It sounds as though you have a lot of good ideas, so I hope it works. The key thing is to make one first that suits your needs - it's almost certain that it will then suit other people's needs. That's how Domke and LowePro became successful. Domke knew what a journalist needed because he was one, so his bags have always appealed to journalists and wannabes like me; Lowe knew what the outdoorsy type wanted, because he was one, and that's been their continued appeal. As an urbanite (like me) you understand the needs - particularly for stuff on the subway/tube so I think your idea could certainly have legs.
Bob > -----Original Message----- > From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On > Behalf Of Amita Guha > Sent: 23 April 2008 21:06 > To: Pentax-Discuss Mail List > Subject: Re: Convenient backpack: travel camera set + laptop > - Fastpack250 > > I don't feel that there are many bags that work well in an urban > environment, either functionally or aesthetically. I like Crumpler's > shoulder bags for aesthetics, but there's no room in them for extra > stuff like my wallet, a book and other things I need on the subway. So > many bags I've seen seem to be made for car travel. It is hard to find > a bag with security features like interior zippered pockets, etc. I'm > also going to try to use as many recycled materials as possible. I > realize Lowepro is already doing this, but it's good for the > environment. > > I like Lowepro's bags a lot (I must have at least six of 'em), and > this new Fastpack series looks awfully close to what I've been looking > for, but I need to look at it in person. Lowepro's bags still usually > look like you're going out hiking in the woods, and the ones that > don't just look very corporate (like ThinkTank's). > > Thanks for all your input. It is very helpful. I understand your > distinction between having a bag for transport and having one for > working out of. I've come up against this in airplane travel and I'm > planning to address it in a future bag or series of bags. > > I have no idea if I'll actually be able to make money on this - I need > to do a business plan and such - but I'm going to try I've been > thinking about doing this for a few years. I lost my job recently and > this seems like a good time to give it a go. > > Amita > > On Wed, Apr 23, 2008 at 3:26 PM, Bob W <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > > > Presumably you think that there is a gap in the market. > Can you let us > > know what the current range of bags don't do that they > should, or that > > yours could do better? I'm intrigued that in such a > crowded market you > > think there's still an opening. > > > > Anyway I hope you make millions of bucks. Here, for what > it's worth, > > are my thoughts. > > > > I think you need to be absolutely sure about whether the > bag is meant > > for transport or for working out of - the requirements are very > > different. I tend to use a Pelican case for transport, and > a shoulder > > bag for working from. A transport bag needs good padding, > packability > > etc. whereas a working bag doesn't need padding (except on > the base), > > but it does need ease of use, particularly opening and closing. You > > shouldn't have to mess around when taking things in and out of a > > working bag; it's less important for a transport bag. My thoughts > > below are for a working bag. > > > > Canvas is the best material to use. Not only is it durable > and water & > > dust resistant, it is also more comfortable against your > body during > > hot or humid weather. Materials like nylon tend to be very > sweaty if > > you've been carrying them all day. > > > > You should be able to open and close all the flaps quickly > and easily > > with one hand. For me the Domke metal clips are perfect > for this, and > > their bags are very good in having only one clip for the main flap. > > Compare this with, for example, a LowePro S&F bag I have > which uses 2 > > clips for the main flap, and the clips cannot be fastened > easily with > > one hand (although they can be unfastened with one). > > > http://www.photographyreview.com/cat/camera-cases/soft-case/lowepro/PR > > D_84140_3124crx.aspx > > > > I would prefer not to use Velcro for keeping flaps closed > - it's too > > noisy when you tear it apart. This is a failing of most bags, > > including Domke. > > > > It should be easy to secure the bag to a bicycle in a way > that it is > > stable and doesn't unbalance the bike. Ideally it would be > possible to > > use the camera bag as a saddle bag similar to a Carradice, > but with a > > quicker release. > > > > It's not necessary for a working bag to be able to hold > tons of stuff. > > You will be carrying it for hours in hot, sweaty conditions, so you > > will want to keep things light by reducing the amount of stuff you > > carry. At most 2 bodies with attached lenses (wide & long > zooms) with > > one extra lens, small flash head, light meter, notebook & > pen, a small > > book (eg travel guide or map), a bit of food and perhaps a water > > bottle attachment. > > > > Bob > > > > > > -- > > > > > > PDML Pentax-Discuss Mail List > > [email protected] > > http://pdml.net/mailman/listinfo/pdml_pdml.net > > to UNSUBSCRIBE from the PDML, please visit the link > directly above and follow the directions. > > > > -- > PDML Pentax-Discuss Mail List > [email protected] > http://pdml.net/mailman/listinfo/pdml_pdml.net > to UNSUBSCRIBE from the PDML, please visit the link directly > above and follow the directions. > > -- PDML Pentax-Discuss Mail List [email protected] http://pdml.net/mailman/listinfo/pdml_pdml.net to UNSUBSCRIBE from the PDML, please visit the link directly above and follow the directions.
