Pete Hill almost told SOG to just scrap their idea for a new line of packs and bags.
Hill, an independent pack designer who's worked with a number of outdoor brands including Arc'teryx, Chrome Industries and The North Face, met with SOG in Seattle about two years ago. His initial thought about SOG introducing a system of packs to consumers embracing the preparedness mindset?
"I figured I should get them to drop the idea," he said.
Hill's contacts at the company, Senior Director of Product Strategy Chris Cashbaugh and Vice President of Brand Jonathan Wegner quickly convinced him otherwise.
"We spent a good amount of time really covering the 'why' they wanted to do this and what it would bring to a very specific end-user," Hill said. "That's not common for a lot of brands. I've dealt with a number of brands who want to try manufacturing soft goods, and I try to talk them out it. But they kept coming back to their focus on the needs of those who want to be prepared in an understated and self-reliant way. Once they explained it, that made a lot of sense for SOG."
Hill, Cashbaugh, Wegner and others at SOG are confident the newly introduced Surrept Carry System will meet the desires of those who want to be properly prepared for the demands of today's ever-changing, fast-past life. Specifically, the SOG's Surrept Carry System is made for those who embrace idea of being equipped mentally, physically, and materially for any and all situations that come their way while not looking like they've prepared for Armageddon. Introduced December 2020, Surrept is a line of six packs, each highly functioning, that blend understated design with practical utility.
How good are SOG's new packs?
"I don't usually use bags that I design. I'm a next-project kind of guy," Hill said. "But these bags? I use them all the time, it's an expression of how well they came out. I love using them."
THE PACK MENTALITY
Cashbaugh has been at SOG for 18 years. He was there when SOG put their name on a line of "value priced" packs licensed to a big box retailer. He played a large role in 2015 when SOG launched a line of packs that, despite limited distribution, was met with general favorability by SOG customers.
"Those packs were cool and adaptable," Cashbaugh said, "but it was a collection around general purpose use. We were not targeting one specific group, which may have held us back a little. They did pretty well, but the big lesson we learned was we could gain permission from our customers to delve into something beyond knives and multi-tools."
As SOG geared up for a brand and product refresh in 2020 ¬– a relaunch that saw the company designing knives specifically for well-defined use-case scenarios and user groups – Cashbaugh knew there was room for SOG in the everyday carry pack market. As SOG sharpened its focus on the demanding consumers who might buy the packs, they engaged with Hill to help them deliver on taking Surrept from idea to reality.
"Pete is pretty well known in the pack world," said Cashbaugh. "In a series of conversations with him were able to dial in what our packs really were. Pete wanted to make a pack where he could stretch his creativity and do something positive."
DESIGNED FOR THE “GRAY MAN”
SOG's Surrept packs, said Cashbaugh, embrace the "gray man theory" – the idea that you can smartly conceal your preparedness by blending in with the crowd. Each subtly designed pack puts a priority on quick access and being able to carry what you might need, from your daily work basics — a water bottle to your laptop and computer cables — along with your preparedness gear, such as a pistol , first-aid kit, and other items.
The six packs range from a small storage and organizing pouch up to a 36-liter travel pack. Additionally, the packs are designed to work as a system. The smaller packs, for instance, are made to function either on their own or with the larger day and overnight packs.
"They fulfill a specific need to a really good degree," said Cashbaugh. "There's not a lot of duplication between packs and they hopefully set us apart from other options that are out there."
Hill, the industry veteran, sees the Surrept line as offering something quite unique in the world of packs and bags.
"I find 'tactical' or even 'tactical-lite' users really know what they want," Hill said. "Their performance requirements are more demanding. With Chris and Jonathan they had a clear idea of what needed to be a primary feature and then we could add or subtract as secondary features. Because we went about always thinking how this pack will perform and operate in real-world conditions, what we came up with is really dialed."
