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Gouthwaite Backpack - 18-23L

Gouthwaite Backpack - 18-23L

Regular price £215.00 GBP
Regular price Sale price £215.00 GBP
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  • organic cotton
  • made in Britain
  • weather proof

select colour

Work and play, we use this bag every day. With space for a 16” laptop, your everyday essentials and more. This weatherproof backpack will be at home in every environment.

Wired’s top pick for durability in their “Best backpacks for work and cycling 2022”

Handcrafted in the UK by our master bag maker Amy and guaranteed for life.

the details

Capacity: 18 - 23 Litres.
Weight: 1.1kg
Dimensions: H 50-65cm x W 30cm x D 12cm

→ GOTS organic dry-waxed canvas
→ GOTS organic cotton lining
→ AustriAlpin Cobra buckle closure
→ Fits up to a 16-inch laptop
→ Internal pouch for valuables
→ 4 side straps with buckle closure
→ 2 side pouches
→ Recycled wool felt back padding
→ 50mm cotton shoulder straps
→ All hardwearing metal fittings
→ Removable Sternum strap
→ Meets airline carry on requirements
→ Covered by our Lifetime Warranty

Models:
Matt - 178cm + 85kg
Nell - 170cm + 63kg

sustainability

Limited production

We feel responsible for everything we put out into the world. To make sure we keep our impact as low as possible we only make 25 bags a week.

Materials

Our hardwearing, weatherproof, GOTS certified organic dry-waxed cotton uses 88% less water and 62% less energy than conventional cotton. It also uses zero toxic chemicals in its production.

This bag is almost plastic-free (we use a recycled polyester thread)

Offsetting

5 trees planted + 15 kg CO2e offset

BearReMade

Our bags are made to last a lifetime, but we get that not everyone wants to keep something that long.

To avoid your bag ending up in the back of the closet, or worse, the bin, we will take your bag back in exchange for BearMade credit (10% of the bags original value).

We will then recycle the parts from that bag and make it into something new.

get a free sample

Sometimes you need to feel the quality and see the colours in person. Click here to get a free sample of our organic cotton fabric.

View full details
  • who cares wins

    Whilst we love making great bags, we think there is a lot more we can do with our platform and profits. So we started The Wildish Club. A movement that brings awesome people together to do interesting stuff outdoors.

  • free shipping & returns

    We offer free standard shipping & returns on all UK orders over £100 and all our packaging is reusable, recycled and/or biodegradable. International shipping is calculated at checkout.

  • one less thing to worry about

    Accidents happen and even the best materials can fail. To give you peace of mind, all our products are guaranteed to last.

made by Amy

We insist on working with great people who share our values, and our lead bag maker Amy is one of a kind.

With 20+ years of experience, she makes all our bags, with the help of a small team, from her studio in the Suffolk countryside.

Learn more

material highlights

Our bags are made from GOTS certified organic dry-waxed cotton canvas from British Millerain in Lancashire. They have been dyeing and proofing cotton for over 100 years and this material is one of their latest creations. It has a totally dry finish (dry-waxed doesn't always mean totally), is waterproof, PFC free, and is machine washable! However, we don't recommend you wash it often.

the AustriAlpin Cobra buckle

The AustriAlpin Cobra buckle. Normally used on climbing equipment to save lives, this buckle can take the weight of a small elephant. Yes, it's overkill for a bag, but when you hear the sound it makes you will understand why we chose it.

notes from the designer

When I was a kid my backpacks would always break. Often the zip would be the first thing to go and I would end up with a bag held together with string. Unlike my bags, my dads' old canvas bag seemed to never go wrong. So when it came to designing our first backpack, that bag was always at the back of my mind. For our Gouthwaite backpack, we have combined the simple & durable functionality of my dads' old bag with a modern minimalistic aesthetic. Plus it's a rolltop, so that means no zips.

our impact

We feel personally responsible for the things we put out into the world and believe business should be a force for good.

to keep our impact low we:

→ Only make 25 bags a week
→ Will repair your bag for life
→ Will recycle your bag at the end of its life
→ Carbon offset all that we make and do. We plant trees locally (we actually plant
them) and in places where they will have a big impact with the help of Ecologi.

the wildish club

Like Cubs, but for everyone.

With every bag we sell we commit to helping one person get outdoors. We do this through The Wildish club.

Learn more

fair & honest pricing

After all costs this bag leaves us with a margin of £72. That margin goes into:

→ Carbon offsetting

→ Running The Wildish Club

→ Marketing

→ Good coffee

→ General running costs

We take our environmental responsibility seriously. For each of these bags sold there will be:

5 trees planted + 15kg CO2e offset

faq's

Do you really only make 25 bags a week?

We sure do! 25 bags is our maximum capacity and we have no interest in making more than that. It means we can take great care over every detail in all stages of production.

Think 25 bags sounds like a lot? It's not. Rolls Royce actually make over 60 cars per week.

What can I fit in this bag?

This is a hard question to answer as so many things are different shapes and sizes. However, for city use we typically take a 16" or 14" laptop and/or tablet, a large pair of headphones, a magazine, a book/notebook a jumper, a jacket and a bottle of water. There's also enough space for your gym kit or a full change of clothes if you cycle to work.

For outdoor use we would typically take a jacket, a jumper, a water bottle, a small first aid kit, some snacks, a small stove, kettle and mugs.

In both these scenarios we would still have plenty of space left in the bag.

We also regularly use this bag for weekends away.

Are your bags waterproof?

Our bags are not totally waterproof, very few are. But they are pretty damn close. We spent an hour throwing them around in a waterfall and water only got in when we forgot to roll the top down....

Can I customise this bag?

Sometimes we can, sometimes we can't. It depends on the product. If you want to know more, send us an email and let us know what product you would like to personalise, along with what sort of personalisation you would like.

don't just take our word for it

We've been featured in some of the worlds best publications and have awesome customers who leave us reviews like the ones below.

Customer Reviews

Based on 103 reviews
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A
Alex
Love this bag - everything I wanted it to be

Predominantly got this bag for my commute and after years of not very well-fitting bags wrecking my back I spent ages looking for the right kind of bag and this has exceeded my expectations and then some. Love the look of it, it is obviously very well made with care and attention, very spacious without being too big. It easily fits laptop & work stuff alongside gym gear etc. - It looks great and is very functional - love the metal clip and feel of the material. I'm now taking the bag everywhere even when not really necessary just because I want to.

G
Govind N.

Gouthwaite Backpack - 18-23L

A
Amanda C.
Custom gouthwaite

Such a well made, durable, high quality backpack. I reached out to Oscar and asked for a custom black gouthwaite to be made with tan straps instead, and the product is fantastic. I have been using it for a couple weeks now, and particularly appreciate how the shape and design of the bag makes for excellent weight distribution on the back. I may have to get another one for my husband soon!

C
C L.

I love my new backpack. If I had one suggestion for a change it would be addition of a loop at the top of the back so it can be lifted like a suitcase if wanted. If you grab the strap for the buckle, the strap slips in the buckle. Otherwise it is perfect

B
Ben C.
The best bag I will ever own

I rarely find the time to leave product reviews, but when I received a product that is such exceptional quality I knew this was going to be an exception.

Everything about this bag is amazing, the materials used, the workmanship to create it, and even the communication from the team. It is incredibly comfortable to carry, regardless of weight. I honestly can't recommend it enough.