I spend a lot of time around bags, thinking about bags and searching bags. I even once asked someone across a plane aisle what bag they had. That was kinda awkward.
The point is, after a while this thing turns into a bit of an obsession. (Minaal founder Jimmy Hayes once admitted to me he'd often check out a girl's bag before he'd check out the girl. That's how deep this thing runs.)
This post originally appeared on Map Happy.
But there's a lot of stuff out there. And sometimes I've got to pick and choose how much I really want to look at something. That doesn't mean I've covered everything: There are some people doing some really cool shit out there. It's pretty much impossible to cover everything!
So even if I don't check out every single bag ever made, there are a couple of occasional standouts that have made us pause and go, hmm. Move over Herschel and Tumi, there are some new kids in town. And I can't wait to see what they've got in store.
Kanye West, is that you? (Nas Abraham)
Most bags are made using a mix of vegan leather, suede and FELT, out of all things. (I'm not entirely too sure how water-resistant felt is, though the manufacturer seems to suggest they hold up just fine. But it sure is fun!) Most bags are moderately priced. The one thing these bags definitely aren't are boring.
The brand has recently branched into bags for the less fairer sex though it's a bit too early to tell if they'll strike a nerve with dudes. The marriage of functionality and style can come at a price with this brand, though the manufacturer usually holds enough sales to make it a justifiable bargain.
Remember what Timbuk2 used to do back in the day, which was sell really cool urban, cycling bags? (They're still cool, I guess, but it's time to let some of the other kids have their turn.) And Braasi is still one of the manufacturers doing it with a vengeance.
The main downside is that these do really ship straight in from Europe so that can be an issue. But if two bags get ordered, that's probably enough to qualify for the free worldwide shipping available.
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