“Is waterproofing really necessary?”

That’s what outdoor writer Shōtarō Takahashi said when he saw the prototype during the development of SNAP. It was a comment that set the direction for the entire project.

In the summer of 2018, I started working on SNAP, the first project I ever led as a designer. It was a period filled with struggle with a sewing machine, bringing my ideas to life, and testing them over and over.

I initially believed that a pouch designed to hold important items absolutely had to be waterproof. To make sure water wouldn’t get inside even in sudden rain, I focused on using special fabrics and waterproof zippers. Before I knew it, I had over 20 prototypes piled up on my desk.

When I showed one of these prototypes to Shōtarō Takahashi, he responded with that question.

It was a wake-up call for me. I realized that my obsession with waterproofing had led to a pouch that was hard to access and not very practical.

“This won’t work,” I thought, and decided to go back to the drawing board and rethink my approach.

Instead of making the pouch itself waterproof, what if you could just quickly remove it when it starts raining? That’s it—I’ll create a pouch with quick-release functionality and easy access!

At that moment, everything became clear, and I felt like I could see the finish line.

To make a pouch that can be quickly attached and detached from a backpack, I needed to come up with a new way of securing it. It had to be easy to remove but also securely attached to the harness. It was a tough challenge, but I finally arrived at the solution: “SNAP FLAPS,” a flap system that uses the shoulder harness as a stopper to keep the pouch in place.

Thanks to these flaps, you can quickly attach the pouch while you’re on the move, and easily remove it after you’ve taken off your pack. It’s a game-changer.

From the way I drew the sketch lines to how I used the sewing machine, Mr. Saito gave me plenty of feedback, and I kept refining the prototypes to perfect SNAP as a tool. At first, I was worried about how it would be received, but the response was so positive that we had to place additional orders as soon as it launched. I couldn’t be happier.

So, take SNAP out into the field and use it fully with your favorite backpack.

Let’s pack and go!

Takeshi Yamanaka, Designer
PAAGOWORKS
Sep. 1, 2019