The Chameleon Pack and Sit System

Production Update #7
almost 8 years ago – Sun, May 06, 2018 at 11:21:19 PM

Hey everyone, 

This is Mark, I’m in Beijing right now finishing up QC. I’m out here trying to speed up the last bit of production and quality control. I will be be back on Tuesday, and will give you all a detailed report including photos, video and timeline later this coming week!

Thanks for hanging in there with us, we are super excited to be getting closer to shipping these out. I will post the next detailed update later this coming week so stay tuned. 

Mark,

TRAILFORM

More pics... as requested...
about 8 years ago – Fri, Mar 02, 2018 at 06:15:52 PM

Production Update #6 Final Changes and Timeline
about 8 years ago – Wed, Feb 21, 2018 at 10:02:03 PM

Greetings Trailform backers,

Time for another update. The final samples came back and look great! We made a number of final tweaks and are really happy with them. A bunch of you have asked for more pictures, especially of some of these changes. So here you go... 

The primary final changes to the Chameleon are as follows: 

1. We added a slightly thicker foam for the shoulder straps and eliminated the webbing on the edges of the shoulder straps to reduce weight. 2. Moved the location and size of our logo on the rain cover. (it was previously in the center and too small) 3. We added a tassel for attaching your water bladder, instead of just a loop. 4. We changed to a mesh base for the top compartment. 5. We moved the zipper for the small items compartment to increase the capacity of that pocket and improve the aesthetic of the front of the pack. 6. We inserted a PVC panel to the inside of the bottom flap of the pack to reduce abrasion, especially for the chair frame storage. 

We are finally placing our mass production order! 

The success of all of these changes means that as of February 28th (which is the day the production team will get back from their Chinese New Year vacation) the factory will commence mass production! Gosh it feels good to finally say that.

CUSTOM SWITCH BAGS:

We also have continued to improve the prototypes for the Custom Switch Bags and we're excited for how those are coming. They aren't perfect yet but are getting closer. We added a lighter, better interior for the cooler. As well as a softer interior and more modular dividers for the camera/compartment bag. The Custom Switch Bags will also have a fully removable strap. 

TIMELINE:

We talked to our contact at the manufacturer today, they confirmed that the production turn around time is 45-60 days. So considering the start date of February 28th , lets call it April 28th when they finish production, then a few weeks for them to ship the container to us. So officially plan on May 28th, shipments will go out to you. 

We recognize this is a drag for all of us, and we greatly appreciate your patience along the way. We were super stoked to see the Chameleon finally turned out the way we wanted. You guys will love being able to sit back and relax and enjoy your adventures that much more. 

We know it gets old that we keep asking for your patience. We don't blame any of you guys for being frustrated and expressing that. We completely understand and we are sorry and also frustrated things have taken this long. Thanks for hanging in there with us. 

Sincerely

Pete, Mark, and Chris

TRAILFORM

Production Update #5 - Final Manufacturing Visit
about 8 years ago – Mon, Jan 22, 2018 at 10:58:22 PM

Hey everybody, just wanted to give a quick update on how things are going. The samples they sent us were AWESOME. As expected, we wanted to tweak a few last things, hence the decision to fly out there and meet with them again. 

Our trip to the physical factory was a huge success and because my brother / partner Mark speaks fluent Mandarin Chinese he was able to have great, clear communication. We felt flattered when our factory told us they have been making bags and backpacks of all varieties for years and have NEVER seen anything like this. They were fascinated by the design and very complimentary. 

We made a few minor cosmetic changes to the Chameleon, mostly regarding logos, and getting the right color schemes. We also made a couple tweaks to improve stability in chair mode, (because sometimes the weight distribution of your gear in the left and right Switch Bags and top pocket will often vary). We verified quality control processes while we were there. We also took them our prototypes of the Custom Switch Bags with our first round of samples coming soon. 

Long story short, they are making those changes and sending us those samples within the next 5-7 business days. We are very confident at that point we will place the mass production order for the Chameleon Backpack. They say that means 45–60 days for them to fulfill that order, and then we will ship them out to you guys! The additional bummer is that the Chinese New Year is in February and is a 2 to 3 week celebration over there and most everyone takes vacation time off which will add some time to our production. 

We greatly appreciate how patient you have all been. We have been thrilled by so many of you reaching out only having positive encouraging words of continued support. We feel like we are seeing the light at the end of the tunnel and it can’t come soon enough.

Please feel free to ask any questions. We promise to do our best to give you as much clarity as possible. 

Thanks again for the support, 

Pete, Mark and Chris

TRAILFORM 

Production Update #4
over 8 years ago – Mon, Dec 25, 2017 at 11:01:11 PM

'Tis the season everybody! Merry Christmas and happy new year!

So the good news is we got a tracking number from the factory, the samples are supposed to be here end of next week! We also booked our tickets for the first week in January to fly half way across the world and physically go to the factory for the finishing touches before we place our mass production run. We have also made a lot of headway with the custom Switch Bags and are taking our prototypes to the factory for some tweaks and to get those samples made. They are gonna be sweet! Check out a few of the v1 prototypes... Still some tweaks to be made. 

We are happy with the direction everything is headed, but of course we all wish it was faster. We will keep you posted on any further updates when we get these samples in our hands. In the mean time, get out and go! 

Pete, Mark and Chris

TRAILFORM