Jon & I had a discussion about this. Part of what we do is design, develop and manufacture new products either for one of our brands or for one of our OEM clients. And having our own production studio helps. In the last few weeks I've been reading threads about backpacks, messenger bags, etc in general and it appears that there's not one design out there that appeals to the forum masses. Even on the threads about one of our backpacks I noticed folks mentioning how they wished it was smaller. There seems to be some pretty general ideas on what most of you are looking for and there's even some great ideas for new products. Well, Jon & I thought that this might be a good time to allow the members to channel their ideas and thoughts on new products. At least here, we'll be listening! Understandably we will not be able to make every idea a reality so we need to stick with more popular ones. If the idea of one new product appeals to most, we'll start looking into it. Oddly enough this was how I first started my business in 2001 when I crowdsourced (I don't think the word existed back then) design and product ideas from the original Firing Line forum and The High Road. I guess in essence, I've finally come full circle Anyway I will be starting off by soliciting your thoughts on a compact backpack shortly but in the meantime the floors all yours. Thanks! Helm
Oh, man, this is going to be one thread that will be a joy to watch. Helm, thanks for taking the customer base so seriously. I'm sure most manufacturers want to cater to the end user, but rarely does the end user have an opportunity to have any direct influence whatsoever. I'm sure we all appreciate it.
This will be a fun thread. I would personally like to see a bag that has enough room to carry 4 AR mags and 4 pistol magazines, medical kit, some energy bars/stripped MRE/similar, general purpose pocket for small items like cables or survival kit, and an admin pocket on the outside. A water bladder slot would be great too. Clamshell opening would be great with a drawbridge feature so it won't all fall open if you don't want it to. No molle on the outside and maybe some outside pockets as well (1-2 or water bottle pockets on each side).
I'll need to watch this one closely, in the market for a new pack as it stands so may have to fire some thoughts in here as I go along. Molle attachment capability might be good, that's pretty popular around here right?
It is popular, I don't like Molle but many do. The pack design will not be made to make me personally happy. Molle is a must for some people, a please don't for others. It will be interesting to see how many want Molle.
I love PALS webbing inside for organization. If a backpack has a beavertail/flap design don't make the mistake of requiring the beavertail to be unbuckled in order to access the outer (admin) pockets. Camelback ruined the Urban Assault when they did that. Sent from my XT1080 using Tapatalk
That's a valid point, personally I can take it or leave it BUT if it's not there there needs to be some other way of lashing items to the outside I needed. Sent from a potato.
I would like a pack very similar to your forum pack, but smaller. Not overall smaller, but not such a big main compartment. One that does not look tactical in the least, and includes a lot of internal organization features. I carry a separate laptop bag with the company issued laptop, charger, and other computer accessories. That is my "work stuff" bag. I like to carry a separate bag with "my stuff" in it, that I can carry to work in addition to the laptop bag, and on weekends I would carry the second bag separately so that I would still have all of my non-work gear handy. I guess I'm really looking for a briefcase type of thing. I have an LL Bean carryon bag that is about the right size but the internal layout is all wrong. The Vanquest Gearslinger bags look like about what I want, except for the tactical/military appearance. I am a middle-aged office worker with no likelihood of being deployed into a combat zone, nor any particular interest in clothing or gear that is designed with that in mind.
i only carry a bag when there is a specific reason to carry one. when i'm not working, i won't be carrying a bag with me. going hiking or backpacking, i have dedicated pack for those. back in school, i always had Israelis paratrooper briefcase. not the Chinese knock off, but the one that has made in Israel printed in it. i first saw this on banana republic catalog back in 80s, and when they went to different direction, safari outfitter in Albuquerque, NM, had them. to me, that is a perfect EDC messanger. simple, not very complicated and lasted well over 25 yrs for me. now my 13 yr old uses it. updated version in better material, better weather proofing, i would buy another one.
I like what everybody has said above in terms of functionality. I would like to add an extra push towards making a perfectly functional bag that looks less tactical -- I think one of the trends I'm observing on this forum, as well as seeing my tastes develop, is to be able to "edc" without being recognized or noticed as a prepper. This is more of a survival-esque instinct because I don't want people to take me out first because they think my backpack carries something valuable if . I am not advocating that the next backpack needs to look like a jansport in any way. A hard-shell backpack, which could make things look inconspicuous enough, may be one way to go? you can still have all the molle-what-nots and still be able to contain most of it with the hard-shell.
I prefer bags that have compression straps, 2 per side. I find that the load in the main compartment bunches up in the bottom without them.
I like the sound of that, but thought maybe a transformer that has a shoulder strap and backpack straps, for the changing need of carry type. So hard to please
I'm 6'8" and 300 lbs. I should be 240 but that's another story. Nothing fits me well in the backpack or sling bag category. A backpack with removable straps for a thin and thick setting would be great. Make a set of straps removable with 8 points of contact on the backpack.4 on top, 4 on bottom. That way a person can attach a set of straps on the lime green setting for a thin person or remove and attach on the lt blue for us thick guys. There has got to be a good way to make a detachable strap and yet still have good strength. To my knowledge, no such idea exists. And I'll only take 15% ..... Extras: I too like water bottle holders on each side. Some molle on the outside but I wouldn't want it totally covered.
A non tactical looking pack with one large compartment with lots of pockets and lots of pockets outside with some type of attachment system on the outside whether it be molle or some other strong holding attachment. The pack must be adjustable in a way so as to fit small and large framed people. a place to hold keys. It would be nice to have a general flashlight and leatherman pocket. I may be being to specific but lots of people have smaller lights and lots have leatherman tools
I think I need a hip pack. Maybe you already have something, IDK, but I doubt it(doesn't seem vary militarty-esque). I need more room than my pockets will allow comfortably and it would be ideal for small things like an extra .45 mag, back up light, and any number of smaller things. I was watching GMA(Good Morning America) with my Spousling, because she DVRs it to torture me with watch laterand they said that the hip-pack is making a comeback. (I don't think its the same thing I would have thought they meant, as they started parading skinny girls with craft-time looking packs on their lack of hips) I bet if anyone can bring the hip pack back its EDCF.
