Going Nomad, off-grid innovation
SOFT-GOODS DESIGN • PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT
A tackle backpack that runs on remote power. Light, power, and off-grid solar, integrated into a product category that never had any.
Anglers are on the water before sunrise and long after dusk, often miles from a boat ramp, let alone a wall outlet. They now carry phones, GPS units and cameras, but their gear was built for lures and line, not batteries.
DISCIPLINES
Soft-goods design / Electronics development / Ideation / Prototyping + T&E / Production handoff
COMPANY:
CATEGORY:
Wild River / CLC
Outdoor / Fishing & Tackle
ROLE:
Product Designer / Development
180˚ swivel work light - Illuminates the interior or the exterior, hands free.
01
Purpose-fit power bank pocket, lined and cable-routed.
02
Strap-on solar panel - Optional for off-grid recharging.
03
USB pass-through - Devices charge while stowed and dry.
05
Weatherized and rugged - Still reads as an honest tackle bag.
06
Zero tackle volume sacrificed to house the electronics.
04
RESEARCH
PHASE 01
INDUSTRY CONTEXT / USERS / DESIGN CONSTRAINTS
The core problem the users named was simple: the day ends when the light fades or the phone dies. The brief became making the pack self-sufficient: It Illuminates the dark, keeps devices alive, recharges itself off-grid, without ever looking like a gadget.
The Macro vs Micro Market Share
While soft tackle bags represent the fastest-growing sector of the overall container market, true electronics integration remains a highly specialized sliver within that sub-segment.
Design Friction Points
From a product development perspective, the hurdles to scaling smart soft-goods are unique. Electronics integration requires balancing standard soft-good utility (washability, minimal weight) with rigorous hard-good sealing standards.
Design Takeaway: The extremely low penetration (roughly 3.5% of soft-goods) indicates an open playing field for premium differentiation. However, a successful design must solve the environmental and maintenance loops (such as completely removable electronic/wiring core modules for easy washing) rather than just adding tech for the sake of features.
IDEATION
PHASE 02
SKETCHES / FORM EXPLORATION
I drew the backpack as thumbnail silhouettes first, then considered where power, light and charging could live inside the existing seams. Candidate locations were the lids and pockets, a lined internal sleeve, the MOLLE-webbed front face. Each system had to earn its place against tackle volume, not steal it.
The final sketch used an existing light design from CLC’s Tech Gear product line
TECH PACKS
PHASE 03
TECHNICAL DRAWINGS
01 - nomad Backpack
SAMPLE MAKER ON-SITE - Having sample makers on-site allowed for flexibility with design specs, designer-to-seamstress meetings mean quicker revisions.
02 - Solar Panels
FACTORY SPECS & DETAILS - Tech packs detail solar panel variations and Power Bank mAh specs.
EXPLODED VIEWS - As much detail as possible given to factories for proper assembly.
PROTOTYPES
PHASE 04
PROTOTYPING / SAMPLES
The electronics were repurposed from CLC Tech Gear for Wild River: the injection-molded swivel-LED light, the light mount featured a pass-through sleeve for internal illumination, and the optional strap-mounted solar panel. Each sampled and bench-tested before the pack was built around it.
Tech Gear LED Light - Black light re-molded in tonal khaki color
01 - Main light housing & mounting bracket
02 - Internal light pass through & LED array
03 - Overmolded LED switch
04 - Non-slip overmolded tab
POWER XP POUCH - Purpose built pocket for power supply
05 - Power Bank pouch can hold additional USB accessories
Solar Panel Array - Custom USB Solar Panel For Remote Power
06 - Solar Panel can be attached to backpack front face or hang in direct sun
FINAL DESIGN
PHASE 05
IN-PRODUCTION & ON DTC
Every component routes through the backpack's existing patterns, so worn & fitted on someone's back it still looks like a rugged tackle bag. A day that used to end when the light faded now runs as long as the fish are biting.
01 NOMAD TACKLE TEK - Standard backpack with integrated light
02 NOMAD XP TACKLE TEK - UPGRADED backpack with integrated SOLAR AND POWER
