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designer-dad · 5 years

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Peak Design Everyday Backpack - My history with EDC bags.

I have a problem.

I like bags.

Like, a lot.

It’s more complicated than that though. I also hate bags.

A lot.

Ok, I’ll explain. As an Industrial Designer, I tend to pick apart products a lot. Especially ones that I purchase. Especially especially ones that I use A LOT. And even more so ones that I rely on for keeping part of my sanity. I define those items as ones that I use consistently and repetitively, in more or less the same way over and over. I am a creature of habit. Very strong, often unusual or quirky habit. Just ask my wife. And I need those specific items to fit/mold my habits in a way that is pleasing, smooth, and doesn’t mess with my mojo.

Enter my bag dilemma.

I first remember having this issue around when I entered college and purchased my first car - a ‘92 fire-engine red Jeep Cherokee Limited. I needed a backpack at the time, and purchased some heavy duty Jeep branded backpack from their official site. It was my first considered bag purchase. The bag was a workhorse; strong, heavy duty, virtually un-breakable, waterproof, and pretty comfortable. And bright blue. It featured some basic front pocket organization, a slimmer front pocket for the little quick items, and otherwise was just a gaping hole of storage, with 2 equally massive side pockets. I loved this thing. Still do, but I also started to hate it, at least for my EDC bag. It was too big, could rarely fit under an airplane seat, and lacked main pocket organization (my biggest issue with bags in general; more on that later). I learned to appreciate it for what it was (a cavernous rugged backpack), and still use it for that purpose, but needed a new EDC bag.

Thanks to some Nissan test-drive promo, and the fact that they ran out of free watches, I got a random Kenneth Cole fabric messenger bag. I wasn’t super enthused at first, but this turned out to be a pretty great bag. And I found the general layout of a messenger bag to be preferable as an EDC, in that while the main opening can still be cavernous, the “landscape” orientation helped me dig through the crap to find what I wanted, and by nature opened up more so I could see inside. It also allowed me to swing it around and access said cavern without removing the bag. It also offered a simple but unique combination of organization pockets that just clicked with me.

But as college progressed, and technology with it, I needed to start carrying a laptop daily (and a behemoth one at that; stupid design school requirements), and this didn’t do the trick. So I did a stint with a Targus (yes, regrettable) giant 17″ widescreen messenger bag I found at Marshall’s that carried more like a briefcase, until my new in-laws bought me a fantastic upgrade: a Timbuk2 Outttawhack convertible bag. This thing was/is SO cool. Carries like a messenger, briefcase, or backpack with tuck-away backpack straps. Super unique, thought out, and still injects designer-endorphins into my brain when I use it. And it fit my beast of a laptop.

But alas, as is the case with many 3-in-1 products, it’s a jack of all trades but master of none. It was neither comfortable as a backpack nor messenger. The backpack straps were on a kind of funky angle too. It lacked a water bottle pocket (apparently I found out how much I cared about this; I had to make a custom one). But the organization was pretty solid. Especially for a Timbuk2 bag (more on that next). But it did feature an issue I’ve found with Timbuk2 bags. They are designed for right-handed carry. I am a righty, but for some reason I do 2 things lefty; ride a skateboard and wear a messenger, the latter of which makes them annoying for me.

But I was kinda poor at the time, and still liked how cool this bag was, and it fit my massive laptop, so I trudged on for a couple years making do with this while part of my brain longed to go back to my trusty Kenneth Cole.

Graduation came, as did the start of my first design job, and I no longer needed to carry a laptop daily anymore, so back to the Kenneth Cole I went. And I was happy.

And on to my next design gig too. And the next one. The trusty Kenneth Cole went with me. And when the strap pad ripped, I bought a great Timbuk2 replacement pad.

Enter another issue with my being a designer; boredom. Yes, this is often at odds with my being adverse to change and my strong habits. I know. It’s a problem. Add to that a desire to find a product a little better, and my eyes started to stray from trusty KC.

Starting another design gig, I decided to “reward” myself with a new bag. I had a budget, around $100-$150, and at this point required something that could give my KC bag a run for its money, and conquer one issue I had never been able to resolve with my KC bag: travel.

While I loved my KC bag for EDC, it just did not cut it for travel. Messengers are uncomfortable to wear for long hauls of heavy loads (compared to backpacks), and it just didn’t have the gear space. Especially since I am always traveling with a basic staple of Orthodox Judaism: my Phylacteries and prayer shawl. These are used during morning prayers (which I often need to recite en route) and are pricey, so they stay in carry-on luggage. This parcel is about the size of an airplane pillow and blanket bundled together, and my travel bag needs to hold it in addition to regular travel basics (which always includes some degree of camera gear).

I also simply hated the process of transferring everything from my EDC to travel bag and back again.

So I was now searching for a bag that could carry a bit more than what most people would need during travel, but would still not be too large as an EDC bag.

After about a month of research, and ordering about 15 bags form Amazon to try (yay free returns), I landed on my Timbuk2 Command 2.0. This was a very good bag, and I used it mostly happily for close to 5 years for both EDC and most travel, but was never fully satisfied. It had a few very specific problems that got me eventually hunting for a new EDC bag during my next job transition (especially when I learned the new gig would require significant travel with a hefty laptop):

1) Organization. Timbuk2 generally uses the inside of the main compartment for pens and small organization. I hate this. I want this kept separate so pulling out a sweatshirt from the main pocket won’t send all my pens flying out on the floor of terminal B at O’Hare.

2) Made for a righty. The side access napoleon pocket, which I like in theory, is only easily accessible for right-handed carry style. Same with the water bottle pocket. It’s a small quirk, but awfully annoying when present numerous times every day for YEARS.

3) Not quite the right size. This could handle some travel, but nothing major, nothing with a DSLR kit, and still hurt like any messenger with weight or time. And a big laptop was still not an option. The trusty Jeep bag was still my main travel buddy.

There was lots to like about this bag. Quality was solid, the color was bright red, TSA laptop pocket (for a medium laptop), extendable luggage handle pass-through, and some nice pockets, but overall fell short of what I needed.

Add another layer of complexity to this tote conundrum: my DSLR.

I’ve mentioned this thing a few times already, and for good reason. It really messes with what kind of bag you can/want to carry. In most instances, it feels like you need to make a choice; camera first or carry first. Bags I’ve been through are either primarily camera focused, but can also carry ordinary stuff along with it, or it’s a regular bag, and you’re on your own for how to fit in camera gear.

Problem is, I like to bring my camera with me when I go places. But I’m also picky about my bag. These don’t marry well. My first route to address this was to bring a dedicated camera bag with me when I traveled. First mistake was this random bag I bought from Deviant Art when they phased out selling gear.

It seemed like a good idea at the time.

It’s a shoebox with camera storage inserts and a sling strap. It’s not comfortable. It’s not practical. NEXT.

For the next purchase, I did some digging, and put some thought into it. I got this Lowerpro sling bag, and was really happy with my purchase at first. It was smaller, understated, didn’t scream “camera here!”, and could carry some basic daily essentials along with my basic camera kit. But the killer here was the whole lefty-thing again. The bag is made strictly for right-handed style carry, and I could not get used to it. Add to that the annoyance of having to travel with an extra bag just for camera gear, and I outgrew this bag after just 2 trips.

I ultimately settled on the Timbuk2 Snoop Camera Insert and would try to fit this in whatever bag I traveled with. Yeah, not any easier than it sounds.

So begins my search for my ultimate bag. I started a new job, with roughly monthly domestic travel, plus 1-2 international trips a year between work and personal, and I now needed to carry a semi-hefty laptop on occasion for either working remotely or traveling with. So I was looking for a bag that would satisfy all of the below:

1) Masterful Organization, especially in the main “big” pocket. Handful of writing instruments, mini Moleskin, battery backup, charging cables, multi-tools, knives, spork, water bottle, giant headphones, lunch, some occasional documents, some quick access pockets, and adaptability to also hold my laptop, more charging cables, reading material, and more robust pack of sketch tools, camera gear, and maybe more. Most importantly, give me some control of how I put stuff in that big main compartment.

2) DSLR/Camera carry. I often travel with my DSLR. Not always, but often. And it can make choosing a bag for a trip very complicated. Will I be able to access the camera quickly? Will it be secure and protected? It also adds a level of complexity to my travel bag being the daily carry upon my arrival. On that note...

3) Travel buddy/EDC buddy. I want this bad to make the ultimate transition. Be my daily companion, and my travel hauler. Comfortable for the commute or a hike. And storage that can work and transform smoothly for both. Eliminate the need for another bag, and remove the extra hassle of transferring from bag to bag when traveling.

4) Backpack carry. I’d be taking the train for this job, which involves a couple miles of walking a day. Add that to the monthly trips through airports and messengers were out of the question here. But give me options to tote this thing with side handles and such.

5) Water bottle carry. Not wimpy either. I want this on both sides, and I want a pocket big enough to water a large man.

6) Laptop carry. My work laptop is known as a “mobile workstation.” It’s a 15″, but not like a 15″ Macbook. It’s a beast. It’s thick. It’s heavy. And it needs to fit in this bag.

7) Svelte, but spacious. I need a bag that looks good, and can be somewhat compacted when I don’t need it to be massive. I’m a big dude, so my frame can work with a larger bag, but I also don’t wanna knock out people standing around me on the train. On the other hand, if I need to load this with my DSLR kit, prayer accouterments, laptop, and travel goodies, I need this to haul it all, and still work as my daily carry when I get to where I’m going.

6) Be awesome. At this point in my career, I like my accessories to be generally awesome, and be long-term. Unique. Great stories. Fantastic products. This bag will need to bring the cool factor up. And continue making me happy for years, so that I don’t have to go through this process again for a while.

So I embarked on what ended up being a 6 month discovery process of bags. Which I enjoyed. But which also stressed me out. And ultimately led me to my Peak Design Everyday Backpack 30L in Charcoal. To be continued...

#edc #bag #backpack #messenger #Everyday Carry #camera #camera gear #travel #luggage

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kenmmcshane · 5 years

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Joji Locatelli's Odyssey Shawl... plus a contest

Inspiring person and designer, Joji Locatelli, has released a complimentary pattern for all of us to enjoy! The Odyssey Shawl is a simple combo of three colors of DK weight yarn, she uses Tosh DK, and is a great way to either combine three colors you have in stash, or to really flex your color-combo muscles and put something extra stunning together. I have put together a few color ideas for you to consider (you can also use fingering weight yarn for a smaller shawl and just go down a couple needle sizes), and I'm even giving away yarn here and on Instagram. Details at the bottom.

Photos used with permission of Joji Locatelli

But first, this is what Joji has to say about designing this pattern:

"Odyssey is a way for me to give back to the knitting community. You can download it for free, forever, but it is not a free pattern… The making of this pattern was paid by all of you, knitters, as a community. By supporting me and my family, you are allowing me to do a job I love and I am giving that love back. And by supporting I don’t only mean ‘buying my patterns’. Support also comes from all the love you send me with your messages. I couldn’t do it without you. Therefore, because you are a member of this community, this is a pattern from me to all of you.

I started the design of this shawl during a trip to Canada, inspired by the green colors of the landscape. It was the perfect easy project to keep me company on a trip that turned out to be quite an adventure! Today, I am again traveling with my family and we feel so blessed and so grateful that we want to send something to all of you, so here’s this Odyssey for you to knit and enjoy.

Odyssey is a crescent shaped shawl in 3 colors of medium-weight yarn. Medium weight means DK, or worsted, or even Aran! The good news is that you knit it up super fast. Each color section ends with a lace band that features striking big eyelets and wavy texture. It works with MANY yarn weights, and with ANY yarn! You don’t need to buy any special yarn for this design. Check your stash and see what inspires you!"

Above, Joji used greens (like shown above) and greys to make hers: Cactus (unavailable, but sub something dark like Black Sea or Leopard for similar effect), Joshua Tree (or Oak would be nice too) and Pelican.

We also really like Danger Will Robinson/ Cenote/ Time to Pretend

Leopard/ Dead Calm/ Leaf Fall

Coquette Deux/ Copper Pink/ Found Pottery or Calligraphy

And this one really speaks to me, but is completely outside my normal range of color. Which means maybe I should cast it on immediately for a shop sample to increase my knitting mojo? Phantasm/ Mercury/ Brass.

And if there's a color combo you are considering and want our eyes on it before placing your order, you know we love being your personal shoppers and project helpers. Just e-mail me, Allison, at [email protected] as usual and I'm pretty darn quick about getting back to you that way. Plus I have awesome coloristas here who also have other ideas you might consider too. We like enabling your color expansion!

If you want to try a spankin' new yarn, here are a few combinations using the batch of Sport that just arrived from new dyer Less Traveled Yarn. Sport is lightly less weighty than DK, so you could either go down one needle size or you could use the needle size called for in the pattern for a slightly drapier look. LIke Joji mentioned, the exact weight isn't needed.

Please note, the photos below of Sport were just snapped by me and haven't been color corrected for accuracy like everything on our website. If you want to know the true nature of each color, the ones in the shop website in the Sport section are the most accurate.

Harvest Festival, Aspen, Pumpkin Spice

Homestead, Canyon, Harvest Festival

Mulberry Daiquiri, Barbie Goes Hunting and Truth or Consequences

Orion, Mulberry Daiquiri, Koi Pond

And if you made it all the way through this, don't you deserve the chance at a treat? How about a chance at three skeins of Tosh DK of your own to make this shawl or something else? Just tell me in the comments below if you think you would prefer to have a DK weight shawl in your life like Odyssey or if you live/work in a climate/office that would better suit a lighter weight fingering weight lacier shawl like perhaps Tracie, and leave me that comment before midnight EST on Friday, March 1. You're welcome to be as specific as you like about what shawls you are actually using this time of year and why. Please, do tell me about your vacation to Fiji and how you need a featherweight shawl right now! I'll choose a winner and e-mail and post here. And check out Instagram for another chance to win and this blog post here for another chance! All sorts of free yarn this week!

Me? I am in definite need of a DK or worsted weight shawl right now. Are you in the Midwest or another area where you've been visited by the Polar Vortex and the awful weather we've been experiencing? You know when USPS shuts down for days it has to be bad, right? But after several days of cold mess, the weather increases by 70 degrees (negative 30 to positive 40 in a day!) and everyone wants to go outside and walk and enjoy breathing normally! It's been crazy!

from pussyfoott2b https://simplysockyarn.typepad.com/simply_socks_yarn_co/2019/02/joji-locatellis-odyssey-shawl-plus-a-contest.html via http://www.rssmix.com/

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