I've bought a Frost River Arrowhead Trail Eco (waxed canvas rolltop backpack), and I plan on posting a review. Any questions or things I should look out for?
I've bought a Frost River Arrowhead Trail Eco (waxed canvas rolltop backpack), and I plan on posting a review. Any questions or things I should look out for?
I've just bought a backpack from Frost River, the "Arrowhead Trail Eco." I know that you can't assume that something is BIFL until you've owned it for a while, but waxed canvas definitely fits that long-lasting category, and this one certainly feels solid at first glance.
This is the first waxed canvas backpack I've bought. I've owned a few backpacks in recent years, trying to find the perfect everyday + work + gym backpack, but I'm new to waxed canvas. So I'm wondering if anyone has anything that I should pay attention to as I use it for the next couple months and develop an opinion about it.
The product page for it is here: https://frostriver.com/products/arrowhead-trail-rolltop-eco
I can post pictures tomorrow if anyone wants them. I've just picked up the package and it's the middle of the night right now, so I can't even really see what it looks like yet, haha. I usually find "first impressions" reviews to not be very useful (especially for products that you intend to own for more than a decade), but there were surprisingly few reviews for this brand available, so I might just do that anyway.
With worn textiles, there will be wear and tear. Textiles exposed to the outside can get dirty from rain, bird poo, mud, vomit... I would want to know, how cleanable is it? Is it allergic to any cleaning agents? Can the waterproofing be reapplied when it fades? For highest review rating: Does the manufacturer offer a repair service with access to original fabric even when your chosen color is out of style to recover holes and cuts?
- Waxed Canvas is water repellent and therefore repels other things like mud etc. You should just be able to wipe everything off with a damp cloth. Oil stains will need some absorbing substance left on stain for a day or two. Avoid using any chemicals or washing machine.
- The wax does dry out over time and will need to be "reapplied" at some point.
- These look like generic colors that you should be able to source locally or online.
This is generic knowledge on waxed canvas, not about this bag specifically.
Two things I'd like to know:
How is the leather quality?
Can the side pockets fit modern waterbottles (nalgene/hydroflask/etc)?
How is the leather quality?
I can't say that I'm an expert about leather, but it seems good enough. Their website says that their leather comes from Red Wing, Minnesota, and searching for that brings up SB Foot, who I'm not familiar with.
It uses two different kinds of leather: one for the straps that hold the rolltop down, and a different kind in the riveted places for reinforcing the riveted spots. The same leather for the rolltop straps is also used at the bottom of the shoulder straps for attaching to the backpack itself.
The leather for the straps is fairly hard and makes a "clack" sound if you tap your fingernail against it. The underside is unfinished, and I think a few little pieces still need to be rubbed off for it to pass through the buckles a little easier. It still isn't broken in at all, so I'll wait to weigh in on that.
The leather for reinforcing the riveted spots is softer and more flexible.
Here are some close-up pictures of the leather: https://photos.tuckerm.us/share/0xNl8uoBGRJc2l3lJA8O_RYfaySyihQuLZ0QhGhBvLzbZJZwmOdRFAHW5RZdu-yVoaA
Can the side pockets fit modern waterbottles (nalgene/hydroflask/etc)?
Yes, the side pockets are very large. My widest vacuum bottle is a 24 ounce Stanley with a 4 inch diameter, and it just drops right in pretty easily. Aside from the absolutely giant Nalgene/Hydroflask jugs, I'm pretty sure most of those are 3.5 to 4 inches. https://photos.tuckerm.us/share/SvCfwVRaRT0wXCNOUoqNenVTyXkuN-fZn00s4d72i9CuteFy63MQ3EV1JJpGEtbIglc
That tannery is a subsidiary of red wing boots, so I bet it's really high quality. I've had stuff made from leather that looks like/sounds like that. I think it's just completely full-grain that hasn't been pre-"broken in", so it feels really stiff compared to a lot of cheaper products that beat it up ahead of time so it looks right out of the box. It's should take on a really nice patina.
Good news on the waterbottle pockets, though. Too many companies put them on bags assuming we are all still carrying around tiny bottles
Did you go with buckskin or cotton webbing straps?
My last backpack (local brand) failed after 19 years of daily use, but I think I can just resew it back in place, I'll need to look into it
I went with the cotton webbing straps. I thought that might be a little more comfortable.
Owning a backpack for 19 years sounds great, I hope there's a way to keep it going.