Quality Improvements

In this post, we’d like to discuss the quality improvements we’ve incorporated into the Revolution™ Rolling Pack, and our overall quality philosophy.

When we developed our original product, the Venture Rolling Pack, in 2019, we started with five quality principles that have continued as we developed the Revolution Rolling Pack:

• Pick a manufacturing partner that cares about quality, and understands its importance to customers. We focused on suppliers who were fluent in English and willing to disclose their data and manufacturing practices.
• Use local independent inspectors who understand the culture and the industry, but report to us, and are motivated to ensure quality is excellent.
• Use quality materials and components. For example, we made the decision to use all-YKK zippers despite their extra expense, for their excellent global reputation, and their ability to provide engineering data confirming tensile strength.
• Conduct our own inspection when the product arrives at our warehouses.
• Design and test to build quality into the design from the start. For example, we used riveting and bartacking to strengthen handles and straps right from the start.

All of these practices continue with the Revolution Rolling Pack.

However, in developing the Revolution series, we challenged ourselves to improve quality further… and, along with the insights and experience provided by our over 1300 customers… we did! Here are some of the quality improvements incorporated into our latest product:

• On the front module (the Messenger Tote Pack), we changed the shoulder strap webbing from velcro-topped standard webbing to a wider and stronger form of seat-belt webbing. Not only is this stronger and more comfortable, it is also more elegant… and, from an engineering point of view, it generates the right amount of tactile resistance passing through the loops and cams of the strapping system, so that we were able to design a bag that can be worn as a shoulder bag, a messenger bag, or as a backpack.

• On the rear module (the Expandable Daypack), we revised the closure system for the bottom pocket that holds the rear cover (which now includes an under-pack sling that can carry a yoga mat or sleeping bag.) This had been a wear point on the Venture Rolling Pack, and had tended to pick up dust. By reversing the closure hook and loop system and adding wear-resistant CBT tape, we solved both of these problems, and made the new pack stronger than the old one.

• We found an innovative (patent pending) way to make the attachment zippers even more secure - a stretch loop that can be used to secure the zipper (which already had a locking zipper puller).