You need a bag. We all need a bag. Whether it’s to haul you stuff back and forth to work or to and from the gym or stuff your Every Day Carry (EDC) for daily errands. You’ve got options. Boy, do you have options. The choices run the gamut from MOLLE’d out tactical bags to functional athletic bags. One company in the fray is Sword and Plough. A veteran owned, veteran run company that sources used military material and turns them into extremely functional yet very polished products.
The concept of sword and plough of course is to turn conflict into peaceful activities, and the conversion of military weapons or technologies into peaceful civilian applications. The company took that metaphor and ran with it by creating some very functional yet stylish bags.
A little from their website: “…How incredible would it be to repurpose military surplus material into durable and fashionable bags that people could use every day? By incorporating veterans into every
The company creates quite a bit of cool gear to populate their online store. You’ll find: wallets, backpacks, bags, hats, tote bags, jewelry and a lot more. There is something there for most anyone’s tastes, whether it be your spouse or friend. he Field Pack is a lightweight backpack perfect for day trips, exploring the city or hauling your books to school. Constructed from durable cotton canvas, military spec webbing and over-sized nylon zippers, this urban bag will take you anywhere!
Sword & Plough has been in the making since their founders were born into a military family. After listening to an inspiring speech by Jacqueline Novagratz during Middlebury’s first social entrepreneurship symposium Emily began to think ‘What in my life is often discarded and could be turned into something beautiful with a purposeful mission?”
By incorporating veterans into every stage of the business (from design, to sewing, management, fulfillment, sales, even modeling), they empowered veteran employment.
I got the chance to spend a little time with their signature messenger bag. I loaded it down and carried it around town, and even took it to Vegas. After filling it with everything from computers, to baby wipes, to trauma kits I have to say, it totes with style (I got several compliments in Vegas).
Here is what Sword and Plough have to say about it: “Our Signature Messenger is constructed from durable canvas and nylon fabrics, and accented with full-grain leather straps. It’s the perfect bag for work, school, and urban or outdoor adventures! The Messenger includes a thick leather strap that rests comfortably on shoulders, a built-in padded laptop sleeve, and plenty of internal & external pockets to store all your daily gear.”
The signature messenger bag has a ton of pockets of varying size for organizing, a comfortable shoulder strap. It fits in just as well at the office (or Firehouse) as it does on a weekend excursion. But I think the feature that stands out the most is its craftsmanship. The messenger bag is extremely well made. You can see the attention to detail. It is very dapper. There is a polished, engraved nameplate on the front that makes you feel like you’re carrying something special.
Out of 5:
Style: 4.5 (a little too fancy for my personal taste)
Comfort: 5
Durability: 4 (the exterior cloth picked up dirt fairly easy…airports, ugh)
Functionality: 4 (the only complaint I had was the top flap wasn’t long enough leaving some of the pockets exposed if the bag was full
Overall: 4 ( It felt good when carried, the weight didn’t effect comfort, but it was a little too “fancy” for me and the flap was annoying
If you’re looking for a polished looking daily messenger bag that offers plenty of space and is made by a company that is doing incredible things for veterans then I feel like this is a no brainer!
Material Disclosure
I received this product as a courtesy from the manufacturer via Spotter Up so I could test it and give my honest feedback. I am not bound by any written, verbal, or implied contract to give this product a good review. All opinions are my own and are based off my personal experience with the product.
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