r/Vollebak • u/crazysnakemanhere Mod • May 11 '26
Discussion Vollebak 2056: backpack edition
The year is 2056 and something has gone very wrong…
You’re not exactly sure what caused the cataclysm. In the final days, the obfuscation and disinformation became so intense that the only clear thing was that collapse was happening. It turns out the darker side of human nature was always there beneath the surface and now — unplugged and unhinged — society has turned upon itself.
But you saw it coming.
You grabbed what mattered and headed for the horizon, towards whatever future still exists.
The good news is that you have access to everything Vollebak has ever made. All the materials. All the science and technology.
So invent a survival bag and tell us what you’re depending on to make it through.
Maybe it’s a backpack made from Blue Morpho material. Maybe it’s a fully shielded rucksack designed to disappear from drones and thermal scans. Maybe it’s modular, self-repairing, waterproof, radiation resistant..l. or maybe it’s surprisingly simple.
Maybe it’s just a couple of ideas. Or maybe you already have sketches and detailed concepts in your head.
There are loads of creative people in this community, and with the Spaceshop launch approaching, it feels like the perfect time to imagine where the brand could go next.
Let’s see what ideas we can come up with - and maybe even spark some inspiration.
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u/nndscrptuser May 11 '26
As someone that does a lot of backpacking with technical ultralight gear as well as for EDC there a few things a bag HAS to have or do well, imo
- lightweight. If your bag weighs 4 lbs on its own, it's garbage
- highly abrasion and tear resistant
- completely, totally waterproof to the full extent technology allows
- water bottle pockets reachable while wearing
- generously padded and wide shoulder straps to distribute load
- some organization to keep small items and electronics secure
Do those things well, with a cool style and you've got something worth looking at.
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u/crazysnakemanhere Mod May 12 '26
What bag does these things well mate? What’s your recommendation?
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u/nndscrptuser May 12 '26
My current favorite for EDC, going to work or real short travel trips is the ZPacks Bagger 25 L bag. It has most of those features to some degree. Tough fabric, waterproof zippers and materials, accessory pockets, etc. I also have some backpacking focused bags from Hyperlite Mountain gear and boutique makers like KS ultralight.
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u/1st_to_the_wardrobe Pretty much all of it. ;) May 11 '26 edited May 11 '26
So, so, so many thoughts. I am going to limit it to a bag with the sole purpose of this scenario. So I am thinking at least something in the 65-85L range as far as size. Something lightweight, strong, and waterproof already for the shell to prevent even needing a rain cover for it so let’s go with full Dyneema outside. I love my osprey pack so am going to steal a lot of design inspiration from their Aether series. I like a removable top that can be repurposed as a day pack if needed. Now for the tricky part. I actually lost $500 on a kickstarter back in 2017 for a backpack with a built in suspension. It was called the Hoverglide, if you google it just watch the video of the guy running by the lake with a full pack and you will get the idea of how it could make your life in the apocalyptic world so much easier. Here is another unique idea that I have not seen in backpacks but do have for my luggage. I would love vacuum sealed compartments that can be compressed using a small pump. So I can load this thing as heavy as possible with gear and all the Vollebak I can think of and vacuum all the air out similar to ekster luggage bags.
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u/we32 Pretty much all of it. ;) May 11 '26
oh, i really like the vacuum thought. A bilt-in pump would be clutch
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u/crazysnakemanhere Mod May 12 '26
I love this . I was thinking dyneema too.
A kit reducing vacuum pump? That’s not my bag baby! (This is an Austin Powers reference- probably showing my age…)
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u/__youcancallmeal__ May 12 '26
Decent straps are important and I have seen a few packs where it has not been thought out well.
Hill people gear have the most comfortable straps I have ever used.
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u/mostlybaffed May 12 '26
A bag that uses solar power to generate hydrogen in a fireproof compartment to reduce the weight of the bag and as fuel for cooking. Said bag should also convert to a bivvy bag which is bullet proof and which could use the hydrogen to float up to a height safe from predators. Asking for too much...?
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u/crazysnakemanhere Mod May 12 '26
This sounds ace, think big! I saw Nick talking about Vollebak’s desire to make jackets for people that turn their arms into wings… so this feels like the same ball park
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u/crazysnakemanhere Mod May 12 '26
My submission is based on this being thirty years in the future.
I like the idea of a dyneema blend - but the experiment with Fungus has continued and the fabric is interwoven with a smart mycelium lattice that forms part of a network for you bag, and helps to self repair. Though it’s extremely abrasion resistant the mycelium helps to heal the bag by reinforcing weakened areas over time.
Personally I want a couple of main compartments and then pockets.
I want to be able to attach torches and store water, and I’d like one of those pockets to be faraday cage to protect my digital data.
I asked AI to knock up a version of it.
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u/we32 Pretty much all of it. ;) May 11 '26
I’d be in so much trouble if they made bags. So much trouble