Stepping off at an unfamiliar station, hopping on a bus you’ve never taken, and starting up a trailhead for the first time. Staring at the ground, feeling sweat on your back, looking up at the sky as you take a drink of water. The constant 'switch' between different scenery and emotions—that’s what makes hiking so interesting.

That’s what inspired me to develop the SWITCH, a bag designed to be your perfect hiking companion.

The idea that “your gear should be easily accessible while on the move” has been my core design philosophy since the PATHFINDER and SWING, but with the SWITCH, I wanted to take it even further. So, I started by ditching the ordinary plastic attachments (the buckles used to attach the bag to your pack). I wanted something that could be attached anywhere and removed easily. That’s when I came across a small aluminum parts manufacturer in Korea. It was just a two-person team—a designer and an engineer—but they were incredibly passionate and down-to-earth. We hit it off right away, bonding over drinks, and the development process moved quickly from there. Working with such professional partners was a great experience, and they soon became known as the “fun dudes” around our office.

The result of all this is my pride and joy—an aluminum hook with a large opening that’s easy to operate even with gloves on and thin enough to attach anywhere. With this, you don’t need ordinary plastic attachments anymore, and you can place it on any part of any pack. The bag itself has a zipper design that works whether you carry it vertically, horizontally, or at an angle. I carefully sized it to fit all your gear and kept the design simple and clean. It’s a bag that can 'switch' to however you want to use it, depending on the situation. I think it’s something you’ll never want to leave behind.

So, pack up your gear and head out.

Let’s pack and go!

Tetsu Saito, Designer
PAAGOWORKS
Mar. 17, 2021