Alright, so I’ve been messing around with this idea for a new backpack design – a black and orange one. It’s been a fun little project, and I figured, why not share the whole process? I’m not a pro designer or anything, but I like making stuff, and this seemed like a cool challenge.
First off, I started by just looking around at what’s already out there. You know, getting some inspiration. The North Face seemed like a good place to start, their backpacks are everywhere. They make some really durable stuff, and it’s not too pricey, which is cool. Then I stumbled on some other brands – Aer, Tom Bihn, Timbuk2, and a bunch more. These guys are serious about their backpacks. I mean, some of these brands you’ve probably never even heard of, but they’re making some quality gear, built to last forever, it seems like.
Next, I had to think about what I wanted this thing to actually be like. I mean, black and orange is a pretty bold combo, so I sketched out a few ideas. Nothing fancy, just some rough drawings to get the basic shape and layout down. I wanted something that looked tough but also kinda stylish, you know?
- I messed with where to put the orange accents. Stripes? Panels? Just the zippers?
- I thought about pockets – lots and lots of pockets. Gotta have room for all your stuff, right?
- Then there’s the size. Not too big, not too small. Something you could use every day.
After I had a general idea of the look, I started thinking about materials. I read somewhere that nylon is the way to go for backpacks. Apparently, it’s super strong and can take a beating. They even use a type of nylon to make bulletproof vests! But, of course, a backpack is only as strong as its weakest link, so the zippers and seams gotta be top-notch, too.
So, I got my hands on some black and orange nylon fabric. Let me tell you, finding the right shade of orange was a pain! But I finally got it, and then came the fun part – cutting and sewing. Now, I’m not gonna lie, my sewing skills are, shall we say, a work in progress. There were definitely some wonky seams and a few curse words thrown around. But hey, that’s part of the learning process, right?
Putting it all together was like solving a puzzle. I had to figure out the order of operations, which pieces to sew first, how to attach the straps, all that jazz. It took a few tries, and a few seam ripper-related incidents, but eventually, I had something that actually resembled a backpack.
The Result
The finished product? It’s not perfect, but I’m pretty stoked about it! It’s got that black and orange vibe I was going for. It’s got a decent amount of space inside, and it feels pretty solid. I’ve been using it for a few weeks now, and it’s holding up great. It’s definitely a conversation starter, too. People keep asking me where I got it, and it’s kinda cool to say, “Oh, I made it.”
So yeah, that’s the story of my black and orange backpack adventure. It was a fun little project, and I learned a lot along the way. Maybe I’ll try making another one sometime, maybe with a different color scheme. Who knows? The possibilities are endless!