Mission Workshop Vandal

I don't know why Mission Workshop chose the name Vandal for this backpack. It’s built so strongly that the only thing likely to break is your back, after loading it up. It swallows 30 litres initially but can swell like a bullfrog’s throat to accommodate a super-sized 65. I used it to carry all my kit to Eurobike for the week, including laptop and riding kit, and with ample space for all the show loot I could get hold of.

Mission Workshop are a relatively new company from San Francisco's Mission District (hence the Mission bit in their name) who are putting genuine design flair back into courier bags. The guys behind Mission Workshop aren't new to the scene, however; they were behind Chrome bags back in the mid '90's before they sold the brand. Now they are back with a strong line up of product and solid collaborations with the hippest bike shops as flagship stores in San Francisco, New York, Paris and London. The last time I remember being as excited as this about bags was back in the ’90s lusting over multi-coloured Timbuk2 messenger bags.

Like I say, the Vandal’s capacity is vast: 65 litres is enough to stow away a small trolley's worth of groceries. Yet it’s no so big that you can’t manhandle it onto your back, and once it’s there the internal frame and luscious padding keep the bag well positioned for cycling even when it’s stuffed to the brim. You just look a bit like a cycling tortoise!

The bag is divided into three fully weatherproof main compartments, with fold down flaps and waterproof zips. Anything stashed in these areas stays bone dry. The fourth compartment in the middle is the expander chamber. It has only a urethane-coated waterproof zipper to keep out the elements, which is enough for all but the soggiest of days.

Each of the three main compartments is accessed from the top of a bag, like a big envelope on end. You can put a lot of stuff in these compartments – laptop, gym kit, folders – before you need to expand the fourth. When you do, and the bag swells like bellows, the flap closest to your back turns into a roll top to ensure water can’t get in. There are two zip pockets in the front of the backpack, good for knickknacks and your pocket trash. The only things I missed were a pocket on the shoulder strap for a phone or radio, and the ability to fit a hydration bladder inside the bag.

The adjustable padded straps allow you to fine-tune how the bag sits on your back, while the optional (and removable) waist belt makes carrying heavy or awkward loads a bit more stable. A semi-rigid frame maintains the bag’s shape, and the generous padding keeps it comfortable if a little sweaty on your back. It feels lovely and warm when it is on but like the winds of Siberia when you take it off after a hack across town.

In use, this bag is… large. If you are after one big bag for any load, up to and including holiday luggage, you are looking in the right direction. The Vandal’s build quality is exceptional. Even if the zips were to fail, you have buckles as backup. This bag is designed for rugged use. You could throw it around, drop it, drag it, spill beer on it, take it out in the worst winter weather and on sunny days, and it’ll be fine.

The Vandal is an immense bag that can turn into an enormous bag! It’s handmade in America from quality materials, and this is what you’re paying for: a well-made bag that will last a very long time. The Vandal does have a smaller sibling called the Rambler, with all the features except the two front pockets. Its capacity is a more carryable 22 litres, expandable to 44.

Verdict

A hardworking, rugged, expandable backpack that can be small enough to take to work and large enough to take on holiday.