Crumpler Messenger Bags and Day Packs

Crumpler Messenger Bags and Day Packs - GearReview.com
By Matt Smith

I met Crumpler (an Austrialian Company) the first year they began distribution in the US. I have to admit that while at first glance the products themselves are quite similar to messenger bags produced by several other companies, the quirky, irreverant personality of Crumpler drew me in. Imagine one of the main pitch points for your messenger bag being that it is essentially waterproof (for the ice of course) and that it can hold an entire 12 pack of beer with the requisite ice. The humor of an Outdoor Retailer Show booth constructed entirely of recycled paper that constituted a fire hazard and required 24 hour security was not lost on me. Who knew going green could be so complicated!

We looked at three products from Crumpler to get a good cross section of the product line. The Yee-Ross day pack, the Bees Knees messenger bag, and the Seedy Bar messenger backpack. All three bags are well constructed with 900D (1000D for the Bees Knees) exteriors and 300D Ripstop nylon liners. The suspension on all of the bags is head and shoulders above the knockoff competition and allowed me to comfortably carry the bags fully loaded for extended periods of time with no discomfort. Now we'll get down to the nitty gritty on each bag.

Crumpler
Seedy Bar

The Seedy Bar is perhaps my favorite of the three bags we looked at. The flip open lid and rectangular shape make it quick and easy stuff the bag full of your things and be able to get them out again when you need them. The two concealed side pockets are the perfect size for odds and ends, envelopes, and other things that might either get crushed or lost inside the main compartment. There is also a velcro closure pocket on the inside for pens, gum, and suncreen. From a multi-use perspective, the Seedy Bar is my favorite pick. It works well as a school daypack as well as a day pack for front country trips when you have a chance to get out of the office.

Crumpler
Yee-Ross

The Yee-Ross is basically your standard day pack on steriods. The main compartment is large enough to easily fit file folders, text books, and a lap top (although Crumpler makes laptop specific bags). It is also large enough to fit anything you would take on a day hike. The Yee-Ross is more suited to trail hiking than it's messenger backpack cousin the Seedy Bar, primarily because the shape of the bag and configuration of the suspension is more stable. The Yee-Ross features a complete organizer on the inside as one would expect on a daypack. However, it also has two concealed exterior pockets that I found are perfect for a water bottle on one side and a jacket and snacks on the other side. This allows quick and easy access to the things you access most often without having to sort through the main compartments.

Crumpler
Bees Knees

Now to the brute of the bunch...the Bees Knees. I think another fitting name would be the Mafia Bag because I am sure you could fit an entire body in the main compartment without even having to let out the buckle straps. There are also three other pockets protected under the flaps. The Bees Knees features a "Third Leg" stability strap that is easily switched from left to right depending on how you like to carry the bag. I found the third leg made a big difference when I was carrying more weight, particularly for longer distances. However, for shorter trips or when you frequently need to swing the bag around to the front I found the strap for the third leg cumbersome and chose not to use it. The Bees Knees is an excellent travel bag as well as a messenger bag. There is plenty of space to carry everything you need for a weekend trip. I frequently used the bag as my "base camp" bag on trips to carry all the things I might need but didn't want to commit space in my technical packs.

Summary: Crumpler has a full line of daypacks, messenger backpacks, camera bags, and purses. The products we tested are available in the US for $70 for the Yee-Ross, $125 for the Seedy Bar, and $170 for The Bees Knees.

For more information contact:
www.crumplerbags.com
Crumpler United States
29 Wythe Avenue
Brooklyn, New York 11211
USA
718-384-3020
mail@crumplerbags.com

Matt Smith is a contributing editor at Gearreview.com and enjoys all things outdoor. Check out his blog.


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