TWR is on right now in Sydney, at the Hordern Pavilion to be exact. It’s a new tradeshow in Aust and it’s really doing some neat things. We spent some time there yesterday snapping off shots from a couple of the carry brands that are exhibiting. Herschel are there, and they continue to expand their range with the introduction of luggage.
Most of the pieces you see here should be delivered around Feb next year, but I’ll confirm on that for you. And this is Australia too for those overseas wondering…
Leather
He keeps Carryology running day to day, helps coordinate our amazing contributor base, and is often a smart ass in the comments.
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I have seen various products offered by this company, and feel the need to comment. The designs of these products are great. I love the aesthetics and simplicity.
Having toyed with them, I feel comfortable also commenting on the construction. They are built to a Wal-Mart level of quality. Huge stitch lengths, poor quality and too light of thread, cheap fabric, throw-away zippers.
I pulled on a shoulder strap on a basic two pocket backpack and tore 1″ of thread along the main seam. Hershel has “modern carry” right with exception to quality. I cannot recommend this company’s products.
I have seen this brands products first hand. the Quality just SUCKS! Style is good, but why does that matter if you can’t even use the zippers. The next time you see one of these in a store(if they are still around) just pull the zipper and you’ll know its crap. I hope they get their act together. Love their marketing though. “Since early 1900s” more like since 2010.
I completely agree.
When I saw their virtual online launch last year, I was enamored with their products in the photos. I had to have them all. They were beautiful. I’m glad I waited to touch them in person, rather than order online. Later I found out it was all smoke and mirrors.
I remember the first time I was actually able to see one of their products… I spotted it with my softgoods radar from about 70 yards, in the corner of the store, 3rd shelf, Herschel Supply, red, tan, black. Done. Walked directly towards them. Reached my hand out… the VERY FIRST TOUCH… and the mystique was gone. Fully, 100% gone. Over.
Since then, each time I’ve touched once of these bags, my initial gut reaction is to make some sort of disgusting noise out loud. “Blech!” It feels like K-Mart hired Wal-Mart to make them a product for their clearance collection. Materials are thin as wax paper, and the zippers feel as if they will break if I open them twice in the store.
Their look book is especially misleading. They show their backpacks surrounded by “the good life”. Woods, leathers, metals, attractive people doing bold things. If one of these bags touched up against the wood bottom of a canoe, it would explode into a ball of flames.
It’s sad. I was really hoping for high quality.
Agree with all the comments so far. Cannot understand the hype around Herschel bags. But then again considering the Heritage backpacks are selling at under $100 AUD, I wouldn’t really expect much in terms of quality or durability, considering they are imported. It may have that old world look, but their backpacks looks about as cheap as the backpacks one particular t-shirt company is using to print their designs on…which is selling for well under $100 AUD. These comments alone have made me want to steer even further away from their products.
I’d be interested to see if their luggage and duffle bags, the latter which are priced just slightly cheaper than the proven durable North Face duffle bag, are any better in terms of qaulity of workmanship, and whether they also use similar nylon material on these products. I assume the pricing of the duffle bags are down to design aesthetics, rather than the quality of the materials used. I understand that while one product is made for adventure and outdoors (i.e. North Face) and the other is probably more of a gym bag / fashion statement, I would rather save up and pay for a quality product with both durability and design aesthetics, than settle for something with a dodgy zipper / lack of durability or alternatively err on the side of practicality and op for the durable option that provides more function and comfort. Each to their own I guess.
Hey interesting comments, its interesting when I read this, I thought yep, they look really nice. Of course, consumer opinion is a powerful tool… Ive moved on.
Thanks for the comments.
Ben
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I’m not sure if the quality has improved over the past year but I own both a Herschel Scottie messenger bag and a Novel duffel bag and both have stood up to tons of use and abuse.