Colfax Design Works
Welded waterproof bags, technical fabric, Denver-made
Brand too young with very high prices for the category. Mixed reviews and insufficient track record. Worth watching, but not recommendable today.
Philosophy
Technical bags designed as tools, not accessories. Each model solves a precise problem that no one else addresses. U.S. manufacturing, military-grade materials, zero compromise on waterproofing. Modularity is the core principle - an ecosystem, not a collection.
History
Adam Shock sold his motorcycle. In 2015, the former product designer who had worked at Nike, Lululemon, and Quiksilver walked away to found Colfax Design Works in Long Beach, California. The reason was almost disarmingly simple: no bag on the market could survive his daily two-wheel commute through Pacific sun and rain.
The first model, SDP_01, set the tone. Not one more bag in a crowded market, but a tool designed by an industrial designer for real use. Cordura X51 1000D with X-ply grid, YKK AquaSeal zippers, ITW military hardware. Every component was chosen to last, not to look good in a lookbook.
The real break came with the T.O.A.D. line - Tactical Operations Amphibious Drybag. A mouthful of a name for a radical concept: fully submersible bags. The key is RF welding, which removes stitch-through seams and guarantees full waterproofing. The TOAD 40L converts into a backpack, weighs almost nothing, and survives hard conditions. This is gear for kayaking or expedition use, not for the gym.
CDW's other signature is the A.M.C.S. - Advanced Modular Cargo System. A proprietary attachment setup that turns each bag into a modular platform. Add pouches, reconfigure, adapt to the day's mission. You are not buying one bag, you are entering an ecosystem.
The brand built a strong visual language around Russian Ural sidecars. Those old-school machines match CDW's spirit perfectly: equipment that fears neither mud nor water nor roads that barely exist. The Q.D. Tire Bag, which mounts directly on a 4x4 spare wheel, captures that philosophy. Every product answers a concrete problem that mainstream brands ignore.
Everything is made in the United States, in small batches. At a time when even technical brands offshore complex production, CDW keeps every step on American soil. The TOAD 40L is priced at $340. That number reflects the reality of small-scale production and no-compromise materials.
Ten years after selling the motorcycle, Colfax Design Works has not tried to get big. It has found its place in high-end outdoor gear, between bushcraft enthusiasts and demanding travelers. No flashy marketing, no fashion collaborations. Just bags that keep their promises, made by people who know why every seam is there, or why it is not.