It’s been fun watching Casey and the crew over at Camp and Go Slow (CAGS) build this brand. What started as a simple but clever logo-biting sticker has become a full-fledged staple brand in the alt-cycling scene. Over this last weekend, CAGS announced a collaboration with Japan’s iconic bike shop and alt cycling’s global HQ, Blue Lug.
Like some of the other CAGS collabs, this one focuses on a small batch of products, four to be exact: a messenger bag, a tool roll, a duckbill cap, and a triangle reflector. Each of these comes in four colorways that borrow patterns from Camp and Go Slow’s signature bar tape (Eastern Rattler, Western Rattler, Trout, and Great Horned Owl), all in time for Fall.
The Backstory?
Well, the backstory is kinda the fun part. Camp And Go Slow started around 2018 when owner Casey Clark made a sticker as a joke for friends. A bike shop owner named Jarrod Bunk, then running Hope Cyclery in Pennsylvania, tracked him down and talked him into making it a real brand.
Jarrod has since left the brand and closed his shop, and now wrenches at Angry Catfish in Minneapolis, a Blue Lug dealer. Casey still runs CAGS while working full-time as a ceramist, which is about as cool as a side hustle gets.
Blue Lug says the collab happened organically. Casey watched one of the shop’s messenger bag videos, said he was impressed, and mentioned he used to be a bike messenger.
Blue Lug’s Shin basically said, “We should make something,” and boom, here we are. Blue Lug has been buying CAGS gear for years, usually watching it sell out before the next order shows up.
Casey is also a master potter, runs Great Basin Pottery, and made some handmade ceramic cups as thank-you gifts for the Blue Lug staff (photo at the end of the article). They’re not for sale, which is a shame, because they look great, and we’d probably buy them. I know I would.
Let’s take a look at the goods we can get our hands on!
Camp X Blue Messenger Bag, Half
Retail: $125
The new bag uses the handsome Camp and Go Sow bar tape patterns for trim. Casey specified the exact Cordura fabric variants, so this isn’t a “slap a logo on it” kinda job. It’s a pared-down half-size messenger bag that works well for commutes and grocery runs. It also easily drops into a Wald 137 basket when you’re ready to get the weight off your back.
- 1000D Cordura with Great Horned Owl, Brown Trout, or Western Rattler trim
- 500D Cordura with Eastern Rattler
- Nylon upper, tarpaulin lining
- 2 inner pockets, 12.25″ wide x 9.5″ tall x 6″deep, longest point of flap 19.5″
- Strap is 1.5″ with a metal adjuster buckle
- Velcro closure with straps for carrying bulkier, oversized loads
- Made by Blue Lug in Japan
CAGS X Blue Lug Tool Roll
Retail: $58
This new Blue Lug Tool Roll is perfectly sized to sit under your saddle. It uses the same fabrics as the bags to cut leftover waste. It’s perfect for keeping your bag organized. With two drop-in pockets and a zipper compartment for your small stuff. It’ll fit your coffee kit, repair kit, or a couple of Kit Kat bars. You can also strap it underneath your saddle for bagless adventures, but all you off-roaders may want to swap in a Volié strap.
- 1000D Cordura with Great Horned Owl, Brown Trout or Western Rattler trim
- 500D Cordura with Eastern Rattler
- Folded: 6.5″ tall x 5.25″ wide, Unfolded: 6.5″ tall x 15″ wide
- Drop-in and zippered pockets: 5″ tall x 4.25″ wide
- Adjustable locking buckle
- Made by Blue Lug in Japan
Camp X Blue Lug Duckbill Cap
Retail: $46
This Duckbill Cap is made with soft, crinkly fabric and comes with a floppy brim. It stuffs easily in a pocket, and you can flip the brim up to keep your sightlines clear. The five-panel Duckbill Cap is made from water-repellent, breathable nylon and trimmed with Camp and Go Slow custom woven tape. The caps are designed with a relaxed silhouette so they are comfortable for wearing or stuffing in your pocket. On the back end, there is an adjustable webbing strap with a low-profile buckle.
- One-size-fits-most with a max of 25″ head (8 hat size)
- Unstructured, packable brim, length 2.75″
Blue Lug’s Triangle Reflector
Retail: $14
You guessed it, the center triangle is cut from the bag fabric, again to cut down on waste. It has a CAGS-specific loop for the mounting strap, a Camp and Go Slow name tag on the back, and a special snake logo. Yes, the reflector got a logo and a name tag, and that’s the kind of detail this crowd loves.
Look, if you have dipped your toe in the alt-cycling world, chances are you’ve seen this reflective triangle. Everyone’s familiar with Blue Lug’s iconic Triangle Reflectors. We just added a few little touches with a trim tape loop and a center fabric that matches the tool rolls and messenger bags. These small but mighty reflectors fit pretty much anywhere on your bag or bike.
- 3.3″
- Made by Blue Lug in Japan
Incredible Mugs We Can’t Get Our Hands on…
Just in case you were wondering what the mugs that we can’t get look like.
Do yourself a favor and check out the links below for some really nice bits for your cycling needs.
