Our Manufacturing Methodology

As a solopreneur and cottage-manufacturer I have limited time and energy, and a boundless creative desire to do a little bit of everything at the same time.

In order to balance everything we offer two different manufacturing approaches to ensure we’re able to do the-most-with-the-least. This helps us provide better lead times, more consistent inventory, and a sustainable and precise use of resources. As well as the flexible schedule and light-footed-ness for my family, and pace I need to keep the creative juices flowing and this business rolling forward.

  • our In-Stock Bags are our most-commonly requested designs, easy to grab gifts, and tried and true staples. We do our best to maintain a consistent inventory level of these items in fun and diverse color choices during their seasons. They’re regularly updated in both design and construction to keep pace with our constant search for improvement.

  • Our Made-to-Order (MTO) designs are typically larger, or more unique designs that we produce in your choice of color. This includes most Backpacks, totes, and overlanding bags.

FAQ

  • Custom Frame Bags and MTO Products typically fall under a shorter time frame of 4-6 weeks.

    Small-Batch items typically ship the Friday after ordering.

  • We stock nearly the full catalog of fabrics from Challenge Sailcloth.

    We primarily use the EPX200, Ultrastretch, and Ultragrid fabrics for the best blend of colors, durability, and weight in most designs.

    We sprinkle in the heavier weights/durabilities from the EPX and EPLX lines in situations where a more durable or stiffer fabric is needed.

    Challenge's ULTRA line is used in most of our ultralight and ski/board oriented projects for their insane durability.

  • We try our best to balance affordability, durability, and user-convenience when determining hardware choices.

    Almost all weight bearing webbing applications will see the use of stamped aluminum and steel components. Applications where durability is less of a concern some molded plastic will be used, often in a user-replaceable manner.

    We try our best to minimize the use of zippers in applications that might cause total failure of the products primary function. They are a material that does require minor maintenance and repair over time. Zippers are available in #5 Water-repellent and #5 Molded Tooth for frequent access pockets and #3.5 coils for interior pockets. Beefy #10 Water-Repellent coil zippers are used when longevity and durability are paramount.