/more cushioning foam against the body and a bit stiffer, more durable foam on the outside.”

I also got to talk to Mark Gingo, the innovative mind behind the straps. His main objective? How to create a strong, lightweight and conforming backpack shoulder strap.

Mark’s concept came from none other than Concrete. But, what makes concrete strong? Rebar, the metal reinforcing bar that provides flexibility and strength to most concrete foundations and slabs. For an in-house designer, a big advantage is the ability to source within the company. Mark detailed out his concept, and went to the footwear development team over in their innovation lab. Using Columbia’s proprietary shoe foam compound and a durable Mesh to act as rebar, Techlite straps were born. Columbia have since incorporated this technology into 3 categories: Multi-Day Outdoor, Velocity Outdoor and Mass or Back To School (BTS).

There you have it, great functional innovation and a good step forward into something new for the outdoor industry. I would like to give another shout out to the Columbia team – working as an in-house designer, depending on the company you work for, you get the benefit of financial resources that an independent designer or business owner doesn’t. But, the other side of it is you don’t always get the acknowledgement from your peers in the design community because you’re in-house. Congrats on impressing this designer, and hopefully impressing a bunch more of the people who buy your brand.

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We’ve touched on the recycled materials topic before, not too deep, but just a glance. Which, after re-reading it a while back, made us think we should probably jump a bit deeper into it. So we’ve pulled this post together to help us all get a better understanding of the factors brands face when developing carry with eco in mind.

There’s some brands out there who are doing a great job, we’ve highlighted them below. If we’ve missed any brands, or facts/points, please do let us know. This is an ongoing education for us all, and one area we all need to be well educated in.

Bluesign®

To start with, how does one “measure” the eco-friendliness of carry items? Say hello to Bluesign… 

Several companies have their own norms and specifications (like Klattermüsen and Vaude) but there’s also Bluesign®. Bluesign® is an established standard for measuring the cycle from raw materials to chemical components to resources for carry items. Companies such as Vaude, Haglofs, The North Face and others comply with Bluesign® and have their production audited from time to time. An elaborate description of the Bluesign® standard can be found here. Quick note, Nike have just signed up as well. 

Design

Eco-friendly carry items start with design. What materials are used (see further on), how much material is used, which specific production methods are necessary for producing the item. You can also look at how durable an item is designed. A bag that will last for 25 years will probably make a smaller footprint than five bags that last five years.

The catch there is while creating a bag to last 25 years is a great goal, how many items do you use daily now that you were using 25 years ago? Progression creates better products, so we’d like to think that as our designers progress so too can the ability to make a bag that’s both functional and relevant today and tomorrow. So what gives our gear the best chance of being relevant in 25 years? My guess is keeping it pretty basic and allowing for adaptation (through things like modularity).

Materials used

Another factor of eco-friendliness is the material that is used for the carry item. Organic cotton, hemp, recycled nylon, and recycled PET bottles are frequently used materials in more eco-friendly carry. Again, we’ve already taken a look at carry brands using recycled materials like fire hoses and truck tarp. Bluesign® makes a difference in materials that touch the skin and ones that don’t.

Materials are what consumers will experience when using the items, although not everyone might see the difference between nylon and recycled nylon or normal cotton and organic cotton. Here’s a story from Patagonia’s website on what made them make the change to organic cotton:

(From Patagonia’s website): “In the spring of 1988, Patagonia opened a store in Boston on Newbury Street. Within days, the people who worked in the store were sick: mainly headaches. We hired an engineer who told us the problem was the ventilation system: it was recycling the same tired air. But what was in the air? Probably formaldehyde, she told us. From the finish on the cotton clothes stored in the basement. Formaldehyde? This led us to commission a study of conventional cotton, and the discovery that cotton grown with pesticides is one of the most destructive crops in the agricultural world. Knowing what we knew, we could not continue to use conventional cotton for our sportswear. We went organic in 1996.”

Production process and logistics

A big part of the eco-friendliness of carry items is in the production process and logistics. How much waste is generated in cutting cloth, how much water, energy or chemical substances (tanned leather, anyone?) are used, where are parts of the item sourced, how are items transported. Consumers will rarely notice these things. Even harder to establish is if the designers and manufacturers of the products go to work by car or by bicycle.

Rivendell Mountain Works
Brands like Rivendell Mountain Works have a “locally sourced” strategy: “Supporting our “backyard” by utilizing local suppliers and manufacturers is what we are about. We believe this to be a valid approach to the economies of production and beneficial to the environment in its own small way.”

Packaging and presentation

If you buy a perfectly eco-friendly bag, wrapped in six layers of plastic, sold in a store lit by 100-watt light bulbs and run by amateur pilots/race car drivers who like to dump waste in a nearby lake every weekend, is it still eco-friendly?

Catherine introduced us to some outdoor retailers a while ago, amongst others to REI. REI has its own sustainable operations policy with goals like: “Become climate-neutral in our operations by 2020″ and “Become a zero waste-to-landfill organization by 2020″.

After sales service

Is there any eco-friendliness after a carry item has been sold? Yes there is. Some companies spend part of the profits made on eco-projects. Some have a recycling programme, even so far as paying money for returned used bags.

Klattermüsen
Klättermusen are launching a unique recycling programme – rECOver. Consumers who return their used Klättermusen products to the shop will get back their deposits worth 1, 5, 10 or 20 Euros. The programme will also donate used and repaired outdoor clothing to charity. Initially, rECOver includes textiles made from polyester, nylon and polypropylene, as well as metals. Nylon and polypropylene have so far been difficult to recycle, but Klättermusen is one of the first in the industry to include them in a recycling programme. From 2009, all of Klättermusen’s products will have a small label attached to them. The label states the value of the deposit: 1, 5, 10 or 20 Euros.

Thoughts? Ideas? Opinions?
This post wasn’t so much a spew forth of facts, but more, we hope, a conversation starter that sparks something in the comments.
Have you got a rad eco idea? Do you think some brands should be ‘championed’ more for the eco approach?

Hit us up, could be some great conversation happening…

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Pssst, we grabbed the header image from here. It’s pretty rad huh! Go check more out.
Oh, and that real nice sketch image under ‘Design’? We got that image from here. 

Living mostly in Australia, we usually look with envy at all the great businesses IN OTHER COUNTRIES. We’re only little, so mostly we get ignored. Rushfaster are good, on a global level. They have a great site with easy navigation and loads of bags, wallets, and carry product.

Another reason to really love them is they are one of the few online retailers that are stocking QWSTION, Hard Graft and Seventy Eight Percent - all generally hard to find brands online (we don’t count their own site) at the moment. Add those three to the long list of other Carry Brands and you can see how you lose hours just browsing through their site.

Now while we’re sitting trumpeting the Carry prowess of Rushfaster, it leads us to a bigger question…

Who else is a great Carry Retailer?

We’ve covered a few here and there and we know of many more that we should be covering. But as we move towards trying to give you guys a better catalog of retailers to visit, we really need to ask – who are we missing? Who should we include?

We’d love it if you included your favourite Carry Retailer in the comments, if they’re great we’d love to get in touch with them and help expose and share them with you guys. The overall goal is try to build a great catalog of Carry Retailers that we can all share and shop with.

Work. Do you work to live or live to work? What’s that one line? Do what you love and you’ll never work a day in your life… Not entirely sure about that, I do love my job but I still consider it work. Anyway, in the hope that we can unearth some amazing carry talent we’ve gone through and found a few jobs that might get you excited.

They’re all a little different and should cater to most of the audience here. If you’d like, this little job section is something we might make a bit more regular – thoughts?

Anyway, there’s four job openings below, including Product Line Manager at Da Kine!

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Materials Developer at Black Diamond Equipment –

Work with brands like Gregory Packs and Black Diamond. This role supports RnD and is the principle link to the raw material supply chain, and therefore is responsible for the overall performance, quality, color management and sustainability of the raw materials and components. Can you handle that?

More info about the job here. 

Product Line Manage for Bags at Da Kine –

This is a big one, a dreamy one, the one you want. Have you got the skills that are needed to be considered Da Kine material? In this role you will oversee and manage the design, development, and production of all technical backpacks, luggage and board bags used in snowboard, skiing and cycling divisions. Dreamy huh…

More info about the job here.

Junior Designer at Bellroy –

Work with our sugar daddies and help the world carry better. You’ll work alongside the Founding Designer to help reinvent the way the world carry. Designing, specifying and refining slim wallets will be a major focus, but you’ll also be working on Carryology (yeah that’s right, come help us make this amazing site even more amazing!) to share carry learning and stoke.

More info about the job here. 

Senior Backpack Designer at The Outdoor Recreation Group

Design nothing but bags, amazing bags, big bags, small bags, innovative and red bags (red bags are awesome just quietly). As the Senior Designer, you will be responsible for applying your strong design skills, innovative thinking and technical experience in accessory design & development toward creating new product collections. Awesome sounding huh…

More info about the job here. 

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(images from Black Diamond)

In terms of carry explosions, Herschel fits the bill with a bang. This relatively young brand, founded in 2009, has enjoyed an almost unparalleled explosion. Herschel packs are everywhere, other than on Carryology. So when we spotted a review of the Herschel Heritage backpack on Rushfaster, we thought we’d offer up a slightly condensed version as a guest road test. The review was done by Jason Phang and is copied below as Jason has written it. Jason’s entire article can be viewed in full here but for the main points keep on reading…

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I purchased my Herschel Heritage Backpack because I needed a new workbag that could fit comfortably my documents, sweater, water bottle, umbrella and most importantly, lunch! This bag is generally considered a casual kind of backpack and more commonly associated with teenagers and university students. I found it to suit my personal style as it complemented the business look but kept a relaxed and down to earth vibe.

The Heritage backpack is very light (0.65 kg) and easy to swing around your shoulder. However the lightweight material makes the bag a bit flimsy and fails to hold its shape when empty or half full. The bag tends to sag when heavier items are placed in the main compartment, and doesn’t look as flattering.

I tend to keep my spare change and keys in the front pocket and the flap that conceals the zip can make it more difficult to open with one hand. A possible benefit of this feature is it may potentially alert me if someone is trying to pickpocket things out of my bag, especially when I’m on crowded public transport. Unzipping can sometimes be difficult, particularly when the bag is sagged and partly full. It takes some re-manoeuvring of the bag shape to make it unzip easier unless you use a bit of force. But don’t quote me on this feature!

The straps are adjustable and have a comfortable ventilated-mesh cushioned lining, and the faux leather on the base and top handle makes the bag easy to look after. I haven’t noticed any scuff marks or loose fraying of the backpack material so far.

The bag has an elasticated document compartment to keep important notes and documents upright and conformed to the back padding of the bag. A drawback of having the thin exterior material and back compartment lining is it won’t be sufficient enough to protect your documents. Only the backside of the bag is padded so I recommend putting your notebook in a padded sleeve. The compartment can hold a 15″ notebook.

Another handy feature but one I don’t really use is the internal iPod pocket with rubber grommet for your headphone access. There’s also an internal key clip in the front compartment but I prefer to get to my keys without having to take off my bag.

Overall I’m very pleased with my purchase of the Herschel Heritage Backpack. I’m definitely getting plenty of wear for my purpose and can see myself using this bag on holiday or if I decided to return to good ol’ study!

Remember, Jason’s entire article can be viewed in full over at Rushfaster.

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This week’s Do It and Carry teaches you how to double the humble beach towel as a clothes satchel, using some Velcro and a piece of rope.  You might be thinking hey, Tom Sawyer did that back in the day with the old bag on a stick trick, but he wasn’t this crafty. No timber usage here.

If you have any ideas for hacks, DIY, etc – let us know in the comments. But for now, kick back for five and enjoy…

Video by Astrid & Sirio
Music by Löhstana David – Quand je serai grand

Do it & Carry it – Chapter Two. from Carryology on Vimeo.

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Do It & Carry It is a new series of clips produced by Carryology showing how you can use everyday items to help carry in unique ways. This is the second cab off the rank, remember the first one?

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A photographer by trade, David Green is also handy at filming and animating, having put together Bellroy’s stop-motion videos. His love of photography is only rivalled by his love for bikes, basketball and eating challenges. He was kind enough to put together the road test below. Happy reading…

It was a week before I was due to fly out, I was heading over to Southeast Asia for six weeks of adventure, when my Incase DSLR Pro Pack was delivered. Having looked around at a bunch of packs this one seemed to fit the bill as a good sized camera backpack with enough features to satisfy. First impressions were good, but a review can’t be written off first impressions. My intention was to give the pack hell over the following six weeks of travel, return home with plenty of pics, and write up my findings for this review. Well it took me one day before I had crashed a bike, stuffed my foot, and was planning my return trip home! So this review didn’t quite happen the way I had hoped, but since being back home in Aus I have had a good chance to put the bag through its paces, and these are my findings…

THE PACK

The pack comes in two different  colorways  – Black Heather and Dune Metric Camo. I’m running the Black Heather for this review. Picking up the pack the fabric seems to be a good durable fabric; time will tell. The heather pattern (interwoven yarns of mixed colors producing flecks of alternate color) should also mean it ages well and hides those little nicks, scratches and general wear. The pack is designed around two main sections. There is the main camera compartment which sits against the wearer’s body, and which takes up most of the pack. And there is the front compartment that takes care of the laptop, tablet, documents or any other items.

The main camera compartment is accessed via the back of the pack. To gain access to this firstly the two shoulder straps need to be folded back and then the back panel can be unzipped.  This was new to me, having only used camera backpacks with front access before. I thought it may take some adapting to, but within a day I’d forgotten about the change and it was a great system. It’s also good knowing that your expensive gear has an extra layer of padding (the front section) between it and any potential knocks.

The internals have a set of Velcro-attached padded dividers much like you’ll find in most camera bags these days. It’s easy to customize to whatever gear you’d be running. Most of the time I run a 5D with lens attached and two other lenses, and have room to spare, so use that space for flashes, lens hoods, etc.

On the inside of the back (access) panel are three pockets for extra storage. Two of which zip closed and one that uses Velcro tabs. A clever touch with the zips is that when the pockets are fully closed the metal zip tags tuck away into an elastic covering. Really good attention to detail and smart because it prevents the metal tags from potentially scratching your camera gear inside.

Now to the front. This compartment is accessed from the front of the pack and caters for everything else really. The compartment is the full length of the bag and is deceptively large. During my brief travels I used it for all my documentation, a passport, book, packed lunch, and a jumper. There was always room to spare. Some of the items I don’t have but which it’s designed for is a laptop – there’s a pocket for up to a 15-inch laptop. There’s a slip pocket for an iPad, and then there’s a few other pockets that look after pens, smaller items, etc. It’s a good flexible space. If you don’t have the laptop and iPad in there like me, those pockets squash down and give you more room for whatever else you want to pack.

THE FIT

It wears well. It’s fairly basic when it comes to adjustments, but to me that was part of the appeal. Sometimes simple is best, especially aesthetically. I guess it depends on the situation, but if I want to take my camera plus a couple of lenses out for the day I don’t want to look like a photojournalist. I just want to look like I’m wearing a nice backpack, that happens to carry my camera gear. Having said that there were a few times when I fully loaded the pack, and after a while the shoulders were feeling it. Bear in mind that it’s carrying a camera body and 5 pro-grade lenses which aren’t known for skimping on glass. So you can imagine it weighed a fair bit. I’m sure some hip straps would have eased the load, but given I was fully loading the pack say 20% of the time I’d prefer not to have them flapping in the wind.

So what can be adjusted? There is the length of the shoulder straps, and there is also an adjustable sternum strap. This can be tightened and also adjusted up and down. The shoulder straps are padded along with the back panel. So it’s a comfy fit and I never felt anything poking into me from within the pack. On the whole it’s a fairly soft pack, and by that I mean it doesn’t have the rigid shell protecting the camera gear like a lot of other camera bags out there. There is a bit of a trade off with protection there, but it gives the pack a comfortable casual feel.

OTHER FEATURES

Top Access Pocket

The stand out feature of this pack for me and the one I was always making the most of was the top access pocket. It’s not a new concept, but it’s new to me and it made this pack so much better. It’s a way of getting your camera out of the main compartment without having to open up the main back panel. It’s just a matter of opening up the zip at the top of the pack and pulling out the camera. It cuts down the time to have your camera in hand and ready to go. I found myself pulling out the camera more, whereas in the past I may not have bothered to get the pack off and open up the main compartment. So a camera backpack that promotes more photos, that’s got to be a good thing!

Tripod Straps 

The pack features two tripod straps on its side. I have a small travel tripod and it looks after it well. The straps don’t quite open wide enough to strap the whole tripod in, so I ended up just feeding in the centre column and one leg then folding the other two legs down. Maybe the straps could have been a little bigger, but the system of one leg plus centre column worked well and was easy to secure. Never did I find myself retightening the straps either, the buckles always hold tight and are straightforward to release.

Extra Pockets

The pack also has a few extra pockets. Some I found myself using all the time, some I didn’t use at all. It has a very handy zippered pocket right on the front of the pack . It’s small and has a soft lining so is perfect for a phone or to throw your keys into. For a little pocket it’s quite deep too – it expands back into the front compartment as it gets loaded up – very handy.

Below that is an open sleeve-style pocket. It’s quite large, as it reaches down the length of the pack. Good for flat things I guess, but with no zip I found myself using the safety of the main front section. One thing though, it is the quickest pocket on the bag to access.

On the side of the pack at the base (opposite side to the tripod straps) are two more small pockets. One open and one zip accessed. I didn’t find myself using them, but hey they don’t take up any room so why not. Not much space in them so good for a muesli bar or spare key.

Zips

All zips on the pack work well. There was no wearing-in period for me, smooth and easy from the get-go. The pull tabs on the external zips are user friendly. They almost seem to poke out from the pack, making it easier to grab them.

Mesh Back Panel

The first day I landed in Thailand it was close to 40 degrees Celsius, and my body was trying desperately to acclimatize from an Australian winter. So I’m not sure if that’s fair review conditions for how breathable a pack is. Evidently it didn’t do too badly but it didn’t do great. Since being back home I haven’t noticed any sweat patches, so that’s all I can ask for. It’s breathable, dries quick and it’s comfy.

ISSUES

For me this pack rates highly, so when I’m finding faults I have to look hard.

One is I find this pack is quite a soft backpack. There’s no underlying rigid structure and there’s no extra dense padding around the camera gear. This on one hand makes it comfortable, but on the other concerns me because of the precious cargo within. Look, it’s a camera backpack so you shouldn’t be throwing it down, but if you were to drop it I’m not sure how well it would protect the gear inside. Some other camera backpacks have denser protection around the camera gear, almost like a capsule. Is this a better solution? It’s probably a trade off with size and weight, but I felt there could have been a little better protection, especially on the bottom of the pack.

We’ve determined this isn’t the type of pack with hip straps, reflective strips, and all the bells and whistles. Its beauty is its simplicity. Having said that, I would have loved a rain cover. It’s a minor criticism as it’s not designed as an outdoor or hiking pack. But even if it was detachable, there are enough extra pockets to hide it in.

IN SUMMARY

The first thing you notice about this pack is it’s just a well designed backpack. Clean lines and all parts of the bag are an effective use of space. It doesn’t grab you with a gimmick, it just does what it’s meant to do and I found it does it very well (whilst looking good).

It’s not going to be a backpack for every photographic situation, but I think it does a great job of covering a lot of bases. If you need to carry a lot of gear for a long time, if you’re going to be roughing it in the elements, there are better options. But I found for anything from a professional photo job, to travelling, or just going for a walk and wanting to have your camera gear on you the Incase DSLR Pro Pack is just about perfect.

Keen? If you’re in Australia, best bet is purchase it from one of our favourite Carry Retailers – Rushfaster. If you’re anywhere else in the world, have a look at the Incase store. 

Our newest contributor and professional photographer Shelby Craig took the Burton F-Stop Pack on his travels to test how this camera backpack fared being put through its paces in a range of environments…

The Details:

The Bag: Burton F-Stop Pack

Size: 28L

Specs: [25.5 in x 12 in x 7.5 in][65 cm x 30.5 cm x 19 cm]

Empty Weight: 5.1 lbs [2.3 kg]

Action sports brands such as Burton began making bags for their staff photographers because mainstream photo companies have no idea what surf, snow or skate shooters need in a bag for their gear. Burton has a solid history in the bag department over the past few years and as an avid surf/travel shooter I was excited to see what they were up to. Burton appropriately named their camera pack range “The Photographer Series” which consists of four bags hovering around the 26-30 liter mark. I was lucky to get my hands on the F-Stop Pack which was designed by Burton pros to have “backcountry-grade capabilities that are just as at home on the street”.

The Test

In airport codes: SYD-LAX-SNA-DEN-EGE-JFK-EWR-MDW-LAX-SNA-SFO-SYD

A quick two-week trip to the US took me from the suburbs to the mountains and to a few big cities too. Even though it was summer and I didn’t have any slopes to slide down I put the F-Stop to work. Eight flights, five cars, three trains, two alpine hikes and a big day walking around the Big Apple, it was a solid and diverse test.

When the pack arrived I was pleasantly surprised by how solid it was. Built out of CORDURA® fabric the bag felt bulletproof. The side effect of being bulletproof though is the F-Stop has a bit of weight to it – 2.3 kgs to be exact.

The F-Stop is a big bag. I struggled to fit it in the overhead compartment of a plane without taking up the whole thing. Most people in their right mind wouldn’t want to carry such a large bag through the city so I’m not sure about it being “right at home on the street”. I learnt this the hard way through eight hours out in NYC summer heat. As a hiking camera pack it is still pretty big. You don’t really need that much gear when in the backcountry for the day. But if you were on some sort of motorbike or snowmobile this would be your dream pack.

Exterior Pockets

The exterior pockets and straps on the F-Stop are actually quite intuitive and useful, which is a nice change from previous camera packs I’ve used. The 2x side pockets are great to hold anything from a charger to some snacks and are easy to access because they are not built into the bag but rather out of it. One pocket is even coated/insulated for a reason I couldn’t figure out. I think it could fit a tinny if you squeeze.

Behind the side pockets on both sides are shovel/ice pick pockets for backcountry adventures. These are relatively useless in the summer time for anything besides a small monopod or pole. Below these are some tiny water bottle holders that I couldn’t get any of my bottles to fit into (I used them for power bars instead). Similarly the front of the bag has a long but shallow open/cinch pocket that doesn’t fit more than a few magazines or a thin jacket. The board straps do feel solid and I trust Burton to know how to carry a board on my back. Lastly, the top of the bag has a generous pocket with a removable pouch inside, good for quick-access items such as memory cards, iPods and batteries.

Interior Pockets

The interior of the F-Stop is equally built to last. A thick padded adjustable and removable camera insert keeps your precious glass safe on your back. The adjustable padded divider system is easy to set up in a way that works for you. My one complaint about it is that it is too shallow to hold a pro DSLR or DSLR with vertical grip unless it is detached from the lens.

A nice extra piece for the snow bound photographer is the detachable powder guard that Velcros over the top of the padded divider system, keeping out pesky moisture and snow. There are two transparent interior pockets that are good for filters (padded cases) and the other odds and ends that photographers carry. The main disappointment with the interior is that it really doesn’t hold much camera gear in comparison to the large size of the bag.

Support System

The carry and support system on the F-Stop is where this bag really shines. With multi-adjustable and padded shoulder straps and an adjustable harness height it can suit any torso size. Thick and supportive waist straps take the brunt of the weight off your back and transfer it into your legs like good hiking packs do.

Finishes

The finishings are top notch too. From thick coated zippers to twice looped and tied zipper strings this bag doesn’t feel like it will tear anytime soon no matter how much gear gets thrown in.

Major Pet Peeve

Nowhere on the F-Stop is there a laptop or iPad compartment. I get that this is a backcountry bag but in this day and age of digital capture why would there not be a spot for a laptop or iPad? This bag is designed for snowboarders and I get that, but snowboarders travel a lot. The last thing you want to do as a traveling snowboarder/photographer is have yet another bag for your laptop when you already have an extra one for your boards etc. The laptop is an essential piece of equipment for a photographer and to exclude this is plain shortsightedness. To give Burton credit though, some of their other packs in their “Photography Series” do have laptop pockets.

Conclusion

The Burton F-Stop is a solid backcountry camera pack for photographers not flying around too much. If you’re sticking at one mountain for the season or driving around a bit then this is your bag. The build is more than solid and leagues above some of the big camera bag brands. It looks and feels like a serious pack that will keep your gear safe no matter the season or mountain.

Pros

-          Solid overall build
-          CORDURA® fabric
-          Strong zippers
-          Clever external pockets
-          Tough internal padding
-          External shovel pockets
-          Secure vertical board holder
-          Load-balance waist harness with adjustable straps
-          Simple all-black look

Cons

-          Heavy build means heavy empty weight
-          No laptop or iPad compartment
-          For its size it doesn’t hold enough gear
-          Slightly too tall for most overhead bins
-          Camera padded compartment not deep enough
-          No rain cover
-          Only really suited for the mountain
-          Pricey

For more information on the F-Stop Backpack, hit up the Burton website (North Hemisphere, South Hemisphere)

Chrome is a company that needs little introduction in the cycling and carry world. Seventeen years ago, they created their first bag, one that defined their trademark feature that’s still used today – the iconic seatbelt buckle. They inspired other carry companies in various ways, whether it is the use of seatbelt straps, waterproofness, or the lifetime warranties. Ultimately the founders left to form Mission Workshop, which is often mentioned as a company that is “inspiring” and “cutting-edge”, when carry industry insiders are interviewed. Despite this long history, Chrome has managed to stay relevant while still producing “bombproof” bags. They are able to keep their prices affordable while keeping up with trends (see: their apparel and shoe line).

A few months ago, Chrome reached out to us and asked if we wanted to check out their Welded Transport series. I was keen on checking out a Chrome bag, having seen and used a few but never for an extended period. They sent over a Welded Rucksack to check out and I started using it as my EDC since that time. The Welded Rucksack uses “the same technology as Coast Guard boats” to deliver waterproof protection. I took that from their website but I think it is a confusing statement. Basically, what you need to know is this: welded seams are a way to connect two seams together without the use of needle and thread. In traditional sewing, the needle creates punctures (holes) in the seam, which compromises the waterproofness. Sonic welding is able to fuse the materials together, and usually along with mesh or seam-tape, provide waterproofness while reducing weight. Pretty neat, right?

Initial Thoughts

When the bag first arrived, I was surprised about a few aspects of the design. First, it’s a much more angular bag than I am used to. I did not look up many details about the rucksack prior to its arrival. Similarly, I did not look at any hi-res photos of it. It’s very much its namesake, a rucksack, complete with ninety-degree corners. It’s long to match the aspect of the human body, and of course documents, laptops and tablets. It’s also very flat. You have probably heard me mention before, but sometimes this is an issue for me. I do not care for bags that have no structure (not the case here, it “holds” its own) or bags that are too restrictive depth (front to back) wise. As such, it’s best you use this bag for the aforementioned items or anything that lays flat. If you are looking to stick a six-pack in here, look elsewhere.*

*As an aside, what is it with “urban” bag companies always showing beer runs with their bags. Surely that must account for a very small portion of their actual use.

Build and Construction

The bag feels bombproof. It seriously does. The problem is it’s often difficult to get a bag that feels elegant or clever while being bombproof. To me that’s the real beauty of a company like Mission Workshop. With the Chrome, you are definitely going the blue collar route. The waterproof coated outer shell can take a beating. You can feel how “solid” it is when you wear it. There is not much give. In fact, most of the bag is pretty stiff. Besides a couple of frayed threads, I could not detect any irregularities or problem with the stitching. The sides tuck in to avoid Ando’s Arch-Nemesis: the Prince Charles ears. The material is somewhat abrasive and as a result, sometimes some “stains” show. They are not dirty, per se, but akin to rubbing the sides of your sneakers on a cement sidewalk. A sort of dust appears on it. Nothing a moist towel would not take care of.

Interesting Features

Waterproof

Easily the main reason you should buy this bag is its waterproofness. The seams are welded and the outside a 600 denier TPU coated shell. The one thing to note here is the outside pockets are not waterproof. They are under the flap but water could come in sideways. There are two drain holes there. I would not hesitate to put something in that can stand being wet like a pair of sunglasses or a diving watch. I would not put my smartphone or a Moleskine in there.

Organization

I am a sucker for organization. I’d rather have the pockets than not. If I don’t use them, no harm done. The Chrome bag alleviates the problem of sacrificing pockets for a larger main compartment in a clever way. In addition to the two large outside pockets, it also has a laptop insert with organization pockets in front. The sleeve fits a 15″ MacBook Pro and stays secure to the inside with a large piece of Velcro. You can easily detach it if you want, and you’re left with more room for books, documents, etc. The sleeve reminds me a lot of something you might find from Tom Binh. There are slots for a few pens, a small notebook, and a business card holder or small PMP (personal media player). The front two pockets are perfect for a U-Lock, mints, small camera, etc.

Metal Hardware

Instead of using the standard plastic strap tensioners, the Welded Rucksack uses small metal buckles with a spring and teeth design. They call them “shark tooth closures.” Whatever the name I really like them. It adds a level of sophistication to the bag. And they’re not all looks either; I found them quite functional and easy to use. They adjusted without any snags or issues and stayed put once they were locked down. In addition to the buckles, the top of the straps hook onto a beefy D-ring. Finally, the front flap is secured by two hooks.

Shoulder Strap Design

Rather than the traditional backpack where the straps attach to the top of the bag, about 8 inches apart, the Chrome Welded Rucksack’s straps attach to a D-ring in the center of the back. They claim this is more ergonomic.

Loops

There are daisy-chain loops along the top rear of the bag. I guess the idea here is you can attach MOLLE-style accessories, though I can’t imagine what you would need that for. Also, on both the right and left straps, there are large Velcro straps which let you attach a phone holder, or your walkie-talkie if you’re Joseph Gordon-Levitt.

What I Like

There’s a lot to like about this bag. It’s affordable at $110. If I bought this bag, I could not see having a need to move on due to construction or performance issues. It’s well built and if it does fail, you have Chrome’s lifetime warranty. I appreciate the carry handle on top but wish it was padded or constructed differently. I love the removable sleeve and organization pockets and appreciate the size of the outside pockets, though sometimes I go back and forth about wanting them to be a bit smaller.

Of course you cannot forget about the waterproofness. Often a waterproof version of a bag costs more and you are put in a position of spending a bit more for an already expensive bag, for a feature you might not really use. It’s ironic that both Chrome and MW are located in CA where it really does not rain that much. My MW bag saw the most rain it ever has when I was in Philly and Seattle, not when I was in sunny California. With that said, if you live in a climate that gets wet winters, waterproofness is obviously a higher concern.

What Didn’t Work For Me

My biggest pet peeve about the bag were the “quick” release straps they used to secure the front flat. There are two of them and they hook into a slot on the left and right of the flap. They don’t lock so you can “easily” remove them. They are designed in a way that prevents them from accidentally coming loose. However, it is this very feature that makes them frustrating to use. I often struggled with removing the hooks. I would much rather have a simple push buckle or a system like the Arkiv, which really is quick release (and secure).

I also am on the fence about the back strap design. It’s not hard to get used to and while it’s novel, I wasn’t sure I felt the change was positive in an obvious way. Sometimes the top of the straps would rub against my back or neck in a funny way. Speaking of straps, there’s not much padding on the bag except a small amount on the back of the straps. I wish there was some attention to comfort of “softness” on the bag instead of having it be so rugged and stiff. Speaking of stiff, as I explained, the bag does not really contour to the contents well. Flat items work best in this bag.

Value

The price, right now, is $110. To me, this is a fair price but at the upper limits of what I’d pay for the bag. I don’t know of many waterproof bags for this price and the fact that this bag would probably last forever makes it good value to me. However, I feel like I would buy this bag if I was looking for strictly utilitarian use.

Who It Suits

This bag is perfect for someone who commutes (metro, bus, walk, bike) in a city where rain or debris is a concern. This is for the bike messengers or the man or woman who has to endure tough winters and the harsh city. It’s for someone who usually carries fairly flat items like a laptop, tablet, and documents.

Who It Doesn’t Suit

This is not for anyone who needs to carry items with much dimension. This would not make a good gym bag or equipment bag. It’s also not for anyone who wants some luxury or comfort in their bags. I would not want to carry this bag on a long hike or even all day exploring Manhattan in the summer. This bag would not make a great office bag.

Conclusion

The Rucksack has solid construction, with metal hardware in numerous places. It sports sonic welded seams, a waterproof exterior, and even a removable laptop sleeve. It boasts a number of interesting features, despites it’s very simple and plain exterior. For what it is – a well-built, affordable, waterproof bag – the Chrome Welded Rucksack Backpack would make a fine addition to anyone’s carry quiver. I definitely see myself putting this in the rotation but I would think very carefully about what my needs are for the trip and making sure the Rucksack can fill those needs.

What’s it about?

Picture a Goruck GR1 that can tip over and double as a work satchel.

Heimplanet is an innovative tent company making a move into carry. They’ve designed a quiver of bags that all draw from a similar design palette.

The smallest bag in the Heimplanet Monolith series is this Daypack, which is undoubtedly inspired by the classic form and tactical vibe of Goruck packs. However it adds features, most notable of which is that it lets you spin the bag and add a shoulder strap for satchel carry. It also changes up the fabric, adds some front straps, and tweaks a few details to make it their own.

Who it suits

The sweet spot of this bag is for the folk that travel a bit with work. You can fit all your work toys with a change of clothes, and yet present well in front of a client. When you’re done with your meetings, you can swing it around as a backpack and cover serious airport miles without doing your back in.

Who it doesn’t suit

This is a reasonably versatile bag, but it’s more about carrying work, travel and study tools than getting active, so don’t try and run marathons with it. And it’s well enough made, but it’s not going to handle the abuse that a Goruck can withstand, so don’t try and dodge bullets with it either.

Design

Looks

It’s black and rectangular – that’s the conservative bit. It then adds some tactical vibe with MOLLE webbing and some accessory pouch options. They include colored zip pulls if you want to spice it up a little, and a printed internal lining is standard.

All up, it’s a reasonably attractive pack only let down by the genericness of high denier nylon (which some folk still love).

Materials

In our eyes, the single easiest way to improve this bag would be changing up the fabric. The Daypack runs with 840D nylon fabric (with a small panel of 1680D), all with what feels like a PU x2 backing. For the intended audience, this bag would probably work better in a coated canvas or a heathered polyester. I say that for two reasons…

a) High denier nylon is kinda 2003.

b) This high denier nylon is lacking structure.

The 840D has a loose weave, which means it lacks the structure that would keep the bag open and up where you need it. With only a very light PU backing, the backing is not really helping here.

The plus to this fabric? It looks ‘travel’, it holds up pretty well to abrasion, and the soft drape means this pack sits quite well when empty.

Construction

Generally solid, although the stitching isn’t locked off super tight, so you get a few thread-ends saying hi after harder wear. They didn’t unravel further, so a quick lick with a flame fixes them, but it could be tighter.

Hardware

The titanium G-hooks are a nice touch, which keeps weight down, durability high, and adds some handy options (like slinging a jacket on the front panel).

There’s not much plastic to break, or hard bits to clang or weigh you down, so the whole bag feels quite light and neat.

Features

Transformer action

More backpacks should offer a swap to landscape. No matter what backpack you choose, it’s going to struggle to look appropriate with a suit. Simply swapping the bag to a horizontal shoulder carry radically improves your ability to look sharp when you need to.

The transforming between backpack and shoulder bag works okay enough with the Heimplanet. You unhook the straps, push them behind the back panel, and close a zip. You then slip the shoulder strap G-hooks through some loops and you’re ready. It doesn’t have the elegance of the Qwstion approach, but each final stage is well resolved.

The shoulder strap doesn’t have a perfect home, but I found keeping it behind the back panel worked well enough.

It just misses a couple of those next level tricks for making the most of the transforming concept. For instance, I’d love to see a smart place for the shoulder strap to live when in backpack mode. Heck, I’d love to see the shoulder strap double as a great waist belt (which could be tucked away) when in backpack mode. Perhaps they’ll get that for next revision…

It doesn’t actually do this with the waist belt, but it should…

Pouches

The optional pouches are not quite resolved for my liking. They are a little heavy and overly structured. They’re a touch fiddly to attach. But mostly they look a little odd stuck on the front or side of the pack. They just don’t integrate into the silhouette as well as some others do.

I also found myself wishing that the pouches could attach to the inside of the pack for when I wanted to clean up the silhouette, but they don’t have a home within the internals (short of being shoved inside).

It doesn’t actually do this, but it should…

Performance

Comfort

It’s quite a comfortable pack for travel and business needs. The laptop sits against your back, so you can’t arch nicely while riding, but it’s fine for standard duty.

There’s a wonderful lack of airmesh (yay for scratch-free), and the straps are well padded.

Space & Access

There is no doubt that this bag has been designed with work travel in mind. Your laptop slips out easily even when the bag is full. There are some nice internal pockets for organising toiletries or work bits. And the size and shape easily accommodate airplane storage restrictions.

The side access zip is great for getting to your laptop when moving through security or setting up for your day’s work. A 15″ laptop is the largest it will fit, and this takes a touch of alignment to get in, but it works smoothly enough.

Unfortunately the internal pockets work better in vertical backpack mode than horizontal satchel mode, but that’s only a small thing, and you can get at them well enough.

The tuck-away front straps are a nice way to haul an oversize jacket or random purchase, and the low profile G-hooks mean you don’t feel them when tucked away.

Weatherability

It’s fine for a light shower, with a water-resistant zipper covering the laptop zip, and good storm flaps over the main zipper. It’s certainly not for torrential downpours though.

Value

The Daypack is €170 (~US$230), plus around €30 per pouch. That means it’s slipping under the $295 of a Goruck GR1 (or $275 for the sexy new SK26), but not yet cheap on a global scale.

Does that represent value? For me, the fabric and construction quality need to be nailed before that’s good value. The rest of the components are dialled for that price.

Other bags to check

The Goruck range needs to be on your radar. The GR1 is the most obvious comparison. You’ll miss out on the shoulder bag conversion, but you’ll get nicer fabric and more bomber construction.

The Qwstion Daypack pulls a similar transformer trick, but with a slightly more fashion sensibility.

Thule has a similar design vibe and fabric choices, but at a cheaper price.

And then for a little more design flare, Cote&Ciel are totally rocking my boat at the moment.

Verdict

This is a great format for a work and travel bag. It can pass between work and play functions smoothly, looking good in most environments. The rectangular silhouette fits work gear well, and the size suits short work trips nicely.

It does though feel like the first release for a brand. There is not yet enough magic and insight brought to the piece, missing a few of the really nice opportunities to leave a mark with your emotions. I’d love to see a nicer fabric offered, some better consideration to the poetry of transformation, and a little more care taken in the construction and stitch work.

Having said all that, the Heimplanet Daypack is already a very useful bag that shows we should expect some nice things from this brand going forwards.

PS: Check out these guys’ tents. They’re the shelter of choice for Red Bull nutters around the globe.

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Early on, we decided Carryology should be targeting quality not quantity. We want to offer insights, which means fewer posts that go into more depth than most blogs do. The downside to that is we don’t get to share LOTS of carry products, details and imagery that we come across. Enter Pinterest.

We’ve started filling an album chock full of carry, and we thought it was about time we shared.

Use it for inspiration, research or just plain carry candy. And if you have some awesome crew we should be following, please do leave a comment. But right now, go spend the next little while drinking in all the carry candy we’ve found over the last while – Carryology on Pinterest.

Early this summer, I connected with EVOC bags, a German company specializing in carry for cycling and snow sports. Why? I’m always on the hunt for innovative product and product that I can take skiing, mountain biking, hiking or bike touring. So when I had the chance to combine the two together, I got pretty excited.

I’ve spent about 3 months with the FR Enduro 16, which you might have guessed is a 16-liter pack. What you cannot see from the outside is an innovative CE certified back protection system designed to pad the user from spinal impacts. The protection plate weighs in at 145 grams, which is similar to the weight of an apple.

You don’t notice it. Unless, of course, you are riding way too fast, in a place you shouldn’t be – do some wrong steering and find yourself over your handlebars. While you are flying high above the trail, the warm afternoon air smelling of tall grass and pine sap, you hear your expensive bicycle tumbling through rocks then careening down a hill certainly choked with poison ivy. The sound retreats – silence gives you a moment to reflect. “Wow,” you muster, “I am glad I decided to buy a pack designed to absorb up to 95% of this impending impact. Without it, tumbling through rocks and roots might be a slightly more treacherous proposition”.

The point is, it’s there when you need it, unnoticeable when you don’t. Perfect.

The pack is navy blue, with a red, yellow and blue zipper. I didn’t think it was all that functional until I asked for someone to grab an item from my pack, and needed to describe where it was. Aimless searching for something in this pack is folly. There are far too many pockets for that nonsense. The red zippered pocket houses 7 internal pockets, best for extra tubes, small bike bits, patch kit, air pump, multi tools and first-aid supplies – if you are into that kind of thing. The top blue zippered pocket hosts 2 (best for eyewear, keys, wallet). The yellow zipper accesses the main compartment, which only houses a hydration system and sleeve for the protection plate.

Now, I am not the type of person to want or fully utilize this level of pocketry. I typically abhor a pack with 13 places to lose things.  Do I use all of these pockets? Nope. Do I mind them? Not really. Most of them seem to have an intended purpose.

The pack comes in two sizes, so being 6’1” I went with the M/L size. Wearing the pack felt a little long at first. It seems to cover the majority of the torso, and at 23.5” tall, the numbers confirm it. It really is a tall pack!

I snugged up the straps, attached the stretch neoprene waist belt and went for a ride. I notice the length of the pack quickly doesn’t bother me anymore – in fact it is comfortable in its length. The waist belt really is perfect – the bag is snug to my back without feeling restrictive.

Some of the riding here in Washington involves long dirt road slogs up a mountain then single-track back downhill. It can be hot and without much shade I often find myself looking for ways to keep cool. The designers at EVOC understand a rider’s various needs while on the trail, and have designed pockets that perfectly host the items I shed. A helmet pocket stored mine snugly. Grippy lining tabs are there for added helmet security while stretch mesh pockets on the side hold gloves. There are hidden clips in the bottom which hold additional gear, then tuck away in a zipped pocket when not in use. Poof! Gone!

Despite otherwise dripping with sweat, my back doesn’t overheat. Could it be the clever mesh-entrapped foam back paneling, or stretch nylon shoulder straps? I appreciate both a lot. Wearing this pack reminds me that the folks at EVOC know something about bike packs that I seem to not.

Overall, I enjoyed the time spent with this pack, and it (as testament to its quality) has taken the place of my prior one. It has seen a good deal of abuse thus far, and despite relatively lightweight construction it seems to be holding up well. The stitching is consistent and tight, bartacks in high stress areas. Quality thread is apparent.

Honestly it looks no worse for the wear, and I love the feature I hope to never take full advantage of – the back protector. I’ve even thought of a slogan for the Protector series of packs. “We’ve got your back”. Cheesy, I know. Sorry. I won’t let it happen again.

When I get to the top of a climb, I pull the helmet from its pocket, cinch it closed, gloves out from the stretch side pocket, grab a snack from the red zippered pocket, a treat for my pup. While I am at it, I lower my seat and check tire pressure. One last stretch, I take a breath and let gravity guide me home.

For $165, I file this one in the “Great Deal” category. Learn more at the manufacturer’s site here.

A versatile snow pack that can do double duty – we hit the white stuff with the Arc’teryx Quintic 28…

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THE BASICS

What it’s about

US $199 for a 28L snow pack with ski and snowboard carry (vertical or horizontal).

The Quintic is about getting from bottom to top, then back to bottom, with your skis, board, or whatever snow toys you play with. This is a versatile daypack for backcountry pursuits.

The bonus is that this pack also gives you great access, works well in travel, and can even do double duty as a regular day pack. We’re loving it.

Who it’s for

The Quintic is a higher spec pack for all-round snow play. It’s mid-sized for a day pack, so it suits those who need more than a shovel holder.

There are more specialist beasts out there, but they won’t do much better than this.

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DESIGN

Looks

Arc’teryx have some of the best pattern-making in the outdoor world, and the Quintic is a great example. A truly 3D shape, there is total rhyme to its organic form. While our yellow colorway won’t be the color of choice for many, you can get a Quintic in black and two shades of blue.

One of the real highlights to the pattern is the pockets. The gussets sit flat when the bag is empty, but start to grow and unfold as you need more space. It is really elegant and useful.

Materials, Construction & Hardware

The Quintic is more solid than you’d expect. That means there’s a touch more weight to it, but it can withstand some abuse.

To get a little geeky, the main body fabric is a slightly higher denier than most packs (840D Cordura), which is plenty tough, especially with the thicker than standard PU backing. There’s Duraflex plastic, #8 YKK zippers (could almost have been #10′s), and a really comfortable scratch-free airmesh, so it’s solid component brands with solid gear.

As with all Arc’teryx packs, you’re unlikely to find loose threads. This bag is really well put together.

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KEY FEATURES

Multi-way ski and board carry

You can pretty much carry any skis or board in any orientation. The compression straps can work in loads of configurations, and the ski loop can even be tucked away. So you have skinny or fat skis going in A-frame or diagonally, and snowboards vertically for hiking or horizontally for sledding. More packs should be built this way, as it’s a versatile strap system that covers you for almost any change in your toys.

Yep, they’re my 3 year old’s skis. Mine fit too but went off screen.

Specialist pockets that can perform other duties

There’s an avy pocket, a side skins pocket, and multiple delicates pockets (goggles or tunes). But each of these pockets work really well for other duties – for instance I love the skins pocket for toiletries when traveling, or the back delicates pocket works a treat for my sketch book and headphones.

For work, I slid a laptop sleeve into the avy pocket and used that for my computer (I’d love a slightly suspended section for this, but it works well enough).

Side pocket works great for skins or toiletries

Side access to main section

There are very few packs that work well for an SLR, and this is one of them. Even with a board attached, you can still swing the pack around and grab your camera. Heck, the side access zip let’s you grab almost anything from the pack with a board or skis still attached. This also means you can swing the pack around while still on one shoulder and get at your goodies.

The downside is that getting a jacket in there feels a touch cramped, with a little negotiation needed. I couldn’t get my helmet in with other contents in the bag, but at least I could strap it to the outside easily.

All the basics covered

From hydration clips and ports to a really stable harness and frame sheet, they haven’t missed a beat.

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PERFORMANCE

Space & Access

There’s an interesting central hinge point to this pack that means you can navigate above or below a board or skis with little access issue. Most snow packs are not like that, restricting access the second you strap your hardware to them.

There’s a top pocket where you can drop the floor to make a full length back pocket, and very sensible space usage for a variety of carry needs.

It’s a touch large for inbounds stuff, but grows and shrinks well with your load if you’re traveling lighter.

Comfort

Excellent comfort, with a harness you can wear all day. You don’t want too much weight in it, as you can’t transfer load very effectively to your hips, but that is appropriate for this sort of pack. Oh, and the scratch-free airmesh is a bonus when getting about town.

Weatherability

Only fair, with only everyday water-resistance levels. The fabric is great, with a thick PU backing, but the zips are not waterproofed and the stitching is not sealed. So it’s fine for snow duty, but will struggle in a tropical downpour.

Versatility

If you’ve read my post on A Carry Awakening, you’ll know I’m searching for more versatile products. The Quintic works great as a travel pack on your way to the mountains, and then performs a treat as you get active with it. This versatility really hit a sweet spot with me.

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VALUE

Reasonable for a pack built to this standard. The fact that it’s also great as a travel pack means it then becomes good value.

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ALTERNATIVES TO CONSIDER

Anyone doing serious backcountry pursuits now needs to be considering airbag backpacks, as they can save lives. However, they also cost around a grand and add weight and complexity.

For bags without balloons there are plenty but most are not this versatile. For instance, most uncluttered daypacks are small capacity for inbounds or side-country. Most larger capacity packs get lost in strap city. Or they only carry skis. Or only snowboards. Or only vertically. You get the picture…

Of those that get close to the Quintic vibe, you should check the new Gregory Targhee packs (26L and 32L). We haven’t tried them but they look neat.

Also the Osprey Kode range is solid, a little cheaper, but not quite as versatile.

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VERDICT

I love it. The Quintic ticks all the main boxes, without looking fussy or over-designed. While I could love this pack just for its patterning and build quality, it’s the versatility that really endeared it. I could happily use the black colorway of this as a full-time work and travel pack.

In a dream scenario, I’d pimp the zips to waterproof, finding a zip supplier that did #9′s (#8’s feel only just large enough), and play with a more matt fabric, but all of that is me just being me. The pack is rad, and shows restraint where I typically don’t.

Arc’teryx is properly back in carry, and doing a darn good job of it.