8000kicks Commuter

8000kicks pitches the Commuter as a single bag for the shifting loads of a normal week: a laptop and documents on workdays, sneakers and training gear for the gym, clothes and toiletries for a weekend away. The maker says it has previously drawn more than 10,000 backers and shipped over 100,000 products worldwide, and frames the Commuter as an effort to get the most out of hemp as a bag material.

Four ways to carry

According to the maker, the Commuter can be worn as a backpack, slung as a shoulder bag, carried by hand, or fixed to a bike rack as a pannier via a bicycle attachment. The campaign also highlights a clamshell opening that lets the bag lie flat like a suitcase, a dedicated clothing compartment with waterproof pockets, and what it describes as TSA-approved design intended to ease laptop screening at US airports.

Modular and expandable

The interior accepts five add-ons that attach with magnetic snaps: Laptop Case V3, Toiletry Bag, Tech Pouch, Camera Cube and Compression Cube. The maker also says the bag is 40% expandable, with the expansion section built from YKK zippers and reinforced hemp panels so it holds its shape when enlarged.

• Front water bottle pocket
• Odor-resistant pocket for wet swimwear or gym shoes
• Removable waterproof shower bag
• Ergonomically designed straps intended to spread weight
• Weatherproof-treated 100% hemp shell

Why hemp

The material is the Commuter's central argument. The campaign describes hemp as durable and breathable, says it can be grown with one-fifth the water of cotton and without pesticides, and points to its historic use in rope, ship sails and even Ford car bodies. The fabric is given a weatherproof treatment that the maker says helps protect laptops, documents and electronics inside from rain and snow.