Gregory 2012-2014 - Sport Handelsagentur Sascha Rietzschel Gregory Thermarest MSR Seal Line Platypus Pack Towel E-Case Rock Pillars Ocun

Who do you look to in the bags world? Who does rad stuff (brands or designers)?
In terms of the big brands, I think Gregory are killing it right now


Design Heads :: Interview with James Brittain


In our Design Heads series we get inside the heads of designers who really know their stuff and have been in the industry long enough to have picked up nuggets of gold – nuggets that we mine just for you. So who have we snagged this time round  to share their insights and inspirations? None other than James Brittain, the Senior Equipment Designer at Mountain Equipment Co-op (MEC).
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Are there any key insights that guide your stuff? What do you know that most others haven’t realized?
I like to remember that not everyone has a different bag for every different activity that they do. It’s often the case that the bag that takes you hiking at the weekend also takes you to work during the week.
What are your main channels for your creative inspiration?
I try to be open to inspiration as much as possible but I definitely gravitate to other disciplines when I’m stuck. Things like furniture and automotive design for form, and footwear and apparel for construction. I like to start every day catching  up on blogs and online content, so tools like Pinterest and Tumblr are great for a quick creative hit.
Where is your most creative space and why?
I generally do my best work either after hours at the office, or in my own space at home. I was always the guy who got things done late at night when there are less distractions and I’ve continued that pattern to date.

Any unusual places or circumstances where you got an idea for a new innovation in carry? Do you get a lot of ideas in the shower or the corner market foraging for organic dragon fruit?
I tend to find ideas all over the place. Mostly while travelling and moving around, interacting with packs/luggage in real life situations. A lot of the ideas come out once I get home and start reflecting on where I’ve just been and the activity I’ve been doing.
Who do you look to in the bags world? Who does rad stuff (brands or designers)?
In terms of the big brands, I think Gregory are killing it right now. Their stuff has been strong for the last few seasons and I’ve watched the brand really re-invent itself recently. Smaller brands-wise, I’ve been a big fan of Trakke for some time now too. Those guys are making some lovely stuff.

Are there any trends or things folk do in carry that drive you nuts?
Over-engineering of a solution. Our industry is pretty guilty of over-thinking some things in the strive to differentiate from others.
You’ve worked with a number of different teams and brands. What are some of the ingredients that help you make better designs? Is it about good managers or good customers?
I read an article about working culture just recently and would put that up as the key. If the culture in a team is collaborative, inclusive and progressive, then all the other things seem to fall into place. For sure, there are infinite other nuances to creating good carry but if everyone is trying to achieve the same thing, that’s when the good stuff happens.
What are your tools of the trade?
I always start with paper/pencil. I work much quicker that way and am less precious about ideas. From there I’ll get into illustrator and/or sewing.

What materials do you most like to work with? Are there any new materials you’re experimenting with? Anything that will break the time-space continuum?
We typically work with all the traditional nylons and polyesters that you would expect, but you might be surprised at the sheer number of options you have when selecting them. Recently I’ve been doing a lot of work on our lifestyle collections  and it’s been fun to dive into some non-traditional pack cloths.
What sort of brief do you love to get?
My favourites are the ones where there is no definite outcome from the start. Not 100% open-ended but open to interpretation and discussion as the project develops.
Do you like working as a team or going solo?
Team every time. By far and away the best situation for me is when collaborating in a small team of fairly like-minded individuals. I say fairly, because I think it’s important for each team member to bring something to the table that’s  unique to them. The best designs that I’ve worked on are definitely collaborative efforts and involve the manufacturer right from the beginning.

Do you have to go to the maker to make a good bag? Can carry design work remotely?
I think you can make a good bag remotely, but in my experience, you can only make a great bag once you get on the ground with the manufacturer. There are a lot of unique challenges in construction that can only be overcome when you all get around the   same table and solve things together.
How do you test your product? What do you look for when testing?
We have a team of trusted individuals whose opinions we value really highly when it comes to testing. They range from ambassadors, to staff members, to everyday users we have met and established relationships with. The list is forever changing but the   core remains the same.
How many prototypes do you go through before release?
Totally depends on the complexity of the project but we average 3-5 as a rough guide.

What products are you most proud of?
At MEC, we have a lot of established products that have stood the test of time. The products I’m most proud of are the ones that have challenged the status quo and opened up new categories for us. For example, the Agens collection was a big step   for a ‘Mountain’ brand but opened the door for a bunch of exciting new lines coming down the pipe….
Do you have any favorite tips or habits for carrying better, either EDC or when traveling?
Roll, don’t fold.
You’ve been in the game for a long time. What’s the most important thing you’ve learned about design and secondly about the carry industry?
Barrett touched on this in his interview, but everything is a moving target when it comes to design. Be it technology, trends or activities…everything is always jostling for position. The most important thing I’ve learned is to keep questioning   your pre-conceived opinions and make sure you’re designing for the end user, not just for yourself.
What carry product (of your own creation, or anyone else’s if you feel like being generous) do you enjoy the most? What makes it enjoyable?
My buddy got an older Leica camera with the made-to-measure leather case when we were at university. I’ve always noticed them since then. The simple material choice and craftsmanship of the case means it has aged beautifully with use. I like that   kind of a considered solution.
Can we see a pocket dump?
Sure. It’s pretty standard for most people I think: phone, keys, wallet, bike lock, lunch, notebook, pen.

While you’ve got the camera out, would you mind taking a photo of your workspace, and perhaps identifying any tools or personal items that help you most in your creations? Specific drafting pencils or a lucky charm or an explanation of why your   workspace is so tidy and ours is…something not describable using the terms of polite conversation?
My desk at the office is pretty cluttered but is the opposite at home. The setup is similar though – I like to have a space to draw and spread things out that is away from the computer and then pinboards etc. to collect all the clippings and new   tech that comes by.

What bags do you run with daily?
I generally try to use one of my recent developments, to give it some field time and also because that’s usually the one I’m most excited about. Day-to-day I’m a backpack guy though, not a messenger bag guy.
What kinds of hobbies do you pursue when you aren’t creating wonderful new carry products? Have you created any carry craft specifically for that hobby, or do you intend to in the future?
When I’m not at work, you’ll find me on my snowboard in the winter and road-tripping in my van or on my bike in the summer. The options are fairly endless in this corner of the world and I still feel like I’ve only scratched the surface   after 4 years of being here. I get to design for these activities and many more as part of my job so I feel pretty lucky to legitimately do that.

Are there any materials you used to like, but now find impractical for your creations?
Hypalon. I used to use it a lot but the environmental impact of it means we don’t use it in our products at MEC anymore. That environmental responsibility is a huge driver for the whole team.
What wouldn’t the layperson know is essential to a good carry product? We all tend to appreciate convenient pockets, for example, but is there anything that we wouldn’t notice about an excellent carry product off-hand but a master of carryology   always would?
Probably the price! A huge part of commercial carry design, and any other design, is to get that innovation delivered at the price that it needs to be. I think all carry designers rub up against that particular challenge in our industry.

If you weren’t making carry products, what would you likely be doing for a profession? Or do you have another passion that your carry creations help you enjoy more fully?
I’d love to say I’d be some kind of athlete but realistically I think I’d be travelling around trying my hand at anything and everything. Just as long as I could be creative, I’d be okay.
What’s next for you?
Literally: off to Asia in a few days to see our factories and work on the new designs.


Brands: MEC, Mountain Equipment Co-op

Michael Knispel
Managing Editor
The newest addition to the team, Mike enjoys polos with embroidered ducks and hot cups of milo.

Gregory Z35


bergleben.de am 25.06.2014 - 12:17 Uhr Quelle Berleben.de
Gregory Z35
Herstellerbeschreibung

Wahrscheinlich der perfekte Tagesrucksack: Der Z35 bietet Platz für all Ihre Ausrüstung und bleibt dank des Cross-FloTM Tragesystems komfortabel bei allen Temperaturen und Wetterbedingungen. Durchdachte Ausstattungsmerkmale für unterwegs und seine leichtgewichtige Konstruktion lassen Sie weiter und schneller vorwärtskommen als jemals zuvor.

- Überarbeitetes CrossFlo Tragesystem
- Hüft- und Schultergurte aus belüftetem EVA Schaum
- Hauptfach mit Deckelklappe und Kordelschnellverschluss sowie U-förmigem Reißverschlusszugriff über die gesamte Vorderseite
- Höhenverstellbares, abnehmbares Deckelfach mit Reißverschlusstasche und Schlüsselclip
- Reißverschlussfach auf der Unterseite des Deckelfachs
- Einschubtasche vorne für schnellen Ausrüstungszugriff
- Zwei Stretchtaschen außen für Wasserflaschen
- Beidseitig Reißverschlusstaschen am Hüftgurt
- Einschubtasche für Trinksystem innen mit Schlauchausgang
- Verstaubare Befestigungsschlaufen für Eisgeräte/Trekkingstöcke
- Kompressionsriemen an den Seiten und unten
- Integrierte, schnell zu befestigende, farblich abgestimmte Regenhülle
- Material: 210D Robic Dynagin, 100D Robic GR Shadowbox, 200D Polyester Oxford, 256g Polyester Stretch Woven und 190T Nylon Taffeta

Testermeinung

Gregory lieferte mit dem Z35 einen großen Rucksack mit gemessenen 30 Liter Volumen im Hauptfach ein. Mit etwas über 1,5 Kilogramm Gewicht gehört er zu den drei "schweren" Rucksäcken im Test, der Kaufpreis von 130 Euro ist im Vergleich mit den anderen Modellen eher teuer.

Der Z35 ist schon auf den ersten Blick ein funktioneller Wanderrucksack mit zahlreichen Features und hochwertiger Verarbeitung. Das Cross-Flo Tragesystem mit einem leichten Rahmen und einem Rückennetz sorgt dafür, dass der Rucksack nicht plan auf dem Rücken aufliegt, sondern ausreichend Luft an den Rücken kommt. Zudem verleiht der Rahmen dem Rucksack Stabilität und sorgt für eine gute Lastaufnahme und -verteilung. Der breite und vorgeformte Hüftgurt ist bequem und mit einem gegenläufigen Zugband hervorragend mit der gewünschten Festigkeit zu fixieren - für uns das Optimum im Testfeld, unsere Tester waren begeistert. Hüft- und die höhenverstellbaren Schulterriemen bestehen aus EVA Schaum und sind wie angedeutet ziemlich breit, so dass man trotz einiger weniger Lüftungslöcher im unteren Bereich bei hitzigen Temperaturen vor allem hier schwitzt, weniger am Rücken.

An Taschen und Features mangelt es dem Gregory Z35 nicht. Zwei Taschen am Hüftgurt, eine offene Fronttasche für Wäsche oder Schuhe, eine kleine Fronttasche mit Reißverschluss und integriertem Regencape, eine große Deckeltasche, zwei gut erreichbare seitliche Stretchtaschen für Getränkeflaschen und natürlich das Haupftfach mit abgetrenntem Fach bieten jede Menge Stauraum. Ebenfalls spitze: Der Z35 ist nicht nur ein Top-Loader, sondern auch ein Front-Loader, denn mit einem ovalen Reißverschluss lässt sich der Rucksack auch von vorne öffnen und aufklappen, so dass man einen perfekten Überblick über den Inhalt bekommt. Neben den Taschen finden sich am Z35 auch zwei Materialschlaufen, eine etwas komisch platzierte Trageschlaufe, die direkt am Deckel und nicht am oberen Rückenende vernäht ist, sowie eine Öffnung für einen Trinkschlauch. Diese befindet sich direkt mittig im Nackenbereich (da wo man die Trageschlaufe vermuten würde), was wir nicht optimal fanden, da der Schlauch außen etwas um den Kopf herumgeführt werden muss - das haben andere Hersteller besser gelöst. Allerdings machen diese kleinen "Kritikpunkte" den Gesamteindruck des Z35 keineswegs zunichte, die Tester waren durchweg mehr als zufrieden mit dem Modell aus dem Hause Gregory.

Fazit:
Da bleibt nicht viel zu sagen außer: herzlichen Glückwunsch dem Testsieger! Der Z35 überzeugt einfach in jeder Hinsicht und ist für das Wandern wie auch für Hochtouren bestens geeignet. Bequem, stabil, super zu fixieren, gute Lastaufnahme, gutes Tragesystem, ergonomisch geformt, viel Platz und dabei weder übermäßig schwer noch übermäßig teuer. Ambitionierte Wanderer können mit diesem Rucksack wenig falsch machen!

GreGory Contour 60 £175
With a wealth of innovative features, does the Contour 6O set new standards? 72 Trail april 2013 The driving philosophy behind Gregory rucksacks is the same today as it was when Wayne Gregory made his first product in the late 1970s: the pack must maintain its comfort and stability by effectively tra

Gregory auf der OutDoor in Friedrichshafen

Auch dieses Jahr präsentiert sich Gregory wieder auf der OutDoor in Friedrichshafen, dem Branchentreffpunkt der Outdoorbranche. Und natürlich wird es Neues geben - was, wird jetzt noch nicht verraten :-) Schauen Sie doch vom 14.-17. Juli einfach vorbei und sehen Sie selbst: Stand 214 in Halle B2. Und für alle, die nicht dabei sein können: Keine Sorge, natürlich stellen wir auch hier auf der Homepage unsere Neuheiten vor!

New Packs presented and tested on Sales Meeting in Chamonix


For the annual summer sales meeting, the Gregory Europe Sales Team came together last week in Chamonix in the French Alps. U.S. product designers John Sears (Director of Product Development) and CJ Whittaker presented the new product lines to the team during the two and a half days of meeting. Besides a thought-out, sophisticated feature set on the new product lines - what else would you expect from a Gregory pack? - vibrant colors are to come! The meeting participants had the opportunity to put the new products to a test immediately on a spectacular hike high above Chamonix. Fully convinced by the new lines, the sales team is more than eager to start into the selling season!

All new products can be checked out by the public for the first time on OutDoor show at Friedrichshafen in July.