If you've been following our Social Media the last couple of days, you might already be ahead on those news:
We went BACK. Back in time and Back on both shoulders.
First things first: Instead of doing something new by hook or by crook, discovering another material in a test tube, just to find out that it won't hold up to expectations, we at compagnon rather look back. Back into tradition. Back into history. What has been established and well seasoned over time? Are there any materials that were appreciated all over the globe for decades just to wiped off the surface by some jumped-up NASA fibre? Luckily, we found just that:
A couple of months ago we told you about our road trip to Scotland. It was back then when we kind of re-discovered waxed canvas. For well over hundred years it was the first choice for naval units from Britain to India.
This material offers everything we look for in a compagnon: It is sturdy and robust, highly durable, not afraid of any cloud burst, is of natural origin and my gosh it's certainly stylish and feels awesome. When we discovered that it was able to retain a beautiful unique patina, just as our buffalo leather does, we were totally stunned and convinced.
We started the process of browsing through quality grades, colors, combinations, shapes and ideas, still believing we might present you with the brand new compagnon product line sometime early this year. But Rome wasn't built in a day. And so weren't out backpacks...
But now they are finally ready for you, ready to leave the dark woods and enter the spotlight:
The most eagle-eyed among our followers might have spotted them on our photos we brought back from our America road trip. Obviously every compagnon needs to show what he is made of (obviously we know what they are made of but, you know what we mean... ) before they are allowed to try winning your heart and becoming your best friends. These two really make their entire family proud. How well two natural materials like premium leather and canvas will complement each other is easy to see looking at them for a second. This kind of dapper style is crucial for any compagnon, no matter on how many shoulders it is sitting.
Highly practical transport solutions, guarding your belongings and equipment reliably over rough and smooth just as well as deep in the urban jungle, offer enough flexible storage for longer trips and can be carried like a classic backpack, usually looked quite aesthetically challenged. That needed to change.
Quintessentially Backpack, yet quintessentially compagnon
Just like in our other compagnons before the storage can be adapted by velcro velours cushion pads, the entirely new roll-top on the backpack enables these to guys to take a little more than others, should you need them to. While we're at it: Their roll-tops have four magnets inside that make sure your compagnon backpack knows when to shut his big mouth without you having to tell him to.
When it comes to ravines and canons, either in the mountains or inside a city, you never know when they might release you. This is why these two burly guys offer up a lot of room. Effectively, they are only a tad smaller than our BIG boy, the weekender. Two full frame DSLR bodies. battery grips, about 6 lenses... Damn, they can really handle a lot of stuff.
As you can expect, there are no compromises in quality so you don't have to make any on your trips. His plastic components will never break during any mission. How can we possible know that? There aren't any on him. The main clasp is original COBRA, easy to open and close one-handed in a few milliseconds, hooks and loops do not merely look like metal, they really are.
When it comes to our buffalo leather, we will only say that no change has been made to quality, feel and style. That should be plenty fine, we believe :)
Yet, the canvas went through an incredibly long selection process. We already told you how the manufacturing is way more demanding than leather. On the other hand we were not prepared to use similar canvas to the one found on other bags and backpacks released these days. It was immediately apparent that no compagnon would conquer the decades together with you while wearing a skin like those. So we decided to pick our canvas up ourselves, right were the tradition started and the craftsmanship is home (Scotland, remember?). We boldly doubled its usual thickness and off we went...
Now, our newly arrived brothers not only boast the familiar casual look but also the compagnon license to tackle the times by your side.
The fact they will collect your stories, experiences and emotions in the patina on their skin and thus becoming more and more of your personal unique specimen, does without saying.
We always listen to the suggestions and requests of our customers (are the ones who'd like to be one soon). Since we got a lot of praise and compliments for the look, feel and touch of our leather (thank you time and time again!), we kept the entire backside of the backpack in our finest leather. The cushioned straps, the cushioned back pads, the holding loop. Everything you touch, everything that is close to your skin and obviously to your senses, is made from our compagnon premium leather. Come to speak of the cushions: We blended innovation and tradition once more for that. What were you thinking? 
The color combinations of moss green and buffalo leather in gingerbread-/caramel-brown and midnight blue with black buffalo has them looking as if they were born to live on a forest glade or by a small mountain lake. But still they are in their element when it comes to urban territories as well. We know what we're talking of: They loved New York and New York loved them!
To be brutally honest, our wardrobes do not contain an outfit these two would not match. If you claim you have some duds our backpacks wouldn't look nice with, we bet you wouldn't dare posting it up your timeline :)
It took a lot of work and time (as you can tell) to get these two new siblings ready for you. Now they are incredibly excited to experience life with you.
The first series of these two tremendous chaps will obviously not be available in great quantities, which is why we give you the chance to send a non-committal e-mail reservation to info@compagnon-bags, to make sure you'll be among the lucky ones to receive your new best friend and compagnon right before the hit the web shop publically. The price of 449.-€ incl. VAT will stay put even once the first series is sold out.
###################################################### EDIT June 25th ###################################################### We are excited to reveal closer information on the loading capacity of our new guys: The compagnon Backpack comes with 2 large and AT LEAST 8 smaller velcro velours cushions! For example: ** A full-frame DSLR, like a Canon 5D Mark III or a Nikon D800, with a big tele, like a 70-200mm 2.8 ** Additionally 4-5 other lenses, maybe more if these include compact prime lenses ** There is always room for a laptop up to 15" and smaller equipment like batteries, filters, lens hoods, chargers and all that. ** If you need a second full-frame DSLR body, that will easily fit with 4 lenses extra. There is basically no equipment combination within his size he couldn't provide a save home to. The new compagnon Backpack in numbers: weight: about 2.0 kg size: about 40 cm (height) x 30cm (width) x 16 (depth) about 12 inch (height) x 15.8 inch (width) x 6.3 inch (depth) By using the rolltop for extra clothes, a rain cape or other stuff you might need, you get an additional 30cm x 30cm / 12 x 12 inch. The cushioned velcro separation pad between the Rolltop and main Backpack storage is removable and replaceable so you could even load a monopod or tripod if you wanted to. The main access is through the back panel, which is all leather, and can be opened by 2 zippers. Stay tuned, we will bring you a 'whats-in-my-backpack' and a loading demonstration soon!
