Carry Hack Photo Contest: Results & Winner!

So a few weeks ago we asked you, our dear readers, to submit some sweet examples of Carry Hacks.  The prize for the best Carry Hack… a brand new Chrome Falcon backpack.

Well, the results are in, the winner has been chosen… and you sure didn’t make it easy for us to pick just one entry as a winner!  Here are the amazing submissions below, winner announced at the very end…

“Anonymous” from somewhere on Earth:
Some duct tape backpacks… enjoy!

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Evan:

“Howdy, Here are a few images of a pack I made for a friend.  He was traveling through India for several months and returned stateside with this awesome “eco-friendly manure” bag.  We cut it up and made it into a little roll-top.”
(Note from Carryology: One of the entries that almost won, sick hack Evan.)

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Bob from Pennsylvania:
“I saw your Carryology contest, and I figured I would share a hack I used to use in my old art school days. Here’s the story:  Back in the day (we’re talking late 80s), commuting to art school in Philadelphia from the suburbs was an ordeal. I would take the bus every day, and I had to carry a vast array of supplies for all my classes — drawing pads, paints, pencils, inking pens, and all the tools of the trade. I would slog a Herman’s Sporting Goods backpack, a big old portfolio case, and usually one or two tackle-box style boxes full of gear.

While the box pictured below is the actual art box I carried 20 years ago, the hack is a recreation of my old method. A couple of bungees, a bit of rope, and a towel for a shoulder pad turned my tackle box into a handy shoulder carry for dashing back and forth on the mass transit system. Adjustable and easy to hook up, it actually worked as a low budget hauler for a struggling college kid at the time. A pre-messenger messenger, if you will.  I hope you all find this entertaining!”

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Chris N:
“I have had this Timbuk2 DeeDog since about 93/94 (that time period is fuzzy). I had the good luck to work in a bike shop, and was able to bring my bike inside, but I wanted a better way to carry my Kryptonite lock. I hated the idea of carrying the lock inside the bag because it would limit space in the bag, probably be uncomfortable, pull stuff out when trying to fish the lock out of the bag. Given this, I opted for the following criteria when carrying, :
1.      The lock must be secure and cannot interfere with riding (i.e.; swing about, bump leg because I was riding fixed gear in 93)
2.      The lock must be easily accessible
3.      The lock cannot change the comfort or position of the bag
4.      The lock cannot limit carrying capacity or function of the bag

Between the flap straps was an obvious option, but it put the lock too low, and meant I had to grab the lock to open the bag (Violation criteria 1 & 4). It also meant that I could not carry anything other than a long shackle lock, which was a problem.

This addressed all four of my criteria, and has performed extremely well. The position of the lock puts it on my body near my shoulder, so the lock does not swing about or hit my leg whilst pedaling. The flap strap and flat Velcro helps further stabilize the lock. The lock is easily accessible, needing to unbuckle only one buckle to remove/install it, and works flawlessly if the buckle is not being used. The position and weight of the lock does not cause it to shift position while riding, and works when the bag is empty, or full. The lock is outside the main compartment of the bag, and has no impact on carrying capacity, or bag function.

Total success!”

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J.B. from Sacramento, CA:
“My hack(s) HACK
#1 is my Timbuk2 Laptop Bag I thought at the time would be great for a messenger bag but when riding my bike  it would slide around.

So

1. I first had metal snaps that you can get from an art/fabric store that you poke a hole and with the took that comes with you apply one side of the button snap onto the bag.

2. Then I made a side strap and mounted the 2nd button snap. after doing so I then hand sewed it on for even more strength.

3. The strap that came with the bag didnt work for a messenger bag at the spot its at,so i moved it down,took a couple inches off and sewed it back on.

I used DENOTAPE DENTAL FLOSS (the thick waxed kind) to sew everything . The wax makes the floss/thread last forever. BU DON’T GET THE FLAVORED KIND-mint green. And now i have a messenger bag with thick laptop padding and perfect straps. the next thing to di is make it so theres a buckle in the front.”

Hack#2 is a dirt battery( soil Battery)

Hack#3 Utterly useless patchwork smellypantz.  They got a hole and ripped so i patched it! 

Hack#4 is my utility pouch Ive had this thing for 5years. Old leather jacket, stretch jeans, heavy duty zipper,and clips from a high school gymnastics big ass landing pad

Hack#5 Heres what really happened! Yeah BROTHER echoeed  the streets of NY. ground shaking,fires blazing, WHAT the fuck could it possibly be. The real story is motha fu*king HULKAMANIA

(Carryology Note: We have no idea what this hack is, but it was way too hilarious not to include, haha!)

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Andrew:
“Here’s a pretty funny carry hack…

The main wallet shown in this Anti Wallet post was something I stitched up for my brother in 1999 while I was living in Glasgow.

He’s used it flat out since, and has only just retired it for a Bellroy Micro Sleeve. By the end, he was patching it with Sugru and trying to hold on no matter what. Haha, it got pretty fricken ugly!”

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Brian P:
“Bike box + airport + need free hands for other bag? A tube & some foam makes a nice shoulder strap. I assume he got cavity searched for this.”

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Joshua B from Oakland, CA:
“I dissected an old Iron Man wall calendar and constructed my own Rip Curl-inspired travel wallet. There’s no zipper pocket, but otherwise its a close approximation.”

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Hoang from CA:
“Hi, my name is Hoang and this is a photo of a sweet carry hack I saw at the monthly art walk in Long Beach, Ca. It’s a DIY Cheez-It backpack!

Thanks for the awesome blog!”

(Note from Carryology: So awesome!)

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Evic from San Diego, CA:
“My hack is a juice box converted into a card/money holder :)”

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Ronna from Seattle, WA:
“#1.  I needed a case for my new, but super cheap mandolin. I couldn’t afford to buy one, but a cardboard box with a packing tape/duct tape handle worked very well. I just needed to carry a box knife and more tape to open & close the case!

#2.  I used Sugru to bond a binder clip to a small metal tin. Check out my wallet/coin purse – I can clip my credit cards and paper folding money in one place and keep small change handy in the tin. Another option is to keep mints, aspirin or other small items in the tin. And a third use is to clip the little tin to another bag or shoulder strap to keep tiny things at hand, like bus fare or gum without having to dig around in pockets or a deep messenger bag.

(Note from Carryology: Very creative and very functional, I may definitely will replicate this.  Seems like a great way to have small change and/or items close by, and quickly removable too. Great work.)

#3.  My favorite back pack has a tiny tear in the Cordura fabric bottom. I just discovered SUGRU and decided to try it out as a patch material.”

(Note from Carryology:  Damn, that Sugru stuff is versatile, can’t wait to try some out myself.)

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Josh B from Tampa, FL:
“A coworker turned a torn reusable cloth bag into a belt pouch with a main compartment and pen pockets. Notice the snaps on the strap in her right hand.”

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And the winner is……

Michael “MJ” from Columbia Heights, MN:

“Greetings and Salutations,
This is my submission for the Carry Hack photo contest…
Introducing the “Night on the Town” Carry Hack. Tape, Glue, String, Corks, Cigar Box… done.”

(Note from Carryology:  The absinthe spoon being used for an emergency handcuff escape tool… genius!)

Congrats to MJ and to everyone that entered the first Carryology Carry Hacks photo contest!  We were overwhelmed with the creative cool submissions, never expected so many.  Stay tuned for more of your regularly scheduled carry content, and more giveaways/contests in the future.

Thanks everyone, you guys and gals are amazing.