The backpack
A backpack for over 100 euros isn't cheap.
But a backpack made in Europe, especially in Portugal, is a rare thing. To lower the price, we'd have to pay the people who make it less: nearly every backpack on the market is imported from Asia, where factory wages aren't enough to live on with dignity.
And yet, you'll have a hard time finding a sturdy, locally made backpack as affordable as ours. If we can sell it at this price, it's because we save on plenty of things that seem unnecessary to us: no ads, no sales, no seasonal collections… and no greedy shareholders constantly demanding more profit.
Released in July 2022
Released in October 2023
Switched to a thicker fabric that holds its shape better: from Cordura 500 to Cordura 1100.
Straps that slide more smoothly without slipping.
New, stronger magnetic closure.
Reinforced stitching where the straps and handle attach.
Switched to a ripstop lining that resists tearing better.
Capacity: 17 litres with the "roll-top" rolled down, up to 23 litres unrolled.
Dimensions: height 42 cm (56 cm with the roll-top unrolled), width 27 cm, depth 14 cm.
Cordura fabric, reinforced seams, no flimsy zip.
The canvas is tightly woven, then coated to make it waterproof. The roll-top closure adds an extra layer of protection against the rain.
Nearly every backpack on the market is made in Asia, where factory wages fall well below what NGOs call a "living wage" or "subsistence wage." By choosing to produce in Portugal, we make sure that the people who make our backpacks earn enough to live with dignity.
The techniques that ensure quality
Cordura® 1100
The main wear point on a backpack is the holes that form in the bottom corners. To prevent them, we chose a Cordura 1100 fabric: a particularly strong fibre woven very densely. According to our resistance tests, this fabric holds up twice as well as the polyester ones commonly used for this kind of bag (see the test results).
Cordura® 1100
Roll-top closure
Straight zips
Reinforced seams
Roll-top closure
The top of the bag closes by rolling up the fabric and securing it with a sturdy metal hook. No risk of a broken zip with this system.
Cordura® 1100
Roll-top closure
Straight zips
Reinforced seams
Straight zips
Zips are a weak point on backpacks (remember those Eastpaks from your school days...). We only use two on this bag, and we made sure to keep the tracks straight, with no curves, to avoid strain — and therefore the kind of zip that jumps its track over time.
Cordura® 1100
Roll-top closure
Straight zips
Reinforced seams
Reinforced seams
The straps are stitched to the bag with cross-stitching: they won't be giving up on you anytime soon.
In our tests, the shoulder strap held up to a load of 1,676 Newtons. In other words, you could pack 170 kg into your bag before it snaps (see tests).
Cordura® 1100
Roll-top closure
Straight zips
Reinforced seams
For work or a stroll
For this backpack with a clean look, we chose a "roll top" closure: it's elegant, it avoids zips that break and it protects better against rain. Its Cordura 1100 canvas ensures overall durability (and in particular, resistance to holes). Side pockets for your water bottle (or your snack), a carabiner to clip on your keys, an anti-theft wallet pocket, a laptop compartment: we made sure it's practical without useless features. The result? A versatile backpack for heading to work or the gym, going away for the weekend or out for a walk.
Measurements: height 42 cm (56 cm with the roll-top unrolled), width 27 cm, depth 14 cm.
In detail
Roll-top closure
17-litre capacity when rolled up, up to 23 litres when unrolled.
Quick-access pocket
To grab your wallet or phone, there's a zipped pocket on the side of the bag: just slip off one strap to reach it. And since it sits along your arm, it's just as tricky for pickpockets to get into.
Carabiner strap
The secret to never losing your keys.
Padded compartment
Dimensions 27 cm x 34.5 cm, for laptops up to 15 inches.
Inner pocket
Two "flask" pockets
Metal magnet
To help seal the roll-top properly
Weight: 730 grams
Cordura has a great strength-to-weight ratio
How to wear it
A few ideas if you're stuck
Composition
100% polyamide
Origin and certifications
- Cordura fabric: Germany
- Inner lining: Portugal
- Zips: Portugal
- Straps: Portugal
- Manufacturing: Portugal
How this product will age
How do we know? We ask our customers what they think of the product one year after they've bought it. And if the product is less than a year old, we give you our predictions based on some spontaneous feedback and on our experience with similar products.
According to feedback from our customers, this bag ages well and needs almost no upkeep.
Worth noting: from being set down on the ground so often, the bottom of the bag can get scuffed, but so far, no one has reported a hole there.
Care instructions
If your backpack is looking a bit grubby, you can put it in the machine. But be aware that repeated washing can strip the coating off the fabric, making your backpack less waterproof. If you want your backpack to stay exactly as it is, wash it with soapy water and a brush, then rinse it with warm water. And whatever you do, no tumble drying.
Reviews for this product
The standard practice is to send review request e-mails a few days after the purchase. We wait a month, the minimum time needed to form a well-informed opinion
Politique d'avis client
Quand demandez-vous des avis aux clients ?
On vous envoie une demande d’avis un mois après la réception de votre commande. On estime que c’est le minimum de temps nécessaire pour avoir porté et lavé un vêtement plusieurs fois et se faire vraiment un avis éclairé. Ensuite, tous vos avis sont publiés dans la semaine, qu’ils soient bons ou non.
Est-ce que vous demandez des avis sur 100% des produits commandés par les clients ?
On le faisait au début, puis on s’est rendus compte qu’on commençait à envoyer beaucoup trop d’emails à certaines personnes qui achètent régulièrement chez nous. Bref, on spammait un peu. En plus, ça commençait à nous prendre vraiment beaucoup trop de temps dans l’équipe de répondre aux avis - puisqu'on veut répondre individuellement en privé à presque chaque personne qui nous laisse un avis. Aujourd’hui, on ne demande plus d’avis sur les produits qui répondent aux deux critères suivants : 1/ Il y a suffisamment d’avis affichés sur le site pour que les personnes qui souhaitent acheter puissent se faire une opinion éclairée sur le produit 2/ Nous avons lu dans l’équipe Loom suffisamment d’avis pour comprendre comment faire évoluer le produit à la prochaine génération.
Minute papillon : qu’est-ce qui prouve qu’on ne modifie pas les avis en mettant des 5 étoiles partout ?
Honnêtement : rien, on vous donne juste notre parole. Comme pour le reste d’ailleurs : où on fabrique, d’où vient notre laine, la note de nos tests labos, etc. Les seules fois où on pourrait toucher à ce que vous écrivez, c’est si votre message contient des fautes d’orthographe (et encore y en a pas mal qui nous échappent) ou s’il est à caractère raciste, homophobe, etc (mais ça n’est jamais arrivé pour l’instant).
Demander un avis au bout d’un mois, ce n’est pas assez pour savoir si les vêtements sont vraiment durables, non ?
Vous avez raison, c’est pour ça qu'on vous envoie un autre e-mail de demande d'avis un an après votre achat – on demande même une photo pour voir comment votre vêtement a vieilli. Les réponses nous servent à améliorer nos vêtements et à donner des informations sur "comment ce produit va vieillir" dans nos pages produits. Pour ne pas solliciter inutilement nos clients et nos clientes, on ne demande pas ces avis sur 100% des produits commandés : dès que nous avons suffisamment de données pour comprendre les points d’amélioration, nous arrêtons demander les avis à un an.