Discussion of New Colors, New Designs

[MaiaH]

MikeV - Are there any plans to do the T45 in xpac?

I'm gonna jump in and answer this one for Mike. We don't have any plans to make a T45 bag with X-Pac fabric at the moment. We're expecting new X-Pac fabric soon, and when it arrives we'll be able to decide which bags to make with it!

[Chicagoan]

YUSS.

Another point on the board for team Xpac!

Crossing fingers there's some Coyote in there.

[John1970]

I'm gonna jump in and answer this one for Mike. We don't have any plans to make a T45 bag with X-Pac fabric at the moment. We're expecting new X-Pac fabric soon, and when it arrives we'll be able to decide which bags to make with it!

Please give us at least one S25!

[Tonya]

So did anyone else notice this in the recent blog post? We've also gotten a lot of requests in the recent months for a bag that resembles the Side Effect and Side Kick but with dimensions similar to the Packing Cube Shoulder Bag. We've been playing around with this and are excited to share more soon.
I was somewhat thrilled to read this because I'm one of those who has been requesting a larger SK for YEARS. Literally.
Yet I'm somewhat un-thrilled (no offense TB!) because "dimensions similar to the PCSB" doesn't sound like an upgrade. The PCSB is only about a liter larger than the SK, and if interior organization is added to be like the SK, that will eat up any extra space. Plus (IMO) the PCSB's elongated horizontal dimensions don't carry well as a shoulder or crossbody bag. I suppose that I'll just have to see what TB is up to, but I've waited soooo long for a larger SKish type bag that I sincerely hope that I'm not disappointed.

[Chicagoan]

So did anyone else notice this in the recent blog post? We've also gotten a lot of requests in the recent months for a bag that resembles the Side Effect and Side Kick but with dimensions similar to the Packing Cube Shoulder Bag. We've been playing around with this and are excited to share more soon.
I was somewhat thrilled to read this because I'm one of those who has been requesting a larger SK for YEARS. Literally.
Yet I'm somewhat un-thrilled (no offense TB!) because "dimensions similar to the PCSB" doesn't sound like an upgrade. The PCSB is only about a liter larger than the SK, and if interior organization is added to be like the SK, that will eat up any extra space. Plus (IMO) the PCSB's elongated horizontal dimensions don't carry well as a shoulder or crossbody bag. I suppose that I'll just have to see what TB is up to, but I've waited soooo long for a larger SKish type bag that I sincerely hope that I'm not disappointed.

SK was my first purchase, my most often used bag, and if they make smaller bags like this from Xpac, I'm 100% in.

Ideally I'd love an SK with the same footprint as the DLBC but if the compromise is patterning it after the PCSB, it's still a step in the right direction.

I feel like there have been a LOT of new backpack designs and it would really be nice to introduce something new into the crossbody (not sling or hip pack!) category.

[G42]

Hey Tonya Some folks have been asking specifically for the PCSB aspect ratio but with SE/SK organization AND some for SE/SK organization in larger shoulder/cross body bags (more like the Icon shape, which hit for some people and not for others), so regardless of which way they go, it will meet the requests of some people. We'll just have to see what they come up with.

It wasn't quite clear to me, given how the post was written, if they're working on one bag or two, but I'd assume only one at a time, but you never know. Also good to see the X-pac in a smaller bag.

I'm also intrigued to see what tweaks are made to the NFTD. I'm assuming 400d will be gone by the time it's ready, so the two tone thing will be a fun alternative, though I assume they'll do solid black as well and hopefully other solids. The last several new items/pre-orders had 13-16 variants, which is a lot of options to choose from...and maybe Wasabi will be included since they said it's coming back and usually they don't say anything until the material is in-house.
The neat thing about the black bottom (no idea if that's the only option for the bottom) is that it helps with the whole dirty-footwell-under-the-plane-seat thing.

[Tonya]

I feel like there have been a LOT of new backpack designs and it would really be nice to introduce something new into the crossbody (not sling or hip pack!) category.

Agree with you 100%!

Some folks have been asking specifically for the PCSB aspect ratio but with SE/SK organization AND some for SE/SK organization in larger shoulder/cross body bags (more like the Icon shape, which hit for some people and not for others), so regardless of which way they go, it will meet the requests of some people. We'll just have to see what they come up with. It wasn't quite clear to me, given how the post was written, if they're working on one bag or two, but I'd assume only one at a time, but you never know

Oops sorry new keyboard and posted too soon, but it sounds like one bag. I'd love it if TB came out with two! I've long thought the SK should be in various sizes like the cafe bags. Whatever it is, I agree with Chicagoan that a larger SK and a side carry bag is a step in the right direction. I think an SK similar to a DLBC would be too large and redundant, but I can't imagine that adding 1.5 liters to the SK and changing the dimensional shape will be beneficial. Probably good I'm not a bag designer.

Edited one more time to add: Woooo yeah WASABI!!! Was absolutely thrilled to hear this is making a brief return.

[Chicagoan]

TBH, an Icon-sized crossbody, with SK style built-in organization, would hit the sweet spot.

I liked how the Icon borrowed the diagonal slash path for its front zippers and made a curved version of what you find on the DLBP. You could store larger and smaller items in the same compartment and keep them equally accessible.

But that main compartment was so damn awkward with an opening near but not quite at the top of the bag. I prefer a small crossbody as my EDC simply because it keeps me items in front of me, safe, visible, and easy to reach. I couldn't pull my camera out from the Icon without it catching on the top of the opening, and that was a deal breaker. Handsome bag, but wouldn't perform the way I hoped it would.

What's tricky is weight and how it carries - any larger a bag than the SK really needs to be supported by a strap, at minimum, as wide as the Simple Strap (standard issue if you order a DLBC).

[G42]

Looks like they've rearranged the Ghost Whales to be size & colour on separate drop downs, like they had previously set up on the OPs.
((Long way from when it was purely luck on what colour you got (by size) on the OPs or had to ask the fine folks in Customer Service to dig around in the bins.))

Thanks MikeV and everyone else working on the new system!

ETA: showing up on some of the other items too

[G42]

I spy Wasabi

[Wanderlust77]

I spy Wasabi

I’m gonna have to get a LPD!…Aubergine/Wasabi!!

[KCam]

Hello MikeV
Any ETA on the grab bags that were pictured (then deleted) in early January?
Also, was wondering about Verde and Mars Red Ballistic — have these colors been retired?

[John1970]

MikeV -- any plans for another production of the Icon (perhaps without the colored zips)?

[G42]

Hello MikeV
Any ETA on the grab bags that were pictured (then deleted) in early January?
Also, was wondering about Verde and Mars Red Ballistic — have these colors been retired?

The pandemic supply chain disruptions changed & delayed a lot of things but I believe both were theoretically supposed to retire.

I don't think Mars Red converted to 630d ballistic and there hasn't been much Verde 1050 in a long time... (though there are some Q-Kits and they just restocked a bunch of the Pocket Pouches) but MikeV would have to let us know.

If they're too busy to answer here you can always email Customer Service directly too.

[MikeV]

Hi folks! Sorry I've been neglecting some of your tags in here! We're still pretty deep in our new ERP rollout- it's going well, there's a lot to work out!

I don't have answers to everything, but I can answer a few things. If I miss your question, it's likely we just don't have a clear answer yet, but we'll work on it in the coming days

re: Grab Bags- we're working on getting these sorted out, and hope to have them ready to sell really soon! The problem we're facing is a systems one, not a production or materials problem at all. We love that they're made from scraps and that we can mix them up a lot, but that doesn't mesh so well with our efforts to put more robust inventory systems in place. We think we've got a good idea of how to proceed but it's not quite at the top of the list of to-dos-- it's very close though! I think we'll have a nice batch of them ready some time next week!

re: Verde 1050 (and 1050 broadly speaking)- it's not gone, and we'll continue making bags in the 1050 colors for the foreseeable future. I hear you all that you want more 1050 options, and we will work on that, but that fabric just doesn't sell as well as our lighter weight options, and we can't make everything, in every fabric, all the time. It's just not realistic. But as we move into travel season, a few additional options probably makes sense!

re: Mars Red- we ran out of the 525 and the 630 isn't here yet. It should be here soon!

re: Icons- no plans for additional Icons. We don't like retiring bags without notice, and usually with at least a small batch of the item to bid it farewell, but it doesn't always make sense on our end, and the Icon falls into that category.

BUT...

the larger Side Kick-like bag is getting really close, and I think will fill the Icon space really well. Jose is working on a couple final changes and we're figuring out the product calendar for this one now! You'll probably start to see some messaging on this in the coming weeks, and the bag looks great.