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Best Active Backpack Finalists: Fourth Annual Carry Awards
…sion Workshop of Poland, sharing a masculine aesthetic, similar materials, bike DNA, versatile formats and even their initials. But then they go their own way, shaping carry pieces like the Falcon which has presence, utility and configurability. This is a great-looking pack. _________________________________________________________ Hyperlite Mountain Gear Dyneema 2400 Ice Pack Both Hyperlite and Dyneema have recently undergone brand overhauls, and…
Best Active Messenger Finalists: Fourth Annual Carry Awards
…Built tough to go the distance – be it on foot or by bike – these messengers are ready for action. Versatile in form and function, our Best Active Messenger finalists are designed for comfort on the move and quick, easy access to your gear. Outdoor hikes, the daily commute, globetrotting and more…these bags are always up for the journey. Log your vote at the bottom of the page!…
Velomacchi Speedway Roll-Top Review :: Drive-By
…inspiring way. I felt like I had just played chess with Yoda, except these biker dudes are visually about as far as you could get from a wizened little Jedi muppet. Kevin’s crisp white dress shirt under the tiniest-bit-greasy Carhartt jacket struck me as a perfect analogy for who the “Velomacchi Privateer” is: refined and timelessly stylish, yet accustomed to getting dirty turning his own wrenches. Who It Suits Motorcyclists and bicyclists primari…
Journey Along for the JanSport Mount Rainier Climb
…crampons? We were certainly out of our comfort zone. Aside from general on-bike fitness, we were fish out of water – or mountain bikers on ice. I can see the musical now. The Gear JanSport has deep roots in the mountaineering community, and has worked with International Mountain Guides (IMG) forever and a day. Through many, many, many iterations their Tahoma Guide Series pack is truly a thing of beauty. Cut from strong, reinforced sail-cloth type…
Week In Review ~ 19 June
…ail Beast will have you joined at the hip…or the shoulder, or even on your bike. Built tough with a rugged 1000D Cordura construction and water-resistant YKK zips, the bag features a removable shoulder strap, a stowable hip belt and handlebar mounting straps. And since hitting the trails can be hot and tiring work, the Trail Beast also includes a removable water bottle holder. Easy to use and multifunctional, this is a bag that pulls its weight ac…
Week In Review ~ 14 June
…compare to the freedom and pleasure of hitting the open road on your motorbike – and having carry that’s not up to the job of bike travel is a sure way to put a dampener on all that joy. Luckily a new collaboration between Bleu de Chauffe and Blitz Motorcyles has rolled onto the scene, featuring tough and good-looking gear that will relish the journey as much as you do. The Blitz Tool Bag features rugged vegetable-tanned leather, plenty of space…
Blooming Genius :: Bloon Springtime
…picnic table with two chairs – so no need to worry about wet grass, sand, dirt or other unappealing surfaces spoiling the party. In addition, the Bloon Springtime can be converted into a pannier format, making it easy to transport by bike. Production for the Bloon Springtime is currently on hold to ensure optimal quality and sustainable production can be achieved. However, anyone who is interested in the project can keep up to date via Bloon’s Fac…
3 Questions :: Timbuk2
…nswer the specific concerns of our customers—a diverse group that includes bike commuters, serious cyclists, frequent flyers, students and more. This allows us to be very specific about the materials, features, fit and look of every Timbuk2 design. What key challenges do you face with your product? As the original messenger bag company, our roots are inextricably tied to the messenger bag. Now celebrating our 25th anniversary, we’ve branched out i…
Week In Review ~ 2 November
…Wish you had a bag that could carry everything from groceries and books to bike wheels and boxes? That’s exactly what the Tack Sling bag by SSCY is designed to do. The bag has two primary compartments that can be separated using adjustable straps in order to carry a variety of odd-shaped, dirty or wet items between them. The Tack Sling quickly converts from backpack mode to tote mode to suit different carry needs and includes two external pockets…
Carry Jobs 2014
…f action sports markets – Surf, Snowboard, Ski, Skate, Windsurf, Kite, and Bike and they build a wide range of packs and bags for both sexes. They’re big and awesome and their team love doing these sports in their spare time. If you want to oversee and manage the design, development, and production of all women’s lifestyle bags and packs, then this is for you. Triple Aught Design – Graphic Designer & Artist We love Triple Aught Design, they’re a b…
Week In Review ~ 22 June
…to 4 cm (1.57 in.) wide and can be used while sitting, walking or riding a bike so you can rival the quick-draw skills of even the slickest gunslingers (or phone fiends, as the case may be…). Bountiful offerings from Billykirk If you love Billykirk you’ll be bouncing off the walls with the bounty of new styles and colorways that form part of their new arrivals for Spring/Summer 2014. Wallets, satchels, backpacks, keychains, card cases, duffles…you…
Studio Visit :: Boreas and Alite
…ches, development and the tools of their trade with an appreciative audience. Check out their sites for lots of neat stories: Muir Woods Process Durkopp sewing machine Design Process: Bike to the Beach Thanks again to the guys for a totally fun afternoon. We’ll keep you all updated as the fruits of their labor come through….
The Brilliance of bagjack
…ary about Berlin’s first bicycle messenger service. Pe decided to become a bike courier, a role that gave sufficient freedom for a 20-year-old living in a city going through extraordinary times. If the squat life wasn’t wild enough, there was a dance music revolution on the doorstep, creative emancipation, an endless party. “A lifestyle I enjoyed…but I never will miss,” Pe smirks. Riding the streets of Berlin, Pe and his messenger pal, Vossi, saw…
5 Minutes with FRANCA
…kilos which gives us the warranty that they are never going to break. My essentials that I always carry are: – iPhone – Keys with a leather string – Comme des Garçons wallet Then depending on the activity I might carry: – Kryptonite lock if I use the road bike instead of my Brompton – iPad or laptop with one of our Gimblet sleeves to work on the go – Old iPod for extra music with headphones – Ricoh GR1 film camera (I just love 35mm photos) – Penkn…
The Evolution of the Elements :: Bellroy Interview
…ough one to master. We found that actually cyclists and urban commuters on bikes are facing a tough dilemma. They can be caught in the rain. They want performance and style in a minimal object. So you looked quite hard into the cycling industry? (H): Fairly extensively. Quite a few of us actually commute in Melbourne on bikes. We love Rapha, and got inspired by their simplicity and timeless approach. The beauty and the geek, if you like. (D): What…
Outdoor Retailer Summer Market 2014 :: Part 1
…ns out he really does. Some discoveries include a quick-release seat pack, bikepacking seat bag, professional briefcase, and a new Women’s line, capturing the soul of Timbuk2. I appreciate that for every product they release, the intention is clear and well executed. Keep up the good work! Black Diamond The Stone 45 and Pipe Dream 45 caught our eye at the Black Diamond booth but I didn’t have a chance to get into ideal uses for the radical Pipe Dr…
Modern Industry :: Shop Visit
…e basement. You enter through the side door, go down a hallway filled with bikes (theirs and the upstairs neighbors) and enter the cramped yet cozy workspace. The first thing you notice are the skateboards stacked up (not an uncommon mode of transportation for the guys) with some bike lock cables sticking out. With space at such a premium, the walls are lined with product sketches, inspiration mood boards and whatever strikes that week’s fancy. Th…
QWSTION Interview :: Brand, Beginnings and Business
…mpanions that work just as well in a business meeting as while riding your bike. Therefore we aim to create timeless styles and evolve our collection continuously. With multiple carrying options our luggage offers lots of flexibility to make life easier. QWSTION bags are designed and developed in Zürich, Switzerland, where the brand was founded in 2008. How do you connect with and understand your core customers? Firstly, we are our own critical cu…
Road Tests :: Crafted Goods Carrera
…Not Suit I am a little torn on whether or not to recommend the Carrera for bike messengers and commuters. On one hand, I feel like the construction of the main compartment means you have a limit on the size and shape of your cargo. On the other hand, it does come with a cross strap to stabilize things; there’s nothing worse than a bag sliding while you are in the saddle. Speaking of storage, if you are used to carrying things like large boxes, spo…
Drive By :: Tucker & Bloom North to South Messenger
…ssory pocket, one etched on each buckle and one final one on the removable bike strap. It’s a cool logo but a bit of overkill. Others to Consider If you’re on the hunt for other nylon work appropriate bags, be sure to check out Timbuk2’s Proof Messenger, Rickshaw Bagworks’ Commuter 2.1 or Token’s Quilted Lorimer Lite. All three are great choices for work appropriate bags within a similar price range. Conclusion The North to South Messenger is a gr…
Interview with Treesizeverse
…solutions don’t: ventilation systems, padded shoulder straps, buckles for bike bags. Since I do all design and production on my own, I can only make up to three bags a day. How do you go about selling your products online? I did have some experience selling artwork on Etsy, so I built on that. I have a shop on Etsy and I created a shop on Bigcartel (treesizeverse.com). About a third of what I sell is through my own site and two thirds via Etsy. I…
Carry Evolution :: Alite X Boreas Collab Pack
…wo users into one bag design, and the results are a progressive direction both companies are stoked on. The suspension system combines urban and technical capabilities. We can honestly say that we’d use this bag for going anywhere – it’s sleek enough for happy hour and it’s rugged enough for a bike ride up Twin Peaks. What single thing are you most proud of in relation to this pack? What did you really nail? The colorway. Black leather, black rive…
Outdoor Retailer :: Winter Market Recap
…set up the pull-handle and you’re off. Basically. I want to try jumping my bike into a lake and inflating it in the air, and I’m still not sure why. Dynafit Most of OR was packed with bags that looked like this… Salewa And this. Bright colors that smacked of the part of the 1990s that never happened. Crux Crux is a new company making mountaineering packs with a blend of Cordura and Kevlar – the US importer John Campbell is an old-pack junkie and e…
Best Work Messenger Finalists :: Third Annual Carry Awards
…with laptops, some tech, a change of clothes, and can leg it with you on a bike, if you’re inclined to peddle to your 9 to 5. And this year, we’ve got a diverse array (we’d have it no other way) of sleek leather craft, bold waxed canvas, and innovative slants on access and carry options – three of which refuse to be pigeonholed as simply ‘messengers’… and why not? Versatility is king, and the status quo is kinda boring, right? But what do you dig?…
Hall of Fame :: Third Annual Carry Awards
…peed?) encouraged many of us to seriously entertain the idea of becoming a bike messenger. And while this bag is certainly a classic, it’s never really faded from our view. – Karrimor Whillans Alpiniste 1964 Not just an iconic pack, THE iconic pack. This pack kickstarted the British outdoor industry as we know it today, and was the first pack that was widely available in colour – until then, most packs were made with army surplus fabrics left over…
Drive By :: EVOC Guide Team 30L
…g in my opinion. It’s also not that often you see a carry brand in the ski-bike world come up out of Europe and make ripples on the world stage. Even with only an ever so ‘slightly’ euro look to them (insert giggle here) they are popping up on trails and slopes all around and I really wanted to give one of their snow packs a good test…but after two full day outings I just couldn’t get into it. Now I do have to give a bit of a disclaimer here; I ha…
Berlin Muse :: The Tanner Goods DOPP: A toiletry bag is so much more than a toiletry bag.
…e and Writing Instruments accoutrement Each morning I rise and head out on bike or foot to a local Berlin café. There’s only so much your carry sack or backpack can do to keep all your pens and notebooks together in one space. The DOPP has come into its own as a vital supplement to the basic backpack; throw in a few pens, pencils, rulers and sharpeners and the DOPP becomes a sweet pencil case, without making it look like you’re Billy Madison and b…
Road Test :: J. Panther Luggage Co. RollTote
…ice vibe, and then occasionally flicking it into backpack mode for a quick bike ride. Who it doesn’t suit Those short on cash, or demanding on carry, or after a performance bag. Looks It’s an attractive heavy-gauge canvas that is only very lightly waxed – so think light showers, not heavy downpours. The leather is lovely and soft, but it is quite analine, so expect it to mark up, darken, and get a real patina to it. Other things to note, the canva…
Drive By :: Ethnotek Setia
…work with no problem, I opened the hood pocket to grab my keys to open my bike lock. You can probably guess what happened. Yep, everything was pressed up against the zip so the moment it opened, it all fell out on to the hard concrete floor. Suffice it to say, the perfume bottle is no more. There’s one last issue: the gusset pocket. Though not explicitly specified as a water bottle holder, it is the first thing I tried to use it for. I own a Came…
Buyer’s Guide :: Best Work Messengers (Part 1)
…on system will also keep the bag snug against your back for those mad dash bike commutes to work with large and/or heavy loads. Bedouin Foundry Barbary Some bags just make you take a second look – and the Barbary is one of them. It’s a damn fine-looking bag – but not just a pretty face either. This bag is built by hand to last, using top-notch materials, and will only get better with age. Plus the awesome linings add a little bit of secret fun tha…