About every two months, our product team heads to Asia. Most trips are focused on product development and quality control. This spring, we expanded the itinerary. In addition to factory visits, we made time to reconnect with some of our longest-standing wholesale partners, several who have carried Evergoods for nearly a decade.

We stopped in Japan, Hong Kong, and Malaysia before passing through Vietnam to visit our primary factory. Along the way, we co-hosted customer and carry-enthusiast meetups. For many of us, it was the first time meeting members of the international Evergoods community face to face.

Our Marketing Director, Logan, documented the journey on a Fujifilm Klasse W film camera, capturing the texture, pace, and personality of each stop. What follows is a glimpse into the partners, people, and places that continue to shape Evergoods around the world.

Enjoy!
Kevin, Cody, and Logan

We spent three days in Tokyo’s Kanamachi neighborhood with Sunwest, our longest-standing partner. Their support of Evergoods spans nearly a decade, and it was meaningful to spend time together on their home ground. We visited the Sunwest store and co-hosted a meetup that brought out roughly 25 members of the Japanese Evergoods community.

Outside the shop, we immersed ourselves in the rhythm of the city. We visited a neighborhood sento, wandered the streets of Ginza, made more 7/11 stops than we can count, and ate everything we could get our hands on, from sizzling monjayaki to pungent nattō.

From Japan, we flew to Hong Kong to visit the carry mecca that is Suburban HK. We have partnered with Greg and his team for over seven years, but had never experienced his infamous shop in person. It more than lives up to the hype.

Shortly after landing, we co-hosted a meetup at Suburban that drew over 100 carry enthusiasts. People traveled from across Asia to connect with us and fellow Carryologists. A few even flew more than six hours from Thailand just for the event. The turnout, the energy, and the depth of knowledge in the room were remarkable.

In between the shop and the meetup, Greg gave us a crash course in Hong Kong. We ate dim sum and teppanyaki, rode the cable car up to Tian Tan Buddha, and drove through a maze of towering skyscrapers that seem to stretch endlessly into the sky. It was just over two and a half days, but packed with momentum, community, and perspective.

Next was Malaysia. A five-hour flight brought us to Kuala Lumpur, and we dove in immediately. Our first night took us to Jalan Alor Food Street, where we sampled bean curd, chicken wings, beef satay, and durian. Thank goodness for Tiger beer to wash the durian down.

We spent our first full day with Clyde, founder of Storming Gravity, a respected carry shop in KL that recently expanded into Singapore. He showed us key shopping districts and Central Market before dropping us at Batu Caves for a quick climb up the iconic, color-splashed stairs.

That evening, we hosted a private Evergoods event at the Storming Gravity store with about 30 local fans. We met everyone from new converts to day-one supporters. Hearing how they use their gear in daily life reinforced why we build what we build.

On our final morning, we visited our partners at Oribags, who operate several shops in the Kuala Lumpur area. We toured their operations, sampled local snacks, and wrapped up with a bak kut teh lunch that did not disappoint.

For our final 36 hours, we stopped in Ho Chi Minh City to visit our primary factory, SBGear. It was Logan and Cody’s first time seeing the facility in person, and the team gave us a full tour of their impressive operation.

From textile testing labs to cutting rooms to the production floor, SBGear is one of the premier soft goods facilities in the city. We have partnered with them since our very first purchase order and have never wavered. Their commitment to quality control and product excellence continues to meet our standard for our gear.

Four countries. Eight flights. Ten days.

It was a whirlwind of time zones, incredible food, and meaningful conversation. To our partners who hosted us, thank you. To everyone who showed up to meet us, share stories, and talk gear, thank you.

We learned from each of you and from the places you call home. We are grateful for the hospitality, the insight, and the community.

We hope to see you again soon.

There is no single "right" way to pack for ten days overseas. Even with the exact same itinerary, the three of us packed differently based on how we like to travel and carry.

We did share one rule: no checked bags.With this many flights and a lot of valuable gear, we were not risking lost luggage.
So we each brought a small carry-on and one personal item.

Our suitcase of choice? The Lojel Voya Small. No zippers. Two wide-open compartments. Tough hardware. It fits our Transit Packing Cube 8L and 10L perfectly, which made dialing in our setups easy. There's a reason the Voya is a favorite amongst the Evergoods product team.

Here's what we carried on:

Kevin: Transit Briefcase 20L. One of Kevin's favorite Evergoods' product, he mostly used it with the strap as a hybrid messenger. It basically never left his side. He also brought along two CIVIC Access Pouch 1L's. One for his cords/chargers and one for toiletries.

Logan: CIVIC Travel Bag 26L in black, packed with (1) CIVIC Access Pouch 2L for the film camera and tech items, (2) CIVIC Access Pouch 1L for use as a passport flight caddy, and (3) a CIVIC Access Sling 2L for use once we got to our destinations.

Cody: CIVIC Travel Bag 26L - X-Pac Edition, also packed with a CAP2 and CAP1 for travel essentials on the go.

Different setups. Same mission: carry the essentials and stay organized.