Saddlebags made for motorcycle travel with classic styling and timeless materials that look great on any bike.
Latest Updates from Our Project:
HO HO HO
over 8 years ago
– Sat, Dec 19, 2015 at 08:58:19 PM
Hey people!
We've been so busy since the final days of the campaign that it looks like we forgot to send out a "HOORAY WE'RE SUCCESSFULLY FUNDED!" update. So, whoop there it is! We've been so overwhelmed by everyone's encouragement and support that we're struggling to find the words to thank you all. Our campaign reached a whopping 174% of our original goal and we couldn't have done it without each and every one of you. THANK YOU.
In the last couple weeks we've been busy taking a few of the first steps toward getting your rewards on your doorstep and this business on it's feet. For us that looks like a combination of things: • Moving our Pack Animal workshop to its new location in the Fremont / Queen Anne area of Seattle
• Meeting with and dissecting prototypes with the local manufacturer who will be sewing together most of our saddlebags and tool rolls
• Narrowing down our material choices so we can order HUGE quantities (and creating a space where we can handle receiving these materials)
• Finding the softest t-shirts and best local printer to produce our Pack Animal shirts • A bunch of other small miscellaneous things that will probably bore you to sleep zzzzz...
Several of you have asked if you can add something to your order even though the campaign has ended, and the good news is YES. If you pledged during our 30 day campaign, you'll be able to add an additional reward (if you wanted a mug, key fob, etc.) when we collect your information through Backer Kit.
You can expect to see that Backer Kit questionnaire that asks for your address, color choice for bags & tool rolls, and the option to add to your order before the new year. Most people are busy traveling and spending time with family right now (us included), so we're taking the next week to soak up the season and make some memories with those we love. We'll still be checking our email, so as always, if you have a question shoot it our way at [email protected] and we'll get back to you as soon as we can.
That's it for now. We hope you all have a great holiday! We'll send out another update soon, but for now we're off to hug our parents and siblings, cuddle our nieces and nephews, and sip a hot toddy or two around a crackling yule log.
- the Pack Animal folks
THE FINAL COUNTDOWN
over 8 years ago
– Fri, Dec 04, 2015 at 06:30:16 AM
TWO DAYS LEFT.
There's a little over 48 hours until the end of our Kickstarter campaign and we continue to be blown away by the overflow of support! It's not too late to be one of the first to have Pack Animal gear though, so tell your friends and every dollar pledged will help us make new products available sooner. We still need your help to grow this business into something lasting.
The campaign will end this Saturday, December 5th, at 4:02pm PST!
The black bag is here.
We spent the Thanksgiving holiday at our sewing machines and cutting table to bring you this black saddlebag prototype. This is the saddlebag before being sewn together:
There are a a few small things about the design we might tweak, but overall we love the way it turned out. Black tool roll is up next!
We're moving!
With all the busy-ness of getting the business up and running, we're simultaneously moving our Pack Animal workshop. We're currently in a basement studio in Seattle's "underground" in Pioneer Square, and as much as we love the rich history we're surrounded by, the rain has a way of dripping through the sidewalk's skylights and we're ready to get out of there before the real rainy season begins.
We're excited to be moving into a new space called the Moto Shed, which is shaping up to be a real game changer for Seattle's motorcycle scene. It's not due to open for another couple of months, but when it does it'll be a haven of motorcycle storage, cafe, retail, and a garage with lifts and tools to wrench on your bike. Our workshop will be upstairs, and we're so pumped about the whole space opening up to the public. It's a long and slow process, but over the holiday we managed to get the walls painted, floors installed and treated, and are now in the process of building our new leather cutting tables, workbenches, and desks.
That's all for now! We'll be in touch soon. - some Pack Animals
$60k!!!!!!!
over 8 years ago
– Sat, Nov 28, 2015 at 07:45:09 PM
WE DID IT!
We made it all the way to our financial goal of $60k with about 12 days to spare! Each of you who pledged, shared our story with a family member or friend, or those that re-posted our photos and updates — without you we would not be here. We're so thankful for all of you who have helped make this a successful campaign.
DON'T STOP!
It's not over yet! We still have 11 days to go so if you want to get in on the first shipment of goods, the clock is ticking. We'll still be offering our products for pre-sale through our website after the campaign is over in a week and a half, but our Kickstarter backers will be the first to see a saddlebag or tool roll land on their doorstep. Tell your friends!
Also, it's worth mentioning that the more money we're able to raise from the get-go, the faster we'll be able to begin prototyping our next couple of products on the line up (top of the seat duffle, anyone?). We're looking forward to the road ahead.
Kickstarter campaigns we love right now:
Tobacco Motorwear Women's Motorcycle Jeans Tobacco Motorwear is making protective riding jeans for women that look and feel like normal pants. Eco-friendly raw denim lined with Kevlar and made in the USA. They already have a successful line of men's riding jeans AND they're already funded, which says something about how great they are.
Pulse - Your Camera, Upgraded If you're a photographer and you've ever wanted to take photos of the night sky but wish you could shoot from the warmth of your tent...listen. This tiny camera accessory is something we've been waiting for in the photography world for a long time — a product that gives you complete control over your DSLR wirelessly from your smartphone. Stills. Timelapse. Video.
Take the Trail: Packs for the Modern Adventurer Uphill Designs is a fellow Seattle company making handcrafted backpacks for city life and the outdoors with materials similar to ours. Their team has input from some seasoned thru-hikers who know the trails and what's needed in a hiking backpack. A portion of their proceeds goes to supporting trail maintenance — a fantastic initiative.
As always, we'll be in touch, but shoot us a message or email if you have any questions!
24 hours later...
over 8 years ago
– Sat, Nov 28, 2015 at 07:42:16 PM
We're just over 24 hours into our campaign and have already reached over $10,000, roughly 17% of our goal! THANK YOU!! We are floored by your support and so excited for the journey ahead.
A few things to note:
• We've added a new reward level per your requests: The Half Yak + Tool Roll combo, as seen in the photo below. This will get you ONE saddle bag with leather mounting hardware and ONE tool roll. If this sounds more like your jam and you already pledged, you're welcome to change your reward level and pledge accordingly! It's a great setup.
• The one question we've heard more than any other is "black on black?" and yes, we agree, this needs to be a color way. We're working on getting a prototype sewn up for you to check out, but it's official! We'll be offering the saddle bags and tool rolls in black twill and black leather. Your color preference is wrapped up in the information we'll collect from you once the project is funded, so no need to worry about making a decision now!
That's it for now, friends. We have 28 DAYS left to raise over $45k to get these bags rolling, so in whatever capacity you're able, please share this with your motocurious friends! As always, shoot us a message if you have any questions and we'll be in touch soon!
ONE WEEK IN!
over 8 years ago
– Sat, Nov 28, 2015 at 07:42:09 PM
We're a little over one week in and thought it was about time to update you all on a few things and common questions.
1. Do these bags come with a warranty?
Yes! The saddlebags and tool roll are built to last and both come with a limited lifetime warranty. We guarantee the construction and material for a lifetime of normal wear and use. This excludes damage from bike wrecks and incorrect mounting that lets the bag touch exhaust or your motorcycle's moving parts.
2. What about the black bags, though?
We're working on it! We just received a new shipment of material and will post a zillion photos as soon as we have the prototype sewn up. The black bags ARE happening, so if you're just waiting to pledge until you know they're real, don't worry about it, you get to select your color way at the end of the campaign anyway!
3. Can we feature your products & campaign on our blog?
Um, yep. Just shoot us an email at [email protected] and we'll get back to you with more info. All our love to the publications / bloggers / writers who have already helped us spread the word by sharing our campaign, you're our heroes!
Thanks to the 91 of you who have pledged so far, we're NEARLY half way to our 60k goal! That's insane. We're really encouraged by your response, and so glad you want to join us in making this new line of travel goods a reality. We can't wait to start shipping this stuff out all over the world...Malaysia, Canada, Australia, Indonesia, Spain, Puerto Rico, Switzerland, New Zealand, and all over the United States. Whoa. How did you guys even find us?!
5. HELP.
Now that we've passed the first week, we're headed into the dead zone. Kickstarter campaigns are notorious for plateauing after the first week of funding, and then they kick back into action during the last week. We'd love to avoid this, so we NEED your help. We truly cannot bring these products to life without you guys, and from what we've already seen from our current 91 backers, we have a crazy diverse group of people from all over the globe interested in supporting us. Consider sharing a link to our campaign with your friends, family, and all those people from high school you're friends with on Facebook but haven't talked to in 10 years (you never know! even your mom might be into it!) The sooner we hit that 60k mark, the sooner we can hit the green light for production, thus the sooner you get your rewards.
