When Carryology invited Matador’s lead soft goods designer, Sam, to take on their Maker’s Mystery Box Challenge, he had just 24 hours to design, prototype, and build a fully functional backpack from scratch. The result — a bag that started as an experiment — became one of Matador’s most exciting collaborations to date: the Matador® x Carryology® Redeye 24 Backpack.

Q: Could you briefly introduce yourself and tell us how the collaboration with Carryology came about?

I’m the lead soft goods designer at Matador, and I spend most of my time designing and developing our packs and bags. Matador’s been making travel equipment for about ten years now — backpacks, duffels, accessories, and more — all designed in-house from the ground up.

Carryology first reached out to us about five years ago, and since then we’ve collaborated on a handful of projects. In 2023, they launched their Maker’s Mystery Box Challenge, where a designer has just one day to create a backpack using components from a mystery box. Last fall, they invited us to take part in Episode 3. I jumped at the chance, and that collaboration became the foundation for this project — the Redeye 24 backpack.

Q: What can you tell us about the Maker’s Mystery Box Challenge and how you experienced it?

The Maker’s Mystery Box Challenge is a YouTube series from Carryology where a sponsor provides a box of backpack components — things like fabrics, buckles, or zippers. The designer doesn’t know what’s inside until filming begins and has only one day to design and build a backpack using those parts.

In my case, the sponsor was FIDLOCK®, who provided a selection of magnetic buckles. I’d watched the first two episodes of the series when they came out and noticed those designers seemed to take about a workday — eight or twelve hours, maybe. I remember thinking, why didn’t they take the full 24 hours?

So when I got the call, my first question was, “Can I pull an all-nighter and use the full day?” The Carryology videographer, Richard — who’s a great dude — was on board for the full 24-hour sprint I proposed.

Going into it, I had a long list of features and concepts I’d wanted to try out for years but never had the chance to. When I opened the box and saw the FIDLOCK parts, everything came together in my head really quickly. That was a huge relief, because I’d definitely been stressing about what I was going to do for the build.

Q: What was the greatest challenge during the process?

Honestly, the biggest challenge was psychological — being on camera while trying to design and build a full bag in a day. At first I caught myself thinking about how everything would look on film instead of just designing.

But once I got into the patterning and sewing, that all disappeared and I was in the zone. The only technical stress point was final assembly. If you make a math error and the sub-assemblies — like the back panel, main body, or front pocket — don’t line up, you’re out of time. Thankfully, everything came together cleanly.

Q: How does it feel knowing the bag will be available to a wider audience?

I’m really excited. Some of the features on this bag are ideas I’ve carried around for years — things I wanted to try but hadn’t had the chance to. Seeing them come to life and get into people’s hands is hugely satisfying.

At the same time, I was a bit nervous. The original intent was just a one-day build, more of a concept piece for a video, not a mass-market product. When we decided to do a limited run, I had to revisit the design with a new lens to make sure it was appropriate for everyday carry.

The snap buckles in particular gave me pause — I wasn’t sure they were right for the shoulder strap application — but after talking with the FIDLOCK engineers, I’m confident they’re perfect for it.

Q: What makes the Redeye 24 stand out from other bags on the market?

A lot of things.

First, the story — there aren’t any other backpacks with a 24-hour design process behind them, and the fact that it’s all documented makes it extra unique.

Second, the carry system. The FIDLOCK hardware allows for detachable straps, so the bag can be carried in backpack, duffel, or sling mode.

And third, there are some really interesting feature choices: full-height magnetic water bottle pockets with zipper integration, a semi-structured clamshell that opens wide but stays contained, and a divider panel that splits the main compartment into two sub-compartments.

When the video came out, the response from the Carryology community was amazing — people wanted the bag. That’s when we knew we had to find a way to bring it to life.

Q: What does this project mean to you personally?

I'm just so grateful to be a part of this whole thing. Driving home on no sleep after filming the challenge I was just struck by how lucky I am to be here designing bags for Matador and being highlighted by Carryology and working with awesome brands like FIDLOCK.

It didn’t have to turn out like this, the video shoot – and my career – could have gone a million different ways and almost all of ‘em are way worse than where I’m at now. I’m just happy to be here. 

Also, I want to say double “thanks” to Richard from Carryology. Above and beyond being a content piece for the three brands involved, the video he made means a lot to me personally. It’s an accurate and genuine representation of my process and what I do at work every day (which I’m really passionate about and proud of). I showed my 5 year old son this video and it finally clicked for him what I do, and he was clearly psyched and proud. Theres real meaning here for me and Richard captured it.

Q: Any final thoughts about the Redeye 24?

Just how cool it is to see something that started as a one-day build turn into a real product. It’s been refined and re-engineered for everyday use, but it still keeps the spirit of that 24-hour challenge intact.

The Carryology® × Matador® Redeye 24 Backpack is available for pre-order November 5–12 exclusively at matadorequipment.com.