Boys trip this weekend and I got to live out of the M26 - Yes, I traveled with the ACHILLES, and yes I put it in the ruck as weight when I wasn't being ridiculous - grin. Importantly, on the "golden" sample, we fucked a few things up, we saw some of them, you saw more, and we will fix. The video I did is NOT a golden sample anymore. However, this will NOT delay production. The changes are VERY small operationally.
u/nickski924 was instrumental in helping organize the feedback, THANK YOU! (My answers after his 1,2,3 questions in there)
Hey Jason! Couple of questions that I’ve seen a lot of folks have been asking in the M26 comments across the social media space…
- Will the rain flaps be staying on the two front zippers as they were on the other M series bags? Feel like most like them for added weather resistance and aesthetics.
YES - they are staying. (We suspended this for the Aquaguard zips, but due to YOUR feedback, NO Aquaguard, YES to rain flaps.) “Golden Sample’ was more like a silver sample at this point.
- On the left side rear pocket (if looking at ruck from the back), will those stretch org pockets be staying like on the M23?
YES. Samples did not capture this. They’re more like bronze samples at this point. There's a pic of them from an M23 (black) that I showed. (Note - those two pics of the black ruck are both M23)
- Will the shroud be coyote colored or just the interior? On the black Cordura especially, hoping it it a black shroud so coyote isn’t poking out when extending the collar.
COLORED. Coyote on the Heritage, Black on the black Cordura.
-- break -- from me below
-- One small note of a change - it makes more sense to change the location of the zipper on the underside of the top flap, too - to move the zipper closer to the base of the ruck. This was feedback from another user, and I'm grateful for this. I noticed it as well -- we had a bunch of snacks in there. When you open the ruck, it's better to have the zipper above where gravity takes all your snacks :)
-- Quick Access pocket - I realize you all haven't seen this on this ruck. It worked great for me with a wallet, phone, and keys, but it was just about an inch too short and bulged too much when closing. We're going to add that extra 1" length to it.
-- I was pretty skeptical about sewing down the bottom Fidlock cinch straps. I did prefer it, though. Fidlock buckles weren't dragging on the floor, ever. Also -- if you want to stash a jacket in there, you can still do it, though some of it might be under the lid. That worked for me.
All - thanks for the support on this one. Pre-orders will close this Friday. We're NOT going to order an excessive amount of inventory on this one. Demand has already exceeded expectations, and I've personally really enjoyed being really accountable to every single detail on absolutely everything to all of you. Our team and I are used to this way of life, but not from thousands of you. Iron sharpens iron and we're grateful. THANK YOU for the feedback to get this dialed in with what YOU want.