Men seem to like to carry lots of stuff in their pockets, and sometimes they have too much stuff and need a bag. But many men have aversions to bags that are much smaller than a laptop bag or to bags that don’t look like they can be carried into war. Sometimes neither of those styles are appropriate – laptop bags can be too big to just run around town for errands and tactical bags don’t look appropriate for work. Bolstr, a current Kickstarter project, wants to be just right – not too big nor small, and not too much like a purse. Bolstr has an asymmetrical design, which the designer says “eludes the man purse stigma”. It has a slim design that can expand to hold extra items when needed. There’s a sunglasses pocket and one for a phone, and it’s big enough to hold a small tablet like the iPad mini or phablets. It’s made of polyurethane-coated 1050D ballistic nylon and has waterproof zippers to keep your gear dry, and it’s available in a right- or left-handed model. It will be made in the USA. The funding period ends Sat, August 30, 2014 at 1:16 AM EDT, and funding has already far exceeded the $10,000 goal. A minimum pledge of $45 gets you one Bolstr. Shipment is expected to begin in September, 2014.
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Nope. Still looks like a purse. 😉
I don’t carry that much small junk. What I do need a bag for is bigger junk, specifically a 7-8″ tablet. If they offer a bigger bag (Bolstr Pro?) in the future, let us know.
If you have to ask yourself, it is a murse.
If you are manly enough to not care, then it doesn’t matter. But then, you would probably ask yourself, “Why?”
You see, a narrower bag, albeit being smaller, is not less unwieldy than one that is wider as long as it is narrower than your back. A wider bag sits more stably on your back and moves with your body, where as a narrow bag tend to shift around.
And as long as a bag is narrower than your back, does it matter how wide it is for portability? I think not.
Plus, a wider bag is less likely to be a murse, and you can carry more if needed.
Thank you for your comments. As far as the bolstr looking like a murse, that is very subjective I suppose. Trust me when I say that the first bolstr designs definitely looked like a purse and I did get quite a bit of feedback from a wide range of people throughout the process. Making a small everyday carry bag that is not boxy and boring, and does not look like a purse or holster, is a challenge to say the least. Perhaps if you tried it, you might be surprised at how useful it is over a wide range of mobile scenarios.
Please note that there is a detachable waist band to keep it stable on the body when on the go. Also, I would argue that the weight of the bag, angle of straps, and contour of the shoulder pad also factor into how the bag rests on your body.
Thanks!
Jay
bolstr Small Carry Designer
@Jay
You are absolutely right in saying that many other factors affects how a bag rests on one’s body. I am an avid photographer so I am no stranger to carrying small camera bag with bulkily shaped SLR, so I am aware of small bags ergonomic. Some are better than others, and I am sure your potential customers are not as demanding as a photographer in term of what they carry.
Good luck with your product. It does look well designed.