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Last year, John reviewed the all-new Austere Manufacturing Lock Belt ($94) and he even included it in his favorite products of 2023 list. New for 2024, the small Washington state-based manufacturing outfit just announced three new buckle and webbing colors, mixing and matching an olive drab/coyote/black buckle with coyote or black webbing. Roll on over to Austere to mix and match your own combination.
Announced last week but teased for the past month, Austere Manufacturing‘s latest product isn’t a cargo strap or a bag upgrade; it’s a Belt! When Austere sent out a newsletter announcement, John bought one of these neato belts featuring an all-new CNC machined buckle, and he’s been quite pleased with the product. Let’s check out this precision piece of milled beauty below!
Over the years, I’ve found the simpler the collaboration, the better and there’s nothing more simple than a belt. When I met Mark from Topo Designs, we began talking about doing a product together. After I saw the Web Belts in their stock room, I knew exactly what we should produce.
The classics never go out of style, they just get a facelift, or in this case, a splash of color. In the years that Denver’s Topo Designs has been in business, they’ve striven for American-made portage that has a modern façade with a classic silhouette. All of their bags are manufactured in a LEED-certified facility at the foothills of the Rockies and while their bags aren’t designed specifically for cycling, they are versatile, durable and innovative.
I had the opportunity to visit Topo’s design and shipping facilities while I was in Denver and was immediately pulling out my card to make some purchases. From a new (out soon) backpack that stuffs into a pocket, padded laptop carriers (out soon), to their classic Klettersack backpack, nesting bags and even their accessories like the Web Belt and Liberty co-branded water bottle, I put a dent in my checking account!
I’ve honestly never purchased them before because I never saw anything Topo made in person. In this case, seeing and feeling was believing. With high-quality, wear-reducing cordura on the bottoms of their bags, you’ll have them for years with no issues.
Check out more photos from my Shop Visit to Topo Designs in the narrated gallery and check your local Topo retailler here.
