Update - Archival Roll Tops

The Archival Roll Top is now available for Fall in two new canvas duck colors: olive and terracotta.  The Roll Top is a comfortable, roomy, stripped-down backpack for keeping your belongings dry and safe in any conditions. Ideal for bicyclists, motorcyclists, and anyone else who regularly faces the elements. Featuring a roll-top closure secured by a stout Horween leather strap and solid brass roller buckle, double-layer bottom, an interior stash pocket, and two exterior side pockets great for keys, mini U-lock, or anything else requiring quick access.  Our Roll Top is also available for the Fall in heavy duty waxed twill. 

 

 

Restock - Archival Rolltop in canvas duck

Our Archival Roll Top in black and natural canvas duck is now available for pre-order from the Archival web shop. Our Archival Roll Top is a comfortable, roomy, stripped-down backpack for keeping your belongings dry and safe in any conditions. Slightly larger than our Rucksack, the Roll Top is great for bicyclists, motorcyclists, and anyone else who regularly faces the elements. Here are some action snaps of Tom's personal pack in use.




The Archival Roll Top in ranger tan waxed twill is also available for pre-order. Ship date on 8/15.

Premium Purples

Classic Dana Designs Bomb Pack from eBay (Mine is also purple, but a slightly different colorway)

I always think of the Dana Designs packs which were called "Blurple" - a cheerful hue lurking somewhere between blue and purple - as being my favorite color ever for technical baggage. Since those aren't available aside from eBay, here's a wide range of purple goods that have been catching my eye recently.

Gorgeous Skookum crew neck sweater. Japan-only, of course.

A towel that I shall never get to use.

Japan-only Filson Black Label jacket

Purple sweatshirt

Custom Chacos!

I know, I know. Couldn't resist.

Japan-only Crescent Down Works vest

Japan-only Brady bag

New Release - Archival Roll Top

Current color offerings - cobalt, natural & black

Our Archival Roll Top is a comfortable, roomy, stripped-down backpack for keeping your belongings dry and safe in any conditions. Slightly larger than our Rucksack, the Roll Top is great for bicyclists, motorcyclists, and anyone else who regularly faces the elements.

Featuring a roll-top closure secured by a stout Horween leather strap and solid brass roller buckle, double-layer bottom, an interior stash pocket, and two exterior side pockets great for keys, mini U-lock, or anything else requiring quick access. Includes a semi-rigid, padded back panel and solid brass rings to adjust the shoulder straps, just like our classic Rucksack model. A Horween leather lash point on the front panel makes a great place to attach anything from a bike light to a sleeping pad.

The backpack is constructed from the highest quality materials: water-resistant 18 oz cotton duck, Horween leather, and thread are of US origin. Webbing and most of our solid brass hardware is sourced from the UK. Edges are bound in waxed cotton tape and all stress points are bar-tacked or riveted. Available via our web shop and select stockists.

See Well Spent for an interview with with Tom about his Archival Roll Top bag design.

Fore and aft

Horween leather lash patch

Exterior side pocket

Unrolled profile

Tom modeling his creation

Archival Through-Hiking

In 1977, a 19 year old Monte Dodge set out to hike the Pacific Crest Trail.

See many more of these wonderful pictures at Monte's gallery.

All pictures copyright Monte Dodge

Archival Outdoor Life

Summer is passing but it is not too late to bring your campsite and camp wear up to the standards of the Outdoor Life Cyclopedia (1943). Friend Dave Baker brought this amazing sporstman's guide to our attention. It offers practical advice on everything from training gun dogs to field dressing elk. My favorite sections address how to prepare a campsite (ample use of moss, sticks, wool and canvas) and how to dress for the woods (avoid wearing threadbare business suits). Skim through the wordy instructional prose and go straight to the illustrations:

Shopping from the past: Kletterwerks

I've been a rabid Dana Designs fan since I started climbing in the early 1990s. I have a late 1980s Bomb Pack for which I traded a beloved Lowe Contour Mtn. 40 (another all-time favorite pack), and I also have a Hoodoo Spire which has seen serious use as a day hiker.

I was lucky enough to pick up a nearly mint condition Kletterwerks pack at a recent estate sale. It's the clear precursor to my Dana Bomb pack - a tall and narrow toploader, with a trim profile and excellent load cinching abilities.

Also, it was designed by the same person - Dana Gleason founded Kletterwerks in 1975, Dana Designs in 1985, and is now at the helm of Mystery Ranch.

I'm excited to use the Kletterwerks pack. It's super lightweight, being completely frameless in the vein of a Jensen/Rivendell. I'll be sliding a piece of closed-cell foam in the back panel pocket and hitting the trail this weekend. Since you might not be able to come along, here are a few more Kletterwerks packs I've skimmed off of the internet.

Rolltop Review

I picked up a large Seal Line roll top backpack with my REI dividend. Made in the USA, it's roomy and well-made. Since it's made of nylon, many of the joints are welded rather than sewn, a bit unsettling but no doubt stronger than a stitch.

While I loved the massive capacity and no-brainer roll top closure, I must admit that I wasn't thrilled with the bag.

The back panel looks like it would keep you cool, but my back got just as sweaty under this pack than any other, including our own.

Also, the outside pocket was difficult to access due to a cramped size and stiff zipper. I ended up leaving it open most of the time, and even so, it was tough to reach inside. Furthermore, I wonder why they put the daisy chain on a side of the bag rather than the center - when the bag is full, your bike light ends up blinking more to the side than the rear.

Finally, the extremely stiff material and sharp corners of the rolled top meant that my over-the-shoulder view (to check for cars) was blocked, which was downright scary.

I appreciate that the bag is made in the USA, but it's not the one for me!