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Road Tests :: QWSTION Media Pack
…les, but they only just fit and I did have to cram them in. I also rode my bike to gigs with the backpack packed full to the brim with records and had no problems. The pack sat firmly on my shoulders and back and didn’t swing around whilst riding. A sternum strap probably wouldn’t go astray, as the bag does not come with one, but I was fine without one. Highlights: Stylish and looks great Feels good on your back Durable fabrication and hardware Tw…
Road Tests :: Mission Workshop VX / R8 Arkiv Field Pack
…nd away from your back. The good part here is that your back can bend on a bike, but the bad part is that it can also lever around a bit out there, and it’s not as ideal if you carry a heavy laptop (or go for the large pack option). Our ideal place for a laptop is somewhere around the mid-plane of a pack, so when we were riding with this, we’d carry it in a sleeve in the main section. That’s a bit annoying though, so when not riding, Josh and I wo…
Insights :: Wilboro
…all bicycle manufacturer (Steelwool Bicycles). It may seem a bit odd for a bike guy to be here on Carryology except that in my spare time you’re likely to find me in my basement workshop messing about with sewing machines, leather, canvas and the like. The fact is I love bags, cases, covers, aprons and other carry-related items; it’s what’s running through my head a good portion of most days. I get grumpy when I can’t sew or design and there is no…
Week In Review ~ 10 November
…s on the back and a padded laptop pocket that can hold a 15-inch laptop. In addition to the main compartment, there is an assortment of interior and exterior pockets to hold smaller items such as sunglasses and keys. – Carry goes crazy – Sticking with the bike theme, we thought some shots of epic bike carry were long overdue – though in this case, of the motorbike variety. Flaunting probably every carry travel-related health and safety guideline k…
EDC Keys: Pocket Dump/Key Carry/Road Tests (1 of 3)
…the bottom of my pocket, and jam into my thigh when I sat down or rode my bike. Key bulge. They say the fabric in your jeans will permanently become damaged at that spot too, and that sucks. First world problems, yeah. But not ideal carry. For a while I’d clip my keys to a Trango carabiner, and have them swing from my belt loop. Yeah… that guy. This method worked great, but I personally really disliked that look. In my humble opinion, it wasn’t c…
Road Tests :: Mission Workshop VX Fitzroy Rucksack
…p corners of the trapezoidal form can get a little in your peripheral on a bike, but it’s worth it for the touch of masculinity that form adds to the bag. Colors are black or grey, adding to the office suitability, and the pimped hardware on the VX really shines if you are trying to step it up in the office. – The Lowlights The harness and straps feel a bit stingy At one stage, after finally passing multiple commuters I absolutely had to drag, I’d…
Week In Review ~ 7 September
…ignals, a cyclist can use the controller attached to the handlebars of the bike to indicate a left or right turn, with an acceleration sensor to detect when the bike slows down, so that a left, right or stop warning can be displayed on the back of the bag. Topo takes the triangular approach Tired of your dopp kit flopping over every time you try to reach for the contents? The triangular shape of Topo Designs’ Dopp Kit is designed to make this a ha…
Some rad things to carry…
…thought it deserved a little link love. Here are some highlights… Braided Bike Lock Bike locks are a real bother to carry. The more effective the lock, the more cumbersome it is to carry. That’s why I had a little heart flutter seeing these… Hankie Pocketbook Hankie is the greatest word in the English language – a little awkward and dorky (dorky is the second greatest word), but still proud and almost onomatopoeic. I’m guessing more than a few of…
Road Tests :: TAD FAST Pack Litespeed Backpack
…ge of arm motion.” For me, it is great for 1-3 day travel trips, riding my bike around town on errands or over to the local swimming hole, with plenty of room for a towel, change of clothes, all my tech toys, etc. It’s great for going on hikes on our greenbelt, especially when it isn’t 110+ degrees Fahrenheit outside. And just in case it is that hot, there is a smart hydration pouch that works well with my existing CamelBak bladder with insulated…
The Hopper | WILL Leather Goods
…this case, it would throw off the aesthetics a bit, but still! Flap gape: Bike messenger bags are some of the only satchels that have worked out how to gusset the flap so you don’t get ‘Prince Charles ears’ into the main section. The Hopper suffers this flap gape a little (we’ve seen much worse), which slightly limits your performance when rain or dust storms sneak up on you. Best suited to Business professionals: Although, I think someone who wo…
Choosing a Carry Quiver
…r an overnight trip with the basics. Chrome is a San Fran brand built with bikes in mind. This means you get great water-resistance, an ability to swallow larger loads, and a bit of street cred in the mix. Their Ivan Roll-top is a larger pack, with the smaller option called the Pawn. Did you see our review on the Ivan? Peek the Chrome Ivan at Rushfaster. — With Laptop Sleeve Because the Chrome Ivan was originally designed with bike couriers in min…
Backpack Shapes & Functions
…tside of the bag makes it easy to recognize. Check out the Dakine Heli Pro Bike: Most bike packs have a roll top to keep your clothes and precious stuff dry. They offer large pockets for tools and daisy chains for your light. Check out the Chrome Ivan Office: A rectangle/square looking shape. it shows very clearly that it is made to carry laptop and documents. It often offers good internal organizational options. Check out the Arcteryx Blade 20 Sc…
Inflatable bags
…ty, the bag deflates and rolls into a 26”x7” carrying bag. —– Biknd Helium Bike Case The name kinda gives you false hope. Isn’t helium super light and floaty? It is, but it’s not the air in the bag. You still have to manually pump this one up like the others. Catchy tho huh… The Biknd case is light and easy to carry and its revolutionary inflatable padding offers unrivaled protection. Giving extra storage compartments is a nice bonus with this bag…
Talking Carry Cultures
…ing a big water resistant messenger that lets you pick up shopping on your bike commute home. If you’re in Idaho, you don’t really have a bag, as you just throw everything in the back of your pick-up on your way to the potato farm. London? That’s more about your fancy wallet, where just stepping out your door seems to require handing over pound notes, so you want to look good shouting the boss a pint. Yes, yes, I’m generalizing, but you get the dr…
Drive By :: Aer Duffle Pack
…ss. Sounds about right. Slinging the bag over my shoulders, I jump onto my bike. Weaving through traffic the slim profile of this pack is very noticeable. As I dodge the occasional aggressive car mirror, I appreciate how it wears down your back as opposed to bulging out into a more horizontal profile. Following class, it’s off to the library to try and make sense of this particularly bewildering lecture. Settling into the stark silence, I unzip th…
Road Test :: Skinth Plus and Skinth XL
…clever H&K metal hardware is extremely convenient for clipping on a set of bike/house keys on the go. With the hip placement, the bike light is in a fantastic location for visibility, even higher up than where it would traditionally sit lower on the seat post (safety bonus). One thing to note is that if I were to take a spill, I’d have everything in the Skinth XL to make the necessary repairs to my bicycle to get it back up and keep on rolling, wh…
Road Tests :: Chrome Welded Rucksack
…o 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 e…
Week In Review ~ 26 October
…pockets and includes a removable tool-roll which is handy for keeping your bike tools organized inside the pack. You can also attach the likes of a bike helmet to the exterior of the pack. The Hauser is compatible with most hydration reservoirs up to a volume of 3 liters. Streamlined cash and card carry It’s the simple things in life that sometimes go unnoticed but which can make such a difference to your daily activities. General Manufacturing Co…
Timbuk2 Prospect Backpack Competition
…giveaways, and instead of easing off, we’re pushing the peddle down – the bike peddle that is! Thanks to San Francisco’s Timbuk2 and their new Custom Prospect Laptop Backpack. We’ve got a review in the works as we speak, so before then we’ll take a snippet from Timbuk2 to fill you in on the Prospect… “A weatherproof commuter bag. A bike-friendly power pack. A style-forward day pack. With top-to-bottom customizability, the Prospect can be whatever…
Drive By :: Timbuk2 Command TSA-Friendly Laptop Backpack
…ater bottles seem too long for those, so they flop out. Same goes for most bike locks. So we find that sort of short elastic pocket a bit useless. Are we missing something? “…we wish Timbuk2 made those signature bottle openers removable.” The compression is interesting being only on the bottom, as that’s the only place that compresses. So your bag ends up sort of wedging outwards a bit. But the advantage to that is there are no compression straps…
From Rough Diamond to Polished Design :: Black Diamond JetForce Interview (Part 2)
…ght is lower.” Derick: The SwingArm technology is a simple idea. There’s a bike cable in a bike cable housing that runs down by the mating seam giving the shoulder straps 1.5 inches to 2 inches of swing, or movement. It makes skinning totally different. Even when you have the bag packed totally full your shoulders are able to rise when you need, so it moves with you. Andy: And it’s a system like Aarn Design in New Zealand and a couple of others ha…
Valentine’s Day for Carry Geeks
…have both played with the converting-tote format. Alite have shrunk their Bike to the Beach Bag into a more compact form – the appropriately named Mini Bike to the Beach Bag – which can be carried as a tote or a backpack. Côte&Ciel’s signature experimentation with form is present in the Kalix Tote, a bag that takes inspiration from the cocoon of a butterfly and can be carried as a tote or shoulder bag. It’s the little things that count If you wan…
Best Active Messenger Finalists :: Third Annual Carry Awards
…nds a subtly new form for a messenger, which combines the slouchy folds of bike bags, with the more structured forms of work bags. The details, fabric and components all work in harmony to make a versatile real world messenger. – Filson x Magnum Camera Field Bag Camera bags used to mean shiny black nylon with naff styling and a virtual target on your back (pick-pocket me!). The last few years has seen a flood of waxed cotton, leather and heritag…
Best Active Backpack Finalists :: Third Annual Carry Awards
…ush through space. Whether it be military issue rucks, slimline outdoor or bike packs, these all should haul diverse loads in comfortable ways. In our nominees you’ll see a eclectic bunch. Each of them has a target activity that they excel in, but each is also versatile enough that you can use it for travel or just for day-to-day activities. This is a hard one…but have fun and go for it! Your voting form is latched to the bottom of this post. You…
Interview with Luke Mastrangelo :: Prism concept backpack
…ost)? Biggest design regret? A few years back I had the chance to design a bike with a few friends of mine in school. We ended up playing the game too safe, and while I think our product ended up nice-looking and well-executed, it didn’t push the envelope enough. It’s interesting, bikes are so well-designed as functional objects, any time someone tries to change them they’re met with a barrage of vitriolic criticism. I think that fear drove us to…
Road Tests :: Saddleback Leather Messenger Bag
…ocodile anytime soon). They could potentially have their bag run over by a bike though. So I roped in some assistants and threw the bag under the bus (well, bike)… The bag wasn’t even phased by this, so I figured, why stop there when it’s possible the bag could accidentally be driven over by a car… Then I thought, “So what if I don’t have a convenient crocodile, I’ll make do with my handy husky instead” and got him to pull the bag along a dusty, p…
Berlin Muse :: the ARCHIVAL Ranger Tan Waxed Twill Rucksack
…City where the crisp air was exactly the same as it feels today. I lock my bike to a tree and walk to Gipfeltreffen café. I sit at the table in the back room by a corner where I see out the front window to the graffiti-spiced brickwork of the park across the road. The waitress says ‘hallo’, lights a candle in a brass holder; I order a milchkaffee in my best, worst and only German. As I wait for it I unpin the gold latch of the Archival, glide the…
Drive By :: Seventy Eight Percent Dimitri
…e leather gets more supple and the bag becomes easier to handle. Even on a bike the bag can be carried comfortably. “Once broken in, the leather gets more supple and the bag becomes easier to handle.” Who it doesn’t suit My 13″ MacBook Pro Retina fitted nicely, my older 13″ MacBook Pro barely fitted and anything larger will cause minor to major fumbling. If you need to carry a lot of stuff or own a big ass laptop, go for something else. The good W…
Week In Review ~ 8 June
…ers The Tyny Tools collection was designed as a solution to combat various bike commute problems but each piece in the collection lends itself to use outside of biking. The collection incorporates Key Clips, Swivel Clips and Lock Bands, all of which can be utilised for a variety of purposes such as securing keys to your person, attaching exterior items to your carry or bike, organizing your EDC, hanging up items and a multitude of other uses. The…
Design Heads :: Interview with James Brittain
…? Sure. It’s pretty standard for most people I think: phone, keys, wallet, bike lock, lunch, notebook, pen. While you’ve got the camera out, would you mind taking a photo of your workspace, and perhaps identifying any tools or personal items that help you most in your creations? Specific drafting pencils or a lucky charm or an explanation of why your workspace is so tidy and ours is…something not describable using the terms of polite conversation?…