Wear Your Backpack: A New Idea Born at Music Festivals for Enjoying Leisure with Cobmaster

The "COB-CR HUMMING PACK VEST", a vest created under the concept of "Wear your backpack". Garnering widespread attention right after its release in June 2026, it sparked such a huge response that it sold out just before summer.

Cobmaster is a British outdoor brand with a delightfully nostalgic feel. Why are its products attracting modern outdoor enthusiasts today?

Through an interview with Masahiko Saito, the planner behind Cobmaster, we explore the story behind the "wearable backpack" concept and the brand philosophy embedded in it.

Cobmaster's Take on a More Casual Outdoor Lifestyle

Cobmaster is an outdoor brand established in the UK in 1971. At the time, it produced playful items featuring vibrant colors like orange and yellow, alongside a friendly bear logo. As times changed, the brand went on a long hiatus.

Cobmaster relaunched in Japan in 2018. When working on the rebranding, planner Saito delved into past archives and materials to rediscover the brand's unique personality and charm. From the vivid color schemes and humorous logo to vintage products and catalogs, he felt a sense of playfulness designed for enjoying the outdoors and leisure, beyond mere functionality.

"Rather than simply reproducing vintage items, I wanted to preserve the distinct Cobmaster spirit found in the archives while adapting it to modern times and Japanese lifestyles."

The revived Cobmaster aims to make outdoor activities and leisure more accessible. Striking a balance between reasonable pricing and quality without becoming overly technical, the brand incorporates exciting designs and colorful palettes.

By honoring the playful spirit born in 1970s Britain—not as a direct replica, but tailored for contemporary living and recreation—Cobmaster continues to shape its present-day product creation.

Born from a Personal Desire: "I Want a Bag That Lets Me Move Freely at Festivals"

Driven by this idea, Cobmaster created the "COB-CR HUMMING PACK VEST" under the concept of "wearing a backpack." Integrating a backpack and a vest into one, this product sparked a massive response right after its launch, becoming so popular that it sold out completely ahead of the major summer music festivals.

The spark for development came from a slight inconvenience Saito experienced himself when attending music festivals.

"Personally, I'd long wondered if there was a bag that would let you move around easily at festivals."

That sparked the idea for a bag that could be used effortlessly at festivals and outdoor activities while keeping essentials close at hand.

In terms of design, the focus was on retaining Cobmaster's pleasantly nostalgic feel while integrating modern, practical features. Rather than leaning toward overly technical performance gear, the goal was a balance: simple at first glance, but packed with thoughtful, convenient details once you use it. Maintaining this balance gave shape to a uniquely Cobmaster product.

"Conceal the Functionality"—Retro Philosophy Embedded in Minimalist Design

When designing the PACK VEST, the team aimed to incorporate necessary features without making them overly obvious in appearance.

Take, for instance, the zigzag elastic cord across the chest. It's a detail inspired by trail running vests that enhances the fit and minimizes bouncing. At the same time, the overall design was kept as clean as possible so as not to look overly technical.

"We prioritized a balance between retro looks and real functionality. We wanted to include essential features like stability while running and overall ease of use, but without making the vest look overly technical. It's just right when it looks simple at a glance, but as you use it, you discover subtle details like, 'Ah, that's how this works!'"

As Saito explains, many features are "hidden" in this vest. For example, the backpack opening features a unique structure that simplifies the traditional two-step process of drawstring bags into a single action.

This commitment to functionality is also evident in the material selection. The brand chose "Cordura Sil Nylon," a Cordura nylon impregnated with silicone. In addition to the superior abrasion resistance and durability of high-tenacity nylon yarn, the silicone treatment adds strong resistance to water and dirt while remaining lightweight. A level of toughness you wouldn't expect from its appearance is another "hidden feature" built into this vest.

Even fits beer cans: A thoroughly designed "flexible space" supporting user freedom

A design that puts the user first can be seen in every detail of the vest. Particular attention was given to creating storage with "flexible space" that accommodates a wide variety of uses. The chest pockets are spacious enough to fit a smartphone (iPhone Pro Max), while offering different depths on the left and right sides. This allows users to organize items based on what they are carrying—from small items like lip balm to mobile phones.

In addition, hidden pockets are tucked inside the main pockets. According to Saito, they offer surprising storage capacity, capable of holding about two cans of beer or even a 750ml bottle depending on its shape. This frees users from the hassle of carrying drinks and food by hand while moving around festival grounds.

"We focused on designing clever gimmicks that are easy to customize according to the user's scene, dominant hand, or personal habits—like realizing a beer can fits right where your phone would go. You could even use it for trail running, so its broad versatility for everyday customization is key."

Furthermore, taking into account user feedback on the brand's shoulder bags regarding the part touching the body getting hot, a mesh panel was added to the back. Creating a space between the vest and the backpack body allows it to function as a pocket to tuck away a jacket, while also serving as a ventilation path to let heat escape.

Fits any body type: The new sensation of a bag becoming part of your body

Another reason this PACK VEST has gained widespread popularity is that the size options were streamlined to "one size." For most trail running vests where a snug fit to the body is essential, standard sizing like S, M, and L is common. However, that means anyone whose body type doesn't match those sizes cannot even use the product.

Drawing on its expertise in backpack design, Cobmaster adopted a design that covers a broad range of body types using adjustable webbing straps. As a result, people of all genders and physiques can now comfortably wear it. This accommodating approach is another reflection of the brand's commitment to being a "gateway to outdoor leisure."

"Through repeated field testing, we noticed that while the vest feels fairly heavy when held in your hand full of gear, it feels surprisingly light once you actually put it on your back. This kind of feature is hard to convey through specs alone, so we consider it one of the bag's true strengths that users can only appreciate by wearing it."

From special occasions like festivals and camping trips to casual everyday life, the PACK VEST seamlessly blends into any scene, offering a fit so natural it feels like an extension of your body. It represents Cobmaster's new take on enjoying the outdoors with greater freedom and lightness.

Creating "fun": What Cobmaster strives for in the future

Looking ahead, Saito says Cobmaster aims to continue "crafting products that bring together contrasting elements." Bright and playful in appearance yet serious in functionality, simple yet deeply thought-out. Through such products, the goal is to inspire people's desire to step outside.

"What we want to create isn't something where simply owning it is the goal. Instead, we want products that make people want to go somewhere or make spending time outside just a little more fun when they actually use them. Rather than treating outdoor recreation as something special that requires major preparation, we hope people can enjoy it casually as an extension of daily life. We'd be thrilled if our products could serve as a catalyst for that."

Delivering more than just gear, Cobmaster provides the spark to enrich daily life. The brand's journey will surely continue to ignite the adventurous spirit in many.