Giving my most recent findings in the pursuit of the perfect messenger bag (now the perfect backpack), I felt the need to enlist an active backpack for service.

Introducing FRANKY (short for Frankenstein), my first manifestation of backpackness.

(see slideshow below & please note my friggin sweet new Mark “The Gonz” Gonzales kicks.)

FRANKY is a mash-up of a large Parcel tote I’ve had for some time and a few modifications I added, including shoulder straps, thus dubbing him a “backpack”. After studying the needs I had, both for wear and for function, I realized that my best bet would be to try out design by adapting a rugged graduate from my bag collection. In FRANKY’s previous life, he lugged photography equipment, raw metals, tools, clothes, and went on many desert adventures. This made him the perfect fit for my experiment. Add a couple custom-made shoulderstraps, a sternum strap, some more add-ons, and we have my first backpack DIY creation.

For my next bag I will venture into a solid construction from raw fabric. But this will require a pattern. I have found some inspiration at http://lemolobags.wordpress.com, but obviously don’t want to rip off his design. I just thought it was good to study the techniques of a more advanced back maker. I will continue to study the design of others and the functionality in my own FRANKY.

Until then, I hope FRANKY holds his own.

Yea, I know. I’ve heard it all my life. Backpacks on gay*.

Well, all I can say is that if backpacks are gay* then you’ll see me at the next pride parade. Why Max?! Why do you love backpacks now? Why are you so…..well, backpacky now?

I’ll tell you why. It all started with my pursuit of the perfect messenger bag. As you can see in my previous projects, I’ve been researching and reading and drawing and wearing myself half to death to find a great fitting, great wearing, weather-all messenger bag to make my life wonderful. Well, I found the perfect messenger bag…and sorry folks, but it’s a backpack. With every incarnation of my messenger bag pattern, shaping into perfection, I stepped ever so closer to the world of backpacks. Although I didn’t even see this until now.

It was last week. I had to help Genevieve take some books down to Powells and a bundles of clothes over to Buffalo Exchange. She had packed up the books in an old backpack, and although I felt silly wearing it, I knew I didn’t want to throw the thirty pound bag on her back. But this is when I realized it. As I donned the book-filled backpack, I realized it felt like half the wieght of my messenger bag, although it was holding four times as much stuff. The backpack made as easy ride and walk to the bookstore, and I suffered nothing in back strain.

That was the last straw for me…. backpacks from now on. Gay* or not, they kick ass.

Things backpacks do better:

• Dual Straps (symmetrical weight distribution - more natural)
• OVER Shoulder Carrying (keeps weight above back, not slacking under shoulders)
• Parallel Content (instead of diagonally bisecting the back, it parallels allowing more space in bag design)
• Harness Simulation (usage of the sternum strap, simulates extreme sports similar to the early effects of Mountain Dew)
  

  *Note: DO NOT wear sternum strap and drink Mountain Dew simultaneously. You WILL uncontrollably gel your hair and wear boardshorts everywhere.

• Hipster Hyperbolic Statement (Since backpacks are the standard, then messenger bags are the subversive method of baggage. However, since Hipsters are now the standard, then the truly subversive Hipster method of baggage would be the original non-Hipster standard, the backpack. It all makes sense once you watch season 3 of the hit TV Show Sliders)

*Please see Nick Swardson on using the term “gay”

LARGE VERSION - link

I’ve been trying to draw up a pattern for a while now based on my most recent findings. This isn’t necessarily the best version, but it includes the features I’m looking for in my next run. It looks like a big project.

Maybe the pattern can help out any other would-be bag makers as well.

Love, peace, and pizza.

Piece(s):

Notes:
A little something I put together for my messenger bag making. I actually just got the idea from the photos Jon shot of me earlier today. It’s bits and pieces from video I had taken months ago, photos of me by Jon, and photos I shot of the new bag today.

Thanks to: JonnyPockets (photos) and MSTRKRFT (Bloc Party Remix Beats)

Holla.

Piece(s):

Notes:
This is a basic bag that I put together in about an hour last week. Althouh the design is simplistic, the fabrics are flavorful and quite nice. The exterior is a common cotton stripe (off-white/forrest), and the liner is a super-sturdy soft wool (grey). As I said, this is a simple construction bag really used so that I could breakdown the framework itself. I needed to insure my roots before progressing to more complicated bags. As from where it derives it’s name, this bag too can hold a lot of junk in what would be its trunk.

The bag has a few interesting features:

• Shorter flap (I derivated from the design I has been using)
• Not water or weather proof, but VERY lightweight
• Taller design perfect for books and knick-knacks
• Designed much more for a female wearer

This was a definitive success. I am very happy with it.

Piece(s):

Notes:
This bag is not yet completed. I didn’t have the correct web strapping handy, so it will have to wait until tomorrow. The features on this bag definatley surpass any of my previous creations. And although some of the bag I am not happy with, it is a step onto a whole new realm. More to come when I am completed with it.

Piece(s):

Notes:
This bag was a lot of fun to create. It was a gift for JonnyPockets on his birthday, Jan 29th. I actually was working on a wholly different messenger bag for him, but after its tremendous failure (having to deal with binding two types of fabric for a shell and liner), I had to move onto this smaller cloth incarnation. I salvaged the llama, which turned out really well, cut from white vinyl. As you can see, the bag is loaded with features including a buckle flap, buckled shoulder strap, and should slide adjuster. I am so rad.

Also check out my awesome sig XXI.

My messenger bag is about to give way finally. It’s been with me for a solid two years, and is long overdue for a replacement. Not to mention that this current bag has hardly enough room for a city rider like myself. My first intuition was to go out and buy a Chrome bag. However I quickly found that I didn’t like the way they wore, so I opted away from Chrome bags. Next, I heard about a great made-to-order messenger bag company called R.E.Load, and really liked the way their bags looked. I happen to see one of their “not-so-custom” version at the local bike shop and tried it on. It fit great and felt like a bag that would ride easy.

The problem I found, after contacting R.E.Load, was that I would have to wait 6-8 weeks to actually get my bag. Not sure of how much longer my decrepit current bag might last, I looked for a quicker solve. That’s when I found Federico’s messenger bag pattern and blog about the evolution of this pattern. I quickly started a new, customized version for myself, drawing the pattern in illustrator and noting all the measurements needed.

As you can see above, I have not yet taken into account the straps. But I think those can be done after the main body construction. I’ve also changed the dimensions of the original pattern somewhat to make a larger bag. Seeing as how I am probably 1.5x the size of Frederico, it seems appropriate.

Now to find a sign shop dumpster tomorrow and get this going of the sewing machine….