ANTI-PIST
Duration: 2020.01.20 - 2020.03.27
// Internship project
Collaboration partner:
Anti-Pist is an independent project conducted during my internship at POC Sweden. Including research, sketching, and prototyping. The project resulted in a working prototype.
The aim of the project was for POC to explore the possibilities of a resting idea, a freeride backpack with a vest, and for me to get an understanding of the company and their work.
Me shredding with the final design proposal
Sneak peak!
About the brand:
TO PROTECT LIVES AND REDUCE THE CONSEQUENCES OF ACCIDENTS FOR ATHLETES AND ANYONE INSPIRED TO BE ONE.
POC is a world-leading and rewarded company within protection gear for gravity sports athletes. First entering the market of ski racing with their innovative helmets but have over the years widening their product range and are today also big in cycling sports.
"
- POC's core value
Explore the possibilities of a freeride backpack with a vest
( a nice idea I don't have time to do)
"
The task:
During my time at POC they wanted me to choose a product and develop a proposal. I was interested in widening my hard goods knowledge and learn more about soft goods, so I asked the body armor manager Henrik if he needed any help. He gave me quite a chewy task.
Henrik Björkman
Product manager / Body armor & backpacks, POC design apartment
Overview of the project
Since it was an explorative project without any frames, the research went wide and deep and it's prototypes high and low.
If you are in hurry I offer you a shorter overview to scroll through.
The final working prototype.
A freedrider & avalanche backpack with attachable vest
Interested in the full process?
Just continue to scroll down
Process in numbers:
answers
stores
digital iterations
paper mockups
textile prototype
interview
www hours
Reserach:
Ideating:
Prototypes:
1
17
4
1
xx
survey
46
48
hand sketches
volume prototyp
1
3
1
Research:
Survey
Store visits
Observations
Journey mapping
I wanted to include
both Pro riders and
leisure riders in my
research since I thought
they encounter
different problems.
"
- Professionals riders do possibly have problems with wear, tear, and experience being in a wide range of environments. On the other hand, they can lack experience with trying and search for different products themselves since their gear is often sponsored from tip to toe.
Leisure riders are the opposite, often lacking the experience of literarily taring a product to pieces, but they have the interest and experience of spending time discussing the best product and having the freedom to try them out.
- thoughts about user groups
SURVEY RESULT
13 questions - 17 freeride skiers
Highlights from survey:
I tried to summarize my survey result and took out the most common answers and categorized them into four themes.
Motivation, preferences, safety needs,
activities when not skiing.
Credible findings:
But some questions had the same answers from every single participant. It was the questions “What’s the joy about freeskiing?”, “Describe a really good day at the mountain!” and “How do you spend your days when you’re not skiing?”.
I choose to ask this question because I wanted to get to know the essence behind why people are spending time and money with a bit of extreme activity. The answers became the foundation of the aim of the project.
Another question had a very similar answer: what they brought with them on these adventures, which of these items they most frequently used, and which they very seldom touched. Therefore I created a hierarchy among the items.
Design aim:
To grasp the desired feeling of freedom
& to provide more opportunities for a really great freeriding experience.
Intended persona:
Spends time in nature all year round and enjoys physical movement and adventures. Is searching for the little extra and is not scared to push the comfort zone. Don’t want to ignore the thirst or energy dip for not making the gang stop to wait for you to take off your backpack. Nor want to take off the backpack for tucking away the skins for the ride.
Potential environment:
Always stay hydrated & energized
Touring environment which
offers many rides between hikes.
Welcome to my research studio
Usually in
backpacks:
Skins
Extra clothing
First aid kit
Money
Sunscreen
Food
Extra batteries
Water bottle/
Camelpack
Camera
Snacks
Multitool
Powerbank
Thermoflask
Telephone
Sunglasses
Extra gloves
Extra beanie
Probes
Extra goggles/lens
Windsack
Seat cushion
Passport
Insulated blanket
Possibly in/on
backpacks:
Telephone
Sunglasses
Extra gloves
Extra beanie
Probes
Extra goggles/lens
Windsack
Seat cushion
Passport
Insulated blanket
_edited.jpg)
Proto #01
8 kg
*exl. extended rolltop
30 -
35 liter
First proto & calculations:
After gathering all the gear freerider's might bring along on their hikes, I divided them into potential pockets such as avalanche equipment, waterproof pocket, insulated water bottle pocket, and main resizable storage.
I taped them together to get a grasp of the proportions, weight balance, and pocket access.
I calculating the dimension of the pockets so I could estimate the liter of the backpack.
Problem definition:
How can we create a backpack that provides the freedom-loving freerider the faith and security to challenge their limits?
Key focus
DRY
Waterproof
Handle wet stuff
- Skins
- Gloves
- Beanie
EASY HANDLED
Easy to find
in pockets
Easy handled straps/zips/etc
Easily handled pockets
COMFY
Light-weight
Comfortable
- Wide hip belt
- Shorter back
- Adjustable back
- Compressible
Balanced weight (ABS)
Limitations
30 - 35 liter
3000 kr (exl. ABS)
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Own addition
SUSTAINABLE MATERIAL
Durable, repairable & easy to recycle
FLEXIBLE USAGE
Daypack, MTB, climbing, hiking, laptop pocket, removable ABS, removable mini-pack, removable straps & flexible attachment functions
Since I discovered that all the user's had similar
lifestyles and daily enjoyed other activities despite skiing,
I got further proof of the need for a versatile product.
A product that not laying in the closet waiting for
the next freeride adventure.
- research notes brought into my problem definition
Inspiration:
1. Form board
2. Detail board
Sketch process:
Final 360 sketch view:
What about
the vest?
Necessary for protection? _NO
A desire for quick pockets? _YES
Desirable fashion item? _YES _MAYBE
Desirable function & vest sketches:
Prototyping backpack:
Proto #01
1. Printing all sides to get a hold of the proportions
01.
Proto #02
2. Printing and putting together templates to correct fitting
02.
Templates for Proto #04
3. Template parts ready
for textile work
03.
Prototyping vest:
I started with sewing the avalanche pocket and later attached it to the main apartment.
I left the back part open to be able to turn it inside out for sewing the back part.
Proto #04
Welcome to my
sewing atelier
here I learn how to sew with the fabrics I bought from around town
Creating pieces
For shaping and stabilizing the back part i used bendable iron plates inserted between the chock foam and inner textile. An correctly fitted cardboard mock up was very handy to have as a curve reference.
I chose to make the backpack in the size Small, since many users wished for a shorter back. I was thankful for working with a smaller size because I could fit the part on myself while the office was empty due to Covid-19.
Critical moment
When the main compartment, avalanche compartment and shoulder straps where done it was time for the last seam putting them all together to one final piece. To my surprise they fitted well together.
I believe the prototypes made with correctly fitted paper templates helped me to sew the pieces together without any
(big) hassle.
a proposal for a versatile backpack and vest solution for freeriders
wanting the pure experience of
outdoor adventures
ANTI PIST
Final prototype:
Go big or small
The rolltop provides different ways of closing your pack and makes it easier compressable depending on how much you want to load it.
The backpack can be fully compressible with the help of straps.
Probe
First aid kit
Shovel
Insulation blanket & tranceiver
Avalanche compartment
Icons help the user to understand which equipment the stretchy pockets are suggested to be used for. The brighter interior fabric color makes it easier to find the equipment.
Pockets & straps
All of the straps can be hidden in pockets to avoid disturbing whipping in the wind.
Carrying systems:
SNOWBOARD
A-FRAME
DIAGONAL
A zipper in the back enables fast access to the main compartment
When the back zipper is open the user can remove the back padding and use it as an insulated seat
Functions backpack:
Attachable vest with skins pocket:
Functions vest:
Color variations:
Learnings: