2/28/12

Bags and Pouches Review Methodology

I've tried to craft a framework consisting of ten criteria that evaluate basic things necessary to crafting a good bag.

Each category will be scored from zero to two; zero being abysmal, one being acceptable, and two being exceptional.  This will result in a total between zero and twenty, zero being a failure in every possible way and twenty being as close to product perfection as possible.


Design Concept:

The underlying concept of a product.  Sometimes something is a great idea on paper, but fails in execution.  Moreover, good looking products are far better than ugly products; as such, this category will evaluate aesthetics, too.


Materials:

What's used in the construction of a bag is particularly important.  A great design can be quickly ruined with sub-par materials.  Of course, depending on the particular use of the bag, materials will differ.

Hardware:

Snaps, clasps, zippers, and so on.  On many bags these sorts of things fail far more quickly than the fabric or stitching.  Of course, they're often the most irritating to repair.

Construction:

This is mostly a metric of quality stitching.  There aren't many other ways to hold fabric together...

Packing:

How easy is it to pack the bag?

Retrieval:

How easy is it to retrieve things from the bag both while it's on and while it's not. 

Organization:

How many pockets does the bag have?  Where are they located?  Are the pockets of the variety that one might expect?  Are they as useful as they should be?

Modularity / Expandability:

Multi-use, multi-function bags are wonderful.

On pouches and other such accessories this subcategory will be scored based on the attachment system (e.g., MOLLE, or what have you).

Weight:

Unnecessarily heavy bags are bad.  Lightweight is generally better.  I'll try to evaluate the weight of a bag based on its class.

Carry Comfort: 

Strap design, handle design, back-plate design, etc.  All these weigh heavily in the comfort of a bag.