"A backpack frees up both of your hands. It is a bag that makes you 'feel free,' untethered by anything."

I feel like I read this in a fashion book from the 70s about 20 years ago, and for some reason, these words have stayed with me ever since, and I am reminded of them from time to time.

Living in the modern day, it’s hard to fully grasp, but it seems that in Japan at that time, "bags" were primarily hand-held, meaning one hand was always occupied with carrying your belongings. It wasn't until the 70s, when outdoor styles became mainstream, that backpacks came into general use.

Following the hippie movement sparked by the Flower Children in the late 60s, a back-to-nature trend grew in America. This brought a boom in outdoor activities like backpacking, jogging, cycling, and yoga, and outdoor wear began to establish itself as fashion. (As you already know, this progression gave birth to the MTB genre in America, and their DIY spirit led to the culture of MYOG.)

Broadly speaking, this was a time when individual freedom was threatened—by the prolonged Vietnam War during the Cold War and the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr., a symbol of the Civil Rights Movement—and unstable events beyond the scope of one's own body or mind occurred frequently. It was an era when people’s inclinations shifted toward engaging with nature and living while feeling it.

After going through that period, books like Colin Fletcher’s "The Complete Walker," Kazuhiro Ashizawa’s "Introduction to Backpacking," and the magazine "POPEYE," which introduced the culture of the American West Coast, were published, and American outdoor culture began to be imported to Japan in earnest.

Yes, while the backpack is primarily a "piece of gear" for the mountains, it is also a bag that was heavily influenced by American hippie culture (even if its origins are in Europe), and its true symbol is the fact that "both hands are free."

That is precisely why the attitude of pursuing one's own expression through free thinking, rather than sticking to formalities, is also a very important element of the backpack.

With that preamble out of the way, I’d like to announce that we’ve received a new bag from Inocchi, a bag designer in Nagoya.

Chips Bag 13L

The Intersection of BIKE and HIKE

Whether it's biking or hiking, our greedy way of playing is insatiable. Precisely because we want to savor a variety of enjoyments, we may often be more careful about choosing "versatile items" rather than "specialized items." (Or, we like to view things from different angles—such as using a specialized item from one genre for a completely different purpose—but I’ll save that for another time.)

Since WELLDONE is a brand that accesses hiking culture from bicycle culture, its performance shines not only in hiking situations but also when riding a bicycle.

In fact, many of the Circles crew use the Chips Bag 13L for MTB rides, and the backpack that served as the prototype for this Chips Bag was also originally developed for cycling; it’s a perfect size for 1-day rides, and was even a favorite of Rick Hunter of HUNTER CYCLES.

Its structure is simple yet very unique, and packed with his ideas.

【Features】

• The intersection of BIKE and HIKE
• Opening/closing mechanism inspired by a "party-size" potato chip bag
• Convenient shoulder pockets, rear mesh pocket, and drawcord
• What is WELLDONE NAGOYA?
• 13L and 30L variations

【SPEC】

• Size: 25cm x 50cm x 16cm
• Capacity: 13L (excluding pockets)
• Weight: 390g
• Materials: X-PAC VX21, SPECTRA X-GRID 200D, polyester double raschel mesh, POLYESTER PORTHOLE MESH, high-density nylon tape
• Colors: Black, Khaki, Red, Coyote
• Price: 22,000 yen (tax included)
• Made in Japan

Opening/closing mechanism inspired by a "party-size" potato chip bag

The Chips Bag 13L features a roll-top vertical opening mechanism; when you open the main compartment, you can see exactly what you’ve packed.

To close it, you roll it toward the ripstop side, secure it with a single buckle, and finally pull the drawcord on the bottom to fix it in place.

This structure, which lets you see your packed items without rummaging, is highly convenient—if you organize smaller items into stuff sacks, you can pack haphazardly and still easily locate what you need.

Convenient shoulder pockets, mesh pocket, and drawcord

Store the items you need to access quickly in the external pockets.

Large shoulder harness pockets

The shoulder harness is equipped with large mesh pockets so you can quickly retrieve your smartphone, compact camera, or trail snacks.

Rear mesh pocket

The back features a mesh pocket large enough to store various sizes of bottles.

Convenient drawcord

The drawcord on the back is useful for quickly stashing a jacket you've taken off.

What is WELLDONE NAGOYA?

If you dig through the Circles blog, the oldest record of WELLDONE dates back to January 27, 2010. They are a neighbor that Circles has shared both joys and struggles with—in the best sense of the term—and they also run a nearby shop called pot equipment store.

A bicycle goods manufacturer based in Nagoya.
We produce, wholesale, and sell standard items like cycle caps, mobile holders, and bags, as well as frame bags and wallets. Bicycle + camping, bicycle + music, bicycle + hiking.
We engage in production activities under the theme of "bicycle + α," connecting cycling with other forms of FUN.

From Welldone Nagoya HP