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kārn: modular hiking backpack

summer 2019 group studio project

objective: to design a multifunctional backpacking bag out of a sustainable material with interchangeable parts.

a group of Iowa State University Students spent 2 weeks backpacking through national parks in Utah and Arizona and using different outdoor gear and backpacks.

after testing out many different backpacking bags and day packs, we identified 5 major pain points:

to further guide our ideation process, we created several customer personas, and decided on a young backpacker who doesn't mind spending a little extra for a sustainably sourced and better quality product.

ideation:

final prototype:

the second and final prototype of the hiking backpack included three pieces that all clipped together to create one backpacking bag: a daypack, fanny pack, and an insulated messenger bag.

the future:

we took our product to the Iowa State Fair to take part in the ISU-sponsored Standing Innovation competition where our pitch won the first round. The pitch-off was a great opportunity to learn about the business side of product design and to network. 

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