Arro 22: Night
BRIEF:
My team was tasked with creating a replica and then finding areas to innovate on Arc’teryx’ Arro 22 backpack. Arc’teryx is a high-end Canadian outdoor clothing and sporting goods company founded in North Vancouver, British Columbia, in 1989. The Arro 22 is a classic, 20-year-old bag that has been particularly successful in Asia. This project was completed in a team of two using materials, findings, and machines available at the Wilson School of Design and with expert advice and feedback from designers at Arc’teryx.
TEAM:
Morgan Munro, Yasmin Sirton
Reverse Engineering
We used multiple methods for reverse engineering this pack. We began by taking measurements, but quickly found that tape-ups worked better for many pieces with complex curves. Once the soft components were patterned, we moved to experimenting with heat forming the foam. We matched findings as closely as possible and tested materials to find the best match. We then quickly sewed together our first prototype to check the accuracy of our pattern.
Innovation
We found many potential areas of innovation but focused on functional changes that wouldn’t affect the iconic look of the bag. We conducted research into other similar backpacks on the market, looked at customer reviews to find pain points, and documented what users wanted to carry with them. Our main additions were organization to the front kangaroo pocket for additional storage and functionality and reflection to strategic points on the outside of the bag for safety when walking at night. We also added a few smaller improvements, such as hidden elastic in the pockets to help hold water bottles in. Once we had decided what to improve upon, we prototyped each component individually and finally created a finished prototype of the new Arro 22: Night.
