Gear Review: Fogland Backpack By Breakwater Supply

That’s why I jumped on the chance to review the Breakwater Supply Fogland 25L waterproof and submersible backpack, which has since become my go-to for almost any situation. Fed up with inadequate gear, founder Josh Lipinski turned to Kickstarter to finance his vision of a pack that he claims is tough, versatile and good-looking in any scenario involving a backpack. I was curious to find out if this pack could be the one.

After looking it over this closely, I felt it was well-built, with welded seams and thick, tough material. I really appreciated the low-key branding, too. Only a thumb-sized Breakwater Supply logo on the very back, and a small name and logo on the right shoulder strap gave away the make. Unzipping the small, exterior pocket also revealed their slogan, ‘Get Beyond the Breakwater’ printed on the inside for a nice Easter egg.

The backpack quickly became my go-to almost every time I left the house, but it was obviously made for more.
In June, my wife, Jen, and I went on a hike and photo shoot on the North Country National Scenic Trail near Fergus Falls, MN, and Jen hauled my camera in its own bag inside the Fogland, as well as a tripod to the location. I had brought my clothes for the weekend in it, and when we got to the hotel, I dumped them out and refilled the pack with photo gear. It performed well, and even on a scorching hot day, Jen reported no issues with the pack against her back.

In February, winter in Minnesota entered its crusty phase where it’s neither fun, nor anywhere close to over, and we fled to Arizona. At the South Mountain Park and Preserve in Phoenix, we hopped on mountain bikes and tooled around the Sonoran Desert for three days in 80-degree splendor. The hydration bladder worked again, but the hose stayed in the bag and out of the dust. The Fogland performed here, too. Even in the desert, there were no comfort issues. I was glad we had it when we filled it up with groceries on the way back to the hotel.

It was, of course, overkill for mountain biking day trips, but it pulled hard as a carry-on bag. Using some as-seen-on-TV magic space bags, I was able to suck the air out of four days’ worth of clothing for on and off the bike, and stuff them into the Fogland’s maw, along with toiletries and headphones. I was impressed.

After using it for almost a year, one thing stands out to me: The Fogland looks like the day it came out of the box. The zippers work, the seams are holding up, and nothing is out of place or appears worn. Even the mesh pockets have kept their shape well. If I could get a hold of a piece of the material, I’d like to see what it actually takes to damage it. I haven’t been able to do it in 11 months. The people at Breakwater Supply told me it’s Thermoplastic Polyurethane (TPU) applied as a heat-bonded coating on both sides of 420D nylon, giving it a rubberized feel and allowing seams to be permanently welded together. TPU is stronger, non-toxic, highly flexible, and resists breaking down over time. It’s also food-grade and long-lasting, making it a more durable and reliable choice. And for normal use, Breakwater Supply’s two-year warranty backs up your purchase.

There are a couple of things I’d like to see on an improved version of this pack. A hook or Velcro loop on the inside above the large sleeve could obviously hold keys, but also turn into a hanging point for a hydration bladder for those days when you don’t need the pack to be waterproof. Long-distance hikers will for sure love that the Fogland is waterproof, but may wish for a hip belt for those through-hikes.

I found the shoulder straps to be just right, over a t-shirt or a bulky fleece, but for Jen, they hit just a little bit outside of where they should have. That led her to have draw them tighter with the chest strap, which wasn’t ideal. A size choice, or more adjustability in the distance between the straps would help.

Another thing to note is that the material becomes rather stiff and noisy in cold weather. I don’t hunt, but I could see it being an issue. When you’re looking at that big turkey, and have to put some effort into getting your pack unzipped quickly, the resulting noise might startle your game.

I’d love to see Breakwater Supply make a biking-specific hydration pack using the smaller-toothed zipper from the exterior pocket. It wouldn’t be waterproof because the hydration hose would have to pass through the wall of the bag, but it would be great to know you have a solid pack that can take the dirt, and an occasional tumble. My current hydration pack is one season old and looks like I found it under a log in the woods.

This backpack is for you if you frequently spend time outdoors for work or leisure and need your gear to back you up. If you’re in your element dragging a kayak through ankle-deep mud, scrambling through bramble to get to that perfect fishing spot, and have to haul gear to dirty places, you should consider consolidating the nine bags you probably own now and switching to this one. It works in the woods, but it doesn’t look out of place in a conference room, either.