It’s hard to improve upon a design as classic as that of the backpack. But some recent interpretations utilizing refashioned and modern materials bring the schoolyard staple to new heights of weatherproof style.
The Swiss company Freitag is best known for graphic messenger bags made from recycled tarps. Recently, however, they expanded with the new Reference collection, aimed at messengers of another sort: journalists. Made with the same tarpaulins, but tailored to the tastes of the urban sophisticate, the Reference collection, including the Bonnier sailor bag, can be roughed around to no end — yet still look reliably sleek. The Singapore-based BlueLounge has turned to post-consumer plastic bottles to create the exterior fabric of their new Bonobo Series, which is surprisingly soft and water-resistant. Like the Bonnier, the BlueLounge bag takes inspiration from retro camping packs with a roll-top closure. Last and least (if only in terms of weight) is the new Minimal Backpack from Outlier. The new bag (available this spring) is a collaboration with Hyperlite Mountain Gear, a manufacturer specializing in — you guessed it — hyper-light mountain gear. The featherweight Dyneema material is somehow stronger than steel, making for a pack that can be taken anywhere you go, which is hopefully to many faraway places.
