Can you imagine living in a world without bags? We’d all be wearing trousers with pockets stretching down to our ankles, our limbs weighed down with loose change, while the fabric clung to our legs where our packed lunches had leaked.
Bags never get the credit they deserve. Without them, our lives would be an absolute misery. And luckily, we now live in a world where there’s a bag for practically everything – whether you’re popping to Tesco, trekking to Everest Base Camp or doing something somewhere in between. Whatever the mission, there’s a piece of haulage designed to see you through.
There are ultralightweight bags, hardwearing canvas bags, bags with fifteen different compartments and bags with just one. Bags that pack down. Bags that are practically bulletproof. Bags you sling over your shoulder, and bags you wheel along the airport floor. Where once we carried our worldly possessions in a knapsack tied to a stick – the humble bindle – there is now, truly, a bag for everything.
In this round-up, we’ve gathered ten of our favourite haulage devices from an assortment of our favourite brands. There’s no particular theme, other than the fact that you have to be able to fill them with your belongings.
Fjällräven – High Coast Pro Shoulder Bag
We’re very glad Fjällräven decided to use a ripstop face fabric on its new High Coast Shoulder Bag. Not only is it hardwearing, but it looks unbelievably good, too – especially in this deep purple colour. But enough about fabrics – this is the perfect-sized bag for everyday errands, and a considerable upgrade on the Tesco bag you’re currently using for them.
So many bags fall foul of polluting themselves with an abundance of zippers, pockets and branding. But not this Khakis Daypack – which boasts an unbelievably simple construction that makes it incredibly wearable. Two compartments and a hardwearing Cordura face fabric – everything you need, and nothing you don’t.
and Wander – Puffer Mini Ripstop Backpack
Like a puffer jacket for your back. We’re not entirely sure of the benefit of having a highly insulating backpack, but there’s no denying the aesthetic appeal of this beauty from and Wander. Bonus points, too, for that lovely diagonal zipper.
Fjällräven High Coast Pro Foldsack 26
Another heater of a haulage device from Fjällräven, utilising the very same ripstop fabric. The High Coast Foldsack has more pockets than you can shake a stick at, but somehow still retains an incredibly sleek appearance. Genius, really.
Montbell – Pocketable Light Tote
Anyone who’s had the pleasure of owning one of these Montbell tote bags knows just how good they are. Lightweight, hardwearing, and with a seemingly never-ending main storage compartment. Oh yeah, and that zip on the front comes in incredibly handy for keeping all your valuables safe.
Although it looks like it should be filled with shotgun shells and rusty nails, this Filson backpack will actually hold just about anything you chuck into it. And that waxy Cordura nylon should keep all of it dry, too, whatever the weather decides to throw at you on the way.
If the Martians ever come to invade Earth, they’d be carrying their rayguns in this Db & Purple Mountain Observatory Backpack. Aesthetics aren’t the only futuristic thing about this pack either – the construction is made from ALUULA Graflyte, Db’s incredibly lightweight, incredibly hardwearing fabric that we’ve been told is the future of just about everything.
Gossamer Gear – Mariposa 60 Backpack
Gossamer might sound like an exotic Hungarian dessert, but it’s actually the name of a brand pushing the boundaries of ultralight backpacks. Everything in this pack has been thought through to the nth degree – the fabric is lightweight and hardwearing, there’s a PVC frame to keep things stable, and there are even different sizes to fit people with different torsos. Unmatched attention to detail.
Who said carrying stuff couldn’t be fun? This Gramicci Tote, with its flannel-like face fabric, is a breath of fresh air in a category that can be overwhelmingly serious. The only issue? It’s almost guaranteed to become the most interesting part of any outfit you wear.
Big Rock Candy Mountaineering – Gator Backpack
Oozing with vintage influence, this Big Rock Candy Mountaineering pack looks as if it’s just stepped off the summit of Half Dome. But don’t worry – this backpack and its heavy-duty canvas work just as well on the streets as they do on the stone walls of Yosemite.
