There comes a point in every bag's life when it starts to show the signs of being properly used. A lot of us reach this point eventually with a favourite bag. Before you decide it's time to replace it, it's worth thinking about whether it can be brought back to life instead.
Wear isn't the same as worn out
If a bag has been with you on every commute, every weekend trip and every muddy walk for the past few years, it's naturally going to show some signs of that. That's not really a flaw, it's just evidence of a bag being used the way it was meant to be. We build our bags with things like YKK zips, aluminium Trimmers buckles and heavy-duty polyester webbing so that they can take this kind of use and keep going for a long time afterwards. So a bit of wear on the fabric or straps doesn't mean a bag has reached the end of its life, and it's just a sign that it just needs a bit of attention.
It's worth taking a closer look before assuming the worst. Some damage is only cosmetic, like a faded panel or a light scuff, and won't need any fixing at all. Other damage is more structural, such as a torn seam or a broken buckle, and this is usually the kind of thing that can be repaired.
If something's gone wrong on a newer bag
If you've noticed a defect on a bag that's still fairly new, that's a slightly different situation. We check every bag carefully during and after production to make sure it meets our standards, but it's possible that something gets missed along the way. If that happens, we'd like to know about it, and we'll offer you either a refund or an exchange, whichever works better for you.
If it's simply had a hard life
Sometimes it's less about a fault and more about wear and tear, or an accident along the way. A strap catching on a fence, a zip pull snapping off mid-walk, that sort of thing. This is where it's worth reaching out to us before writing the bag off completely.
We can't carry out repairs ourselves at the moment, but we're always happy to help you figure out the best next step. If you send us a few photos of the damage, we'll take a proper look and let you know what we think. In some cases, a local cobbler or outdoor gear repair shop can sort it quickly, and in others we can point you in the right direction. Either way, you'll have a much clearer idea of what your options are before deciding whether to repair or replace.
Why it's often worth the effort
There's the practical reason, which is that repairing a bag usually costs a lot less than replacing it. But there's more to it than the money. A bag you've had for a while has already been shaped by the way you use it, whether that's years of carrying a laptop on the same commute or holding your spare layers on top of a fell in the Lakes. That kind of history is hard to replace with something new.
There's a wider reason too. Every bag that stays in use for another year is one less bag that needs to be made, shipped and eventually thrown away. It's part of why we choose fabrics like our Bionic® canvas, which blends recycled plastic with cotton. Making a bag that lasts is only half the job, and helping it stay in use for as long as possible is really the other half.
So, repair or replace?
If your bag is still doing its job but looking a bit tired, that's just character built up over time. If something's actually broken, get in touch with us before assuming it's beyond saving. And if it really is time to move on, we'll be here to help you find something built to go the distance in the same way.
Either way, we'd always rather help you keep a bag going a bit longer than sell you a new one you didn't need.
