In search of a 'Heritage' bag...

Around 2002, I began searching for a Heritage bag that would suit my requirements. I wanted a bag that looked old-fashioned but wasn't a literal reproduction. Having tried on a genuine bag made in the 1950's I can attest that the 'real thing' is enormously heavy and far too weighty for me to reasonably carry and use.

What I was looking for was a Heritage bag that had the appearance of an old bag and ideally featured modern innovative technology without compromising the aesthetic.

My first purchase was a Nomad Sahara bag:

This 'Indiana Jones' reproduction was somewhat flimsy and most disappointing.

The Barbour thorn resistant Tarras bag looked quite nice but the canvas was very thin and tore after only mild use. The strap was the best feature:

I discovered Millican and bought Mark the Fieldbag, followed by Rob the Traveller:

   

They looked great and the quality of the product(s) was outstanding... Sadly, the weight was an issue. I found both bags quite tiring to use, especially when filled.

Next up was Mt Rainier Designs, a Japanese firm who reproduced American-style Heritage bags that looked terrific. I bought the Box Pack and the Climbing Pack:

These are an excellent example of 'form before function'. Both looked fantastic and demonstrate a great use of colour. Regrettably; the Box Pack has a very long back - making it best suited for an extremely tall person, and the Climbing Pack sags. The Climbing Pack has a badly designed back. It folds near the bottom; making the pack collapse and fold when worn. Both backpacks only hold their shape when filled to the limit. These bags are best suited for a hook in the hallway.

The Mt Rainier Designs 60/40 shoulder bag is quite comfortable. Mine is antique gold. It can be converted into a bum bag:

The more recent Mt Rainier Designs Roll-top urban pack retains a vaguely Heritage feel but is a much better construction than their earlier designs. It just doesn't look quite as nice:

 

I replaced the black patch with a Heritage one taken off their shoulder bag; making it just a tad more old fashioned.

The Merchant Mills duffle bag is another bag that looks good but is not especially comfortable to wear:

 

The Saddleback Leather Pouch is very well made but unbelievably heavy. Robust but small and exhausting. I replaced the strap with a canvas webbing one:

 

The Herchel bag was really poor. It had no redeeming features. Cheap and nasty:

I tried a Fjallraven rucksack. It looked good but was very heavy. The messenger bag was the same. Very disappointing considering their amazing coats:

 

Tilley's Intrepid bag was uncomfortable to wear. The strap was fastened to the bag in a manner that dug into your side when wearing it. Awesome hats. Lousy bag:

 

The North Face Rucksack was extremely hardy but weighed far too much. The Crevasse bag was the same. Way too authentic.

 

A short while later The North Face remedied the weight issue by producing cheaper versions that weighed much less. Sadly, these looked a bit cheap and nasty compared to the initial models:

Watershed's Dry Bag is an excellent bag with a vaguely Heritage look. Not so good to carry but nice to haul gear in if you are just taking it from house to car to campsite:

 

This year, I came across new Millican designs in Amsterdam and was immediately taken with the combination of design aesthetic, weight, Heritage look and a marvellous 'eco' component: 

 

 

To quote the Millican website: 

"Our design concept reduces production waste, and minimises seams for outstanding durability. What's more, our canvas is impregnated with weatherproof wax rather than coated, to keep weight down and retain that tactile canvas feel. All buckles are tough aluminium - no plastic."

Example descriptions:

100% soft brushed recycled polyester (40 PET bottles)
DWR treatment
PU1000mm waterproof coating
stamped Italian leather

and:

Bionic ® Canvas Outer Fabric:
38% cotton
57% recycled polyester
5% high-tenacity polyester
100% paraffin wax impregnated
Lining Fabric:
100% recycled polyester

All in all, very nice bags. There were a number of exciting designs available: all featuring similar eco technology. The bags look terrific when worn in a little.

 

After many years of bag hunting, I must conclude that the recent Millican range shows the most promise. I will be following their newsletters closely and have already bought 2 different 18 litre roll top bags that are truly excellent.

http://www.homeofmillican.com/
http://miscellaneousadventures.co.uk/ 

- author: Sifu Waller