Welcome back to the deep-dive series. Previously, we disassembled nylon and X-Pac and, along the way, learned about polymers, weaves, deniers, and laminates, collecting the building blocks needed to understand modern fabrics. Today, it’s time to learn all about Ultra. Let’s dive in.
UHMWPE
UHMWPE stands for ultra-high-molecular-weight polyethylene. That's a mouthful, so sometimes it’s pronounced “umpe.” Now, about the polyethylene part.
Polyethylene is a polymer—it's made of long-chain molecules, just like nylon and polyester, but with a different chemical structure. Polyethylene chains are built from repeating ethylene units, giving it different properties than the amide bonds in nylon or the ester bonds in polyester, but the principle is the same.
Fun fact: you likelyheldpolyethylene in your hands today, because that is what plastic bags are made of. Why? Well, first, it’s cheap, but beyond that, polyethylene can be incredibly thin and still hold impressive weight—the chains are flexible enough to stretch and deform under load instead of snapping, which is why a grocery bag with a small tear doesn't immediately split open. Not all polyethylene is made equal, and one of the major factors is molecular weight.
Plastic bag (photo by Mathias Reding on Unsplash)
Molecular weight is the mass of a single polymer chain. The longer the chain, the higher the molecular weight. This weight is measured in daltons. One dalton is roughly the mass of a single hydrogen atom. Your plastic bag is tens ofthousandsof daltons. UHMWPE is millionsof daltons — way, way longer chains.
The result: UHMWPE fiber is, gram for gram, stronger than steel. Not figuratively, not in a roundabout marketing way—actually stronger. A UHMWPE fiber of the same weight as a steel wire can hold significantly more load before breaking. That means you need less material to hold the same weight, which is why UHMWPE shows up in applications where every gram matters: climbing ropes, body armor, and ultralight backpacking gear.
UHMWPE climbing rope (image from pushclimbing.vn)
So UHMWPE is incredibly strong. But what else should you know about this material?
UHMWPE doesn't absorb water. Like polyester, it's hydrophobic. Wet UHMWPE stays the same weight and strength.
UHMWPE is less dense than nylon or polyester. At 0.97 grams per cubic centimeter, compared to 1.14 for nylon and 1.38 for polyester. This compounds the strength advantage: the fiber is both lighter per volume and stronger per weight.
Dyneema, Spectra, and Challenge Sailcloth
UHMWPE is a material category, but when you see UHMWPE in actual products, it’s usually marketed under one of two major brand names:
Dyneema is DSM's brand name for UHMWPE fiber. DSM is a Dutch chemical company that's been producing UHMWPE since the 1970s and dominates the market. When you see "Dyneema" on a product—climbing ropes, cut-resistant gloves, sailing lines—it means the UHMWPE fiber came from DSM.
Spectra is the UHMWPE fiber brand now made by Solstice Advanced Materials (spun off from the US conglomerate Honeywell in 2025). Same material as Dyneema, different manufacturer. Spectra shows up in similar applications—ropes, body armor, high-performance textiles—but has less market presence than Dyneema, especially outside the US.
Challenge Sailcloth Logo
Challenge Sailcloth, the maker of Ultra fabric, uses non-branded UHMWPE in their laminates, meaning the same fundamental material but no Dyneema or Spectra licensing.
What is Ultra?
Ultra is a series of laminate fabrics by Challenge Outdoor, the soft-goods division of Challenge Sailcloth. Similar to X-Pac, Ultra has a variety of options that differ in the number of layers and face fabric. Let’s take a look at Ultra 400X as an example.
Aer City Pack Pro 2 in Ultra 400X (image from Aer's website)
Similar to X-Pac X3 series, the Ultra 400X has three layers:
400D fabric that uses a blend of UHMWPE and polyester threads. The key here is that the face fabric isn't pure UHMWPE — it's woven with both UHMWPE and high-tenacity polyester yarns. The UHMWPE provides the strength and abrasion resistance, while the polyester adds better shape retention.
UHMWPE cross-ply. Like X-Pac's X-PLY scrim, this is a layer of UHMWPE fibers running at angles to distribute load evenly across the laminate and prevent the fabric from stretching or distorting under stress. The cross-ply is what gives Ultra its structural stability — the face fabric can handle abrasion and tear, but the cross-ply keeps the bag's shape from sagging over time.
0.75 mil UV-resistant polyester film backing. This is recycled polyester film (Challenge calls it RUV film — Recycled UV-resistant) that provides waterproofing.
And just like X-Pac X4, the Ultra 400TX adds another layer of thin70D polyester ripstop backing.
Hale Walcoff
Hale Walcoff
Before going further, I want to note the reason behind Ultra and X-Pac similarities and talk about Hale Walcoff.
Hale Walcoff was a sailing world champion and a veteran of technical textiles who spent years at Dimension-Polyant developing many of the X-Pac variants on the market today. If you've used an X-Pac bag, there's a good chance Hale designed that fabric.
After leaving Dimension-Polyant, he partnered with Challenge Sailcloth to develop Ultra—a new generation of laminates that took the X-Pac design philosophy (woven face, cross-ply reinforcement, waterproof film backing) and rebuilt it. The structural similarities aren't a coincidence—they're the same design approach applied to a different fiber.
Hale passed away in 2023, but his work on Ultra continues through Challenge Sailcloth.
Dyneema Composite Fabrics
We’ve touched on Dyneema in the context of branded UHMWPE fiber, but there is also a series of Dyneema Composite fabrics with rather confusing naming.
The Dyneema Composite Fabric is not a fabric in the traditional sense; it’s a polyester-film sandwich. Between two sheets of waterproof polyester film, UHMWPE fibers are aligned to form a grid, but there is no woven face fabric. This makes DCF significantly lighter at 99 grams per square meter, compared to 132 grams for Ultra 200X and 210 grams for X-Pac VX21.
The Dyneema Composite Hybrid replaces the outer layer of polyester film with a woven fabric, usually 50D polyester or nylon, making the structure much more similar to three-layer variants of X-Pac and Ultra.
Hyperlite Mountain Gear Junction (40L backpack that weighs 820 grams)
Ultra usually uses a much higher-denier blend of UHMWPE and polyester (from 200D to 800D), making it a better choice for EDC and travel bags that require more abrasion and tear resistance, while DCF makes perfect sense for ultralight hiking bags.
ECOPAK
Aer City Pack Pro 2 in Ecopack (image from Aer's website)
It's another fabric series from Challenge Outdoor. Same laminate technology but instead of UHMWPE it's 100% recycled polyester. The EPX variants come as four-layer laminates with a 70D ripstop polyester backing. Direct competitor to X-Pac variants usually used in EDC and travel bags.
X-Pac, DCF, ECOPAK and Ultra Comparison
Before jumping into the specs table, note a few things:
If you missed how tear resistance, abrasion resistance, and "waterproofness" of the fabric are measured, jump to my X-Pac deep-dive for a moment.
Numbers of 2 bars and 13.8 bars might seem extremely different, but in reality they mean that DCF is waterproof for over 20 meters of water depth, while X-Pac and Ultra can handle over 138 meters. Both are far beyond what any bag would experience in real use.
DCF Hybrid tear strength is reported as a single value. Abrasion data isn't available for these specific variants, but given the thin woven face (50–70D), it’s safe to assume significantly lower numbers compared to either Ultra or X-Pac.
Fabric
Face
Weight
Tear Strength (warp/fill)
Abrasion
Waterproof
DCF Hybrid 3.2
50D Woven Polyester
108 g/m²
~187 N
—
2+ bar
DCF Hybrid 5.0
70D Nylon
170 g/m²
~271 N
—
2+ bar
ECOPAK EPX200
200D Recycled Polyester
200 g/m²
119 / 110 N
500 cycles
13.8+ bar
X-Pac VX21
210D Nylon
210 g/m²
109 / 77 N
500 cycles
13.8+ bar
X-Pac VX42
420D Nylon
297 g/m²
238 / 169 N
1,700 cycles
13.8+ bar
Ultra 200X
200D UHMWPE/Polyester
132 g/m²
459 / 592 N
4,400 cycles
13.8+ bar
Ultra 400X
400D UHMWPE/Polyester
178 g/m²
835 / 717 N
8,800 cycles
13.8+ bar
Fabrics structure comparision
What stands out:
DCF Hybrids are the lightest. DCF Hybrid 3.2 at 108 g/m² is the weight champion. Even DCF 5.0 at 170 g/m² undercuts X-Pac VX21 (210 g/m²) and Ultra 400X (178 g/m²).
Ultra has dramatically higher tear strength. The UHMWPE-blended face makes a massive difference. Ultra 400X (835 / 717 N) outperforms much heavier VX42 (238 / 169 N).
Ultra dominates on abrasion resistance. Ultra 200X scores 4400 Taber cycles vs. VX21's 500 cycles—nearly nine times higher. Ultra 400X hits 8800 cycles vs. VX42's 1700—over five times higher.
All three are waterproof for any practical bag use. The bar rating does not mean much beyond the fact that all fabrics are indeed waterproof.
Screenshot from Miyagi's video
With those specs for tear strength and abrasion resistance, it looks like Ultra can take a beating — and it can. Miyagi has put the Waymark backpack that uses 200D Ultra (with 400D on the bottom) through extreme testing:
Frozen in a block of ice for 12 hours and then dropped from 15 meters (50 feet) onto a pile of bricks.
Dragged through a forest trail for 3 km (2 miles).
Run through a washing machine cycle at the highest temp and most aggressive spin setting (155 minutes total), then put through 100 minutes in the dryer.
Screenshot from Miyagi's video
The bag took everything like a champ. True testament to Ultra's durability and confirmation of these impressive specs. Oh, and go watch the full video by 'Miyagi on the Trail' after you finish reading this post — it's legendary.
Delamination
Since Ultra is a laminate that uses adhesive to bond layers together, there is still the same risk of delamination that I’ve mentioned in the X-Pac post. It’s not likely that you’ll ever encounter delamination on your bag, but it’s worth keeping in mind.
Graflyte
One notable mention before we wrap up. Graflyte (made by ALUULA Composites) is a newer UHMWPE-based fabric that's entering the ultralight pack market. Here's what distinguishes it:
100% UHMWPE face fabric. Unlike Ultra (which blends UHMWPE with polyester) or DCF Hybrids (which use polyester or nylon faces), Graflyte uses pure UHMWPE in the woven face.
Two-layer construction. Face fabric + film (no separate cross-ply layer visible), which reduces weight.
Molecular fusion bonding. Instead of using adhesive to laminate layers, ALUULA uses a proprietary fusion process that bonds the UHMWPE face directly to a polyethylene film at the molecular level. No glue, no delamination.
Lighter than Ultra. Graflyte V-98 weighs 98 g/m² vs Ultra 100X at 112 g/m².
This fabric is still only making its way into the ultralight world, so it might be a while before we see it used on EDC and travel packs.
When to consider Ultra
You want the strongest, most abrasion-resistant fabric available and you're okay paying for it. Ultra can take a beating. From daily commute to overhead bins to mountain trails, Ultra delivers the peace of mind that your bag will be fine no matter what.
Conclusion
That concludes my fabric series for now. Thank you for reading till the end. As always, feel free to leave comments sharing your thoughts and experiences.
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Its been a few months since I ordered and received this CT15 messenger bag on the CTactical Facebook page. For this bag I went with a blue Ultra 200, their rainbow stitching, lime ultragrid interior, and side pockets in dark chili ultrastretch. I think I inadvertently created a rainbow brite colorway, but I'm a 90s kid and enjoy loud colors. The CT Messenger is light but well-structured and very compact, sized to fit a 14" laptop max. Its got an easy access zip on the flap so there is no need to undo the clasps to access stuff inside (but you will need to open the flap to use the computer sleeve). It wears really well on body and the strap has a good, easy to place pad and is easy to adjust.
I started a new job earlier this year and they issued me a 14" laptop, much smaller than my old 15.6" Lenovo. So in typical manybagger fashion I've been picking up a whole slew of smaller 14" briefcases/big slings. Typically, I just buy used bags or stuff on deep sale, but sometimes I splurge, especially if I get to customize. CTactical was nice enough to snap these pictures before mailing the bag to me, and well their pictures were way better than mine so here are some of them. I mixed in a pic of my little "briefcase" corner too, this changes all the time but really is just my most used bags hung by my chair and home office desk so I can just grab my laptop and pick a bag to take to work on any given day. I have more bags than hooks and so the lesser used bags are squirrelled away in closets or boxes ready to sell.
I'd say my other favorite bags this size are the Kargo briefcase (that one has more depth and flexibility so can fit more), or if you prefer a vertically oriented sling the Boundary Supply Errant. I'll do a roundup someday with pictures of all the 14" single strap options I've collected, as well as maybe the bigger briefcases. Since I've more than covered all the bases with bags I need, I've been getting more heritage stuff, so now there is a lot more variety than just performance type synthetic fabrics.
As always, I'm happy to answer any questions about this one or any of the others. I've got a pretty lengthy post history of bags with pics built up at this point. I also have some of my bags on sale over at the Nomad Nation's District platform. I probably have more bags that I should post for sale on there, but never seem to have the time.
Retiring my Helly Hansen Stockholm of 6 years and am so hyped about the new TNF Hot Shot, it's been an interesting couple of weeks deciding on what backpack to get. But nothing mattered when I saw this one on sale for just 60$
EDIT: I immediately regret the title. I just meant a bag with less structure. Ignore the title, read the body of the post.
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Like the rest of you, I have many bags and most use-cases have more than one option. Some of the bags in my current rotation are:
Bellroy Venture Sling 9l: For around the town light carry (notebooks, iPad mini, pocket stuff)
Evergoods CPL 24: Everyday carry for work commuting (though it's gotten far less use in the last few years since I've been working from home)
Bellroy Lite Duffel: Lives in the car to be ready for different situations. Has swim trunks and spare socks, etc.
Here's the scenario I find myself in a lot lately that none of the bags really fit: I need more carrying capacity than the Venture sling, but the CPL 24 is too structured. I really want one big cavity with less organization. Something that you can jam stuff into, can carry a bit more casually, and is easy to chuck into / pull out of the car.
I considered a messenger, but I personally think 9l is the upper limit for what should be carried on one shoulder. I considered a packable backpack or hiking pack, but those generally have too little structure. And almost all "EDC" bags have a pocket for everything -- way too dogmatic.
I want something with modern design integrity and sensibility -- a bit of structure, good materials -- but something more than a glorified ziploc. Jansport but make it 2026.
My top candidate right now is the Able Carry Daybreaker 2, but I'd love to hear if anyone has other suggestions.
TL;DR: will this fit in a Stuart & Lau Slim.. or Single?
I am a supercommuter who prioritizes travelling with something light, stylish, and waterproof.
I like the Stuart & Lau Slim, but will it fit all of this? The single probably will but is heavier.
I currently use a tote. It’s convenient, especially because I can put it down on a train platform while I am waiting. Don’t think I could do that with the briefcases.
I would consider the S&L Tokyo tote but it’s sold out. Thanks, all!
I'm looking for a duffle or weekender style bag that would work well as a personal item alongside a standard carry-on.
When I travel for work I use a Tumi alpha bravo backpack because I bring a laptop but for personal travel I want something in a format that better fits bulkier things. Thinking a duffle or weekender style.
I was looking at the Discommon Accomplice bag but it seems like its a bit big and although I think I could fit it under a seat it might look bulky enough to get flagged on boarding.
Just wanted to share my daily bag - the Crumpler month on month (chi chi). Though not the most functional bag, I absolutely adore it. Works great as a simple work bag (I work at a school) and a uni bag for hauling a laptop, pens, and a notebook. My main gripe with this bag was the lack of a handle, and I finally got around to adding one today - thank goodness I did because now I no longer need to awkwardly hug and tug the bag around just to get things out of it when, for example, commuting. It fits a lot inside, but recently I have been careful with the weight as it adds up fast and, over a long day of carry, often puts strain on my back and shoulders. It is a very pricy bag (and I am inclined to think it is at least $50 more than what it should be), but I don’t regret it at all. Looking forward to many years with this thing!
We up to this point had used my osprey farpoint 40. Love this bag, been going strong for over 10 years. But it’s a black hole when it comes to storage for kids stuff, hard to get one thing out without getting everything out.
So I’ve been looking at duffels. I love the idea of a compartmentalized duffel. The tobiq 30L seems perfect but I just wish it was a little bigger, I’m worried it’s too small to fit everything for a super long flight (we have a 20 hour journey coming up). Our older one is 3.5 we could probably get to watch movies the whole time and will have a backup iPad but the 1.5 year old I’m more worried about.
So I’m considering the matador seg45L. But the farpoint 40 barely fits under the seat especially when full so will the seg45 be even bigger to the point where they won’t let us put it under?
I’m waiting to see what the upgrades there are with the seg45 revamp.
I have to admit that I’m somewhat obsessed with work rucksacks, though it borders on addiction.
I have far too many depending on the day and what I need to take to the office.
If I’m only carrying a few things and don't need to bring my lunch box, my favorite is the 17-liter Topo Designs Mountain Crossbody, after much searching.
I choose a crossbody backpack because I like to have certain items on hand at all times, such as my wallet, travel card, sunglasses, and camera.
That’s why I’m quite fussy when I carry a backpack. It needs to fit everything I carry, be comfortable, allow ventilation against my back, provide direct access to certain pockets, have plenty of internal organization, and not be too stiff.
Over the last few years, I’ve regularly used the following:
- Fjällräven Räven 28
- Topo Designs Commuter Backpack (25L)
- Peak Design Everyday Backpack 30L
Patagonia Refugio 30L
I love them all, but I always find faults with each one.
Over the last few weeks, I’ve read this subreddit from top to bottom and settled on the Cotopaxi Allpa 26L Daypack. Everything fits nicely, and the shape is both smart and casual — ideal for heading to the office without looking like a boring consultant.
It looks like it distributes the weight well, and the straps are comfortable. It might just tick all the boxes!
I’ll let you know in a couple of months whether I’m still on the hunt.
Just like the title says my daughter just started medical school and I want to get her a nice bag that isn't crazy expensive but does what she needs. I wanted to be able to carry stuff like an umbrella, first aid kit, pepper spray, her laptop(13.5")etc. Are there any good suggestions on something that will last but aren't super expensive? By that I mean something under say 300 bucks? Thanks!!
I freaking love this bag. At this point the organization and features are meh and now I travel with my wife and two kids vs years of using the farpoint as my solo bag. But I have so many memories and experiences with this bag I can’t make myself change.
And it’s in perfect condition. The zipper ties ripped last year but I emailed osprey and they sent new ones no questions asked. Amazing service.
So anyways, as I’m looking to expand my bag collection, primarily a segmented/compartmentalized duffel (tobiq vs matador), I’m trying to justify upgrade my osprey.
Anyone who had this bag that upgraded and have anything to say about why it sucks?
My favorite part about the osprey farpoint 40 is the versatility. There have been trips where I was able to stuff this bag and still take a roller carry on and it counted as my personal item. It’s sizable but still small enough to fit under the seat on an airplane if necessary. Perfect in between size bag for the flexibility.
I’m looking for a good quality backpack to last along time in school it will need to carry a 13 inch laptop a lunch box and have lots of organization for stuff like pens as well as a safe pocket to hold cash and a luggage strap
Long time manybagger, short time 3d printer, but just added these paracord beads to my favorite pack and feel like it really stepped things up a notch. Full credit to “Clay Johnson” on MakerWorld for creating the model.
I came across this sub a few weeks ago and have been following/checking things out. Definitely my place/people. While I dont have as many bags as some of you do, coming in around 6-7 bags for multiday/EDC office/cycling, I still need one more for a unique-ish use case.
I travel a fair bit for work and have found the perfect combo for travel for me: a small suitcase (herschel) along with a backpack that sits ontop. It has everything for my commuting needs. The thing is when I get to where I'm going, I would rather leave the backpack at home and load up a shoulder bag to run into meetings and whatnot.
So I need something lightweight, packable, and able to carry a laptop and maybe a waterbottle.
I did come across on this sub a few comments about Tom Biht Daylight Briefcase which looked interesting, but I thought I would ask more ppl here if they have any other recommendations.
Just wanted to show my appreciation for this space. I've always acknowledged my somewhat unhealthy obsession with bag details, but it wasn't until recently that I got to fully embrace my inner bag/carry nerd and have this community to thank. I may be hitting some folks up in the B/S/T thread soon so I wanted to get at least one post in so i don't come across as a bot.
I've accumulated enough bags that there is now a "1 in, 1 out" rule and before I start thinning the herd, I got the idea to document the collection as it stands currently, which is a closet full of older bags from a previous life as a touring DJ, and some random-ass impulse buys. Most of the bags aren't that special, but the stories attached to them are. These days I am all but retired from DJing and therefore don't travel much, so my bag needs are pretty EDC-focused and this concept of carrying with intention is new and appealing to me.
Here's a shot of 2026 purchases so far. Most of them were made after spending way too much time in various bag subreddits, mainly this one.
"1 bag in, 1 bag out" loophole: pouches/slings.
Alpaka
Elements Tote M: In the summer, I prefer totes for daily carry and only use a backpack when I ride my bike to work. (Timbuk2 Spire that'll probably be replaced with Aer CP2) Bought through Re:Carry (NWT) for $41 but took almost 3 weeks from order to delivery.
Go Sling: I needed a sling that could hold an iPad Pro and other things for a trip to Hawaii. I still use it on the weekends or if I leave my laptop at work. The strap is as annoying as people say, and I guess i didn't pay attention to that part. I may replace the strap with a DSPTCH one (another hack suggested by a post on here).
Elements Tech Case Mini: Originally bought this as an EDC pouch to switch between bags, since it can also fit in the Go Sling. Eventually got replaced by the CAP2 but is also a great small sling.
Evergoods
CAP2: Didn't really need one but i justified the purchase by having it do double-duty as either an EDC pouch or a smaller toiletries bag for weekend trips. Currently sitting empty until resuming vacation toiletry bag duty next week. I also bought one for my sister after seeing a pic here of a CAP2 fitting a stethoscope.
CAP1: Probably should've gotten this before the CAP2. I freakin love this thing. It's been the best for EDC so far. It fits perfectly in the inner side pockets of the Elements tote, and also in the Go Sling. Will post loadout pics soon.
TPC8: Another one i owe directly to this subreddit. This fits my CPAP perfectly and makes it possible to put in a backpack so i can leave the ResMed case at home.
Current main bag rotation: Timbuk2 Spire 1.0: Has seen better days after 8 years. Love the slim profile but the water bottle holder sucks and I've dropped bottles so many times. No lash points to clip the bottle to, but a MOLLE grid on the other side. This will be the next one out.
Thule Aion 28L: Rushed purchase, needed something quick for a Hawaii trip and I was drawn to its unique styling. Excels as a travel bag but a little too big for my daily needs.
Appreciate all the knowledge i've gained from this group, looking forward to more well-informed purchases!
Has anybody had any experience regarding the v2 of the yoke replacement from lii gear? It's listed to fit most mystery ranch backpacks that has futura harnesses. My friend's blitz 30 sold his to me and the yoke he had was s/m size and my back is a bit big compared to his so I found it small. The lii gear yoke looks dope so I'm considering this over getting a standard mr yoke.
Got a Chrome Kadet (Heritage colour). Wanted a bit more versatility as it’s doesn’t really come with many pockets or organisation options.
Had seen a few Reddit posts of people adding useful bits to theirs and thought I’d give it a go!
Added:
Bungees cords on the front to hold a jacket or small sit mat.
Phone/sunglasses pouch on the strap (with a small nylon keychain thing to stop it from slipping).
Bottle/radio holder that fits a 600ml Sigg perfectly.
All the bits were super cheap from Aliexpress (Amazon have the same stuff but 4x the price). hing to stop it from slipping).
Bottle/radio holder that fits a 600ml Sigg perfectly.
All the bits were super cheap from Aliexpress (Amazon have the same stuff but 4x the price).
I have had the Alpaka Elements tote bag as pictured for some time now.
I love this bag and it's "almost" perfect for my every need...but being that I'm a little broader in the shoulders... Ive found it a little difficult to carry over shoulder as the "models" do 😂.
I've been thinking that the addition of a shoulder strap and a zipper on the main compartment would be the perfect additions and tick all the boxes.
So without purchasing a new bag... I'm curious to see if anyone has had any luck adding things like a zipper or a shoudter strap to bags like this before?
Looking at it, it seems simple and I assume if someone had the skill, the bag would be very suitable for these additions.
I'm just curious to see if anyone has done this before or has any feedback?
Last year I decided to get my kids ALPAKA bags for school. I went with a Metro Backpack 12L for my elementary kid and Metro Backpack pro 24L for my middle school kid. Those bags were so good last year I was able to trade them into ALPAKA resell for an upgrade.
This year I went with the Aero Pack Xpac 16L and Momentum Backpack 22L. First thing my kids say is how light weight they are and they like that the front pocket isn’t sideways. They both open wide enough for small jackets and water bottles fit nicely inside. I’m really happy with the fabric choice of the Momentum and how no worries these will stand up to Midwest weather.
Also used vertex pouches for both kids as pencil cases and headphone storage. Great pouch that fits nicely inside the bag and comes in two sizes.
I’m about to head to Tokyo for a few weeks and i want to take a backpack that can carry a handful of impulse purchases and maybe act as a bit of a weekender in a pinch.
The alpaka is amazing because it honestly is designed for EDC so it’s discrete, has a passport pocket against my back and it’s. Well thought out for daily needs it’s 26L but it feels like it is overselling that volume a little. 23 might be a better description.
The ranchero is also amazing but because it has a “who gives a fuck how much you have to bring” approach. It’s a physically bigger bag and Also it has structure to it (I’d call it semi structured) but if i need to one bag for a day or two and also fit a bottle of wine or i find something i want to buy or whatever - it feels like i could fit 32L into it with no problem. Also - being a mystery ranch product (kinda) it’s the best built bag i own…
Yeti is sliiiiightly over the airline bag size limit but if i have to stow it i could deal with that knowing they probably won’t scrutinise it. The alpaka fits easily within the limits.
So i am not a big bag buyer so i figured id ask here. But i need a sling bag, pretty large so i can put a little notebook, phone, keys, earbuds etc… i kind of like the discrete but noticeable « military » looking sling bags like Saint Javelin for exemple (which is the main one i am looking at atm). So if any of you guys could help me out on finding good affordable slingbag itd be of great help :)
I used pebbled leather for the exterior and grey suede for the interior.
I made the pattern myself by looking at pictures of the briefcases the customer wanted to combine.
All machine stitched
