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As we’ve seen time and time again in the watch industry, collaborations often open the door to new opportunities, whether it’s an entirely new product, or a limited offering based on an existing product, and this mentality is just as prevalent in the EDC world. In order to bring their first pack to market, Field Notes partnered with “Got Bag” to produce the Pitch Black Rolltop backpack. Got Bag is a softgoods manufacturer whose mission is to clean plastics from the ocean, and repurpose PETG into usable fabric. They currently offer a full gamut of travel items, from backpacks, slings, and smaller travel pouches.
This new pack, or rather new colorway is built upon Got Bag’s ROLLTOP EASY pack, which features water resistant fabric, a laptop sleeve capable of holding a 16” laptop, and even a hidden pocket on the back panel (the panel that rests against your back when wearing the bag). While the feature set of this version is mostly the same as the standard model, its appearance is what sets it apart. Drawing inspiration from Field Notes’ iconic “Pitch Black” notebooks, the main exterior fabric is all black, aside from a silvery Field Notes and Got Bag logo. Rather than lining the inside of the pack with a “Kraft brown” fabric, Got Back used a brown webbing for the roll top cinch strap, and the rear accessory pocket zipper pull. Designed to be lightweight, this pack comes in at 1.5 pounds when empty, and can expand from its base 20L capacity to 31L for those who require more space for their gear.
Field Notes is an iconic brand, and it’s worth examining a bit of their history. Inspired by the historic pocket memo book, a small pocket sized notebook often given away as a form of advertisement, cofounder Aaron Draplin printed a few hundred notebooks and gave them away. When talking with Jim Coudal, his eventual business partner and one of the recipients of these “stupid little notebooks” as Aaron described them, they realized that this little book had huge potential. Now, 17 years later, Field Notes have become a staple for people around the world, whether they’re an EDC Enthusiast or just need to keep track of notes in their daily life. As Coudal’s grandfather once said, “I’m not writing it down to remember it later, I’m writing it down to remember it now”.
In a previous article, I made the comment that I don’t have a “true EDC” as I switch out items, but the one constant in my carry is a trusty Field Notes notebook. Due to their small size, various cover designs, and affordable price points, I’ve amassed a small collection of notebooks, which I’m slowly filling day to day. If you were to dump out my gear, you’d likely find two notebooks, one for work and one for personal usage, as I’ve found that writing down notes helps me keep track of daily tasks, watch wishlists, shot lists, and even a few backpack designs that I might try and make someday. Keep your eyes open, as you might just see a Field Notes pop up in various shoots along the way.
Got Bag’s ROLLTOP EASY made in collaboration with Field Notes is a limited edition, but currently in stock at both the Got Bag and Field Notes websites. The retail price is $129.95.
