some bags for harry

I am not a terribly acquisitve man, but something about backpacks hooked me a few years ago. Maybe it's because I am short (5'4) and it's been hard to find a good fit. Or maybe I am a spazz. Anyhow, I have bought a few and I am here to help Harry in his quest for a good bag.

One huge caveat: I am a two strap chap. I like a backpack. It makes more ergonomic sense to me. But all these companies make shoulder bags, so phooey.

THE BAGS
1.Re-Load MidPack aka The Sandwich Bag
PROS: It has a really cool sandwich; storage space; customizability; just a neat looking bag.
CONS: Skimpy sternum strap; poor support to storage ratio.

I used to buy humble backpacks, the EMS student-y style bag. Certainly not bad...but not waterproof, not terribly enduring, not great storage. In short, not ideal, a bit hinky.

So, the itch was there.

And then I won my fantasy baseball league; I came in to some funny money. Why not spend on a well-built, custom bag that met my needs. Custom, comfortable, the bag just for me.

My more bike fiendish pals recommended a few companies, including ReLoad. Simply put, ReLoad makes good looking bags. One look at their stuff and I was hooked. Trite but true.

So, I set about designing the me bag. I mean, how cool is that: you get to pick colors, add a big something to the bag, really deck the thing out. The ReLoad people were uniformly lovely. I knew that someone made my bag and they really cared about the product.

The bag came it and its sheer size was a shocker. Tis a monster, at least relative to the piddly bookbag. And there was my design. I had a big ass sandwich on my back.

The dimensions and ostentation took some adjustment, but ultimately they are my favorite aspects of the bag. It is a cool looking thing (that sandiwch is the logo of my fantasy baseball team. VIVA LA WALLBANGERS!) and it hold a fload of stuff. I carried a turkey on my back. and a computer.
ice

I just wish the danged thing was a bit more comfortable. For all the obvious skill and love put in to the sewing, I feel like the component straps are not that nice. If you are gonna be a dumbass and get a bag big enough to haul turkeys and you are dumb enough to actually carry turkeys on your back, then that bag should be able to carry turkeys with some modest comfort. The shoulder straps aren't terribly well padded and the straps are a bitch to adjust.

I will say that the ReLoad people were quite nice and personable.

CONCLUSION: Glad to have this bag--I will always treasure my Sandwich Bag. And I would think about buying another ReLoad if I could specify straps and get measured up. But I am not sure this is a solution for Harry...