Carry Candy :: Hard Graft 3Fold

This is quite the Carry Candy piece. Anything that comes in at this price level is def candy you ain’t going to be eating anytime soon. Andrew Tsui gives us his thoughts on the 3Fold in a semi drive by/carry candy style post, either way this is a sexy piece of carry.

What really caught my eye about Hard Graft’s carry catalog was the 3FOLD Multi-use Bag. Offered in three color variations, it’s a novel use of origami principles to maintain its shape in several different ways. The first form, a large portfolio, looks most useful for the artistic folks who need to carry large prints and perhaps a laptop and its accessories. It’s definitely big enough for canvases, stands, and a minimal amount of paint and pencil supplies.

In contrast, the “overnighter” form definitely gives duffel-style capacity along with lovely leather touches to create an elegant travel companion. This form is created by cinching two leather straps through the tips of the triangle folds that naturally form on this shape, similar to an origami “water bomb”. Based on the video, I’d figure that folding this bag together could be a 5-minute exercise even with the crease seams sewn into the bag in order to facilitate the formation of the shape itself. But the end result is damn nice.

And to round out the things you could do with this bag, the “slim laptop” form at 18.5 inches long by 13 inches high (and approximately 4 inches thick based on my judgment) looks suitable for a broad range of paperwork and, of course, a laptop and its accessories. In this case, it’s held together by merging the two straps together, originally to form the “overnighter”, into one long strap that encircles the entire height of the bag.

To be entirely practical, I don’t know that the average artist or traveller will want to pay roughly $764 US (quoted as €589 Euro) for it. It is certainly beautiful to look at, and I’m sure the leather is top notch. But even if I received it as a gift, I’d be scared to scratch or maim the exterior finish. As a concept, it is fantastic; I wish I could have come up with and marketed it myself! But practically speaking, it might just be a bit to large and unwieldy to shift between those forms. And as a finishing thought, duck waxed canvas might have simply been a more durable and practical choice for a more affordable bag that could popularize the idea.

Related posts:

1. Hard Graft 2Unfold | Carry Candy
2. Carry Candy | Tailfeather
3. 5 Neat Things Happening in Carry Today

Outdoor Retailer Show 2012 Pt II

Following on the first part from Wednesday, we can now show you the rest of what John saw, found, drank at the Outdoor Retailer Show last week…

Hyalite:

LTW small pannier- the dawn of a new age of panniers,  these front panniers come in at 18oz/pr and are made from Panniers made from durable RF welded nylon.Not much more information available on tech specs or prices. Web site not currently up.

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Jansport:

Jansport didn’t have a ton to say about these bags. They are simple heritage bags that harken back to their roots in the late 1960s and early 70s.

(Apparently the American Flag bags were not selling very well. Cannot imagine why…)

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Kelty:

Kelty is celebrating their 60^th year making backpacks with their heritage line of bags. Inspired from the 60s, 70 and 80s, these bags feature modern design elements such as pen and computer pockets.

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Mile High Mountaineering.

This photo was taken on “the streets” of the show. The company didn’t have a booth, but the bags look great, if not groundbreaking. I am sure we’ll see more of this company in the future.

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Mystery  Ranch:

Dana Gleason’s venerable Mystery Ranch is releasing the Blackjack for this season- an avalanche airbag backpack. This pack features some great new technology in fabrics including Super Fabric, which is a contains thousands of armor plates which protect against abrasion. Also featured is Demension Polyant’s VX 21 fabric, which has proliferated across the industry in the last few years. Made in the US, Mystery Ranch backpacks are some of the best in the world.

Photos above an below featured are the Saddle peak, Naya Nuki and Fuze in assorted colors.

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Onyx ITW-nexus:

New buckles from ITW, the Onyx feature lighter weights to their fully shielded, and simpler counterparts with equal strength. For the stealth backpack in your life.

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Osprey:

New rolling luggage from Osprey features a lightweight thermo molded frame slimming overall weight without sacrificing durability. Ozone 28@ 5lbs 24@ 4.5lbs 18@ 4 lbs.

Full press release here…

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Seige Gear:

Found walking around. This man successfully built the most overblown and over sized messenger bag ever conceived. His website appears to be down.

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Wheelman and co:

Related posts:

1. OR Show 2012 Pt I
2. Carry Wishlists :: Ando
3. Trade show season is upon us…

Outdoor Retailers Show 2012 Pt I

One of our contributors, John (JC) Canfield, was lucky enough to be able to attend the recent Outdoor Retailers Tradeshow in America. Here’s the first part of his experience…

Photos and notes by John (JC) Canfield.

Arc’teryx:

New Arc’teryx pack line for 2012- The Quintic (featured the quintic 28) will come in 28 and 38l sizes. A sculpted lumbar support designed into the bags body creates a shape with a low center of gravity without many bells and whistles. Separate avalanche shovel compartment also holds probe and other long items. A key feature to this bag is its ability to access the inside while wearing it, so you can pull out a water bottle or stash a pair of wet gloves. Arc’teryx products, as always are sporting interesting colorways this season. Bright and often-florescent colors paired with conservative ones create a harmonious balance. This pack has the ability to hold skis diagonally and in an a-frame.  I am excited to see Arc’teryx making this sculpted pack, but worry about the packs longevity considering all those zippers.

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Boreas:

Up and coming Boreas is featuring four new day packs (Lagunitas, Bolinas, Larkin, and Valencia) but only two (Lagunitas/Bolinas) feature their variable suspension. Featured are the Bolinas, which sports roll top access and the Lagunitas, which has a zip. Both feature a clever adjustable suspension frame so the user may change the level of suspension or shape with the pull of a buckle. There is room in todays bag market for a pack that “does it all”- and well. All Boreas packs feature a “ribcage” that pulls weight toward the wearer.

Also released, but not featured is the 18l Larkin (not pictured), with a zip top and simple z-foam frame. As quoted from their website (“Nothing fancy. Just lots and lots of prototypes.”). Available spring.

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Camelbak 

Camelback’s Pit Boss ski pack features assymetric zipper panels and 4 different ski/snowboard carry options. Also featured is a u-zip body panel access to keep snow out of your pack and off of your body panel. A secondary flap over this access seems like it might be interfere with regular access. $125.

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Cilo Gear:

Cilo Gear is on fire. Portland, OR based Cilo has been building packs for alpinists and backcountry users, but only recently began building bags for urban user. These images are of 2 of 30liter WorkSacks made from non-woven Dyneema  ( a Dupont fabric). NWD is an incredibly strong and light Pictured is team athlete and professional climber Shingo Ohkawa. The bag he is holding has over 500 field days, which he spent bent on destroying it. This bag lists for $450-500 for non woven Dyneema or $500 for their new woven/non woven Dyneema (which combines both into one fiber). The 30l WorkSack also comes in white widow spectra which is cordura blended with a woven grid of Dyneema fibers. Dyneema is also known as Spectra.

(As an aside, I would love to road test one of their bags!)

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Dakine:

Interesting colors from Dakine this season, merchandised with matching gloves. No real notes on this one. Picture was taken during happy hour and I “had more pressing matters”.

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Filson:

-Simple rucksack made from leather, waxed and unwaxed canvas looked both fully featured and simple. I like the mackinaw pocket on the side.

-Thermos sleeves for winter days- I am thinking about cocoa and schnapps. Just add sled.

(The folks running the booth were less than friendly toward my camera, decided to give me permission to shoot, then be totally unhelpful for the rest of my time there).

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Granite Gear:

-New bags from Granite Gear include the Crown 60 and the Aji. The Crown weighs 2 lbs, 2oz (or 1lb, 3oz without the framesheet).  This bag features a 9” roll top, trimmed down ½” straps and plenty of Line-Locs for using cord instead of webbing for compression. Made from silicone impregnated cordura. Shakespeare noted  “Fearless minds climb soonest into crowns.” Could this be your next trail bag?

-The Aji 50 was wear tested by “Trauma”, also known as Justin Lichter- who hiked over 2500 miles through the Himalaya carrying this bag. Stretch mesh pockets throughout make for plenty of options for carrying water bottles, wet tents and the like without risk of wetting out the rest of your belongings. This pack is a panel loader which offers luggage-like access to your gear when on the trail. Special feature on this bag is the Ideal Tac-zipper coil. It is first stitched onto the zipper tape, then thermally molded to ensure a durable product. Secondly, the zipper is coated with Nanosphere, which is a Schoeller product, that is stain and water repellant. $219.95 weighing in at 2lbs 9 oz.

-The two photos on the upper right of the Granite Gear section are a bag called the Nimbus Core, and were designed to hold bear canisters and other awkwardly shaped equipment.

Schoeller Nanosphere info…

Related posts:

1. OR Show 2012 Pt II
2. Outdoor Retailer Show Wrap-Up
3. Trade show season is upon us…

Year of the Pig Snout

Heritage has flooded the world with pig snouts. The little leather lash tabs are everywhere, with most users not even knowing what they are for. So we figured it would be fun to have a look at the basics of lash tabs, and share a few examples of them.

White Mountaineering.

The classic lash tab was a leather patch that let’s you pass a bit of webbing through it, and then fasten items to your pack. It let’s you run a minimal weight, with broad flexibility. The outdoor crew soon started making them from hypalon and plastics and all sorts of tech, but with the return to all things grandpa, leather (and imitation leather) is once again the material of choice.

They can be run with vertical slots (pig nose), horizontal slots (letterboxes), or 4 way slots (windows).

Topo Designs

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Porter

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Up There

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Beams Plus x Kelty Vintage

And of course their are variations to the pig snout look. Here’s a couple…

Rivendell Mountain Works

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Related posts:

1. Carry Wishlists :: Ando
2. Incognito laptop cases
3. 9 Amazing Bags Available Now

Carry Giveaway | Carry Hack Photo Contest

So the comp’s been up and running for a week or so now. Remember? Here, jog your memory…  We thought it might get a few of you excited to see what hacks others have been sending in. So below is the details on how to enter and also some photos that have been sent in already..

Hurry up and get your photo in, one week left!!

Ain’t hard to enter, all thats required is for you guys to submit photo entries of your best examples of a Carry Hack via email to CarryHacks@carryology.com (include your name, location, and a brief description of your hack)

The prize, a Chrome Falcon backpack:
18″ wide, 19″ high, 6″ deep (35L volume).  Made from 1050 denier nylon for the outer shell.  Retails for $150 USD.  The independent floating 18oz truck tarp liner eliminates any seams to the outside elements to keep your interior stuff nice, safe, and dry.  A molded EVA foam backpanel is a pretty trick detail and comfortable I must admit.  You normally see this kind of feature on more expensive packs due to the costs involved with manufacturing.  Constructed with nylon 69 thread and 3M reflective compression straps, it’s solid, and will make you visible.  Read up online for more info.

Some examples of Carry Hacks;
- Ripped backpack shoulder straps?  Duct taped the entire shoulder strap, with lots of duct tape.
- Some webbing comes undone?  Stapled it back together… a hundred times to be sure it stays put.
- Rolling luggage wheel fell off?  Replaced it with a Big Wheels plastic wheel… spray painted gold.
- Hole in your 1000D Cordura nylon fabric?  Ha, that’s impossible!
- Hole in your 600D polyester fabric?  Patched it up with hot glue and dirty aluminum foil.
- Re-purposing your old 1990s beige computer tower into travel luggage.

What we’re looking for;
- Authentic real hacks (but even made up hacks can be funny)
- Homemade & sloppy (think “Thereifixedit.com”)
- Attempts to serve some sort of purpose (even if if doesn’t actually succeed)
- Creativity, humor, absurdity
- Doesn’t need to be a “bag” or “pack”, but probably
- Here’s an example of a great Carry Hack that works well, but isn’t too funny, and is still absolutely valid
- And here’s another example of a Carry Hack not absurd or funny, but totally creative

(Try not to focus on people carrying “too much stuff” with something that isn’t made for it… we’re already working on that post!)

Related posts:

1. Carry Hack Photo Contest
2. 5 Neat Things Happening in Carry Today
3. Choosing a Carry Quiver

Carry geeking :: Tool rolls

We’ve been meaning to check out the humble tool roll for awhile now. There’s just something so delightful about the ritual of unrolling your tools and getting into your craft. Whether it’s fixing a vintage bike, carving a lino, or sketching the next product masterpiece, a great assortment of tools well laid out feels like the starting point.

Then Core77 came along and made it easier for us, collecting a great little spread of the suckers. So we’ve borrowed heavily from their post, and then added some of our own.

And as always, if you know of some better rolls, please do share.

Core77 had a nice article up about a bunch of tool rolls.

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Travelteq has come up with their own nifty looking pencil holder

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Rahpa and their seat pack

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Timbuk2 and their tool shed.

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Random one:

I used to get around the world hauling one of these ski rolls filled with race planks. Imagine what those poor suckers must pay these days in excess…

http://www.rossignol.com/US/CA/radical-burrito-wc-4-pair-ski-bag_RK0B006_product_ski-men-bags.html

Related posts:

1. Carry Geeking | Peroni Firenze card case
2. Carry Geeking | Cordura Fabric
3. Carry Geeking | Buckle Analysis

Our Favorite Versatile Backpacks

For all the thousands of carry products we discuss on this site, we figure we should occasionally step back and reflect on some of the best pieces. What are the bags and wallets and luggage pieces that have become our go-to gear?

So we’ll kick it off with an update to our Versatile Carry theme, and then in the coming months we’ll dive in to some more specific themes. To achieve Versatile Carry status, a backpack needs to adapt from work to play to adventure and back again. It needs to carry a laptop and some tech, clothes and toiletries, it needs to travel well, and it needs to look appropriate while it does it all (fluoro pink doesn’t look great in an office).

This is not a definitive list, but rather a starting point. As always, we’d love to hear your comments if we’ve missed some firm contenders.

You’re keen to view a real clean, high res of the image above huh? Here’s the above image in 1800 glory for your screen

In price order:

Goruck GR1

Sometimes it feels like the whole world is getting on the Goruck wagon. Blending a conservative aesthetic that fits in a work space, with a military spec that can John Rambo through war zones, the GR1 is a super versatile workhorse. It ain’t cheap, but it will definitely last.

Buy the Goruck GR1 now.

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Camelbak Tri-zip

A surprise realisation was that this backpack intended for forced marches through hostile territories actually makes for a great go-to pack. With really smartly organized pocketing, a spot that works fine for laptops, and an incredible Tri-Zip opening for awkward loads (like big SLRs), this Dana Gleason collaboration will surprise you. You just need to order it in black.

Buy the Camelback Tri-zip now
Watch the demo clip.

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Mission Workshop VX Large Rucksack

The better cycling commuter packs generally make for great versatile carry, as they need to work for active peddling, and in conservative workspaces. Mission Workshop have loads of goodness in this space, but we have to admit to being suckers for their Advanced Projects bags. Better fabrics, a great closure system, and all the usual thought and innovation. Love this stuff.

Buy the MW VX Large Rucksack
Watch a demo clip.

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Quiksilver Grenade

Quiksilver designed their Grenade backpack years ago. It has sold with almost no changes, through a mountain of fabric options, and for the same price since. It’s something like the cargo pant of bags, with a tonne of external pocketing, and a visual language that speaks of adventure. Foam structure deals great with your tech, and the price represents awesome value for this sort of bag.

Buy the Quiksilver Grenade now.

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Gravis Metro

Yeah, the Metro also keeps popping up in our discussions, but it’s deserved. It ticks all the boxes for a versatile carry, it offers a gazillion fabric and print options, and it does it all with street smarts at a great value price. The Metro outshines many bags at twice its price, but never makes you feel cheap for running it. We love you Metro.

Buy the Gravis Metro now.

Related posts:

1. Our favourite versatile backpacks
2. Head to Head | Bike Oriented Backpacks
3. Our favourite versatile messenger bags

MODALITI Carry Designers

A little while back we covered the Mtn Approach backcountry ski system. The designers behind it were MODALITI, a design consultancy specialising in carry gear from a base in Utah. We thought it would be neat to learn a bit more about them, and so one of their own, Tom Bender, has obliged…

“Carryologists. Greetings to you all! It’s the Modaliti crew shining down upon you in the form of an introduction and sampling of our creative talents.

Who are we? Well sit back and relax, let me fill you in on all of our little secrets…

Modaliti design has been around 13 years and in that time has taken a few different faces, all the while remaining at our home base here in Salt Lake City, Utah. What began as an engineering firm, quickly transitioned to a strictly industrial design and development firm. Don’t let that fool you, our resources are deep and we have a handful of strong engineers in our back pockets.

For more reading check out the Modaliti website, , or on the ol’ FB. ”

No related posts.

Snowboard Bags 2012/13

I kinda feel a little guilty of ripping two posts in two days, but figured this one is a good to share as well – especially considering it’s winter right now up north and most of you are probably looking at new bags (when aren’t we? ha). Anyway, Transworld Biz just a little scoop on the new bags from most of the snow centric brands for the coming season (late this year)…

There’s some really, um, unique ideas/designs that’s for sure. There’s some goodness in there too from the regulars too – Burton, North Face, etc…  The hard cover roller from Burton is looking pretty neat and the roll top roller from Bonfire is interesting.

Peek more over TW Biz.

Related posts:

1. Burton Likes to Carry…
2. OR Show 2012 Pt II
3. OR Show 2012 Pt I

Interview w.Alex Caputo of Caputo & Co.

Saw/read this on Hypebeast earlier today, thought you guys might find it pretty interesting to read. Below are a couple of points that grabbed us…

* “Making a difference in the lives of talented and hardworking artisans from Central America”
*  ”its important as a new brand to constantly be searching for the next thing. Men are paying far more attention to their accessories, now more than ever.”
* “Social responsibility has been a key part of the DNA of the brand from the start. Comunidades de la Tierra is a non-profit that helps artisans in remote villages in Guatemala.”

And below is a snapshot of the interview – you can read the interview entirely over at Hypebeast.

Caputo & Co is a new brand. How did it start and more importantly, why should people know about it?
Starting my own collection was something that I always wanted to do. I wanted a collection that reflected my appreciation for handcrafted, well-made, beautiful accessories and after 10 years of designing for other brands, all the stars aligned for me to be able to create my own. It is masculine and functional with great style. But most of all, the collection has the highest quality vegetable dye leathers and signature hardware, which to me make a big difference. Most of all I think it is distinctive in design yet approachable enough that any guy can add a piece of Caputo & Co. to their personal collection and feel like it fits.

Fall 11 was the first season your collection hit stores. What anxieties have you discovered come with launching a new collection? What is your favorite item you’ve made to this point?
It is extremely rewarding to start your own collection but definitely comes with a lot of anxieties, like sourcing materials and receiving samples on time, outreaching buyers and editors to check out the collection and meeting them for the first time. After the first orders were placed (big sigh of relief), I wanted to make sure the production was flawless and delivered on time. One of my favorites is the week(ender) bag with adjustable straps. I like the belt detailing on the straps and just how easy and functional it is for everyday wear in the city or to go away for the weekend.

In general, what are you most proud of?
Definitely getting the collection out in stores and making a difference in the lives of talented and hardworking artisans from Central America.

No related posts.