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After School Projects is a new, Los Angeles based brand started by some of the people of Mission Workshop, however there is so much uniqueness and spirit behind their origin. The name After School Projects is in reference to those times after school when friends come together to do work on something fun, where everything learned and of interest come together to create something unique. So stemming from impressive backgrounds in both technical goods with brands such as Chrome Industries and Mission Workshop, and high fashion with the likes of Loewe and Coach; these friends have started a project of making products that are versatile, durable, technical and looking great while being community minded.
Over the past year and a half, small bags have come into play more so than a daypack, so certain timeless designs like the sacoche are making a comeback to meet the need of a smaller bag. So when the sacoche design got an update with some of my favorite materials and was made locally in Los Angeles, I had to try it out for quick trips out of the house.
Tech Specs
| Metric | Imperial | |
| Height | 16.5cm | 6.5″ |
| Width | 24.4cm | 10″ |
| Depth | 2.5cm | 1″ |
| Weight | 127g | 4.5oz |
| Volume | 1L | 61 cu.in. |
Primary Materials: X33 XPAC in Multicam, YKK Aquaguard zipper
Quality and Comfort
The overall quality of the Sacoche Grande is great. Materials wise, the bag is built for lightweight weather resistance with a single layer of X33 XPAC and an Aquaguard zipper. This is a standard across ASP’s different bag options with the black and white models being VX21, and some tie dyed X10 for the Mission Workshop collaborations, along the featured MultiCam X33. The stitching is also very nicely done with no loose threads, well done binding, and clean-built lines. The construction of the bags is done in Los Angeles, allowing for the quality control to be local to After School Projects, but also to take advantage of the world renowned Los Angeles Garment District.
The Sacoche Grande is also comfortable tp wear thanks to the strap with swivel clip attachments. The swivels allow for the strap to remain in position on the wearer so the bag doesn’t move as much. The strap itself is attached via two cord loops on either side of the bag which serves two purposes. The first, is that the cord allows the strap to have a slightly wider range of carry and position next to the body, making for a more comfortable carry. Second, is that the strap detaches from the bag making it a standalone pouch. However, the swivel clips are all plastic and feel a bit too light if the pack is going to be converted from sacoche to standalone pouch frequently. In that case, I would suggest changing out the clips to some locking S-Biners.
Organization
The Sacoche Grande is well done when it comes to organization. The bag only has one compartment which isn’t an issue given its size and intended use. Where the organization begins to shine is in the netting used inside that sees use as a divider and subsequently to hold items back; the edge of the netting has some binding that doubles to secure items with a pocket clip. For keys, the inside of the bag also has a long key tether made from some shock cord and a small clip.
The small size of the bag forces the user to be efficient with their carry, or simply treat the bag as something to supplement their pockets. However, the Sacoche Grande does feel a bit cramped, with a pocket dump and usual items. Whether it’s too small will depend on each person and the kit they carry.
The bag itself can also be part of the organization in one’s overall carry. Since the strap is removable, the Sacoche Grande can be used as a flat pocket, or converted back and forth to a sling. This should be of ease when having to carry a suite of bags such as day long trips out, or for travel where both sling and a larger bag would be needed.
What’s Perfect
- Low profile and lightweight yet sturdy and weatherproof technical build with the X33 and Aquaguard zippers
- Interior has great built in organization with the netting and shock cord loop with the hook, for the daily essentials and little extra.
- Strap has swivel clips providing a comfortable carry, as well as the versatility of being able to run as a standalone pouch within another bag.
- Overall construction, layout, and versatility makes it a very useful little sacoche for all sorts of quick trips and/or to keep stashed in a larger bag.
What’s Not
- Clips for the strap feel suspiciously light, and the plastic gate does not inspire too much confidence if the bag is going to be converted back and forth. A quick mod to S-Biners or the hardware being more robust in future iterations would be helpful for that type of convertible use.
- The Sacoche Grande feels a bit pequeño (small) at times . However this can be remedied by either not carrying too much, or distributing one’s carry between the bag and on one’s person
- Although a bit of a nitpick, the inner netting does feel a bit loose at times. Adding some elastic to the binding like a water bottle pocket, or simply using less material for a tighter fit would improve the organization.
Wrap Up
The After School Projects Sacoche Grande great. It does what it sets out to do and takes a modern, weather resistant spin with the use of XPAC and Aquaguard zippers; the rest of the bag feels really solid, and has some amazing quality control. Inside, the bag has a mesh netting and a key loop with a little hook. Being able to go from sacoche to flat pocket, and back is a big plus for versatility and optimizing one’s pouches and carry, especially for travel. While it can be a bit small for some, it is a solid option for those that just want to take the bare minimum with them or simply don’t carry as much as other.
Disclaimer:
The Sacoche Grande was provided by After School Projects as a sample for review purposes, the content of this review was not shared with After School Projects before publishing. Our reviews are unbiased and never modified to keep a brand happy.
The Perfect Pack 