R.E.Load Journal

:: "That and That" Reception this Friday ::

2012-01-04T16:51:00.003-05:00

This Friday, January 6th, from 7pm - 10pm, we will be hosting a reception for Kris Chau and James Ulmer's "That and That" installation! A new set of mobile paintings especially created for the Detour window! Come through and check it out!

:: UPDATED Holiday Schedule ::

2011-12-16T08:47:00.002-05:00

Ok, we're now at the tail end of our holiday rush....which means that time is of the essence, so we want to make sure that all of our customers are 100% clear about what they need to do to get their orders delivered on time for the holidays. Please look over the following guidelines for ordering in-stock bags and accessories!

Custom bags ("Build Your Own" section):
It is now entirely too late to order ANY type of custom bag to be picked up or delivered by December 23rd! As clearly stated on our website, any custom bags (basically anything from the "Build Your Own" section or anything you are submitting graphics for) will not be made until after the new year.

Custom accessories:
If you are ordering through our website, custom accessories must be order by noon on Saturday, December 17th to ensure delivery by 12/23. This applies to any state in the US. IF YOUR ORDER INCLUDES A BAG AS WELL AS AN ACCESSORY, IT IS A BAG ORDER, NOT AN ACCESSORY ORDER! In that case, you must look at the BAG shipping schedule below!

In-stock bags ("Collections" or "Limited Edition" sections):
If you are ordering through our website, the bag(s) must be ordered by the following dates to ensure delivery by 12/23:
- AK, WA, OR, ID, MT, ND, CA, NV, UT, NM, TX, AZ orders must be placed by noon on Friday, December 16th
- AZ, WY, SD, NE, CO, OK, AR, LA, PR, HI, MS orders must be placed by 6pm on Saturday, December 17th
- Any other domestic order for any other state must be placed by noon on Monday, December 19th

In-stock accessories*:
If you are ordering through our website, the accessories must be ordered by noon on Monday, December 19th to ensure delivery by 12/23. This applies to any state in the US.
* Please note that any accessory with the words "custom" in the title is NOT an in-stock accessory. It is a CUSTOM accessory!

THERE ARE NO EXCEPTIONS TO THESE DEADLINES! IF YOU ARE ORDERING OFF OF THE WEBSITE, WITHOUT DIRECTLY CONTACTING US, AND YOU ORDER PAST THESE DEADLINES, YOU WILL NOT RECEIVE YOUR ORDER ON TIME!!!

If it is past the deadline for your location, we can still assist you with your order and get it to you on time, but you must call us so we can set up for rush shipping. UPS upgrade charges will apply. Call us at 215-625-2987 and we will be glad to go through your options with you! Please be aware of our store hours so that you can contact us directly. Please do not leave a message after hours and ask us to return your call so you can buy a bag! Call us during our normal hours. We will be here answering the phone from 10am-6pm Friday , 12pm-6pm Saturday, 10am-6pm on Monday, 10am-6pm Tuesday, and 10am-6pm Wednesday. WE ARE CLOSED FOR THE HOLIDAY AT 6PM ON WEDNESDAY. After that, nobody will be in the store until after the new year.

:: Holiday Schedule ::

2011-11-26T16:55:00.004-05:00

Ok, so its about that time to lay down a schedule for Holiday orders! Please check and make sure that if you need a bag to be delivered for the holidays, you're ordering it on time! We will be shipping on the following schedule; if you need to place an order with a quicker shipping time and/or after the 20th, you MUST call us directly. Otherwise we cannot guarantee proper delivery. Trying to adjust orders after the fact can potentially lead to confusion!!!

For orders including In-stock bags (Custom bag orders DO NOT fall into this category); delivery by Dec 23rd

- AK, WA, OR, ID, MT, ND, CA, NV, UT, NM, and TX: Order must be placed by 6pm Thursday, Dec 15th.
- AZ, WY, SD, NE, CO, OK, AR, LA, PR, HI and MS: Order must be placed by 6pm Friday, Dec 16th
- KS, MN, IA, MO, IL, WI, AL, GA, FL: Order must be placed by 6pm Monday, Dec 19th
- MI, IN, OH, KY, TN, WV, NY, VT, ME, NH, MA, RI, VA, SC, NJ, DE, MD, and CT and PA: Order must be placed by 6pm
Tuesday, Dec 20th

For orders including custom bags without graphics; delivery by Dec 23rd*

* We will continue to make bags for as long as humanly possible up to our deadlines, but please realize that for custom orders placed after these dates, we will have to charge a rush fee of 10% of the bag price. This is because we will be putting in extra hours to get your bag done on time if it is ordered late! If you need this service, please call us!

- AK, WA, OR, ID, MT, ND, CA, NV, UT, NM, and TX: Order must be placed by 6pm Thursday, Dec 1st.
- AZ, WY, SD, NE, CO, OK, AR, LA, PR, HI and MS: Order must be placed by 6pm Friday, Dec 2nd
- KS, MN, IA, MO, IL, WI, AL, GA, FL: Order must be placed by 6pm Saturday, Dec 3th
- MI, IN, OH, KY, TN, WV, NY, VT, ME, NH, MA, RI, VA, SC, NJ, DE, MD, and CT and PA: Order must be placed by 6pm
Monday, Dec 5th

For orders including custom bags with graphics; delivery by Dec 23rd

- PUT YOUR ORDER IN NOW WHY ARE YOU STILL WAITING?!? Rush fees may already apply; contact us for more info.

For orders that only include accessories, delivery by Dec 23rd

- If it is an in-stock accessory (ie. it's not from the "Build Your Own" section), you must put in the order by 6pm Monday,
Dec 19th to ensure Priority Mail delivery.
- If it is a custom accessory, you must put in your order by 6pm Friday, Dec 16th to ensure production and Priority Mail
delivery

:: BIG BIG SALE ::

2011-11-22T16:58:00.003-05:00

We've started our Small Business Saturday sale , and its a doozy! Pretty much everything we have in stock is on sale, with standard shoulder bags at least 15% off, and double straps at least 10% off (except for the Megapack, sorry!). There's also savings on every single graphic bag in stock, ranging from 10% to 35% off! And we're also dropping pricing on new color ways of Lockdown straps, our brand new V.3 belts, and frame pads. We've got a bunch of Chuey hats left from the summer, and those are over 30% off as well.

We couldn't leave out those who would like to order a custom bag made from scratch, so for you guys, we've got some free stuff to go along with your new bags when its done. We'll be adding a R.E.Load tee, beer coozie, or wallet free of charge with custom orders!

This sale will definitely go until Monday!! To all of our loyal customers and everybody who supports us - and other small businesses who still make great products in America - we hope you have a wonderful Thanksgiving!

:: MOLLE Flight Packs Available Today ::

2011-09-06T13:19:00.004-04:00

We're nearing the light at the end of the tunnel with this new MOLLE lineup! Today we're releasing the first model in the group, the Small MOLLE Flight Pack. We're figuring this will be the most popular of the bunch, so we're focusing on it for the initial launch. Available attachments will be the small, medium and large pouches, U lock holster and bottle holder. In the very near future we'll be adding pump/miscellaneous-tube-shaped-things straps, as well as a polo mallet holster.

You can check out our new MOLLE Flight Packs - in both standard CORDURA® and waxed canvas configurations - on our website
right now! Plus, if you order attachments along with the bag in the same color way, each attachment is discounted! If you'd like a bunch of different colors on the bag instead, we can of course do custom attachments.

Here's a little preliminary overview of how the attachments are installed.

Since all of this is new right now, we don't have much as far as stock yet. The plan is to have a nice stack of all-black attachments ready to go at all times, at a discount. We'll also be making some runs of attachments in random color ways, again at a discount. Hopefully this will happen in the next few weeks. Right now, custom MOLLE bag orders will be put in our normal schedule, which means about two weeks.

We'll start posting up the MOLLE shoulder bags in the next day or two! If you have any questions, comments, recommendations, etc., or if you just see something that was overlooked/messed up on the website, please email us!

:: September 10th - DETOUR Reception Featuring Tim Gough ::

2011-08-28T15:44:00.009-04:00

DETOUR is an artist run collective that curates bimonthly displays at R.E.Load. On Saturday, September 10th, we will be hosting a reception for their newest installation! Featuring artwork by Philadelphia artist Tim Gough, this will be our last party of the summer, and we're set to go out with a bang. Tim will have silk screened prints available for $20 and up, and we'll be supporting with refreshments of all kinds! We hope you can join us!

R.E.Load
608 N 2nd st
Saturday, September 10th
6pm - 10pm

:: More MOLLE ::

2011-08-06T15:47:00.003-04:00

Still working on the new MOLLE collection; here's a few more pics! This is a small Flight Pack with all three pouch sizes on it. The "small" pouch fits Iphones perfectly

The U-lock holder is made with a mesh front wall for drainage, and fits Kryptonite mini's

The bottle holder features an elastic lip and two cross-straps for security, and fits cycling water bottles, soda cans/bottles, and most other bottles all the way up to one liter!

More coming soon!

:: MOLLE Lineup Coming Soon ::

2011-08-04T15:25:00.004-04:00

We're working on a new line of bags utilizing MOLLE (MOdular Lightweight Load-carrying Equipment) system webbing! MOLLE is basically a standardized grid of webbing, with repetitive divisions stitched horizontally and vertically, that allows compatible attachments to be securely woven into the grid without the need for zippers or sewing. It is capable of making a bag entirely modular; you can put attachments wherever there is MOLLE webbing, as long as there are enough "loops" to handle the size of the particular attachment. So, if you've ever wanted, say, a u-lock holder in a certain place on your bag, or a water bottle pouch, or maybe just a big exterior pocket, whatever...your bag setup is now entirely up to you! These specialized attachments can be added or removed within minutes, and reused as you see fit.

We're very excited about this new lineup, because it will allow us to easily introduce new attachments down the line. The bag itself is a blank slate, and since it uses a standardized system, all we have to do is make sure all of our subsequent attachments use this same system.

Currently, we have plans for the following attachments:

Small, Medium, and Large Pouches:These will all be waterproof and feature flaps with both velcro closure AND a q/r clip. The Small size is being made with iPhones in mind.

U-Lock holders: These will be made to fit Kryptonite Mini's, and will feature a mesh front wall for drainage. The lock will be secured with a q/r strap on top.

Bottle Pouches: These will be made to fit most standard cycling water bottles, as well as many other bottles and cans, and will feature a mesh bottom panel for drainage and velcro cross straps up top for security while riding.

Pump Holder: It will.....hold your pump! Featuring two strong velcro cinch straps.

We're still working out several kinks and doing our best to make sure that our pouch sizing is ideal to work across all of our current platforms (single-strap bags from the Civilian and up, and all existing double-strap bags). We're also working on pricing. We expect to offer all of the base bags with triple-layer construction included in the pricing, though. Hopefully we can roll out this new collection in its entirety by the end of August!

We'd love to hear your comments, questions, concerns, suggestions, etc regarding this collection! Please email ro@reloadbags.com!

:: DETOUR Summer 2011 Reception ::

2011-07-06T11:54:00.003-04:00

As some of you may already now, when R.E.Load moved back to Northern Liberties in May, we began a collaboration with the Detour artist collective. They have been curating local work in our windows, and we are set to have a reception for their summer group show this Saturday, July 9th! 6pm - 10pm; liquid refreshments will be served. Come through!

Career Courier Trailer 02- Featuring Ellie!

2011-05-26T17:02:00.001-04:00

:: "The Works" Alleycat in Philly this weekend!! ::

2011-05-12T14:41:00.000-04:00

I'm super bummed that I'll be out of town for this one, but if YOU are in Philly (or need a reason to come through) this weekend, this even promises to be BIG. The peeps from Neighborhood Bike Works have been working on this event for a few months, and from what I've heard its a combination points/speed race that should guarantee fun for all. Theyve got an after party set up at Danger! Danger! Gallery, and proceeds from registration will go to help NBW program, so it's win-win really.

THIS SATURDAY, MAY 14TH !!
Race starts at 2pm at Washington Square Park (7th and Walnut).

:: Madlib Civilian ::

2011-05-02T15:25:00.004-04:00

Madlib is hands down one of the best hip hop producers ever. I think the first time I heard him - or should I say, realized that it was his work i was hearing - was off of a white label LP I picked up about a decade ago, simply titled "Madlib Remixes". There were a bunch of remixed tracks, including the Roots' "Don't See Us" and Gangstarr's "Just to Get a Rep". One of the standouts, for me at least, was his remix of Noreaga's "Misery Needs Company". The bouncy swing of the keys, coupled with the drum tracks, was just a sound I hadnt really heard before. And when I heard his treatment of the Slum Village classic "Look of Love Part 2", I knew I was hooked.

Madlib started off with his group Lootpack, and although he's really know for his production, I've always loved his voice and odd, off-kilter flow on the mic. On the cut "Whenimondamic", he can be found rhyming with Wildchild:

Madlib is pretty much responsible for what I would figure is a lot of people's introduction and subsequent crazed following of Stones Throw Records. Known to be constantly at home making beats - usually on some pretty bare-bones setups, such as the Boss SP-303 sampler, which at the time could generally be found for around $200 - Madlib began making a steady stream of music for the fledgling label. Jaylib (a collaboration with the late great J Dilla), Madvillain (an incredibly successful collaboration with MF Doom that has lead to a sequel and remix albums), a solo effort on BBE Records titled "WLIB AM: King of the Wiglflip:, and countless production credits with all types of rappers and musicians. Madlib's discography can truly go up against the best of them.

For all of his work with some of the greatest mc's ever, I think my highest level of admiration for Madlib came when it was revealed that he had been making music as a jazz band, playing every part in the band, and releasing EP's as different personas within the band. Dubbed "Yesterday's New Quintet", he'd been generating fans without them even knowing, at least in the beginning, that everything was in fact just him playing instruments himself. His father had been a musician, and obviously it had helped mold him. As Yesterday's New Quintet, Madlib released a stack of music, including a tribute album inspired by the music of the legendary Stevie Wonder. Later on, Blue Note opened up their hallowed vaults and allowed him to sample from their library (which he turned into his album "Shades of Blue")!! Additionally, Madlib has released broken beat albums as "DJ Rels". And of course, a few albums as his helium-voiced, muppet-looking alter ego "Quasimodo".

Most recently, Madlib has been releasing a series of albums under the moniker "The Beat Konducta" (one of his long-time nicknames). These works have spanned the range of his interests from Hip Hop, to African and Indian music, to Disco, and are still continuing as we speak.

I could really go on and on about Madlib, but I'll leave it with these small tastes of his work. I hope you enjoy it!

2011-04-08T15:35:00.005-04:00

Catch R.E. Load in the new Triple Rush show premiering on the Travel Channel on April 14th! Check out their Messenger Gear Guide also!

:: We're Moving ::

2011-03-21T11:18:00.003-04:00

I think at this point, quite a few people (in Philadelphia, at least) know that we are about to move out of our Chinatown production studio and back to our Northern Liberties storefront location, although we haven't really made an "official" announcement about it up to this point. Basically though, we will be relocating on March 29th, and will be reopening on April 5th. Which means that we'll be closed from March 26th through April 5th (if you have an order to pick up, you can still come grab it after we move, and we will still be shipping orders out although there may be a day or two delay if the order comes in on the 28th or 29th).

We're incredibly excited about our return to 608 N 2nd street. First of all, we will be able to be more of a part of the cycling and arts communities here in Philadelphia. Our current studio space is amazing, and to be honest, there is more than a little sadness that comes with moving out of here. But at the same time, it's a far from ideal spot as far showcasing our staff and product goes, and it's not exactly the most accessible and inviting place in the world. Its function as primarily a "production studio" dictated an awkward schedule that included a small chunk of saturday hours "by appointment only". And there's not much else around as far as shops and places of interest. The Northern Liberties store, in contrast, can be open all day on saturdays, and is surrounded by a number of cool shops and restaurants. We've had a good amount of time to plan out how the store will be set up, and we're happy to be able to arrange things so that when people walk in, they'll not only be presented with new displays and a ton of bags, but they'll also be able to see these bags being made right in front of them.

The best part about returning to 608 is that we will be able to host parties and openings again! Starting with our grand re-opening party on saturday, April 9th, we plan to hold events in the space every month or two. We'll have local artists' work in the space, we'll have bag shows featuring artists from around the world, and we'll have product launches and parties. Additionally, we're working with some of the artists from the Compound Warehaus, who will have full reign over one of our window displays, keeping things looking awesome all around.

So overall, there's a lot about to happen over here, and we're really happy to be at the starting point of yet another new venture! One side note; we can say we're 99% certain that there will not be an April/Maypril Fool's fun ride this year...we just have too much going on during that time period. We do plan to have some different events that should help make up for this, though, and I believe Neighborhood Bike Works is planning and event in April, so hopefully we can help to swing a lot of people in their direction.

Looking forward to welcoming everybody to the new shop in April!!!

Spokes & Arrows

2011-03-17T14:48:00.004-04:00

We here at RE Load are just excited that cycling is becoming more and more popular, and a shop such as Spokes & Arrows is an integral part of pushing cycling to the forefront of human transportation. This shop, hailing from Melbourne, Australia is dedicated to offering the finest cycling apparel for men and women from the world over, including, yours truly, RE Load Bags.

:: Studio Closed During Holidays ::

2010-12-21T11:18:00.002-05:00

The crew over here in the Philadelphia studio will be taking a much needed break for the holidays! We'll be closing at 2pm Thursday, December 23rd for our annual holiday party, and we'll be gone from then until Monday, January 3rd. Ro will be running in and out of the studio from time to time during the hiatus, so there will be no problems shipping in-stock orders during this time. Also, if you have an questions/issues, hit up ro@reloadbags.com for the quickest response.

Thanks to all of our wonderful customers and dealers for making this a successful holiday 2010! See you in 2011!

:: Limited Edition Holiday Packs ::

2010-12-02T17:58:00.003-05:00

Over the holidays we always talk to a lot of customers who want to get something from R.E.Load as a gift for somebody, but they're not quite sure how to go about it. Custom bags are awesome, of course, but sometimes it's hard to really know exactly what people want. And honestly, while we'd love for everybody out there to be going around giving their loved ones custom R.E.Load bags, they do make for a pretty extravagant gift in most cases.

With all this in mind, we decided that this season we would make some assortments of smaller items available. So we're happy to introduce three different gift packs, in three different limited color ways, ranging from $30 to $85. We've got new wallets, beer coozie's, tees, belts, and hip packs. Best of all, we're making up a short run of musette bags to go along with all the packs! They're a great way to present these goodies to their lucky recipients, and are currently available only through the purchase of a gift pack.

* We are taking orders for these gift packs starting immediately. Please be aware that we plan to make these up in batches following the initial orders, so they will be shipping December 17th.

Happy Holidays!!

:: Zlog x R.E.Load Lockdown Straps ::

2010-11-26T10:08:00.002-05:00

Zlog has been supporting the fixed gear trick scene for quite a while with info about new bikes and products, a cool clothing line, and now a full team of talented riders. Zach at Zlog has been rocking our Lockdown straps ever since their initial release. We spoke briefly a while ago about doing some sort of collaboration, and it was pretty much a no-brainer do do a run of branded Lockdown straps for Zlog. Featuring our new dark gray waxed canvas and an embroidered Zlog patch, these are available exclusively in the Zlog Boutique and will be shipping in time for the holidays! Pre-order now!

:: Black Friday Sale ::

2010-11-24T21:06:00.003-05:00

We're having a sale for Black Friday! Most of our bag stock will be 20% off, Lockdown straps and Pro Tool Rolls will be discounted, and our new tees will be on sale as well. It'll be the perfect time to snatch an early present, or of course just get something for yourself!

Please keep in mind that our studio will be closed until next Tuesday, so this sale will be online only. We will not be in the studio to take calls or answer emails. All items will ship early next week. Local pickups are still ok, but the order must be placed through our website. No rain checks!

:: Holiday Schedule ::

2010-11-22T15:07:00.006-05:00

Going into the normally hectic holiday season, we're doing our best to keep our schedule open to December orders. However, at some point there just isn't enough time to get everything done and shipped in time, especially for orders on the west coast. So we're going with the following deadlines for custom orders to be delivered by December 24th. This is for bags/accessories that need to be made from scratch, NOT for in-stock items! In-stock items can be ordered on a later schedule, which is outlined below as well.

CUSTOM ORDERS

Tuesday, December 7th:
Last day for ordering custom Minipacks, Midpacks, or Megapacks. LAST DAY FOR ORDERING ANY BAG WITH GRAPHICS. After this date these orders will carry a a rush fee of $20 plus 20% of any applicable graphics charges. AFTER THIS DATE YOU MUST CALL US DIRECTLY AT 215-625-2987 TO PLACE THE ORDER. We will try and accept these type of orders for as long as possible, but we cannot guarantee how long this will be, as it depends on demand.

Tuesday,December 14th:
Last day for ordering custom Flight Packs, Dashes, Sprints, Messenger Mini's, Small Civilians, Civilians, and Superluxes. After this date these orders will carry a a rush fee of $15, and YOU MUST CALL US DIRECTLY AT 215-625-2987 TO PLACE THE ORDER. We will try and accept these type of orders for as long as possible, but we cannot guarantee how long this will be, as it depends on demand.

Friday, December 17th:
Last day for ordering custom Lockdown straps and Hip Packs. After this date these orders will carry a a rush fee of $10, and YOU MUST CALL US DIRECTLY AT 215-625-2987 TO PLACE THE ORDER. We will try and accept these type of orders for as long as possible, but we cannot guarantee how long this will be, as it depends on demand.

IN-STOCK ORDERS* (aka "this bag/accessory already exists in our store"):

PLEASE NOTE: ANY "BUILD YOUR OWN BAG" ORDERS ARE NOT IN-STOCK! THEY MUST BE MADE FROM SCRATCH, AND THEREFORE DO NOT QUALIFY AS "IN-STOCK"!!!!

Thursday, December 16th:
Last day for orders shipping UPS ground to Washington, California, Nevada, Idaho, Montana, New Mexico, Texas, Hawaii. Orders must be in by 2pm EST!!!

Monday, December 20th:
Last day for orders shipping UPS ground to Arizona, Colorado, Wyoming, South Dakota, Nebraska, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Louisiana, and Alaska.Orders must be in by 2pm EST!!!

Tuesday, December 21st:
Last day for orders shipping UPS ground to Kansas, Minnesota, Iowa, Missouri, Illinois, Wisconsin, Alabama, Florida, and Georgia. Orders must be in by 2pm EST!!!

Wednesday, December 22nd:
Last day for orders shipping UPS ground to Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Rhode Island, Connecticut, Massachusetts, Western Pennsylvania, Michigan, Ohio, Indiana, West Virginia, Virginia, Kentucky, Tennessee, and South and North Carolina. Orders must be in by 2pm EST!!!

Thursday, December 23rd:
Last day for orders shipping UPS ground to Philadelphia and its immediately surrounding burbs, New York City, New Jersey, Delaware, and Maryland. Orders must be in by 2pm EST!!!

Friday, December 24th:
Last day for in-store pickups.

* PLEASE CALL US DIRECTLY AT 215-625-2987 IF YOU NEED TO PLACE ORDERS WITH EXPEDITED SHIPPING BEYOND THESE GROUND DEADLINES

:: House Party Cat 3D ::

2010-11-19T15:22:00.002-05:00

This weekend it's time for House Party Cat 3D!!!! If you're not already in Philly for tonight's goldsprints, you'll want to be here tomorrow for the race for sure. All of the stops are parties; what more can you ask for? After two successful years, the third year's gonna be ridiculous and we can wait to see the carnage.

We're also sponsoring the race for the third straight year. Aside from custom Lockdown straps for the Keg King and Keg Queen, Brie stitched up this Civilian, which includes our new 215 strap. Based on the artwork from the race promotion, she took things a step further in the blue/red 3D theme and customized the stitching on the bag to represent in 3D! If you win this bag, you've earned it. Maybe not by actually riding fast, but by being awesome.

We'll see you all out there this weekend, and a big shout out to Jeff O'Neill for throwing this thing together again.

:: New Tees in Stock ::

2010-11-04T13:11:00.002-04:00

Nothin' major; we re-upped our logo tee inventory and finally got the "Cats Wearing T-Shirts" T-Shirts printed up. We had em out at the Philly Bike Expo, now they're up on our site as promised! Available in unisex sizes small-XL. Printed right here in Philly by Outlaw Print Co.

:: Throwback Logo Charcoal Waxed Canvas Flight Packs ::

2010-10-28T15:10:00.007-04:00

In celebration of the first (hopefully annual) Philly Bike Expo, we decided to make an offshoot limited run of our new Flight Packs. We just got in some amazing charcoal waxed canvas, and we've got 15 replicas of our original embroidered logo patch. So we're set to do a run of up to 15 Flight Packs (in either size), starting with this one right here, which will be on display all weekend at the Expo.

We're also debuting our new billfold wallets. They're perfect for people who simply need to keep their bills crisp and hold a couple of cards. For those of you looking for Costanza wallets, these are not for you. Available in brown waxed canvas or black cordura.

Finally, we're introducing the next generation of our Sprint, Dash, and Softpack models. We've upgraded the to the same wonderful, waterproof fabric lining from our Flight Packs, and our lightest bags are now as weatherproof as the rest of our lineup! We've also switched to the 215 strap for Sprints and Dash's. The Softpack sheds its outer pockets and now stands as our lightest, simplest double strap to date.

If you miss the Bike Expo, check for these updates to be on our website right after the weekend!

:: Flight Pack Finalized ::

2010-08-26T16:17:00.005-04:00

We've been tinkering a bit with the pattern and aesthetics for soon-to-be-released Flight Pack (the large size, at least) over the past week or so. Mostly, we wanted to provide for a bit of depth (when necessary) in the outside pocket, while keeping the lines clean. In the end, we're going to go with dual folds on the outside pocket (similar to the construction of a surgeons' mask), which allows for the pocket to bulge out a few inches near the bottom. The folds are centered between the lines created by the trim of the outside pockets. We decided to go with topstitching - rather than using trim - on the pocket flap and folds, which was purely an aesthetic choice. Just felt like several trimmed edges started to look a little busy.

Other than that, no real changes were necessary, so we're happy to say that the new Flight Pack is ready to go! It should be up on the website next week, and will be retailing for $200 (for the large). Dimensions for the large Flight Pack are 19" H x 14.5" W x 8"D when rolled up. We will definitely be releasing a smaller version as well, which will probably be about 16" H x 11.5" W x 6" D. Might take a week or two after the initial release to get the smaller version going.

We're really psyched about this bag and get wait to get some of them out there!

:: Flight Pack Coming Soon ::

2010-08-13T11:35:00.004-04:00

Several months ago a couple of us were in the studio and the subject of a "soft" Midpack came up. Most of us here have left the days of messengering behind us, and so we tend to use double-straps on a daily basis. The Midpack is awesome, but sometimes you just want something really simple, and moreover you want something that's lightweight for the times where you really don't have much in it. This is the same line of thinking that originally lead us to create the Sprint/Dash and Softpack models, which are basically a trivial amount of weight when they're empty.

While we were discussing this, we also began to look for a new liner material that would allow us to create a truly weatherproof bag that was still soft, pliable, and light. A few fabric samples and several incarnations later, finally we were left with the next model to be introduced into the R.E.Load family: the Flight Pack. The lining is basically a vinyl-coated poly fabric; the side that is exposed within the bag has the feel of a piece of clothing while still being quite resistant to abrasion. For the outside pockets, we decided to stick with our default truck tarp liner material, which helps pockets retain their shape. The side pockets borrow the mesh bottoms from our Midpack/Minipack models, and fit water bottles, u-locks, etc. perfectly while allowing proper drainage.

Inside the bag, we've got our standard organizer pocket set up. The rear wall is padded with closed-cell foam, and once again the Flight Pack borrows from the MIdpack for its padded shoulder straps, adjustable sternum strap, and handle.

I've been using different forms of this bag for a few months now, and honestly it's just a really, really comfortable and dynamic pack. Pliability is not a term that quickly pops into most peoples' minds when they think about our bags, but this new liner material really makes the bag feel super broken-in from the get go. The bag is light and easy.

We expect to release the Flight Pack in two sizes. The Large version measures roughly the same dimensions as the Midpack and should be coming out in early September. The Small version will be closer to the Minipack and will probably be released in late September. Additionally, we will be carrying over this new liner material to the Dash and Sprint models, making them truly weatherproof as well.

:: SuperLuxe's are Here ::

2010-07-30T11:41:00.003-04:00

A while back we started working on a new strap system - which we've also just released - in conjunction with a few improvements to our Deluxe model. A longstanding favorite amongst working messengers due to its sheer size and durability, the Deluxe has remained unchanged for longer than any other bag in our lineup. Although the SuperLuxe can technically be thought of as the "Deluxe 2.0", we opted for a new name and a fresh start. For summer 2010, we've made the switch to our new 215 (two-one-five) strap, which is essentially a hybrid of our old school metal buckle and our new split strap system. This strap is center-adjusting, but swaps the plastic quick release buckle for our metal webbing buckle, allowing the classic feel of our old strap system in an updated form.

Along with the 215 strap, we've added triple-layer construction to the SuperLuxe. The waterproof, 18-oz. vinyl coated nylon layer is now sandwiched between a layer of pack cloth and a layer of cordura, with no thru-stitches. While this technically helps to weatherproof the bag, this has never been an issue anyway, so the main purpose is to help protect the vinly layer from abrasion and prolong the lifetime given the huge amount of opening/closing cycles a messenger's bag goes through. Finally, we added a stock blinky light loop, just because. The bag maintains the standard double outside pockets and base compression straps from the original Deluxe.

The SuperLuxe takes its place as our flagship single-strap as the Deluxe retires (you can still configure a "Deluxe" bag using the Courier model of the bag build page on our site). We look forward to seeing this new model on messengers worldwide!

:: Rewind: Oakley B-1B Grips ::

2010-07-27T18:06:00.005-04:00

A little while back Oakley started a limited run re-issue of their B-1B grips. I'm embarrassed to say I've actually had my hands on a pair of these for a few weeks now, but haven't had a second to give them a good run through up till now.

Anybody who knows me knows that I've pretty much always rocked old bmx stuff on my bikes. Through the late nineties Italian track frame era, the early 2000's NJS craze, up through now, on pretty much every bike I've set up, I've slapped on a plastic bmx seat and some old school grips. I STILL have a few new Viscount Aero and Hutch Trick Top seats sitting in my closet waiting for the next project. In any case, suffice to say that I'll take the old Oakley, A'me, and ODI grips over the current crop of handles almost any day. Oury's are probably the "newest" grips i've ever put on a bike, and those still go back further than i can remember.

Oakley's B-1B reissue takes it back to a lost era. They've got a dual compound construction, with a soft, white sleeve featuring what can be best described as "octopus suckers", covering a royal blue internal grip. The stiff flange is appreciated and our hands are protected by an old school neoprene donut. on the outside end of the grip, there's a thick-walled integrated end cap to help protect against the cookie cutter effect.

The grips are shorter than what most people will be used to...they also feel a bit slimmer than normal, but honestly I'm coming off of the notoriously thick Oury's, so that might not actually be the case. What IS the case is that these tings are incredibly comfortable, and moreover, stay grippy when they're wet. I'm so used to having to put the clutch of death on the Oury's that I'd forgotten what its like to just "hold" a grip!

Unfortunately for most of us, the Oakley crew is just doing a short run of these - and only in the White/Royal scheme - so if you want a pair you'd be well advised to act now!

:: Fast Forward in Three Days ::

2010-07-14T14:32:00.002-04:00

Ok, we're a couple days from the Philadelphia leg of the DVS/Cadence Fast Forward event....here's the final details:

The main race is on Saturday, July 17th, starting at 1pm. You can register from noon until then for $5. Registration is at Penn Treaty Park. The main race is a WINNER TAKES ALL burner. DVS has put up $250 in cash, and this will be added to 100% of the registration fees that are collected. We're really hoping to get a good 50 or so people out for the race, which would mean $500 to the winner! Should be a big help should they choose to head out to SF for the series finals. Additionally the winner will receive a pair of H PLus Son rims.

You will not need a bag for this race. This is a straight up "point-to-point, get signatures" deal here. First to the finish wins. Ride any type of bike that you like. Checkpoints MUST be done in order. Here's the course:

Start: Penn Treaty Park
#1: I wont give an exact address but its in the Mann Music Center/Bala Cynwood/Manayunk vicinity
#2: FDR Park
#3: 46th and Spruce
Finish: Water Street under 95

After the main race is finished, we'll be doing a series of "last man out" races and giving away some R.E.Load, Cadence, and Fabric horse stuff. We made the change to this plan - rather than just giving absolutely everything to the main race winner - so that more people can come and enjoy the event. Entry in the sprint races is free! We expect the sprints to begin around 3:30-ish.

After the sprints are done we can head to Tattooed Moms for some specials; we'll have the upstairs.

Hope to see a good crowd out there on Saturday!

:: Fast Forward Alleycat ::

2010-07-05T16:10:00.001-04:00

:: Couldn't We Ride ::

2010-06-23T14:37:00.005-04:00

A while back I got an email from Maggie Smith at Quirk gallery in Richmond, Virginia. Essentially inviting us to take part in a group show featuring friends (Taliah Lempert of Bicyclepaintings.com, Kevin Dillard of Demoncats.com) and some other very interesting artists, it was a no-brainer to accept. Initially, I was at once incredibly appreciative to get the invite in the first place, extremely excited to get the chance to put some work in a show, and impressed at the very advanced notice. For the most part, I get contacted by race organizers and event planners say, maybe a whopping two to three weeks before they need things from us, so getting months and months to prepare was a nice luxury.

Anyway, so the upcoming opening gave me a great excuse to finally start on a project that wasn't a bag. Back when we had our shop in Old City (I think this was about 2003-2006; it was right smack in the middle of all the galleries that would take part in First friday), we used to host an opening just about every month. along with this, we would have an annual show where we would invite a bunch of artists to work on a flap or bag and we'd make things along with them, showcasing the collaborations as well as our own lines. After we moved up to Northern Liberties, we had one final bag show. A year later we took part in the Pedal:Reloaded show in Seattle, which was awesome. Since then though, although we've tossed around the idea of having another show, our general workload has been enough to keep us from progressing much past an initial discussion.

One of the things I'd always thought about was working on applique pieces as actual wall hangings, rather than parts of bags. Obviously, I love making artwork for R.E.Load bags, but along with that comes not only dimensional restraints, but also a necessary level of commitment to wear a piece day in and day out, and expose it to the elements and excessive wear and tear. Ideas swirled around my head, but I honestly never got anywhere near starting on a project in the past.

Since Quirk's show - titled "Couldn't We Ride" - is based on art in cycling and comes at the tail end of Richmond's Bike Month, a portrait of a cycling legend seemed fitting. Merckx was pretty much my first though, so I set to work. Overall, the process is identical to what we do on bags, with the exception that since I was dealing with a piece of fabric about twice the size as a Deluxe bag flap, it was a bit harder to manipulate everything under the machine. The image size is about 19.5" x 16.5".

Here is the photo that i decided to work off of for the piece:

Setup really IS everything when doing detailed applique, and this was no different. It took several hours to cut and place all of the elements of text, shading, etc. on the panel. One benefit of a larger format is that all of the small details are that much larger,so for that I was a bit thankful.

One thing I knew would be necessary was a frame that went well with the piece, so I spent a bit of time rummaging around various thrift stores in Philly until I came across the final frame. I think it goes perfectly with the piece, both in its general design and weathered appearance.

I also wound up making a new Music Tribute Series bag for the show, as well as a separate piece that's really more of a study of what our applique machine can do. Its more of a technical study, that is. Gerik made some awesome miniature bags as well as several small framed applique pieces, and Brie made a new beach tote with some intense applique work on it. I'll be grabbing photos of all of those at the show; will post soon!

The opening reception for "Couldnt We Ride" is Friday, July 2nd, and I'll be traveling down to Richmond for the first time ever to check it out and hopefully meet the other artists:

Kevin Dillard
Justin Rothshank
Taliah Lempert
Stellina Sport
Noah Rosen
Suzanne Carlsen
Villin Cycle Works
Bilenky Cycle Works
Kara Ginther

Quirk Gallery
311 West Broad St
Richmond VA 23220
804.644.5450
www.quirkonbroad.blogspot.com
www.quirkgallery.com

New Cadence Summer 2010 Collection

2010-06-05T20:28:00.004-04:00

"Nonrepresentational Representations", the new Cadence collection, features a rolltop backpack, designed by yours truly. There is a limited run of this bag, and it is only available on the Cadence site. Look for it in a different colorway on the R.E. Load site later in the summer. We are also equally excited about the new DVS X Cadence shoe in this collection. Dustin is staying true to his style and continuing to be truly innovative. We are excited to be working with him.

Prize Bags, Tons of Straps, and Lots Coming

2010-04-17T13:33:00.009-04:00

So the past month has been chock full of activity over here! We released our new Lockdown foot straps in the beginning of April, and the initial feedback could not have been any better. We've already been filling orders from all over the globe, and we're pretty happy about the number of shops that will be stocking these. If your local shop doesn't yet carry them, feel free to give 'em a little prod in the right direction!

We're also sponsoring two awesome events this month! On April 24th, check out Fixed Fight 4 in Florida (St. Petersburg). Contrary to what the name might imply, the race is open to bikes and riders of all kinds. Last year they had over 200 entrants! For a measly five bones, you have the chance to win this amazing custom prize bag made by Gerik (artwork by Julius Santiago, who designed all of he promotional materials for the race).

Julius is doing a really cool project where he is designing 365 different bears, the above one being one of them. You can check out the whole project here.

I've also just finished a custom bag to be raffled off in a benefit for this years CMWC in Guatemala. This year, in an effort to get people to register BEFORE the event, there will be a series of giveaways that new registrants are eligible for. This way, the organizers can actually raise some the necessary money for the event in advance, and hopefully not have to extend too much of their own funds beforehand and then hope to recoup during the event itself. Makes a lot of sense, and actually gets their sponsors promoted on a broader level than just the awards ceremony.

Anyway, so far Pac has donated one of their Ultimate OS messenger bags (Pac's are sick, and were it not for the fact that I make my own bags, I'd surely be using a Pac), which has already been raffled off. I made this SuperLuxe bag a few days ago for the next drawing, which will take place on May 1st. Make note that that's also the date when registration will go up from $80 to $100. So, three great reasons to register NOW: 1) This year's CMWC is going to be awesome and is being organized by veterans and long-time leaders such as Andy Zalen and Nadir, 2) You can save $20 and make the organizers' lives much easier, and 3) you can win a custom R.E.Load bag worth over $325. DO IT!!!!

Oh, so the 18 stars on the flap are for the 18th Annual CMWC. You can find information about the dates, events, housing, and of course, registration on the official CMWC website.

More on the SuperLuxe: this bag is a model that will be released very shortly, and is basically a redesign of our current flagship messenger bag, the Deluxe. Nothing too crazy, just a few change based on some things that our riders have been asking for here and there. We've introduced three-layer construction, featuring an inside layer of pack cloth. This helps to protect the vinyl liner from abrasion and generally improves the "feel" of the bag when you're reaching in to get something. This layer is added in the final stages of construction, and as such has no thru-stitching. This should serve to make the bag even more weather-resistant than it is already (not that we've ever had any complaints about the Deluxe) - and also, in a small way, is aesthetically more pleasing. 2" wide hook UltraMate velcro runs across the flap for extra security, and a blinky light loop will be standard. Finally - and this might actually be the most exciting new bit on this model - we've made up a new hybrid strap system that features our new split-strap padding and seatbelt webbing, while keeping our original nickel-plated metal buckle. This stemmed from one comment that we heard over and over again from messengers: "I really like the split-strap, but i miss the action on the old-school metal buckles". Well, now you can have the best of both worlds! Easy, chest/front adjustment, with the smooth action and aesthetic elegance of a steel buckle. The one down side is that the strap can no longer be unclipped (as with the split strap), but we've found that most messengers are adjusting their straps frequently and simply release strap to remove the bag, rather than unclipping it in the middle. Non-messengers tend to adjust strap length less frequently (since they have a more consistent volume of stuff in their bags), and unclip more instead.

What else....oh, I've been working on a prototype for a soft, rolltop midpack. Basically, something with a bit of a simpler layout, and lighter, for general use. It'll feature cordura with two layers of pack cloth (the inner layer with no thru-stitching). So far the bag has been awesome; I definitely have some minor changes/additions, but hope to release for summer time! Here's a pic (along with my new bike, courtesy of Bryan at Bicycle Revolutions.

Oh, and if you havent registered yet for the Maypril Fools Ride.......now is the time!!! Event tees are NOT guaranteed if you register after the 24th!!! Go do it now, here.

:: Lockdown Foot Straps Coming in April ::

2010-03-07T12:05:00.003-05:00

We're in the final stages of development for our soon-to-be-released "Lockdown" foot straps! Basically, all we have left to do is choose a few color ways for our "stock" straps, and some configurations for customizing. The feedback we've received from testers, shops, and the fixed gear community in general has been extremely positive, so we're excited to announce a release date of April 1st for these. Shop orders have already been pouring in, and we are committed to getting these orders to our shops in time for this release as well...meaning, in a few weeks you will be able to find these at your local R.E.Load dealer!

Gerik and I went through a few iterations before settling on the final design. At first, I was fairly committed to utilizing hardware for the outboard end of the lower straps. After a few prototypes, we realized simplicity would be the best way to go. Therefore, the only hardware present on these straps is our classic nickel-plated D-ring, which in this case, serves as the connection between the inside of the lower and upper straps. Aside from creating a hard point for the upper strap attachment, the arc of the ring allows the strap to pivot naturally to find the perfect angular position over the riders' foot. Something, actually, we hadn't anticipated, but a wonderful discovery nonetheless. The lower straps are a double-layer of our 1" messenger bag webbing, while the upper strap is our 2" messenger bag seatbelt webbing, covered in Cordura and with trimmed edges. Four layers of Velcro are sandwiched in between all of this when the foot straps are assembled. The end result is a sturdy, secure, and resilient strap that is also very, very comfortable.

Lockdown straps will be offered as four basic options:
1) Stock Color Ways: We'll always stock black, as well as at least two other color combinations. These will retail for $47
2) Custom Color Ways: Choose from our 30+ Cordura colors for the strap, as well as your choice of two colors from our 20 trim colors. One week turnaround. These will retail for $52
3) Custom Color Ways and Stripes: Same as above, but add two stripes of color and/or reflective material. One week turnaround. These will retail for $57
4) Limited Editions: Seasonal styles and patterns. First up will be Brie's woodgrain print. Pricing will vary on these.

We'll be doing some random drawings from our newsletter subscription list in the next few weeks; winners will receive a free pair of brand new Lockdown straps! Sign up for your chance to win!

East & West Smash Up Race!

2010-02-26T19:26:00.000-05:00

R.E. Load in UNIONMADE

2010-02-06T19:00:00.004-05:00

Our Frontier Knapsack is now available at UNIONMADE. A unique, Americana style men's fashion boutique in the Castro. After yapping away with Todd Barket in his new store and gushing over everything in the store, I couldn't help but want to be a part of it.
UNIONMADE | 493 Sanchez Street | San Francisco, Calif. | 415-861-3373

2010-02-04T18:57:00.002-05:00

I've been talking with Ed, from Pheonix Bikes, whose "Mission is to empower youth to become social entrepreneurs through direct participation in a financially and environmentally sustainable nonprofit bike shop that serves the community. We provide a fun, safe, and challenging environment for local youth through building & running a great community bike shop. We believe this is a unique way for young leaders to learn teamwork, explore social entrepreneurship, develop business and leadership skills, and serve others." We are proud to support them as a sponsor for their upcoming 3rd Annual Bike Show.

:: Denim Collection Available Now!! ::

2009-09-22T17:37:00.008-04:00

A little while ago Sonrisa began working on this newest collection of bags. I'll let you get the skinny directly from her, but I've gotta say, I think these bags are incredibly well-designed and stitched. She alludes to it a bit in her summary, but each flap and pocket is constructed of several pieces of salvaged denim. They are arranged in a way that might be missed by the casual observer, but much like your favorite pair of jeans, little details become more and more apparent the more time you spend with them. Anyway, taken directly from designer Sonrisa Rodriguez:

"I was about to go on tour with my friend’s band and I needed to make myself a backpack for traveling. I kept putting the project off because I wasn’t sure what color cordura I wanted to use, and if I even wanted to bother making it custom in some way. I wanted a colorway that could go with anything I chose to wear without being too simple or safe. Dismissing the idea of a practical all black bag as the easy way out and a heavily appliquéd flap as beyond my skill level, I started considering using alternate materials in lieu of cordura. A thorough raid of my home fabric stash made me quickly realize that I had a disproportionate amount of denim scraps at my disposal in the form of sleeves, pant legs, and the eventual fabric source for my soon-to-be midpack: an intact pair of grey stonewashed jeans. I had accidentally stumbled upon an exciting bag idea!"

"If I were to name a source of inspiration for me in the creation of this series I would have to point to the New York street fashions of my youth. I am a child of the 80's and was a kid in the early 90's so I may have a slight bias towards that era, but I can honestly say that the creativity I was exposed to as a kid by walking down the streets of my neighborhood has never been surpassed. Anyone who came up during that time can no doubt remember denim playing a large part in their wardrobe, whether it was in the form of a favorite pair of jeans, overalls, or jacket. It was omnipresent and more than a bit gratuitous, but one thing it had on its side was durability. Many of the clothing supplied for this line could very well be a favorite skirt of yours from when you were eight, its denim barely worn through and strong as ever after all these years."

"When I first started working on the series, I went back to my personal fabric supply and found some salvaged pieces that I could use, but soon realized that I needed much more material. My good friend Jesse has an Etsy store where she sells vintage clothing and makes regular runs to thrift stores outside of the city to stock her store. When I told her about the denim series I was working on, she offered to supply me with the clothing I needed. I raided her stock and found a virtual denim goldmine, each piece’s fabric unique in its appearance. I’m lucky to have found a reliable supplier without any difficulty and even more so to have such quality source material at my disposal."

"The decision to make only the flaps and pockets of each bag in the line from salvaged denim came about for several reasons. The source material for each bag is an individual article of clothing, mostly likely a skirt or a pair of jeans, neither being large enough to yield enough fabric for an entire bag. Regardless of the limited fabric there is to work with, my initial feelings about the original backpack I made for myself still apply to the bags I make for this line. I want each bag to have a kind of subdued individuality. Black, grey or blue treated denim paired with black or brown cordura is as complimentary to one’s wardrobe as the pair of jeans you wear on a daily basis without seeming over the top or matchy. "

"The most surprising thing I’ve discovered about using salvaged denim clothing is the how grateful I am to be able to incorporate their seams in to the design of the bag. They add an interesting symmetry and texturized feeling to the final product that a plain seamless flap or pocket would lack. Seams also serve as a reminder that the fabric used once had another purpose altogether, recalling the article of clothing it once was in a far more subtle--and in my opinion, less tacky--way than the use of an intact back pocket or waist band from a pair of jeans."

"Some could easily write off acid and stonewashed denim as relics, one of the many ghosts of far-gone fads that should have never been resurrected. Treated denim, like so many trends of our recent fashion past, should be judged only on its potential to be overdone. With this series I hope to show that there is a subtle, modern-classic quality to treated denim and that quality alone should prevent it from being written off as yet another outdated look."

Sonrisa's Denim Collection is available here, and is being updated to include almost all of our current bag sizes. Some models also feature custom denim messenger pads!

Bags of the Living Dead

2009-09-06T21:53:00.005-04:00

A brand new series by Gerik Forston! In the words of the artist:

"There's really no more socially acceptable way of presenting blood, guts and gore than through zombies. Whether they are half-rotten corpses risen from the grave or are living but infected by a cannibalism-inducing virus dooming humanity to eat itself, zombies just can't seem to get gross enough. Year after year, new and more terrifyingly disgusting depictions off the walking undead come to theaters and we (generally) love it. Each new portrayal attempts to outdo the last, both in sheer gore and in interesting new ways and rules that zombies can come into existence. One has to wonder at what point this progression comes to a head at the ultimate movie simply showing frame after frame of exploding corpse heads."

"I've also always been drawn to the surreal idea of the Dead "living" ordinary existences (this is direction the grey and celery designs have gone). What if they really do take over the Earth? What then? I always assumed they'd just pick up where they left off before they died. But as much as I enjoy the visceral nature of these depictions of zombies, I always come back to wanting to see blood and guts (specifically being pulled fresh from the torso of an unidentified corpse, ha). In my personal zombie apocalypse I don't see any reason why there can't be both. I mean, even while they continue to go to work and school, hang out with friends, bond with the family, dance and play games, they've still got to eat!"

So far the series is four bags deep, and Gerik has plans for a few more in the time leading up to halloween. you can find them in the collections section of our website.

Woodgrain Collection

2009-08-11T16:39:00.007-04:00

We are proud to introduce our new Woodgrain Collection, completely designed and hand-printed by Senior stitcher Brieann Tracey! While discussing the collection and its eventual release, Brie spoke about a number of the factors and issues that she came across along journey from initial thoughts to executed design.....

"So the woodgrain collection was born about 6 months ago. I started the drawing, which was about 11 inches by about 3 for each panel, and there are two panels. I drew it so that the lines of the grain lined up with the end of the other panel, so that essentially you could take the two pieces lengthwise, and have one continuous wood panel. Then I blew it up in photoshop and had Awesome Dudes make my silk screen for me."

"At first, I experimented on printing whatever I had on hand: living room curtains, a Softpack i made for myself, my bathing suit, a big wall piece on canvas for the Fabric Horse shop, more canvas for a home made ottoman for the living room, tee shirts for an art show. I even "framed" a map i printed with the woodgrain and stuck little copper tacks in parts of it so it looked more like real wood."

"When I think about where it all came from, I think of the work that led up to it. For a few years I had been working on prints that were versions of animals or just nature in general: tiny paisley birds, big gold leafed paisley hammerhead sharks , octopi, etc. I am very interested in shapes that occur naturally, and I think that woodgrain is such a unique and beautiful pattern. It is never the same; it's very complex. It even ages and becomes more entangled in itself as time goes on."

"I thought that that wood grain pattern would look good on a lot things, everything I mentioned above and more. If i were versed on how to do upholstry, i would have a wood grain couch. In the meantime, i plan on doing another drawing of different grain and making some one of a kind hoodies."

"After making my Softpack with the woodgrain print, I thought that that would be a nice option for people to be able to order it from R.E.Load. I collaborated with a friend for his bag; he designed the flap and I printed the pockets and base for him (bag pictured here)

"Once we all decided the collection should happen for real, I just stuck with colors that were pretty natural. I love bags that are pretty much monochromatic and just have different shades of the same color, or at least are in the same family. I am more of a warm color person i think, and that is also what makes me choose the colors that I do. I also have a funny habit of trying to make or relate things to food. For example, an all brown and tan woodgrain bag might look like a peanut butter cup or some sort of chocolate cake to me, and that makes it more enjoyable for me to look at...which in turn makes it a more desirable bag to have...ha!"

The series is slated to have at least two color ways - you can check them out on our site as we speak - and we are going to spread them across the whole range of models. So don't worry if you don't see the specific model you're looking for right away. We should be rolling out the rest of the range by late August. Subsequent models will feature full printed flaps to go along with the printed pockets.

:: New Website ::

2009-06-26T10:49:00.004-04:00

It's been a VERY long time coming, but it's finally here! Our brand new website is up, and we're still working hard to continue uploading products and improve the user interface. We have a new "Build Your Bag" section that actually allows you to chose all of your options and submit and order completely online. And there is finally PayPal integration. Go check it out, and feel free to fire feedback at us regarding anything at all, be it bugs or praise! reloadbags.com

:: New Totes ::

2009-04-17T11:19:00.002-04:00

I think we're really going to try and keep a bunch of tote bags in stock these days....we're offerring them now at the introductory price of $45 (10% off), check the site!

:: Waxed Canvas Bags at Shop Gentei ::

2009-04-02T13:52:00.002-04:00

Just in case anybody missed this....a little while ago we made a batch of custom bags for Baltimore's Shop Gentei. They feature waxed canvas exteriors and a three-ply construction with a super-soft plaid flannel interior layer. Silk screened bases. Basically the butters. So go check 'em out here

:: Miles Davis Music Series Bag ::

2009-04-01T16:47:00.005-04:00

I remember when I was a kid, my parents used to go to the Newport Jazz Festival. My dad would always come back talking about Miles Davis and how he'd kinda hang out in the background, come forward and play for a few minutes, then wander off backstage. I'm sure he also said a lot of other things about Miles, but for some reason this is the thing that stuck with me most....actually, I hadn't really thought about it much until I sat down to write about Davis for this posting.

For most, it is this enigmatic quality that first comes to mind when thinking of Miles Davis. Born in 1926, Davis played with Charlie Parker in the late 1940's. A decade later, he formed a quintet with John Coltrane, Red Garland, Paul Chambers, and Philly Joe Jones. This version of "Milestones" showcases the talents of Davis and Coltrane.

Although the group would see a change in several members over the next few years, he went on to record the legendary - and best-selling jazz album of all time - "Kind of Blue" in 1959. I'll let some people far more qualified than myself talk about this recording

Davis' second quintet consisted of himself, Herbie Hancock, Wayne Shorter, Tony Williams, and Ron Carter. To say this was an all-star lineup would be an understatement. Here's "Agitation" from the album "E.S.P."

As with all musicians with any longevity, Davis changed his style from album to album, year to year. During the sixties he release "In a Silent Way" (actually one of my favorite albums) and "Bitches Brew", helping to usher in a new sound that would come to be known as "fusion". Although the title track of "In a Silent Way" is a beautiful, slowly-building piece, this video drops in on my favorite part, so i went with it

in 1972, Miles released "On the Corner", and album with a decidedly stronger focus on funk and rock. This was not necessarily seen as a positive thing by critics at the time. However, it proved the progressive nature of Davis as an artist.

Through the late seventies, Miles Davis actually disappeared from the scene. This was due to a number of factors including drugs, physical problems not related to drugs, and psychological issues. However, he resurfaced in the early eighties and recorded several more albums. Since this was actually during my youth, the one I remember was "Amandla", released in 1989. Here, you can also see his trademark style; he was known to show up in what would be considered "daring" getup at the time. Note that this extended even to his customized trumpet.

Davis passed away in 1991.

:: Bikerumor.com Likes our Midpack ::

2009-03-30T15:26:00.004-04:00

We really couldn't have asked for a more positive review ....actually, we've been doing some follow-up surveys with other recent customers, and the general consensus is that the new Midpack design is "awesome". Now you guys know why it took so long to release it!

:: Bags of the Week ::

2009-03-30T15:20:00.003-04:00

Brie's "Vintage Flowers" Civilian, Gerik's "Leopard" Civilian, and Bea's "Ruckus" Softpack. Fresh from under the needles and available in our custom stock section!

Monster Track Goldsprints coming soon!!!

2009-02-16T22:39:00.001-05:00

Straight from Chris Kim:

HEY PHILLY!

We are coming your way! Sunday February 22.

MTX GoldsprintsNYC Qualifier
TOP 3 times win places in the Finals at the MonsterTrack X after-party plus travel and hospitality

SUNDAY 2/22
2p-7p
at
Institute Bar
549 N. 12th Street (at Green, one block north of Spring Garden)

:: DJ Premier Music Series Bag ::

2009-02-10T15:51:00.009-05:00

THE VIDEOS LINKED IN THIS POST CONTAIN HARSH LANGUAGE!! SO BEFORE CLICKING ANY OF THEM, PLEASE BE AWARE OF THIS FACT!

Ok, before we get started....I have to start a new bag series. I love - LOVE - doing the Music Tribute series, and have absolutely no plans of stopping with that. However, these days I'm finding that more and more I want to make bags based on the people I'm most excited about RIGHT THIS MINUTE. Which doesn't really correspond to "legends" of music, in a lot of cases.

For the most part, I listen to hip hop. That's always been the case, since about 7th grade. So, I'm lucky enough to have been around for the early years - what some would call the "golden years" - when De La Soul, Tribe Called Quest, Eric B. and Rakim, Organized Konfusion, Main Source, Black Sheep, etc. were getting air play. By the way, I'm coming off the top of the head here, so please don't look very deep into that little list of names I spouted; there are many, many names that would be added to that list but I don't really have the time or the space to expound upon that right this second. Suffice to say, while there are a whole of candidates within the world of hip hop that I feel can be added to the category of "legend of music" in general (I've already done Dilla and Rakim), there are a whole lot more people I can think of who have been banging stuff out for years but have only just begun. Mostly I'm focusing on hip hop production, as that's what I've been into these days.

Black Milk. Ta'raach. Waajeed. Khrysis. 9th Wonder. Sa-Ra. J Rawls. Kev Brown. Oddissee. The list goes on. Anyway, I'm probably going to feel the urge to make a few bags based on these guys. I'm not really sure how I'll do it; I might make "regional" bags (for instance putting out a Detroit bag featuring Waajeed and Black Milk), or I might actually go ahead and do individual ones. I don't know. But they're coming.

Now on to the topic at hand: DJ Premier (aka Primo, Preem, Premo, or probably any other misspelled variation you can think of). I went off on that ramble, actually, because he is an artist that can fit into the category of "legend" OR "hot right now". Because his beats have been hot for years. I actually found some production credits for things I had absolutely no idea he had been involved with! I knew he'd first broken into the scene with Gangstarr (he and Guru dropped their first album together in '89). However, I quickly found out that he had worked with Lord Finesse in 1990 on a remix of "Funky Technician". He worked with Ice T in '91. He worked on the "Blue Funk" album for Heavy D in 1992 (young cats, trust me, Heavy D was a shoe-in for hits at that time) along with Pete Rock. He did stuff with Soul II Soul that year too.

Of course, he's best known for his work as one half of Gangstarr. Right from the start, he created his trademark imprint on the single "Words I Manifest" (Robbie, I hope you're reading this somehow). He's widely known for creating choruses by cutting and scratching lyrical samples rather that having the mc (in this case, Guru) actually rhyme out a chorus. In this song, he simply cut up one line, but as the years went by, he became an absolute monster with the technique. There's some later tracks where he pulls up half a dozen or more amazing, relevant samples and strings them into a perfect chorus.

I had a hard time trying to decide whether or not to include clips of just his instrumental versions (since he never really gets on the mic) or to go go ahead and put the full tracks with the mc's up. In the end, I went with the latter. Mainly because one of his strengths has always been his ability to fit the track to the mc. And he's worked with a ton of 'em. I'll get back to the Gangstarr in a second, but in my mind, one of the sickest tracks ever was the beat he put together for Jeru the Damaja on Jeru's debut album "The Sun Rises in the East".

I can't even imagine anybody else making something this dirty, and it matches Jeru's voice and cadence PERFECTLY. When this came out in 94, my friends and I completely lost our minds. Mostly because it was the followup track to another of hip hops best beats ever: "Come Clean", also by Jeru. Also produced by Premo. Oh, what do you know! Thanks to the wonders of YouTube, I'm just going to put up this video somebody made of Jeru's whole album, taken in snippets. A good, quick way to check out the production across the whole thing, which is masterful. (Be aware, this album has profanity! If you don't want to hear it don't click! Yeah, this pretty much goes for the rest of the clips after this too.)

Getting back to Gangstarr....I can't even come close to listing all of the amazing beats Premier put out for Guru to flow over. but I think it says a lot of Premier that he was able to tailor his production to the deep monotone flow that Guru brought to the table. And - much like Jeru, who is still (for better or worse) making music today - you can see the difference in quality when Guru rhymes over a Premo beat versus somebody else's beat. Ummm....Jazzmatazz series, anybody? All kidding aside, it's just not the same. Premier made mc's better, period.

OK, I'm just going to say this: All of Gangstarr's albums, from 1989's "No More Mr. Nice Guy" all the way through 1998's "Moment of Truth" have banging production from Premier. Honestly, I left their last album ("The Ownerz") on the rack, so don't ask me about that one please.

Premo has made hits with more relevant artists than possibly any other producer in hip hop today. I'm going to leave that statement sitting on this screen while I keep writing, and see if in the end, I can think of somebody else who trumps him....anyway, he worked with KRS-One in 1993 on his album "Return of the Boom Bap", which kept KRS in the game after the end of the Boogie Down Productions (BDP) era.

He produced Mobb Deep's first single ("Peer Pressure"). He made arguably one of the best beats on arguably one of the best hip hop albums ever...."New York State of Mind" off of Nas' 1992 debut "Illmatic":

He made some of the craziest beats for another guy that some would consider the illest of all time: Biggie. Tracks including "Unbelievable", "Kick in the Door", and "Ten Crack Commandments" remain classics to this day...as much due to Premo's work as due to the lyrics and flow of the late B.I.G.

Add to the list Das Efx, Fat Joe, Jay Z, Rakim, Brand Nubian, Mos Def, Big L, Common, Dilated Peoples, Snoop Dogg, Ol' Dirty Bastard, Kanye West, and Kool G Rap. Just to, you know, name a few of the other luminaries that have benefitted from Premier productions.

On a side note, I really wish that a) Storch had never gotten hold of Fat Joe and b) Pun was still around.

This is getting pretty long, but I can't really skip the fact that along with the big names, Premier was always down with the groups that didn't really get a lot of radio play, but were loved by the "core" of hip hop fans. There's a quote that stuck with me while I was watching the "Beat Kings" documentary DVD. Premo is talking about the state of hip hop, and to paraphrase, he basically says "There's no such thing as weak hip hop. There's hip hop, and then there's weak music." This is something he really takes to heart, and it's apparent in the collaborations he's done with all different types of people. Reflected in his work with "underground" legends such as Group Home:

and M.O.P.

and Show & AG

and Bahamadia

he brought in his whole crew from the famed D+D studios for this one

and not-so-much-legends like Paula Perry somehow got blessed with this amazing track

To this day, he continues to provide heat for artists big and small, such as "So Amazing" from Termanology's 2008 "Politics as Usual"

That's probably enough for now....aside from hip hop, he's done tracks for Janet Jackson, Christina Aquilera, Alicia Keys, and many other artists to boot. He'll probably be rocking that MP-60 for a long time to come.

:: New Obama Bag Video ::

2009-01-29T23:00:00.002-05:00

i actually made this video back in November while I was making the prize bag for the D.C. Obama Alleycat race. It's the first (and only) video I've ever made, and honestly I wasn't too sure if I'd ever put it up. Lately though, I've felt like I might as well, and the beginning of the Obama era seemed like a great time to do it. Enjoy!

:: Stevie Wonder Music Tribute Bag!! ::

2009-01-16T15:56:00.004-05:00

One of the purest signs that I go by when I think of who I need to make a tribute bag for in my Music Series is whether or not I instantly become overwhelmed by emotion when I think of the artist in question. In this particular case - the incomparable genius that is Stevie Wonder - there is absolutely no doubt whatsoever. Just thinking about some of the music that he has put out over the years literally makes my heart warm. In fact, he was one of the first people that I thought of when the series was first conceived over a year ago. I can't really say what took me so long....well, part of it was definitely hesitation as far as what the graphic itself would look like. He's been through so many periods and styles that I honestly couldn't decide which iteration of Stevie that I wanted to go with! Finally - about a week ago - I realized that I really wanted to do another J Dilla bag (actually, I think I could do a Dilla bag every week and not get tired of it). And if this was the case - I was starting to set up and prep a second Dilla bag (I kept the first one, as he is my favorite producer of all time), I could easily justify eventually making more Stevie Wonder bags with different graphics as well. So, I chose a pic and work began.

For an artist as well-known as Stevie, there's of course a ton of biographical information and pictures scattered across the internet, so I won't go too deep into his history. Instead, I'll just share how I feel about his music personally. I can remember back when I was in college; I hung out with a friend a few times and we got on the subject of music. I mentioned Stevie and she says "the guy from 'Woman in Red' (80's movie starring Gene Wilder and Kelly Lebrock in case you don't know)?!? He SUCKS!" Instantly my whole attitude towards her changed! I mean, you don't have to love him, but to hate him? I feel bad for anybody whose image of Stevie is based on that movie or hearing "I Just Called to Say I Love You" alone. The man dropped classic album after classic album for almost two decades from the late sixties through the early eighties....the "Woman in Red" soundtrack (which isn't even bad per se, just not up to his regular standards) aside, you could extend this through to his 1985 release "in Square Circle", which, although not usually grouped in with legendary LP's such as "Innervisions", "Songs in the Key of Life", and "Musiquarium:, happens to be one of my favorites.

Anyway, the real thing about Stevie Wonder, as far as I am concerned, is the range of emotions that his music possesses. Seriously; regardless of what your mood is - maybe you just broke up with your girl, maybe you just caught up with an old friend, maybe you just fell in love, maybe you're thinking about what to do with your future - he's got you covered with something. He's been there just about every time my life has really gotten rough. He's got songs for when you're sad and need to feel better, or for when you're sad and just want to stew in your sadness for a while longer.

Selecting just a few tracks from his body of work is a bit difficult, so I'm just going to go with a few personal favorites....First up is "That Girl" off of his "Musiquarium" double album from 1982. The quality on this video isn't that great, but i just love the fact that it's live from '82.

"Living for the City" is from his 1973 release "Innervisions". This video is best watched while wearing headphones (edit - actually all of these are best played loud with headphones)!!! I love this version.

This next one I actually chose for the second song in the video: "Maybe Your Baby", which is taken off of his 1972 LP "Talking Book". The version was just too sick to pass up. Not that the first song - "Superstition", which is off of the same album - is bad by any means, but it's not one I would have chosen given the small scope of this post.

"Superwoman (where were you when I needed you)", off of "Music of my Mind" is one of my favorite Stevie Wonder cuts. Check for the transition at about 3:00....and the buildup near the end is absolutely ridiculous.

I could probably fill this up with about 40 songs pretty easily....I'll just leave it with this last one: "Love Having You Around", again off of "Music of My Mind".

I think I'll probably spend another few hours just on YouTube with these other videos! Hope you've enjoyed 'em!

:: Chuey x R.E.Load Hats ::

2009-01-07T12:23:00.004-05:00

Chuey and I talked a little while ago about doing some sort of collaboration hats for the New Year....well, they're done. And they're ridiculous. I just got these flicks from Chuey himself, and although we wont have the hats physically in our hands for another couple of days, I couldn't help myself from posting this up right now. These hats are AMAZING!!!! They're wool, with ear flaps, hand-printed and stitched, and there's only 50 of them. Check out for them in the clothing section of our web site by the end of the week!

:: Minipacks!!! ::

2009-01-06T18:13:00.004-05:00

The wait is officially over! Our new Minipacks are done, and ready for sale....you can order a custom one to your own color specs (just email us) , or grab a stock color way option (they should be up pretty soon in stock formats on the collections page). Either way, they're redesigned in the mold of their older sibling, the Midpack. Fully weatherproof with a brand new fold-over flap for complete coverage. Mesh side pockets for water bottles. Inside organizer pocket and inside rear full-length pocket for folders, laptops, whatever. And a huge waterproof outside bellows pocket for everything else. With closed-cell foam shoulder straps featuring adjustable sternum straps and d-rings, and a padded back panel, this thing is ready for your daily expeditions. 15" h x 12" w x 5"d.

:: New Softpack Release ::

2009-01-06T17:36:00.007-05:00

The completely new-for-2009 Softpack model is finally ready for release, and apparently not a moment too soon! We actually made a bunch of these to put up on the site for the Holiday rush, and they sold out of the store before we could even get most of them up on the site. The concept is pretty simple, and is based almost entirely on customer requests from the past few years: A small, lightweight, durable pack that can replace regular "knapsacks" and is made entirely in the U.S. Introducing - for your wearing pleasure - the R.E.Load Softpack.

The Softpack shares the exact dimensions of our new Minipack (15" h x 12" w x 5"d), as well as the same redesigned shoulder straps (anatomically-molded closed cell foam with an adjustable sternum strap and d-rings for keys and such). As well as a padded closed cell foam back panel for comfort. And it has the same redesigned fold-over flap and upper side compression straps. However, as opposed to the Minipack's vinyl-coated nylon liner, the Softpack boasts a pack cloth liner that, although not fully weatherproof like the Minipack, remains waaaay more water-resistant than the average school pack. Meaning, unless you stay out in the rain for a long time , your stuff will still be dry. And - taking a queue from the successful Dash/Sprint releases, the Softpack features three flat, velcro-free pockets on the front of the bag as well as the inside. Plenty of room for all of your valuables.

This new bag is super-light (about half the weight of our Minipack, at 1.8 lbs!), and super-soft and comfortable. We've gotten great reviews already from the ones we've sold so far...you can order yours in the "collections" pages of our website!

Battle of the Bags at Callejeronyc.com

2008-12-19T13:00:00.002-05:00

So i got an email off the messenger list serve about a messenger bag vvote-off ....I'm actually really curious to see the results! I think there's a few companies missing (Pac, Bailey, freight, Under the Weather, just to name a few of the "bigger name" ones), but overall it should be interesting if enough people actually give their input. We're always glad to hear about things that people would like to change about our bags, or reasons why they prefer others. I think you actually have to register to vote - which is of course a bit of a deterrent - but if you have the time, go on there and put in your choice for 2009!

*btw, I'm abstaining from voting due to obvious conflicts of interest :)

Bzzzzzzzzzzz !

2008-12-07T21:33:00.006-05:00

A little while ago I posted about how much skill R.E.Load as a whole has when it comes to custom graphics and applique. At the time I was missing proper photos from our newest graphics team member, Brie. Although she has been doing this for far less time that Carrie, Gerik, Ellie, Ingrid, or myself, she has been progressing at a very steady rate, and - as is the case with all of our best stitchers - has been developing styles and techniques of her own.

Brie made the above bag as a piece for the Compound Warehaus' November opening, which had a "Nightmare on Elm Street" theme.

Not having seen the flap work beforehand, I was pretty surprised to see the level of color layering and attention to detail on the bag. Not because I didnt expect great work from her; it's just that the artwork represented here is something that we normally dont have that many opportunities to do, since if this had been an actual customer order, the graphics charge would turn most people away. So, most of the time something that might have started with an idea like this would have been filtered down, with several layers of color eliminated, and a lot of detail simplified, in an effort to get the graphic down into a customer price range. But since this was for an art show, Brie had time to go as far as she wanted with the design.

I think one of the most impressive things here is that you really get the feeling of the "hair" on the body of the bee; it LOOKS like fuzz. Although it is a bit hard to translate through a computer screen, the body - as well as the honeycomb - are livened by appropriate texture, which is a style that is very difficult to pull off. You can see how many indivudually-colored sections are in just this part of the bag alone. This takes an extraordinary amount of planning and focus. And I think it speaks very well of the overall design that the graphic, color selection, and technique employed to create the image are all equally compelling.

Check out work from Brie, Carrie, Chika, Ellie, Gerik, Ingrid, Jean, and Ro on our flickr page!

The best blog posting I've ever read

2008-12-01T17:19:00.003-05:00

This has nothing to do with bags, but it DOES have to do with music - and thus my music series - and the man who inspired me to start the series in the first place. Arguably the best producer ever to touch an MPC: J Dilla.

I was randomly skimming through the web looking for some new music and I came across this post from Questlove about one of his experiences with the late Detroit producer/mc....check it our here.

I've been putting off making another Dilla bag for the music series, but most likely I'll be making two of em a bit after the new year. One is going to be mine (the one pictured above is mine; I made that particular bag about two and a half years ago), and one will go up for auction, with the proceeds going to the J Dilla Foundation.

Keep posted!

Obama!!!

2008-11-07T16:29:00.002-05:00

What can I say; we're ecstatic to have this man in office. We made this bag for the Obama Alleycat in DC, which took place on November 1st.

Why We're Just Better Than Everybody Else

2008-11-07T15:58:00.012-05:00

You know, we've been doing custom graphics bags for over ten years now. That's a good many years more than most of our competition. And it shows. Personally I don't like to toot my horn too much, but since these bags were made by Gerik and Carrie, respectively, I can technically give them props while keeping my own ego in check.

Here we have a pretty nice bag with a sabertooth tiger on it. Nice enough, you can tell, by this pic....but the true test of an applique stitcher is if their work still looks good as you get closer and closer to the bag. A lot of stitchers can make a what appears to be a nice image, but as you look closely, you can see how chunky and uneven the line work is, and - with enough experience - how flawed their original layout plan is. Layout and determining which layers go in which order is actually as important in applique work as stitching skill itself is. It's not even necessarily something that comes with experience per se; it's just innate in the stitcher's thought process. Yes, as a stitcher encounters more and more different types of images, they get a better feel for the proper technique in a given situation, but its not something that can really be "taught" or will definitely come with time.

Ok, we're a little closer now and still looking lovely.

Some more of the intricacies of the color layering are becoming apparent here.

Ok, so now you can fully see that the teeth and their shaded areas are in fact areas of tapered stitching rather than fabric cutouts. This painterly approach - which is mirrored throughout the body and feet of the lion - is a trademark style for Gerik's work, and allows him to pull off interpretations of detailed artwork far, far closer to the original idea than would be possible if he had to rely strictly on the classic technique of stitching over fabric using a static stitch width. It takes an amazing amount of control and knowledge of the machine to pull off work like this.

Carrie from Fabric Horse worked on this guy a little earlier this week. Basically, the same fundamentals that I spoke about with Gerik's bag apply here. This is, quite simply, work that a lot of other companies could not pull off this well.

Carrie made this bag right before the messenger world championships (which took place in Toronto earlier this fall). While the detail work is not as intense, the amount of color layering and preparation required is substantial. Doing this graphic without the artwork becoming a thick, chunky mess is very difficult.

Sometimes we just gotta let people know: our methods for putting graphics on your bags are NOT capable of being learned overnight. We are constantly working on new and better techniques so we can remain a few steps of the competition. Hopefully you'll agree!

:: Biz Markie Commission Bag ::

2008-11-01T16:40:00.005-04:00

A few months ago I was contacted by a customer in Canada about the possibility of doing a Biz Markie music series bag. I was excited, to say the least, because I absolutely love the music series in general, and understanding peoples' connections to their favorite musicians, I am completely open to fashioning bags of all sorts with inspiration from all genres of music. But I have to admit, I was even more excited on this particular occasion because the artist that they wanted on the bag was Biz Markie. Biz Markie's debut LP "Going Off" was actually the very first cassette tape I personally owned (along with Doug E. Fresh and the Get Fresh Crew), and I instantly remembered being in 8th grade and hearing "Pickin' Boogers" for the first time. The year was '88 (yes I'm old).

Biz was the original clown of hip hop in my mind, and moreover I love the fact that his music references a time when you could listen to songs about simple stuff....like going to the mall, or going to a party. When a video was basically filming you and your crew, beginning on a stoop and maybe ending in a park. His cut "Nobody Beats the Biz" is a classic no doubt, but especially for NYC kids it was extra nice because it parodied the "Wiz" electronics store chain's commercial jingle.

I can't go on without mentioning that Biz was part of The Juice Crew, a classic group of emcee's and dj's featuring himself, Marley Marl (one of the pioneers of hip hop in radio and production), Craig G, Roxanne Shante, Big Daddy Kane, Kool G Rap, Masta Ace, MC Shan, and others. Red Alert's weekly radio show was completely inundated with Juice Crew tracks, and "The Vapors" was maybe one of my favorites. Check out a young Marley and Kane...and also peep TJ Swan's fresh dipped gear. This was the era of suits, chains, Travel Fox, Troop, MCM, and Gucci and Louis Vouitton velour, and Biz represented it well.

The song that made him famous as far as the mainstream goes was "Just a Friend", a single from his sophomore release ("The Biz Never Sleeps") in 1989

Biz's future albums never again really reached the peaks of the first couple, but since then he has switched his focus to dj'ing and is actually extremely successful at it. Not to mention the various appearances on television on everything from kiddie shows (teaching the youngsters how to beat box) to VH1. Biz is definitely a living legend and I'm happy to have a Biz bag out there.

Phils Win; Erase 25+ Year Drought !!

2008-10-31T14:31:00.009-04:00

I've lived in Philadelphia since 1992 (after moving here from my hometown of NYC for college), and I can honestly say I have never been in a city where the sports fans are anywhere near as insane and dedicated. I remember when I came to check the city out back in '92....the Phils had just won the pennant and there were literally POLICE OFFICERS going crazy and running around partying. Anyway, for those who are unaware, the City of Brotherly Love has gone over 25 years without a title of any sort in any of the four major sports (no, the Philadelphia Soul arena football team does not count).

That all ended a few days ago. The Phillies won the series and the town promptly exploded into a celebration the likes of which i have not seen since....well, since ever. Take the New Year's day Mummers parade and multiply it by maybe, oh i don't know, about FOUR, and you can get some sense of it. People were pouring out of their houses in South Philly. Kids were running around with homemade banners. Cars were leaning on the horns, with people hanging out of them cheering. Mind you this is what was taking place AWAY from Broad Street.

The above photo was taken on 6th and Greenwich. Sorry, but I only had my phone with me so the pics are all a bit blurry. Anyway, Greenwich is a tiny street and this is about a quarter of the people out on that corner.

Streams of people were converging on Broad Street from all directions. As we neared, the cheering was getting louder and louder; it was evident from blocks away that the scene was going to be ridiculous to say the least.

A parade of vehicles ranging from bikes to pickup trucks slowly rolled their way up Broad, mostly with passengers high-fiving people as they passed. Pretty much the police weren't trying to get involved unless somebody was assaulting someone or damaging property, so people were openly drinking from bottles and dancing around.

I'm not exaggerating when I say my hand was sore the next two days from slapping high fives with so many people, with so much vigor. Seeing kids, adults, and grandparents of all types, all celebrating together, clearly on top of the world, is something that is rarely seen in this city and was quite a welcome change.

PHILADELPHIA PHILLIES 2008 WORLD SERIES CHAMPIONS !!!!!!

Depot Cycle and Recycle Holds it Down

2008-10-31T12:32:00.004-04:00

R.E.Load has a huge presence in Japan, and this is due in no small part to the support of Seiya Minato and his store, Depot. We've been working with them for about six or seven years now, and so when we heard that he was starting a brand new bicycle brand we went ahead and made him a new bag to showcase at the Cycle Mode bike expo.

His brand is actually a collaboration with several other small track bike culture shops around Tokyo, and as such is appropriately named "Tomoni", which means "Together" in Japanese. Anyway, we can't wait to see what Tomoni has in store, and of course we'll be spreading photos around as we get them.

Seiya also sent me a very interesting picture of Shin - his shop manager - which I'd like to share with all of you. As Seiya is so fond of saying: "Hahahahahaha!!!!!"

See you in a few months, Shin-san!

Our First Commercial !!

2008-10-21T17:08:00.003-04:00

We set out to film something to promote our new Midpacks, which were released about a month ago....this was shot and produced by Dustin Klein from Cadence and follows a bit of a typical day at our production studio in Philadelphia's Chinatown. Yes, both owners of R.E.Load are still directly involved in making bags, and we make them every day just for you guys (with a lot of help from the rest of our wonderful crew, of course). Set to the music of the best producer to ever touch an MPC: J Dilla (RIP). Track title is "Two Can Win".

Billie Holiday Music Tribute Bag

2008-10-09T17:34:00.004-04:00

Truth be told, this bag has been finished for a few weeks, but I've been putting off this posting for fear of doing a disservice to Holiday's legacy (or her other fans)...this is actually the first bag in my series that features an artist from an era completely prior to my lifetime. I grew up on Rakim, was around for all of Dilla and DOOM's releases, managed to catch most of Hancock's forays into fusion and beyond, and was even able to appreciate the godfather of soul in his later days. But Holiday - "Lady Day" - that seems like an entirely different realm to me. And while I absolutely love her voice and appreciate her story, I honestly feel that she deserves a better tribute than "I love this song, I remember listening to this album, etc."....so in this case I'm simply going to post a few songs up...to read all about her from a more qualified source, check this out

Sprint/Dash Models Available Now!!!

2008-10-01T12:09:00.007-04:00

The Sprint and Dash models are our official entry into the "lightweight" messenger bag department. Pack cloth liners allow these bags to weigh in at a mere 1.75 lbs, and furthermore they can be packed up in minimal space as an "extra" bag for certain situations.

The Sprinter comes in at 16"w x 14"h x 7"d, while the Dash is 16"w x 12"h x 5.5"d. PLEASE KEEP IN MIND THAT THESE DIMENSIONS ARE TAKEN AT THE BASE OF THE BAG!!! Basically this is us treating the bag as a complete "box"; if we were to take the effective dimension of the flap width for an empty bag, the Sprinter would be 23" wide, while the Dash would be 21" wide.

The Sprint/Dash bags, while water-resistant, are NOT weatherproof like our other models. These bags are made primarily for two purposes:
1) for use as a secondary bag for those who already have big bags to use for messengering or whatever, and simply need a light comfortable bag for more "normal" use.
2) for use by individuals who are looking for a light, simple bag and won't necessarily be riding around in the rain for hours when the weather turns rough.

These bags are available right now, in over a dozen color ways, in the collections pages of our site!

MF Doom Music Tribute Bag

2008-09-30T15:46:00.005-04:00

Technically the first time I really heard MF DOOM (aka Daniel Dumile), it was in conjunction with another NYC group called 3rd Bass. His somewhat playful lyrics in 1989's "Gas Face" were followed up by "Peachfuzz", which was my introduction to the group KMD, consisting of DOOM (then known as Zev Love X), his brother Subroc, and a few revolving third members. After releasing a solid debut album in 1991, KMD was essentially shelved prior to their next release due to controversial cover art that their label would not approve. After a series of lengthy delays, the album was once again in production when in 1993, Subroc was tragically killed by an automobile. This pretty much marked the end of KMD.

To be completely honest, during the time when KMD's first album was released, I really wasn't checking for it. So, when i heard MF DOOM's 1999 debut "Doomsday" album, I was shocked when my friend told me "Yo, that's that dude from KMD". More shocking, however, was how gritty the production was and how crazy the rhyme patterns were. DOOM was taking things to a level I hadn't really heard before; taking chunks of stanza's and rhyming them together in an almost drunken, slurred flow that just sounded....perfect. Taken from from "Greenbacks":

It's funny how significance make a difference
Notice parables of three in every other inference
For instance
who wanna battle? On the real?
Choose your weapon: microphones, beats, or the wheels of steel

The thing is, he had this completely unique flow, which was paired with the most bargain-basement-sounding samples and drums, but the combination was just ridiculous. I mean, my friends and I used to literally make fun of how busted the drums were. But still, they were perfect in conjunction with the rest of the track.He sampled Sade for the album's title track. He sampled SCOOBY DOO (!!!) for "Hey!". He sampled Steely Dan for "Gas Drawls". The production was infectious. He rhymed slow. He rhymed quick. Literally - in a track titled "Tick, Tick...". And he wore a metal Doctor Doom mask while doing it(ok well technically its the mask from "Gladiator", but, you know). He was out of shape, and tended to show up at shows in a dirty wife beater with his wife next to the stage. He was losing his hair. At a time when Diddy seemed to be taking over hip hop, and artists were making huge videos with 80,000 lights and 50 dancers all wearing the same color, here comes this album that sounded like he might have made it in the bathroom. I had "Operation Doomsday" on tape, and I think I actually popped a tape and had to get it re-dubbed from a friend, I played it so much.

So pretty much DOOM became part of a relatively short list of artists where I would buy a new release completely unheard, knowing that it would be good. And he has not disappointed to this very day. Spreading across a series of aliases, he has released work as DOOM, King Gheedorah, Viktor Vaughn (which actually I'm proud to say was partially recorded in Space 1026 in Philly, our first real production studio location and home of King Honey aka Max Lawrence), and one half of Madvillain (along with famed producer Madlib), as well as putting out about ten complete volumes of his own instrumentals and "special blends" (existing songs by other artists remixed over his own tracks). There's a complete re-working of Nas's Nastrodamus album entitled "Nastradoomus" (although as far as i know DOOM has nothing to do with this, it still made an album I had pretty much shelved into a new album worthy of listens).

Probably the best known of his works was his collaboration with the Stones Throw Records mainstay - the prolific Madlib- entitled "Madvillain". This album saw a lyricist at the peak of his craft, coupled with one of the hottest indy hip hop producers around, their resulting LP stayed in rotation worldwide for quite some time. I hadn't originally planned to use the cover as the template for this tribute bag, but as I scoured print and the internet for photos, it became increasingly evident that this would be one of the best representations possible. His mask is the most recognizable thing about him, and the dark, brooding setting (the bottom half of the mask is almost hidden) fits in well with the mood set in much of his music.

Without going too far with this, let me just say that DOOM remains one of my favorite lyricists of all time, and is actually one of the few people I'll still shell out a decent amount of money for to see at a show.Recently Madlib released a reworked version of the "Madvillain" album (aptly titled "Madvillainy 2: the Madlib Remixes) with completely new beats....as a testament to the longevity of DOOM's verses, the thing sounds fresh still. Snippets such as this and the Dilla Ghost Doom "Sniper Elite" single (DOOM completely destroys the late great Dilla's "Anti-American Graffiti" instrumental) have helped quell the anxiety for new material from the masked one, but more is always appreciated.....

:: Win Our Newest Bag Model !! ::

2008-09-02T15:58:00.005-04:00

We're hosting a contest to name the newest model in the R.E.Load family! In response to the most frequently-asked questions we've faced over the past few years: "Can you make my bag with one of those straps with the buckle on 'em like (fill in other messenger bag company)?" and "I love your bags but they're heavy!", we are proud to introduce this sparkling new model.

Featuring pack cloth liners, a streamlined pocket construction, and a new split-strap design, this bag is the lightest thing to come out of R.E.Load since....well, really, since anything other than small accessories. The thing is crazy light. And while it might not necessarily be the end-all for all users*, it is an AWESOME bag for those who don't necessarily need to ride through rain, sleet, and snow and carry copy boxes while they do it. If you like organizational simplicity and tend to duck for cover when the sky turns black, this bag is for you.

Aside from this type of end user, there is a second demographic that this bag is designed for: people who already have a heavy-duty messenger bag that they use for work, commuting, etc., and just want a second, smaller bag for weekend outings, going to the store, whatever. Personally, this is where i think this bag shines. Just because you need a full-on Deluxe to messenger five days a week doesn't necessarily mean you want to be carrying that same Deluxe when you go to meet some friends at a barbeque.

In any case, this is what we've got planed for our new model, and furthermore, we're putting it out in two sizes: a large version that comes in a little bit under the dimensions of the current Civilian, and a small version that's roughly equivalent to the current Small Civilian, but with slight changes to the porportions.

What does this all mean to you? Well, although we have a few names in mind, we realize that we're still not in agreement of a really good name. Maybe you guys and girls out there can come up with something better! So, we're holding a contest - effective immediately - to see who can come up with some names for these brand new models.

THE OFFICIAL RULES

- Email all entries to namethatbag@reloadbags.com. You can submit as many names as you want, and this can be done in one email. Don't forget that there are small and large versions! If you are submitting them for one or both, make it clear which version(s) you are submitting for. Be sure to include your full name, daytime phone #, and shipping address (This is strictly for prize distribution purposes and will not be used for any type of spam/mailing lists, we swear!). if you are the type to enjoy seeing your picture on websites, go ahead and attach a pic! If you win, we will run a pic along with your name!
- The contest is running up until 10am EST on Monday, September 8th. All submissions must be received by that time to be considered for contest entry.
- We will be announcing the winner(s) on our website, etc. by Friday, September 12th. If you are a winner, we will be contacting you directly to let you know.
- If your bag name is chosen as a winner, we will send you a version of the bag (color scheme is up to our own discretion, sorry) that you named absolutely free of charge! This applies to international as well as domestic contestants, so lets make this worldwide, shall we?
- R.E.Load employees and their family members are unfortunately exempt from this contest. You can make your own bags, guys......

ok people, lets do this!

*there IS a reason our other models are heavy; in using pack cloth as opposed to vinyl-coated nylon you are getting a "water resistant" bag, NOT a "weatherproof" bag. Water resistant is defined as: "(of a fabric or garment) having a finish that resists the absorption of water." Let me tell you right now: if you get caught in a rainstorm using these new bags, your cargo will get damp. Basically, the water resistance of these - while significantly superior - is closest to that of most "mainstream" knapsacks (think Jansport, EastPak, etc.

The Rolling Canvas Art Collective

2008-07-23T12:17:00.004-04:00

Fuji Bicycles presents The Rolling Canvas Art Collective with Jinxed Philadelphia, and R.E.Load Baggage.

Created to celebrate the union of the art and urban bicycle cultures, the Rolling Canvas Art Collective will highlight and encourage the use of bicycles as a means of artistic expression.

These twenty-plus artists will recreate basic, fixed gear bicycles into one-of-a-kind representations of their creative methods ranging from sculpture and metal work, to street art and paint. The art installations will be auctioned off to the public, with each artist donating a portion of the proceeds to Neighborhood Bike Works of Philadelphia. One-of-a-kind artist bags made by R.E.Load Baggage will also be on display and for sale with a portion benefiting the Philadelphia Neighborhood Bike Works.

A public gallery opening and auction will be held on Friday night, August 1st, 7:00 PM at Media Bureau Gallery in the Northern Liberties section of Philadelphia. The exhibit is open to the public through the end of August.

A public online auction will begin on Monday, August 4th at 12 PM EST and run through Thursday, August 14th at 12 PM EST. Photos of the pieces and auction links will be posted online as they become available.

Featured Artists
Shane Jessup
Tim Diet
Michael Isaac Bushkin
Norm
Chris Yormick
Carrie Collins
Tristan Eaton
Leanne Biank
Adam Wallacavage
Paul Romano
Emily Glaubinger
Jake Henry
Ben Woodward
Joy LessPosh
Awesome Dudes Printing
Acid USA custom motorcycle painting
Greg "SP One" Lamarche
Eleanor Grosch
Darrin Rowland
Roland Burns
Ellie Lum
Gerik Forston
Dustin Klein
Miriam Singer

Kensington Kinetic Sculpture Derby

2008-05-29T13:56:00.002-04:00

Check out some VIMBY footage taken by Andrew Watson. This is the second year for this event and it looks to be growing by leaps and bounds!

Rakim - Music Tribute Series Bag #4

2008-05-25T19:39:00.004-04:00

Rakim. The invincible microphone fiend. Regarded by some as the best lyricist ever to bless a mic. As part of the classic duo "Eric B. and Rakim", he most certainly helped revolutionize the rhyme game with the debut album "Paid in Full". Starting heavy right off the bat with all-time hit "I Ain't No Joke", and continuing with songs including "My Melody", the title track "Paid in Full", and "Move the Crowd", right there you have a grouping that includes some of the best hip hop songs ever put to wax.

It was the late 80's and I was in junior high, growing up in New York. Buying tapes (yes, audio cassettes; what) at The Wiz on 96th and Broadway; stuff like Biz Markie's "Going Off" and Doug E. Fresh's "Greatest Entertainer". Listening to DJ Red Alert spin on WBLS. Video Music Box with Ralph McDaniels. Rakim is right smack in the middle of this beautiful era of hip hop music. I remember watching videos and seeing Eric B. and Rakim with their ever-present chains and rings. Listening to Rakim's deep and rough voice. Eric always all stoic in the background, moving slowly.

Their follow up album - aptly titled "Follow the Leader" - boasts one of the most recognizable beats ever: "Microphone Fiend". It takes about 0.2 seconds of hearing those bells drop in to identify it. Anyway, this is also where Rakim lays down some of the most intense battle rhymes ever heard. Although for most, the remainder of the album might be a bit forgettable (I happen to love tracks like "To the Listeners" and "The R", but I doubt this is too common), between "Microphone Fiend" and the title track, you still have more than enough classic material.

The third Album, "Let the Rhythm Hit 'Em", continued with singles "The Ghetto", "Mahogany", and of course another title track.

Rakim ushered in a new breed of rhymers with his complex patterns and bold storytelling. Looking back, I'm not quite sure if I fully realized this at the time, but he was at least a decade ahead of most of his peers. For this tribute bag, I took a photo from this interview and surrounded him with money signs. Similar to the dollar bills that rained down behind him and Eric B. on their debut album cover.

Herbie Hancock - Music Tribute Series Bag #3

2008-05-25T18:12:00.002-04:00

It's definitely been more than a minute since my last addition to this series, so I'm looking to gain some ground back by dropping two gems this month. The first is a tribute to one of my favorite jazz musicians of all time: Herbie Hancock.

Hancock came onto the scene as a member of the legendary Miles Davis' crew in the early sixties. While his record "Maiden Voyage" is one of his best known early works, one of my personal favorites is "Inventions and Dimensions", a much more experimental collection of songs that team Herbie up with Willie Bobo. The styles range across jazz and bossa nova. Hancock worked with several Blue Note musicians and continued on with Davis for many years, playing keyboards on classics such as "In a Silent Way" and "On the Corner".

Most know Hancock for his 1983 hit "Rockit", which was full of synthesizers, crazy sounds, and record scratches. While it is unfortunate that for some, this is the only connection to a lifetime of amazing work, it still stands as a decent - albeit very narrow - representation of his overall style. During the seventies, he helped revolutionize jazz fusion with his growing arsenal of funk synths. "Headhunters" and "Man Child" are both amazing in their own rights, but additionally have been sampled and used for some of the best hip hop to come out of the 90's era. I think Redman and Rockwilder must have sampled just about every song on "Man Child" for Red's debut album ("Whut? Thee Album") and follow-up ("Dare iz a Darkside"). 1976's "Secrets" is another oft-missed classic, and that record cover is actually the image i had hoped to use for the bag graphics. Unfortunately, the photo was too dark, but his huge afro and mutton chops are definitely from my favorite era in his musical timeline.

Although I can't honestly say Hancock's work in the 90's and beyond ranks among my favorites, his boatload of consistently amazing records and collaborations during the thirty years prior places him near the top of my list of favorites. I can listen to his albums on loop for an entire weekend. Check out a full discography here

Lost at Sea

2008-05-02T10:33:00.001-04:00

Check out a piece that Lost at Sea did on our ten years in the biz!

April Fools Rewind

2008-04-30T16:26:00.003-04:00

We're back to normal at this point, but man was the beginning of April hectic! I went to Japan for a few weeks in late March, and returned with only a week to go until the Fun Ride. I quickly gave up any preconceived ideas of actually recovering from jet lag, and continued with the preparations. Seiya and a crew from Depot showed up on Thursday, and along with the arrival or Ellie and Dustin from Seattle (Dustin was throwing the Fast Friday event on, um...Friday), the time for work was drawing to a close.

Luckily, the event went off without any trouble, and about 350 participants wove their way around the city doing random stupid things before arriving at the packed finish at Tattooed Mom's. When it was all said and done, Baba from Philly (by way of Yokohama, Japan) won as the best overall fun rider. Big thanks to all of our sponsors, Mom's, and of course all of our amazing volunteers.

Check out some photos on our flickr page!

Macaframa x R.E. Load x Cadence

2008-04-19T18:29:00.002-04:00

Macaframa is busy working on their new video. Check out the trailer on their site! R.E. Load is helping them out. We like what they're doing.

Sweet Review From 1lesscar.com !!

2008-04-04T13:08:00.003-04:00

Check out this review of our now-defunct backpack at 1lesscar.com.....good stuff to hear!

Look for a new series of two-strap bags (featuring our Backpack, Midpack, and Minipack models in all their re-designed glory) later this summer!

New Philly Store Hours

2008-03-13T16:17:00.002-04:00

Our Philadelphia flagship store is going to be operating under a new schedule, effective immediately:

Monday: Closed
Tuesday: Appointment only*
Wednesday: Appointment only*
Thursday: 11-6
Friday: 11-6
Saturday: 12-6
Sunday: Closed

The basic premise is that this way we will be able to focus even more on designing and making new products and our existing orders. We will still of course be answering the phone on tuesdays and wednesdays. So, really, this only affects a small percentage of our Philly customers. For everybody else, all that will happen is that you'll notice we have a LOT more new and amazing things than ever before!

* Appointments can be set up for any time between noon and 7pm on tuesdays and wednesdays, but must be made with at least 24 hours notice. Please call 215-922-2018 if you need to set one up!

The Philadelphia Pedal Cooperative

2008-03-04T15:03:00.002-05:00

The Pedal Co-Op is a worker-run organization that offers environmentally friendly services to local businesses in Philadelphia such at recycling-by-bicycle. We currently use trailers that are attached to bicycles to transport compost to local gardens, recyclables to Blue Mountain Recycle (only single stream recycling center in Philadelphia), and the trash to the waste management facilities. The Pedal Co-Op’s aspiration is to diminish the caustic environmental impact that is threaded into the everyday modern life. We are dedicated to an ethical and sound business practice which promotes the fair and cooperative business ideology. Furthermore, we encourage the idea of a sustainable lifestyle.

Check out their website

R.E. Load Production Shop x Seattle, WA

2008-02-28T17:32:00.001-05:00

Kyle Johnson's R.E. Load Flickr set.

TEN: The official R.E.Load Ten-year anniversary party!!!

2008-02-27T16:14:00.005-05:00

Come out and celebrate with us! And make sure to bring your R.E.Load bag; we'll be setting up a photo booth for pictures!

Friday, March 7th
Diplo's Mad Decent Mausoleum
531 North 12th st
Featuring Rock Tits, Immediate, and Strawberry Mansion on the wheels of steel
Video by Stemspot
Photography by Julius Reeves
9pm - 2am
$5 entry
Sponsored by R.E.Load, Philadelphia Brewing Company, Bicycle Revolutions, Bicycle Therapy, Via Bikes, Monster Energy Drinks, Depot Cycle and Recycle, and Cadence clothing.

We'll be doing a raffle for some of our brand new 10th Anniversary bags, as well as a bunch of general giveaways throughout the night. In other words, for a couple extra bucks you can win huge prizes!

8th Annual R.E.Load April Fools Fun Ride !!!

2008-02-21T14:01:00.004-05:00

Ok, y'all...it's about that time of year again. The annual April Fool's Fun Ride - one of the largest and most fun-packed events of the year - is coming back to Philly for it's eighth straight iteration. It's hard to think of ways to improve this massive bike fest; last year drew a record 350+ riders. Still, if you don't think ahead, you get left behind...so we've got some new plans and a whole lotta prizes in store for this year.

It's going to go down on Saturday, April 12th. We're still ironing out some of the details, but most likely we'll be doing "day of" registration at R.E.load headquarters, starting at 1pm, with the race going off at 3pm at an undisclosed location.

This year we will be bringing back all of our wonderful, long-time sponsors, including: Pabst, Kryptonite, Outlaw Print co., Fabric Horse, Level, Cadence, Built in Pittsburgh, and Firehouse Bikes. We're in the midst of securing a brand new frame or two from a well-known local company, and Ro might just be giving away one of his older keirin frames as well. Not to mention the fact that, as the main event sponsor, R.E.Load will be giving away an amount of bags and accessories that would usually be reserved for only the largest of championship races.

That's not all, though! We're also working on a tie-in with Pabst, which, if everything goes as planned, will result in the weekend doubling as the release party for a brand new Pabst x R.E.Load bag! We'll be giving away a couple of these - the very first ones that will be released - at the awards ceremony, assuming the project goes through.

"Daaamn....that sounds like a great weekend!" Yeah. But wait, wouldn't it be great if there was something to do on that Sunday after the race? Something really really special, that usually doesn't happen around here? Well...it turns out, there is. I don't want to give away too much of it right now until the final details are worked out, but rest assured, it's gonna be something on the same level as the April Fools Ride itself. People are definitely going to want to come out for Sunday as well. More on that later...

So, as far as the race: for the first time ever, we will be doing pre-registration. This is a no-brainer, given the general chaos that ensued at last year's registration. So, if you are planning on racing - and you KNOW you are - then do yourself and everybody involved a favor. Pre-register. That way, you get a discounted entry fee, you are GUARANTEED a free, full-color event tee shirt (in your preferred size, even!), and you can avoid waiting an hour to sign up for the event. All you have to do is go sign up on the website, and we'll have a nifty rider package all ready for you to pick up on the day of the event. Simple! To pre-register, click here. Be forewarned: if you do not pre-register by April 2nd, you will have to pay $10 to enter the race (instead of $5). You will not be guaranteed a tee shirt...and if you do get one, you might have to take a size large when you're really a size small. You will have to wait on a very long line for a very long time before the event. You will also have to deal with our registration volunteers, who will be hating on you for not registering online and making them do extra work on the day of the event. To make a long story short, you will lose, lose, lose. So please, for the love of god, register early.

Introducing: Jean Lee

2008-02-15T17:52:00.008-05:00

Jean is one of the most talented & hardworking people I've ever worked beside. She's worked at R.E. Load since winter of 2005 as a bag stitcher & then moved onto design & stitch applique graphics, coming up with really inventive designs which she never fails to impress us with.
Jean was born in Taipei, Taiwan in 1982, then move to Eugene, at the age of 8. She speaks 4 languages (Taiwanese, Mandarin, Japanese, and English) . Damn. I guess that explains her double-major in Industrial Design & Japanese Linguistics that she received at the University of Washington.
How did I find Jean Lee? She joined up forces with business partner & fellow R.E. Load artist, Chika Eustace. They co-own Chikabird Inc. , which is a design medium that they use to produce RandL wallets & accessories made out of the scraps of R.E. Load Bags! They are also currently designing a new line of wallets & t-shirts.

R.E. Load x Asher

2008-02-13T18:08:00.005-05:00

flickr airbrush set!

Ten Years in the Game....

2008-02-08T13:40:00.001-05:00

Ten years. One decade. That's certainly a long time! Well, we're awfully proud to be able to say that R.E.load is now ten years old! When we made our first bags, we weren't even really planning on starting a company. Slowly but surely, as we got more and more requests to make bags for our fellow Philly messengers, we realized that we might actually be at the beginning of something real. The above picture was taken from our first actual photo shoot, which took place in the winter of 1999. At that point, believe it or not, we were just starting to get into the graphics element of customization.

Once we figured out what we wanted to do as far as the bags, there were two lingering questions. What do we call the company? And what should our logo be? The answer to the first question came through a series of conversations between Ellie, myself, and a number of friends. We wanted a name that was also descriptive of the function of the bags themselves. What do we use them for? What do we do all day with them? At the time we were both messengers....stream of consciousness led from making deliveries to dropping/picking up to....LOAD And RELOAD!!! And what a coincidence that the first two letter in "reload" are the first initials of the two founders: Roland and Ellie. Anyway, as far as the second concern - the logo - our friend and dispatcher (Marcus Tenaglia) came up with the above design, which was silkscreened onto all of our bags for a while. If you still have one of these, hang on to it...the only existing bags that are older than these are the ones we did with hand-screened pieces of liner scraps sewn onto the flaps.

We've moved around quite a bit in our lifetime...all in all, R.E.Load has existed in eleven different locations between Philadelphia, Washington state, and San Francisco. Kinda crazy. Anyway, this is where it all started....above is the little spare room in 19XX Green st. where our first bags were made. The patterns were made from cardboard cut out of the sides of bike boxes. We'd buy a couple of yards of materials at a time, based on our current orders. What you see in that picture represents the entirety of R.E.Load's raw goods at the time.

This was our first flyer...we only made one size, which was pretty close to our current Courier model. And we boasted amazing custom options like color choices for the bases and flaps :)

We spent our first couple of years sourcing materials and expanding on our basic bag design. Slowly we also began to get into the more creative side of the bags, working on applique and alternative materials. Our big break came in 2000, when the CMWC - which was slated to be held in Boston, but had to be re-worked due to conflict with the municipality (the short story is basically the city of Boston was anti-messenger) - was moved to Philly. The Boston organizers came down with only a few months left, and together with the Philadelphia Bicycle Messenger Association (which we also had a hand in creating along with several other individuals, most notably Wendy Fallin, who was the main component) we threw the biggest messenger event of the year. A slew of couriers from all over the globe flocked to our city and bought bags, which made their way back across the globe and without a doubt sparked interest in R.E.Load that otherwise would have taken years to develop had things gone any other way.

This was our first website. As was (and for the most part, still is) the case with our design and promotion, we have been lucky to have friends and family with loads of talent and a profound desire to help us out. T-shirts, business cards, catalogs, and all kinds of promotions have been conducted by the people that believe in us. This site was created by my sister.

Our second website has been temporarily placed back up on the internet just so you can see where we were in 1999. Check it out here.

Needless to say, we've gone through countless changes in the handful of years that followed. Ellie moved back out to her native west coast, yet we remained committed to maintaining R.E.Load as a unified, bi-coastal operation. We continued to press forward and acquired newer and stronger materials whenever possible. We worked and worked on our applique skills until we could truly call ourselves masters, and continue to refine our techniques...something that has been extremely critical, since we basically, unwittingly, have set a standard that now essentially requires any new messenger bag company to offer similar level of customization to ours. So, in order to remain ahead of the curve, we have to keep building on our years of extra experience.

If you took a second to check out the old website, you might have noticed that there's one glaring difference between our current bags and our originals. Back in 1998, when we started all of this, we made our bags with heavy duty canvas exteriors. A lot of this was in tribute to Globe Canvas and their original DeMartini messenger bags. Canvas remained our material of choice until about 2001, when when for a number of reasons, we decided to switch to cordura. Even at that early time in our company, we were used to making upgrades when we found better materials and hardware. But this wasn't so much of an upgrade as a “switch”. Canvas was soft and capable of breaking in in a way that no synthetic ever could. Cordura was lighter (especially in the rain!), much better against abrasion, and came in exponentially more colors. In the end, we chose cordura, but canvas will always and forever have a place in our hearts.

So when we started talking about making a special run of bags for our tenth anniversary, it was pretty much a no-brainer that the best way to honor our heritage would be to reintroduce a limited line of canvas bags. While we were at it, we decided to bring back another small detail that has been sorely missed by many: our original 2.5” logo. In a special silver color way, no less! Along with orange stitching – which used to be the only color choice; we wanted to use contrast stitching at all times to showcase the fact that we weren't afraid let people see how well the bags were stitched – double outside pockets, a messenger pad, and a ballistic base, the end result is a timeless classic that mixes the best of the old with the best of the new. In other words, the perfect symbol of ten years of R.E.Load.

We sincerely appreciate all of the people who have made our amazing journey possible, and hope that these special bags will still be as classic as ever when year number twenty rolls around. Our tenth anniversary limited run will be available in March, and will consist of Small Civilian, Civilian, and Deluxe models with all-black exteriors and model-specific liner colors. For more information, please visit our website.

2008-02-05T18:39:00.000-05:00

bikehugger.com

R.E. Load Bags In the Seattle P.I.

2008-02-05T18:26:00.000-05:00

Follow this link

to read the article.

R.E. Load Store: Capitol Hill, Seattle, WA.

2008-02-03T00:31:00.000-05:00

Chika's Prince Bag; What ?!?

2007-11-14T14:36:00.000-05:00

I kinda slept on this one...Chika did this quite a while ago, and I immediately set the pic aside to post up, but in classic form it was overlooked. Anyway, the work on this is just sick...and as a crusader of portraiture on bags, I'm personally ecstatic about it.

Emily is Blowing Up !!!

2007-11-14T12:12:00.000-05:00

Our all-time favorite designer Emily Glaubinger (she's been designing our tees and event posters for the past few years) moved to S.F a few moths ago and has been turning out some ridiculous work since. Makes sense, since she runs on sun and quesedillas. Anyway, you can check her out here. She is available for all types of custom work, so if you like what you see please feel free to contact her. Hopefully she'll still have time to do the 2008 April Fool's posters and tees...

Design-a-bag Contest !!

2007-11-06T09:50:00.000-05:00

Brian Howard from the Philadelphia City Paper wants a R.E.Load bag, but he's not entirely sure about doing his own design. So he decided to make an open contest out of it. Help him design his bag and you could be the proud winner of a R.E.Load fun pack: a hip pouch, one of our new belts, a t-shirt, a Fabric Horse lock holster (custom made to fit our 2" belts), and a couple other goodies.

check it out here.

Current ILLEST Bag ever ?

2007-10-23T17:12:00.000-04:00

Ashley Steigerwalt is the proud owner of this, R.E.Load East's "bag of the moment". Designed by Ashley's friend Pete Dalkner, and stitched by Gerik Forston. This got pulled off PERFECTLY, further cementing Gerik's claim to "Best applique stitcher on the East Coast". It's safe to say that Gerik is the king of detail.

The Face of Kryptonite....

2007-10-23T13:10:00.000-04:00

....is me! At least for the time being. They've been updating their site to include short bios and pics of the people who use their products. I'm up on the "bikes" section (which luckily is the main section and thus the home page) with my custom Bilenky S+S coupler track bike. And Donna Tocci (the best rep of any company anywhere) has also put me on the Kryptronite blog. Amusingly enough, the pic on the blog is one of the few times ever that I HAVEN'T had a krypto Mini Evo in my back pocket....it was during the R.E.Load photo shoot, so I wasn't locking my bike up anywhere.

Anyhow, Kryptonite has consistently provided the messenger community with incredible support as far as race prizes, benefit donations, and of course, exposure. Not to mention their main purpose, which is providing us with a means to actually KEEP our bicycles (as opposed crying on a curb holding a broken lock). So check out their site and their blog for news and events, as well as more products to keep your posessions safe and sound!

SE Racing x R.E.Load !!!

2007-10-23T12:21:00.000-04:00

SE racing called us up a little bit before Interbike to see if we could make some bags for their new 2008 lineup. Designed by Bruce Freehoff from SE, these are the samples we came up with for the show. Hopefully SE will go ahead and have us make a limited run for the upcoming season. If you're feeling them, please contact SE ! We can't make them available ourselves as they are SE's design, so if you want one, put some pressure on SE to make them a reality.....

Uwishunu Interview

2007-10-22T09:54:00.000-04:00

I guess October is officially "Interview Roland Month". Here's one by Jess Keating, on Uwishunu.

Ro gets interviewed on Vulture Droppings

2007-10-18T10:37:00.000-04:00

I got interviewed on Vulture Droppings, Gyro's new trendspotting website. The interview was conducted by Annette Monnier from Copy Gallery . Check it out here.

R.E.Load East on Vimby.com !

2007-10-16T11:53:00.000-04:00

Andrew Watson came through and interviewed me for this spot on the brand new website...check it out!

OMG LOL

2007-10-04T14:36:00.000-04:00

check out this new video from the Trackstar crew

Video: Monster Track 8

2007-10-04T10:41:00.000-04:00

Check it out (sent courtesy of NYC's Chris Kim): Monster Track 8 Video

* IN case you didn't know, Monster Track is the premiere fixed-only event in the world. We've been providing the first-place bag for it for about five years now. Congratulations Alfred, and props to Shino holding it down yet again in a brand new city.....

Ride for Rwanda !

2007-08-10T17:07:00.000-04:00

Bikes To Rwanda’s aim is to provide cargo bicycles to co-operative coffee farmers in Rwanda. The goal is to improve quality of life in these communities through a bike workshop and maintenance program that provides transportation resources for basic needs and enhances production of quality coffee.

They're organizing a bike scavenger hunt on September 8th, in Raleigh, NC. These guys are doing something pretty amazing, and all of the proceeds from the race will be going towards more cargo bikes to Rwanda. If you are even remotely close to Raleigh, go check it out! Guaranteed fun and a nice warm feeling all at once....also, it should be mentioned that Cadence clothing is a sponsor as well!

for more info, please check out the website

Race of Pain in D.C. !!

2007-08-03T12:56:00.000-04:00

Josh from D.C. is throwing a race on August 18th. And R.E.Load is sponsoring with a custom bag! Direct from the organizer: "The theme of the alleycat is Pain. We will be touring the most painful hills of washington DC."

So...if pain and profit is your thing, this is the race for you! The afterparty is promised to be pretty amazing; i believe there is some homebrewed beer involved (and lots of it, apparently). Which equals fun for all. For more info (and preregistration), email dcraceofpain@gmail.com.

New Features Outlined

2007-07-28T16:36:00.000-04:00

This is our new "organizer pocket" option. It's got 3 pen slots and two slots for pda's/ipods/whatever, and it's a $10 add-on.

This is our new "FBI pocket" option. That stands for "flat back inside". It sits on the rear interior wall and spans the whole width of the bag. The closure velcro also spans the whole width for strength. This pocket is great for storing laptop sleeves in our larger model bags. It's a $15 add-on.

Although neither of these show up on the website - we're in the middle of doing an entirely new website, complete with a real live "build your bag" interface - they are indeed available for ordering on custom bags right now.

Seventh Annual Bicycle Film Festival

2007-07-23T15:22:00.000-04:00

The Seventh Annual Bicycle Film Festival has moved on from NYC to Paris, and we've been invited to particpate in the accompanying art show! It's entitled titled "Joyride", and is hosted by Collette. The opening is slated for July 26th, featuring work by Steve MacDonald, Taliah Lempert, Peter Sutherland, Michel Gondry, Ryuta Nakajima, Swoon, Phil Frost, Ko Masuda, Daze, and many other BFF friends.

BFF Paris runs from July 26-29
topping off the events, July 26, is the opening with Brendt Barbur at colette
and ending the events is the street party in front of colette on July 29th two blocks away from the
ending of the Tour De France.

PS. the postcard photo was taken by Peter Sutherland and is of Ellie and my bikes at CMWC NYC last year!

Let the Collabo's Begin!

2007-07-13T15:06:00.000-04:00

Presenting a new R.E. Load bags and Cadence Clothing collaboration! These are amazing frame pads! Each one is an original! These are all printed/painted on recyled sail cloth (that's right, the actual sail from a sailboat!), by Dustin Klein. The other side is black cordura. This is a limited edition project and only 21 pcs. were made! This collection is sold out on the Cadence website. Please keep in mind, while placing your order, we will be sending you one from the batch at random! Additional flicks of the frame pads. Click here to purchase from the R.E. Load website.

We've got a TON of great stuff planned for the fall and winter. More collaborations, more shows, and more general ridiculousness from your friendly neighborhood bag stitchers. Stay posted!