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.
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.