And you thought you were popular with your Timbuk2 cooler messenger bag bringing a 12 pack. If you really wanna bring the party, ya gotta be packin’ a keg.
OK, it’s just a pony keg, but still. The new Vandal from Mission Workshop (which was started by the founders of Chrome) is a weatherproof backpack made to haul everything you need for daily adventures, and expandable when you think you need more than you really do (guilty). Official specs are:
- Weatherproof Capacity: 1200 cubic inches
- External Cargo Expander 1000 cubic inches (2200 total)
- Materials: Urethane Coated Nylon (pvc free)
- Load Suspension: LDPE Frame Sheet with Fiberglass Stays
- Removable waist strap with optional load bearing waist belt
- Made in USA with lifetime warranty
- Available in Green, Black, Charcoal and Silver/Blue
- $225 MSRP
I wonder how this would hold up to our “grocery getter” test? Hmmm…only one way to find out, right guys? *cough* Charcoal *cough* Hit ‘more’ to see a few other pics and their official press blurb about the Vandal…
Mission Workshop is a San Francisco based company located in the heart of the Mission District. The company was born from over 15 years experience designing and manufacturing messenger bags and clothing. The founders of the bag company Chrome opened Mission Workshop in October of 2009 and just released their first backpack called “the Vandalâ€Â.
The Vandal is a weatherproof backpack designed for cyclists and anyone else that relies on their bag to get them through the day. It’s big enough to handle your daily gear and expands for additional cargo when needed. The Vandal’s expansion system gets bigger without using extra fabric and seals flat to disappear when not needed.
According to co-founder Bart Kyzar, “Most people prefer as small of a pack as possible but regularly need extra carrying capacity. Even with a full load, the Vandal can expand to accommodate an additional bag of groceries or a case of your favorite brew. It easily turns from 1200 cubic inches into 2200 cubic inches on the fly.â€Â
The pack incorporates three built in compartments. The main roll top compartment is large and has RF welded seams making it completely waterproof. The middle compartment is perfect for a laptop and the smaller compartment is designed for personal organization. In addition to these, the expandable area is always ready for use when needed.
The Vandal has also stepped up the design on the backpack harness by integrating a frame sheet and fiberglass rods for support and comfort. This makes the Vandal much more comfortable than other cycling packs and has given it enhanced stability under heavy loads. The Vandal is PVC free and only uses fabrics coated with urethane. In addition to the environmental benefits, urethane coatings are much tougher than PVC and better retain their waterproof capabilities.
Above, the Charcoal gray color.
