The ASTRO Gaming Scout Bag Back Story
March 22nd, 2010
Talking Shop With the Designers of the Scout Bag.
Just like the Swiss Army Knife isn't just for Swiss Soldiers who need an emery board, Astro Gaming’s Scout Backpack isn't just a bag for gamers who need their consoles. At its core, the Scout is a bag for humans. I recently had the opportunity to sit down to lunch with the designers of the backpack and discuss its inspiration, performance, and finesse.
Just like the Swiss Army Knife isn't just for Swiss Soldiers who need an emery board, Astro Gaming’s Scout Backpack isn't just a bag for gamers who need their consoles. At its core, the Scout is a bag for humans. I recently had the opportunity to sit down to lunch with the designers of the backpack and discuss its inspiration, performance, and finesse.
Gamers need a bag that can not only take a beating, but also keep all their precious cargo, such as an A30 Audio System, XBox or Playstation console, controllers, cables, sunglasses, handhelds, and Red Bull, safe and sound. Like those of government issue, the Scout does out-pack and outlast it's civilian counterparts, but unlike army surplus goods, this bag is extremely comfortable. Even filled with all those heavy goods, the Scout is the ultimate in convenience, comfort, and balance. "We set out to design a bag to speak to gamers; durable materials, loads of extra space for all the gear, and everything else that serves the sleek and shady gamer lifestyle. We also wanted something with a really clean silhouette with all the pockets on the inside and nothing hanging off the bag or exterior pockets, even the handle is integrated and fits inside the tight and clean design”, said Mich. "Although our goal was to specifically design a backpack to stoke out the gamers, we also wanted to design a bag that appealed to a larger crowd," added Adam, “Another big factor in the design was to make the bag comfortably fit however you choose to wear it, it is just as comfortable low-rider style hanging around your belt as it is worn higher up like old school backpacking hiker style”. The premium lycra-bonded EVA panel padded backing, and dual-layered pretty-looking ballistic nylon material for the shoulder straps were chosen for their performance, endurance and foxiness. The designers even scraped samples of material against a cement wall to see which material was most resistant to pilling and snaring. The testing process for Scout's comfort and capacity level was no less rigorous, "We filled a few prototype bags with telephone books and asked people to walk and jump around with them, and we sat back and listened to the feedback. It was pretty funny to be working on stuff, then see out of the corner of your eye someone bunny-hopping down the hall way doing tests". This undying eye to detail is what helps make the Scout a classy comfortable ride that makes the even the heaviest loads feel lighter. When asked who they’d like to see walking down the street in their backpack? Mich and Adam answered quickly, and in unison: "Abe Lincoln, Fred Savage, and Joey Ramone."
I had a chance to test run the bag on a recent trip to Mexico with my lovely wife and the two ankle-biters. This bag holds a ton of stuff, looks cool, and blends into your body rather than hanging off of it. I was able to fit my 17'' Macbook Pro, a couple novels, Littlest Pet Shop Toys, a Leapster, dice, cribbage board, the Economist (which I never quite got to), the March issue of MAD magazine (read it cover to cover), book of crosswords, pens, paper, earplugs, gummi bears, sippy cups, diapers and wipes, all while staying remarkably slim and hanging tight as I pulled my usual clandestine parking maneuvers and navigated the narrow airplane passageways. There’s also a pocket on the shoulder strap that holds your ID and credit cards, putting airport identification close at hand or if you are the thin wallet type, eliminates the need to carry one at all. Speaking of which, this bag is a steal at $79.00! Go to the ASTRO Gaming site to pick one up today
