Osprey to the Rescue

Now, I’m a backpacker and an avid outdoorsman. I love the outdoors, I love the fresh air, I love getting some mileage on my boots, and I love my Osprey gear. All in all, I’d call myself an Osprey fanatic through and through, which is why I was so happy to find this cool bag on Amazon.com recently. The Osprey Resource Astro Courier bag is awesome, and here’s why.

First, it’s from Osprey. They have been making amazing outdoor gear for a long time now, and they’re the brand of choice for most light-weight backpackers around the world. They use light, yet solid, materials that really last against long-term wear and tear, and they look stylish the whole time. I first started using Osprey packs during my first two-week trip through the Gates of the Arctic wilderness in Alaska, and I’ll tell you: they’re great.

Now comes the Resource Astro messenger bag, and I’m not sure what to say. I love messenger bags in general because they’re a lot easier to reach into than backpacks, and I feel that they’re just more versatile in general. However, this bag goes above and beyond by being 100% post-consumer waste. They have made this whole thing out of recycled plastic bottles through a process that is pretty simple but pretty amazing at the same time.

All they do is collect the bottles, process them into chips, melt the chips down, and pull out strands (or threads) and weave them together making a wool out of the plastic. The result is a lightweight, fully functional messenger bag that is made out of old plastic bottles. As far as I’m concerned, that’s just about as high on the cool meter as it gets.

One thing that I do recognize is that outdoor gear (or even just bags) are not a “one size fits all” deal. Different brands and sizes will have very different comfort results for different people, and that’s a fact. While I love this thing, it doesn’t necessarily mean that it’ll fit your lifestyle– but it’s worth a try. With all the stuff about the horrors of plastic, it’s at least great to see people taking a proactive step toward doing something useful with all that waste.

jareds | My Bio & Articles

Jared Skye is an environmental scientist and author of sustainability and self-sufficiency themed media.