In the more-or-less immortal words of Mr. James Brown, “Papa’s got a brand new bag.” Not being exceptionally familiar with Mr. Brown’s music, I’m not certain as to just what he meant when he sang those words; however when I write them, they mean that I went down to my friendly and relatively local Filson store this morning and bought one of their new Passage series pieces of luggage – the Medium Dispatch Bag to be precise.
Being both one who makes a living largely from productions created on or somehow processed through a computer, as well as a frequent traveler, I need a stout bag that will protect my trusty laptop and the other tools of my trade as a writing naturalist (binocular, camera, notebooks, field guides, pens, etc.). However being one who completed a degree in English and American literature who was foolish enough to take to heart what I studied, I am also something of an aesthetic romantic. Put the these two elements together and the result is someone who lives and works with the tools of the twenty-first century but who likes to surround them (as well as himself) with items that bespeak the design and style of the great naturalists of the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries.
Thus when I noted the release by Filson (long one of my favorite outfitters) of their new line of Passage luggage, I was immediately taken by it’s classic style. Although made of a thoroughly modern nylon twill for exceptional ruggedness (it’s a Filson product, would anything less than such durability be expected?), Filson’s designers chose colors straight from the classic outdoor palette: brown, black, and a chimeric shade called “Otter Green” that is somewhat changeable depending upon the light source (and damnably difficult to photograph because of this). These hues they have trimmed in a rich brown leather, including reinforcements from the same at all the heavy-wear expected corners and the dual buckle closures (no Velcro tabs to be found here). However lest it be thought that this is not a bag for the modern world, the interior includes a padded pocket to secure and protect a laptop as well as ample room in the main compartment, back, and two front pockets for all the additional items without which most of us find it difficult to live.
Into my new Filson Passage bag I intend to pack all the elements that make up my mobile office as well as the tools of my writing trade and fly the surly skies (frequent airline travelers will know all too well my meaning) between Oregon and Ohio in order to represent Wingscapes at the Midwest Birding Symposium. Such a trip will be the perfect field test for such a bag. Will it be able to hold all the items I need to carry? How will it endure the rigors of modern airline travel? How comfortable will it be to carry when it is fully packed? Rest assured, these and other relevant observations I will record and publish on Born Again Bird Watcher for the benefit of all.
