IntrepidStephen

Thanks! We are so excited that it went so well. We were almost 200% funded! Thank goodness for that too, because every penny of the kickstarter (and then some) has gone into buying the minimums on the leathers we need and into production costs. We have launched our website for the leather bags at www.intrepidbags.com and are taking preorders now too for the second run of bags once we get the first all finished. Best advice I have is to build up your community before you launch and get as many excited first, then when you launch mobilize your community of fans to move all at once. This will help boost you up on Kickstarter, and hopefully get you noticed by other members of the site. Also don't skimp on the video and the photos. The better they are, the better your campaign will do (assuming your product is good too). We will probably be doing future kickstarters for our new bags. We don't have the funds to launch new lines on our own, and even though you make almost no profit with Kickstarter, it's a great way to see if your designs are as good as you hope. If the Kickstarter fails, at least you don't end up with thousands of dollars of unsellable bags on your hands.

Ralph thanks very much for the observations! I will be looking into skiving that gusset. Right now, there are two different pockets and their lining stitched into that particular gusset, making it pop quite a bit. I suspect we will have to eliminate one of the pockets to fully fix the issue. Thanks Blak! The Lillium is modeled after the hip purses we saw all over the place last time I was in Spain. They looked incredibly stylish and convenient on the ladies in Barcelona, we wanted to bring some of that style to the US. :D

@Andrew- The hides are domestically sourced USA cow hides, we are working with a high end leather group out of Leon for production. The leather is a full-grain pull up latigo leather concept we developed. (good call!) Similar to the leather used on Saddleback bags, but a bit softer since we didn't like how heavy and rigid Saddleback's leathers were out of the box. We didn't skiv the leather on the turned gusset, that's a great suggestion! The back gusset does have the fabric stitched into it, so again thanks for the tip! We had the exposed edge on the back to make it more sturdy since it's worn cross body, often with a lot of heavy objects in it. The Lillium woman's bag has a thicker top grain leather. More supple and purse-like. Thanks for the suggestions! Keep em coming guys, it's hugely appreciated!

Hey guys, my wife and I designed two leather travel bags that we are launching on Kickstarter, and I need your opinions! Please be honest. I wanted to design a bag that was rugged and manly, but wasn't ridiculously heavy and uncomfortable. The Journeyman is the result of that. And the Lillium was for my wife who wanted a hands-free and sexy way to carry her stuff around town. Here's the link to the Kickstarter campaign with more details: http://kck.st/1dO4LVI (what do you think of the video?) The Journeyman is a minimalist messenger bag that fits a full sized iPad, Macbook, and iPhone, with room for their chargers too, and more. It features an innovative suspended laptop/iPad pocket that keeps the bag from "bricking" when you put the Macbook in. Instead, the bag forms to your body and stays comfortable even when full. Plus... I think it looks pretty manly... Journeyman Features: Cross-body messenger design Rugged full-grain fully vegetable tanned boot leather Marine grade nylon stitching (used in parachute construction) Solid steel hardware Herringbone lining Suspended floating laptop pocket Leather iPad pocket Leather iPhone pocket Covered pocket for chargers 3 quick access document pockets 3 Pen / Stylus holders Lifetime Guarantee The Lillium fits an iPad Mini and iPhone with room for other essentials you'd need for a day in the city. It has a slim design and can be worn 3 different ways that contours to your body and leaves your hands free. A hidden zippered passport pocket on the back is perfect for keeping your cash and valuables close and hidden. Lillium Features: Slim design can be worn on hips, shoulders, or cross-body Extra-thick top grain purse leather Marine grade nylon stitching (used in parachute construction) Solid steel hardware Magnetic closure Micro-suede iPad Mini pocket Zippered iPhone pocket Hidden passport pocket 3 Credit card slots 3 pen / stylus holders Lifetime Guarantee A ton of work went into these bags, we even took them to the Himalayas in Nepal to field-test them. I'd love to hear you guys' thoughts and comments. I need input!

Thanks guys! I'll post more pictures when we get the next prototype made!

Just wanted to say hi to everybody! I'm so happy to be a part of such a great leather crafting community! I'm Stephen and my wife and I are following our dream to make and design our own line of rugged leather bags. We are big time travelers, and want to make a line of bags that will take people from city streets to mountain tops in style. I have two designs I'm working on right now. A slim and ergonmic messenger style bag for city commuters, and a slick side purse for ladies. We just got back from field testing them on a trek in the Himalayas of Nepal. Here's a few photos of the bags on the trek. Like us on Facebook to help us get the word out please! https://www.facebook.com/IntrepidBagCo