Price: $99 $79
Retro-inspired outdoor gear is common enough today that it almost can’t be considered trendy anymore. Almost. The proliferation of vintage designs came hand-in-hand with a widening of the appeal of the outdoors and outdoor culture, which is now on display everywhere from the pine forests of the Pacific Northwest to neighborhoods of New York City. But so-called lifestyle gear is anything but bad — the current state of innovation is such that a backpack or jacket doesn’t have to be a technical marvel to still be a really good product.
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One of the vanguards of this movement is Topo Designs. What started as a man sewing backpacks in a basement is now a full-scale gear company that collaborates with the likes of Madewell and New Balance but also makes a three-layer jacket. But it’s still Topo’s bags that best illustrate the brand’s argument that style need not come at the price of utility.
One of its classics is the Rover Pack. It looks like an old-school hiking daypack and — with durable fabrics, lots of pockets and a padded laptop sleeve — works just about anywhere. And right now you can score one for 20 percent off thanks to the brand’s Shop Early Sale. The colorway shown above is one of three that’s currently available and discounted.
Price: $99 $79