When the COVID-19 pandemic reached the Think Tank company headquarters in Northern California, the team was forced to innovate like never before. With sales plummeting and employees hurriedly adapting to working from home, CEO and Lead Designer, Doug Murdoch, knew an extraordinary effort was required.
“We’re a small, tight-knit company that’s used to working and developing products together,” Murdoch said. “But the company was in a precarious situation, so we had to somehow band together in order to survive. That’s when the Freeway Longhaul concept was born.”
As Think Tank’s active, outdoor-minded team struggled under the mandatory Shelter-In-Place (SIP) orders, and with the media forecasting a summertime wave of road trips and localized travel, Murdoch challenged everyone to innovate. An idea began to emerge. Dreams of all the places they would go when the SIP orders were lifted, and of a bag big enough to fit all of the adventures yet to come.
If there was one thing a company with expertise in carrying solutions could do, it was to design the perfect gear organizer for car travel. The Think Tank team jumped into overdrive to develop the Freeway Longhaul and get the bag to market as quickly as possible. That’s how the Freeway Longhaul Carryall Duffel Series was born.
In what normally takes many months to more than a year, Think Tank expedited their product development process to create, test, and launch the Freeway Longhaul carryall duffel series on Kickstarter, under the title “Are you Ready to Hit the Road?”, less than 8 weeks after the idea was first conceived. With September 2020 as the shipping date, the project was funded in two hours, with 384 backers pledging close to US$ 70,520 of the US$ 35,000 goal, with 29 days to go.
Available in 75 and 50-liter sizes, the Freeway Longhaul is a high-capacity, carry-all duffel bag that features numerous external pockets for quick access to your gear. A large cargo space with a customizable divider system provides the ability to organize a wide range of equipment. External attachment points, duffel-style handles, and a padded shoulder strap enable multiple easy-carry options. The Freeway Longhaul streamlines gear transport from the house, to vehicle, to campsites, trailheads, beaches, and beyond.
The Freeway Longhaul is an ideal transport solution for photographers and videographers, who will, no doubt, find ways to use it, but the bags are ideal for other types of users. From weekend-warrior cyclists, runners and boaters, to family campers, soccer moms, beachgoers, and #vanlife road-trippers — the Freeway Longhaul is the perfect organizer for anyone who needs to transport a large amount of gear from location to location.
“Our design methodology is to study the customer’s workflow and look for the most efficient means of carry and access to a wide array of gear,” Murdoch said. “With our California-based design, marketing and sales teams, and expert manufacturing resources in Vietnam, we were able to quickly bring a product to market that met our high standards for quality and excellence. I couldn’t be prouder of what this team has achieved in the past eight weeks.”
The new product from Think Tank Photo comes in two sizes: the Freeway Longhaul 50, with 50 Liters of carry capacity, 4 exterior pockets and removable divider, and the Freeway Longhaul 75, with 75 Liters of carry capacity, 8 exterior pockets and three customizable dividers. Here are some of the key features of the series:
- Full view top opening, similar to tote bags, giving superior visibility
- 75 Supplied with three interior dividers, 50 supplied with 1 divider for structure and organization
- Zippered top cover tucks away into an interior pocket
- Duffel-style handles with secure wrap closure
- Padded shoulder strap is removable
- Six D-rings for multiple shoulder strap positions
- Grab handles on all four sides of the bag
- Multiple exterior utility pockets:
- Fabric open pockets
- Mesh open pockets
- A dimensional front zippered pocket for small items
- Divider pockets for books and tablets
- One flat rear zippered pocket
- Daisy chains on both sides
- Extra durable and water-resistant bottom
So, the ultimate organizer bag for road trips, adventure, and athletics is now available, and it has a name: Freeway Longhaul. One important note: the product will only ship to certain countries – Australia, Canada, Japan, Norway, Singapore, Sweden, 
Having reached its initial goal, Think Tank Photo wants to meet its next goal on Kickstarter, a first stretch goal of $100k. Stretch goals are funding targets set by us project creators to “stretch” beyond the initial, official goal of the Kickstarter project and raise more money and offer more stuff. Meeting each stretch goal means more rewards open up for all who pledge. So, let me just ask: do you need a high-capacity, carry-all duffel bag? Check the Freeway Longhaul, it may be the solution to fit all your needs in the adventures yet to come.