- A note from Tom -
My life has changed a lot in the last eight years. I used to go on multi-month hikes pretty much annually, but now my definition of adventure is much narrower. I still go hiking every week, but the reality is that I don't get my big packs out very often now. Even as the founder of an ultralight backpack company, my adventures are often over in a day, occasionally lasting a weekend, the pressures of running a company keeping my available time short.
When I think back to the pack I have used the most over the last eight years, it has without a doubt been the Nanu. I've had countless numbers of them over the last few years. I use them so often and so hard that I often test new materials and sewing techniques on them, eventually giving my retired old models to friends and family.
If we want to figure out how well a new pack material will last, it's the nanu that I will test it on, as that is the bag I will use the most. If we want to test it quickly, we give one to “Motown”, my wife. She will wear out most Ultralight fabrics in a few months on her daily dog walks too and from the office.
The Nanu is now sewn in a heavy, 390gsm organic cotton.
I did this because I wanted to explore textures in a bag that was decidedly not built to be Ultralight, but a rugged daily companion whether on the bike, at the office, or bagging a quick peak after work.
I take mine mountain biking, dog walking, running, walking to the office and back, to the lake loaded with picnic supplies, to the beach, to the shops, on the train.
Wherever I go, it goes.
I love the way the cotton ages, bedding in, softening and growing its own patina, the marks of its hard life showing in its fibres.
It might not be Ultralight, but that's alright sometimes. Daily life can be hard, and it's nice to have gear you don't have to baby.
