ATD1's second production run, including both packs and padded belts, is now in stock and ready to be shipped in the world.
All pre-orders were picked up on Friday afternoon by Italian Posts directly at the manufacturing facility in central Italy and i just came back from there to my base in Milan.
We were lucky enough to have received really few negative feedbacks in the first run, and never regarding the whole product but one or two details. I'm also glad i've just seen one ATD1 pack sold by the original buyer on forums, subreddits and Facebook groups, because this means users are satisfied of their purchase.
Still, products have to be improved, constantly, and the advantage of small production runs is that we can do it quite quickly.
Here are the changes you'll find on this run, compared to the first one.
- The 500d Cordura ® Fabric used for the shell comes from another supplier and, while tech specs are exactly the same, this is slightly less shiny than the one previously used. We made this change to optimize the number of suppliers (these guys already provided us with lining fabric in both runs) and because the previous one had some coating issues that forced us to throw a lot of fabric away. The new one is more expensive, but we had no waste.
- From the beginning, i wanted to keep branding minimalistic and discreet but still showing it on the pack. The only external branding in the first run was a woven label with our name sewn between the front and the side panel, and i never really loved this solution as it was not clear enough about the brand, while still being too visible. We removed that woven label and put a small, black on black embroidery in the lower right corner of the front panel. The result is cleaner and more discreet while being bolder at the same time.
- The PALS row on the bottom panel was intended to add a bike light or to attach gear such as a rolled blanket or a small watertight bag via straps or paracord. Some suggested it was placed too toward the font panel to comfortably carry additional gear, so we literally inverted the bottom handle and the PALS row so that you still have a bottom handle and can still use a bike light, but the additional gear can be carried more effectively and closer to the back.
- Some users pointed that the webbing we used for the first run was too stiff and coarse to let the straps be adjusted with one hand without some break-in use, so we opted for a smoother and softer one for this run and added a couple triglides to avoid the chance of accidental sliding, trying to constantly improve our product and make it more easily adjustable when worn since day 1. We basically used the same nylon webbing that was used in the very first press samples.
- The front compartment layout is one of the most appreciated things in ATD1 design for its size and its balance between organization, access and minimalism. The only thing we wanted to fix is that small items could fall from the top pocket so we added a vertical bartack to keep even the smallest items there, preventing them to fall on the bottom of the compartment.
- Bartacks are a vital part of ATD1 design and there are dozens in a single pack. Usually, they have one weak point at one of their ends, where the machine starts the stitch, but this time we opted for a modified machine that starts and finishes in the center of the bartack itself, making it even more secure.
We won't be on holiday this summer son there will be no seasonal closure: every order will be shipped within 1 business day in August as well.
Michele