A short while back American dad swag leader New Balance made a play towards the commuter cycling market with the release of their C-Series shoes, a handful of breathable, lightweight sneakers with reflective detailing. A few of the designs were attractive, and a few more were not so much. To bolster the line and show their intentions are true, the Boston-based brand this past weekend introduced a set of bags made in collaboration with SF’s Timbuk2 to accompany there footwear. From first glance the C-Series backpack and sling are pretty rad. And after spending a few days with the former of the two, we can confirm this collab is worth a deeper look.
The C-Series Backpack is designed for the city, for fast paced wear and tear. The outer material is weather resistant and features a few iridescent panels that glow in direct light, making you more visible regardless of day or night. Reflective zipper pulls further improve visibility. As the bag is meant for commuters (on or off bike), it features a perforated air mesh back panel to help keep your back relatively dry and multiple super soft fabric lined pockets to keep your devices safe and sound. A hidden stretchy helmet carrier and U-lock pocket round out the most obvious features.
Which gets us to our only real gripe about the pack—it’s really big and might very well have too many pockets. Seriously, everywhere you look is a seam hiding another zipper which opens to another plush tech pocket. if you’re a maximalist, then this may be your new best friend. If you’re a minimalist looking for a sleek EDC option, then look to the RHC Travel Pack instead.
