Topo Designs - Daypack

My quest for a backpack came to an temporary end some weeks ago, when I finally purchased the daypack from Topo Designs. I have long been wanting to buy a backpack because a tote gets hard to carry, if you stuff it, and messenger bags can cause some fatigue, if you don't switch shoulders every now and then. The reason for me choosing Topo is quite simple; they're affordable (or rather cheap, actually), they're sturdy and they look good. But they aren't super good, which is why my search is only temporarily over because I will get another and better backpack, once I have the money and come across the perfect backpack. However I have to say, that you would have a hard time of finding a better product at the price. So this is true value for money.

I field tested the bag, when I went back home for six days, which I'll tell you more about a little later. Here is how it looks, when it is stuffed to maximum capacity.

It's much bigger, than it appears. It has a volume of 22.4 L.

The leather quality could be a bit better, but still it's a very nice detail.

Though I'm usually not too fond of YKK zippers, these are great. They run smoothly and easily.

The camo pattern is quite en mode right now. But I love it despite all the hype.

The hardware is all metal and the webbing seems sturdy. In a perfect world it would have been cotton webbing, however many companies used the same type of webbing in the heyday of hiking back in the 60s and 70s.

What you can't see from these pictures, is that the inside is very thoughtfully put together. It has a space for your laptop and some good pockets, which makes it easy to arrange all of your stuff.

For around $100 plus shipping you can get a well-made (in the US) bag that will last a long time. I think, that's great and Topo deserve every bit of praise.

And it so happens to be, that they just released a short video featuring the very sympathetic owners.

On the Topic of Camouflage - Camopedia.org

I know, that you see a bit too much camo around these days, but I still love it. When I was a kid I used to collect militaria and I have spent hours and hours in surplus stores and militaria shops. So much that I think the later part of my childhood was spent there entirely. Mom and dad would even leave me there on my own and I would entertain the owners with talk about the crazy bajonet I found on a trip to Holland, the old riffle that my uncle gave me, the complete collection of Danish insignias and the World War I helmet I found at a flea market. Yep, I was a strange kid, now that I think of it.
This thing ended when I sold of my entire collection to buy a pair of new jeans.

Lately I have been doing a lot of research on camouflage because I want to make some small accessories using camouflage, which is why I have been paying Camopedia a daily visit - or actually a couple of daily visits.

My research led me to purchase 10 yards of this fabric - also known as Tiger camo, that I found through an American source. This camo was used by the US in the Vietnam war - and of course used a lot of other places.

I would like to add other camo types to my assortment, and I would also like to add other fabric types like Cordura and rip-stop for instance.

- I will of course let you in on, how the collection continues to increase...

Here are some, that I like - and some of them I'm even actively looking for, so if you have a roll of fabric lying around, let me know.

I like this in a way, but it was mainly included because it is Danish

Topo Designs Klettersack

I don't wear a backpack at the moment, though I think I have a vintage Fjällräven "Kånken" stuffed away somewhere. I'm not eager to get one either, as my experience tells me, that it will be getting very little use. That being said I find myself wanting one of these Klettersacks from Topo Designs. The fact that they are getting good reviews from a lot of reliable sources doesn't make them any less desirable.

Topo Designs seem to have just the right ideals and ideas in order. They started out making everything themselves (Topo wa founded by three friends), but now they make everything in a LEED certified workshop in order to be able to meet the orders from Japan. 

They use proper materials such as 1000 denier cordura nylon, leather and mil-spec hardware. I for one love mil-spec, so that is one massive plus in Topo's favour. In addition to this the bags are also very affordable, and their daypacks are even cheaper. Of course if you live in outside of the US, you have to take custom fees into consideration, but it still makes for a good, affordable alternative.

I look forward to seeing where Topo Designs are going. They are definitely a brand to follow.  I have read somewhere that they will be producing apparel at some point... Interesting.