Well, here we are. The first post of define:Materialism. Of my long, long list of potential first posts, I settled on blogging about one of my favorite items which, appropriately, holds a bunch of other stuff that I’ll eventually post about as well. But, for now, it’s all about the vessel.
I live on a 1,400 acre farm in Vermont, where my wife runs an inn. What this means for me is that I have a tremendous amount of land and shoreline to explore. On a typical day off you might find me hiking around the woods, finding caves along the lake, stringing up my travel hammock, building a fire by the water, reading, writing, or just taking in the fact that I happen to live in an almost disgustingly beautiful place. That’s right: so beautiful that it nearly goes full circle and becomes gross. See for yourself…I’m not lying.
Anyway, a couple of years ago I decided to seek out the perfect shoulder bag, something that I’ve since deemed my “adventure bag”. It didn’t need to be big, but it had to be durable and have enough space for my hammock, a book or two, some water, a flask, some pens, and maybe some food. Enter the Topo Designs Mini Mountain Bag. And man, man do I love this bag.
Straightforward, but with just enough finishing touches to give it some style, the bag is constructed of 1000d Cordura, which means that it’s absolutely built to last. But, of course, materials are only part of the equation, as they also have to be assembled well, which this particular bag certainly is. Great materials and built like a tank: that’s a combination I can’t get enough of.
The zippers are heavy duty and wonderfully confidence-inspiring, as is the beefy seat belt style strap and the tarp lining.
Without being too feature-laden, the interior has just enough organization for my liking, perfectly fitting my phone, knife, bandana, and notebook so that they’re easily accessible and don’t clank around.
In the front pocket I usually throw a book (currently The Traveling Sprinkler by Nicholson Baker, which is amazing).
A large d-ring on one side allows me to clip things on if I want easy access to (often times my Holdster with a little whiskey).
And on the other side, a large plastic strap adjustment that’s super easy to change up on the fly and holds everything firmly in place.
Underneath are two compression straps that can squeeze the bag into a smaller size, and also double as an additional place to carry those excess supplies (often times my snowshoe poles when I don’t need them).
Maybe one of my favorite features is the dual lash tabs on the front of the bag. I love the understated 70’s camping gear kind of style that they lend the bag, but they’re also quite functional. For an extra 15 bucks, Topo Designs sells straps to fit the tabs (available in four colors). This is extra handy if you’re shedding layers, or want to strap down a blanket for a picnic.
If you’re looking for something that is at once stylish, functional and built to be with you for years and years to come, head over to topodesigns.com to check out the Mini Mountain (available in six colors), as well as a wide variety of other bags, cases, clothes and accessories.
Oh, did I mention that their products are all made in the USA and that their customer service is lightening fast and top notch? That’s probably worth noting too, huh?
Thanks For Reading!
See you next week with another Spotlight.
