Benjamin Hubert‘s studio Layer has designed Hop, an adaptable travel bag that can change format depending on a user’s needs. Hop comprises two bags – the base shoulder bag and top backpack – that can be formatted to suit different situations and attached together in “Hop” mode to form a single piece of carry-on luggage. Hop is the inaugural product for Hong Kong-based start-up ODA, which launches the adaptable travel bag with a Kickstarter campaign today.
Hop is a bag comprising of two separate parts – the base shoulder bag and top backpack – that can be used either separately or together to cater for a range of travel situations. Additionally, each part can be further adapted to meet the needs of a user’s journey at different stages. When used as a single unit, Hop has the appropriate dimensions to be used as carry-on luggage for all major airlines. Hop is constructed from a durable, high-tech Cordura waterproof textile and features waterproof rubberized zips, making it suitable for use in a diverse range of scenarios – from the workplace to the outdoors. The bag is available in a range of four colors, and the large and small bags can be mixed and matched to create a colorway that suits the style of the user.
The base shoulder bag and top backpack can be clipped together via magnetic fixings to form a single piece of carry-on luggage. The straps of the smaller bag are easily concealed before attaching the two pieces together to make for a seamless connection. At different points during a user’s journey, the bag can be adapted. For example, a user might be going on a short overseas trip after work. They could pack the larger bag with clothes, toiletries and shoes; and the smaller bag with laptop, passport and other daily necessities. In the workplace, the smaller bag could be separated and used throughout the day as a backpack or briefcase, then re-attached to the larger bag to create a single carry-on for the plane journey. At the hotel, the smaller backpack could once again be detached and used as an everyday bag while sightseeing or attending work meetings.
The smaller bag can be used as either a soft-shell backpack or messenger bag and is a solution for everyday use. It features padded compartments for a laptop and other devices, as well as comfortable padded shoulder straps that can be easily stowed away when not in use. A robust and waterproof rubberized zip runs around the top of the bag; and another on the front offers easy access to the bag’s interior, eliminating the need to rifle through the contents.
The larger base bag is a semi-rigid-shell duffle-style shoulder bag, with a durable nylon cross-body strap that can be easily attached or removed as needed with a simple twist by way of secure magnetic snap locks. It comes with a series of three magnetic dividers – similar in their construction to a tablet cover – that can be used to create up to three internal compartments of different sizes and configurations as needed. These compartments can be used to separate items when packing – for example, keeping shoes, clothes and toiletries separated; or clean and dirty washing. The bag has a rigid plastic foot that protects the bag by ensuring it remains elevated above the ground.
“Hop represents a new way to think about how a single piece of adaptable luggage can be seamlessly integrated into a user’s lifestyle to support everything from the daily commute to international travel,” says Benjamin Hubert, founder of Layer studio. “This project was also an opportunity for the team at Layer to help shape the design language and mission of a new start-up.”