Accessible Outdoor Bag Design for Nature Enthusiasts
Paxess involved designing a series of hiking and photography bags tailored for minimalistic urban and nature enthusiasts. I merged diverse disciplines like biomimicry, tessellation, kinetic origami, and human-centric design to prioritize effortless gear access/pack and ensuring comfort, versatility, and inclusivity. Embracing cutting-edge technologies, I incorporated 3D printing and the principles of the circular economy. Instead of foam, I introduced an all-textile layer infused with PLA for shock absorption. My goal was to deliver designs that are functional, inclusive, sustainable, and long-lasting.
RESEARCH
User Group
50 Campers & Glampers Surveyed,
9 Personal Interviews & 3 Benchmark Demos
Age 41.2% 30–40-year-old
PROBLEM TO SOLVE
Utilitarian form
Visible functions, dull colors
Variety of bottles
Larger is tight, smaller moves
Rigid discomfort
Box like shapes, no body ergonomic
50 Campers & Glampers Surveyed,
9 Personal Interviews & 3 Benchmark Demos
FEATURES
Ease of Access / Form / Mobility / Comfort
– Flexion and Extension of the shoulder, elbow Joints & Wrist
– Abduction and Adduction of the arm
– External Rotation of the shoulder & wrist
POC
IDEATION
Hand “circumference”, “breadth” and “length” to define the minimum length and width of pockets especially inner pockets
“Wrist-to-center-of-grip length” to define the minimum circumference dimensions of pockets
Scenarios illustrating how technologies in the bottle holder and camera cage enhances movement
SOFT GOODS TECHNOLOGIES
Mechanism
Channel-like wrapping bottle holder Compressible straps
Elastic X-cross attached to the board
Store kinetic energy
Self-adjusting, limited-movement
Mounting at an internal point
Absorbs horizontal fluid-related shocks while maintaining stability
Provides spring-assisted push support for easy removal of a camera or bottle
Optimizes the vertical positioning of bottles
Performance (+10%)
Improved balance and impact absorption
Enhances posture and overall comfort
Increased stability
Improves access and repacking time
Increased stability and reduced jarring
Enhances posture and overall comfort
MVP
PROTOTYPING
ITERATIONS
Design iterations on forms and functions
TECH PACK
2D Design
Designed with Illustrator
features & benefits
Designed with SolidWorks
materials
Designed with SolidWorks
CAMERA BAG
HIKING BAG
GTM
2D Design
Designed with Illustrator
features & benefits
Designed with SolidWorks
materials
Designed with SolidWorks
PERFORMANCE TESTING
Average Timing
Access/Repack common items being carried by hikers & enthusiast photographers during outdoor hiking
Posture Comparison
The posture changed after 45 min hike in a medium to hard hiking path because of carrying and accessing/repacking the camera few time while hiking
