The Big Namba Studio Backpack was created by our design team of musician's and dj's to provide an optimum carrying solution for a laptop mobile studio or computer dj requiring a large control surface and using up to a 17" laptop computer. We call it a high performance bag because of the construction detail and the extreme high grade weather-resistant 1680D ballistic nylon materials used.
Designed for security, the Big Namba backpack has many musician friendly details that separate it from the other solutions on the market. Extremely long lockable zippers and unsnappable hinges which allow easier packing, a cable management system that makes it easy to keep cables organized, special material that wicks moisture away from your back, and even a secret stash pocket (for your iLoks, etc.) are a few of the special features.
Strap / Body Juncture
Almost all backpacks are designed with a seam where the strap joins the body of the bag. In fact, that's exactly how our first backpacks were designed. It is the defacto standard construction. The problem is revealed when wearing the backpack slung over just one shoulder, when carrying heavier than normal weight. Slowly but surely, the seam starts to tear loose. To address this problem, Namba Gear looked to military specs and discovered that the strap seam is moved away from the body and onto the strap area itself, which means that the beginning of the "strap" is actually a part of the body design. Although a bit more expensive to produce, it is an elegant solution to the problem.
Bag Handle
This is really two parts, fit and strength. 1) The handle design is about the ergonomics of how the handle fits your hand to carry and support a specific weight. A canvass strap may be just fine for lifting 5 lbs, but try to use it to lift 30 lbs and it's a different story. Namba Gear uses a rubberized handle with finger grips that fits the hand perfectly and offers excellent traction control so that the handle does not slip out of the hand. 2) Handle strength is concerned with properly securing the handle to the bag so that it does not pull loose. Most handle straps are simply sewn to the body of the bag. Namba Gear handle straps are sewn to the bag, then X-stitched, and then a rivet is driven through the strap and bag.
Body Design
One of the most noticeable and unique things about our backpacks is that they have a rigid shape integrated into the design. If you take everything out of a Namba Gear backpack and set it on the floor, it does not fall into a heap of cloth at your feet. It retains its' shape and remains upright and ready to load. That's because between the ballistic nylon exterior, the internal padding, and the interior nylon we have inserted a thin sheet of rigid plastic. No, it's not like having an ATA case, but it is one more layer of excellent protection for your gear. We got the idea for this shape when discussing security for all of the gear. Unlike the hiking bag concept, we took off all of the little convenience pockets on the exterior of the bag, meaning that all of the gear is inside of two large compartments to help prevent theft. When we took all of the little pockets off we discovered that this clean design and rigid construction also lends itself to a beautiful aerodynamic silhouette, perfect for bike or motorcycle riders.
Cable Management System
It seems that we were not the only ones that had a tendency to just throw our cables in the bag at the end of a gig. But all it takes is a little organization and not only do you not spend time untangling your cables the next day, it leaves more room in the bag. Simply roll your cables in a circle, secure them with one of the Velcro cable ties that come with your bag and hang the cables on the "hooks" located in both the front and rear compartments. Be sure to let the leads drop down behind the divider to protect anything on the outside from getting scratched.
Back Compartment Opens 180
Since the front of the bag is curved, we needed a method to use all of the space inside the back compartment so that we could accommodate as many different controllers as possible. That's when we hit on the idea of allowing the hinges to come loose so you can lay the bag flat for quickly packing and unpacking some of those oversize mixers and controllers. To the best of our knowledge, no other bag offers this great feature.
Key Strap
One of the Namba Gear crew took a flight out of LAX to Germany, parked their car in long-term parking and dropped their keys in the front compartment of the Big Namba Studio Backpack and forgot about them. The keys promptly settled to the bottom of the bag. When they returned home, they practically had to unpack the front compartment in the parking lot to find their keys. The next day, a new feature was scheduled for the next production run as we added a strap/key fob to the interior of the front compartment. Now it is super easy to find your keys and they stay safe and secure.
Secret Stash Pocket
Whether it's air or train tickets, some sheet music, or a notebook, sometimes you just need a pocket that is easily accessible without opening the entire bag. That's why we slipped a big flat pocket on the back of the bag with zippered opening on the right side, keeping the items that you need handy when you need them. It's the pocket holding your Velcro cable ties.
iPhone/iPod Pocket in Shoulder Strap
We've gotten so used to having our music and communication devices at our fingertips, it just doesn't make sense to stow them inside the backpack, so we created a pocket integrated into the strap to hold these devices. The new 2014 Big Namba backpack will now fit the Samsung Galaxy S3/S4 as well.
Fits In Overhead Compartment of Airplane
When we were deciding on the dimensions of the Big Namba, we had several goals in mind. Fit M-Audio's Axiom 25 MIDI Keyboard, fit a 17 in. laptop computer, fit 12 in. vinyl, and legally fit the backpack in the overhead compartment of an airplane. We succeeded on all fronts, making the Big Namba Studio Backpack one of the most versatile musician bags ever.
Rubber Feet
We'll never forget getting the phone call from Brazilian keyboardist Thiago Pinheiro. He had just returned to Sao Paulo from a Latin American tour and told us that he had put his backpack down on the wet pavement at the airport while waiting for a taxi, and now the bottom of his bag was wet and he was afraid that it would discolor. I have news for you, it rains in Brazil a lot,' he said. The result of that call was the addition of rubber standoffs on the bottom of the backpacks, now a standard feature for all of our larger bags.
Lockable ZippersNot only do we use top-of-the-line zippers for our bags. The exterior zipper heads are lockable with an external luggage lock. We learned of a customer who purchased one of our bags after he had a $500 microphone stolen out of one of the conve
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