Your Feedback at Work - Critical Mass

Product Feedback. Boy do we get a lot of it . . . From fit to function to fashion, from price to purpose to product names, customer feedback is one thing we've grown to rely on. We believe our customers are more passionate and outspoken than the norm. And while that means there's some folks out there who are hard to please, our quality just wouldn't be the same if it weren't for their willingness to ask for something better.

Case in Point: the Critical Mass Bag. Long-time customers have seen many versions of this bag, each with its die-hard proponents and detractors. It was born of our own selfish desire to toss the day's gear into a sack, throw it over a shoulder, and be on our self-propelled way.

The feedback we get from you comes from all angles: e-mails, phone calls, blog posts, letters (yes, people still write us by hand), magazine reviews, and surveys. But what do we do with it? Frankly, we get so much input that we could never respond to all of it. Since we can't respond to everyone directly, this post is a modest attempt to show how your feedback shapes our design decisions.

Historically, we gathered customer feedback on large spreadsheets and saved them by month. These files go back well over 5 years. If you wrote or called to complain about the fit of the Stand-Up Shorts back in August of 2002, chances are north of 50% we can find your comments.

Why so far back? In the world of product development, it's not uncommon for two years to pass between concept and completion. And so, a suggestion received tomorrow about, say, the MLC, likely won't show up in that product until 2010. During this time, we're developing the revised product, testing the new design, sourcing new materials, drawing up contracts with production facilities, scheduling factory time, planning distribution, etc. etc. etc.

But how can you tell if your feedback is ever put to use? To answer that, let's go back to that Critical Mass Bag, and some feedback received during the two years leading up to the latest version:

Sometimes, the feedback we get isn't so specific, like this comment from a May 2007 post:

ya all should let me test your products cuase [sic] actually im [sic] testing them now in boulder colorado as a bike messenger and they are barely passing the test.

This feedback is worthwhile in its own right, if only for letting us know that a customer in a Western mountain town is unhappy with our gear. Sadly for us--but sadder still for the customer-- it's hard to make positive changes without specifics.

We want to know what you think, good or bad. Though this person (below) isn't happy with the bag, their simple and specific comment gives us something concrete to work with:

Please remove the zippered pocket from the computer sleeve side of the bag, it scratches laptops and the zipper pull gets inside the cd drive.

This feedback from April 06 led us to take a look at the offending pocket. What do you know, it is sorta in the way:

So back to the drawing board we go. As of Spring 2008, we're happy to report the offending zipper was removed and--responding to other rafts of feedback about laptop compatibility--the laptop pocket dramatically adjusted and expanded to be more user-friendly:

Sometimes the feedback is a bit more pointed. We can't help but take this kind of input with a smile; anyone who writes a note like this must really love their Patagonia gear:

The new critical mass messenger bag is not as good as the old one! It has a new buckle design that pops open spontaniously [sic], less reflective tape than the old one, and a silly laptop insert that spoils the great empty space inside the bag. Bad design decisions! It wasn't broken, why did they have to "fix" it?

Adjustments to the laptop pocket are visible in the photos above. The points about the buckles were good ones, too. Here's the front closure buckle from the older design. You can see that it's attached at the bottom of the bag's main top flap, exposing the buckles to the elements as well as repeated bangs and scrapes . . .

These buckles have been moved under the flap this season . . .

The reflective tape? We fixed that, too. Here's the older setup:

And the newer one, with the reflective strip now longer, lower on the flap, and constructed of sturdier materials:

Sometimes the feedback we get is, well . . . it's unique. It's entertaining. It stands out in its own way. It's rife with useful information couched in a telling narrative of one person's toil and hardship as influenced by their Patagonia gear. A member of the local cycling community had this to tell us about the single-most complaint-stimulating feature of our 2006 model of the Critical Mass--the shoulder strap design:

After intense field-testing of the Patagonia "sack," the tester is left wondering if the folks at Patagonia ever take this stuff out and play with it in the real world. When commuting on a bicycle the "sack" "schlumps" down around your waist and hangs off your bum in a less-than-comfy or flattering fashion. This functions like a two-lobed cam, with one lobe shoving your diaphragm up into your lungs restricting respiration, while at the same time Lobe #2 sets diligently to the task of extruding your colon and accelerating defecation. It does however manage to take your mind off of traffic.

Tighten the straps you say? Well our tester tried that, only to find that the "sack" is designed for very large people and will not cinch down to fit an obviously calorically deficient male. Our tester did receive a number of glowing comments from the distinguished residents of the river corridor concerning the ravishing green hue of the sack. All things considered our tester gives it a 2 out of 10.

Upon receiving this feedback, a 5' tall colleague immediate grabbed the then-current Critical Mass and found that, lo!, the bag scraped persistently at the back of her heels. This with all available slack removed from the straps--and while standing.

We fixed that pesky strap. The length is hard to photograph, but here's a shot of the new adjustment buckle [Top - 2006 version, with no way to remove slack from the "closed loop" strap. Bottom - 2008 version with new buckle and strap design allowing user to easily pull slack from strap while wearing the bag.]

You also told us to fix the mesh pocket design on the side - it was, many folks reported, not secure enough for treasured items and small objects [Top - 2006 version, with open mesh drop-in pocket. Bottom - 2008 version, with zipper closure on pocket to secure items.]

With all the hard work comes a sense of satisfaction knowing our customers' comments were taken to heart to make a better product. But there's one piece still missing, the one that will let us rest assured we did a good job of listening to your concerns and making changes. We're looking for feedback on the 2008 line. That's where you come in. If you have a Spring 2008 Critical Mass, let us know what you think. We're dying to find out.

Comments

[John]

The strap! I decided against buying this bag 2 years ago because the strap was way too long when I tried it in the store. Thanks for fixing it. Now I know to give feedback on products I haven't even bought. :)

[patagoniacommunity]

Enjoyed reading this post. The CM had been my bag for years (which I've documented a bit on my blog) and in fact was THE product that drew me to Patagonia in the first place about 10 years ago. However, I'm currently employing a Lightwire Tote.

I do have a question about the hold up on the delivery of the new version of the CM. The redesigned Half Masses were available right away while the CMs kept getting delayed. I was primed to purchase a CM but availability kept getting put off and put off. By the time it was finally available, I had lost patience and had already purchased a different bag out of necessity (LW Tote, as mentioned above). In addition, the money I had saved to meet the demand of the higher price point of the new CM had to meet other demands (like feeding my family!).

Also, the size of the new CMs, according to your website measurements, seems significantly larger and inconsistent with the sizing of previous versions. Why the changes? I believe the new size makes it prohibitively large as an airplane carry-on.

I like the new look and I think the zippered end pocket (as opposed to the mesh) is indeed an important update. And I know the reflective liner makes sense but I thought the off-color linings in past versions (mustard yellow lining on the cave blue bag) were a good-looking touch too.

Anyway, thanks for the posting. It's nice to get this kind of in-depth information on a product that I used for so many years. Who knows, at some point down the road I may try to rekindle my romance with the Critical Mass.

[Jason]

I've recently considered purchasing the Critical Mass bag and it's good to see all the improvements that have gone into improving the product. Also, props to Patagonia for taking the time to share this process with the community.

[Jim]

Thank god you finally changed the strap. I own a black version of the bag, which seems to be used as an example of all of the offending traits of the breed. In all honesty, I was disappointed in this bag over the last two years of b-school. It was the first Patagonia product that I have not absolutely loved. It looks like they finally got it right.

[Anthony Pezzotti]

Patagonia Peeps,

Check out our website. We love you guys and your message and support your company 110%. As an avid owner of many Patagonia products, I want to shoot you guys an idea. You should have a contest/competition between consumers who can design the most unique Patagonia t-shirt and the winner will get a prize and have their t-shirt made and sold nationwide where all Patagonia products are sold.

[Skot Nelson]

I had an old school Critical Mass bag which, in fact, I still have. It was Orange, and had seen lots of love.

With the addition of the laptop carrying sleeve, I wanted a new one and a friend gave me one for a birthday. It was blue (the orange stopped) and served for a while as an around town bag for walking, but every time I used it on a bike it just fell short.

The biggest problem what that it persistently sat on the side of my body at waist height, which is horribly uncomfortable for cycling. There was simply no way to make it work on a bike, due to the new strap design.

No problem for a while, as I use panniers...until I had a frame failure, and had to use a courier bag for about two weeks. The Critical Mass wasn't working.

So...I bought a Freitag. Horribly expensive, but this is without a doubt the best courier bag I've ever had. It's environmental cred is unflappable, and it's waterproof in a way that nylon never will be.

I'm glad to see you fixing the critical mass though. It was my favourite bag for a long time, and I can't part with that orange one still. The blue one went on Craigslist, and is in daily use by a non-cycling University student still...

Wow, the great feedback continues. It's pretty inspiring to see the kind of responses we're getting here--definitely a sign of product love. Skot, I share your feeling about the way the older Critical Mass shifts over toward the side of the body. For that reason, I love my old Critical Mass for what I WISH it was, more than for how it actually performs.

Here's a question: any of you try a messenger bag that opens AWAY from the wearer? The most common current design requires the user to pull the top over-flap toward them and hold it with their chin while they rummage through the bag's innards.

The Spring 2008 Critical Mass has hook-and-loop patches on the inside of the top over-flap, which gives the user a way to keep that flap under a little more control. This feels like a step in the right direction, but I can't help wondering if a design that opens away from the wearer would be even better. If you've tried a bag like this and have input, please share it here.

thanks,
lc

[Matt]

Two thoughts on the new design.
1.The curved zippered pockets are a bad design idea. They will fail faster than straight zippers.
2. The over-sized logo on the reflective tape is a bit over the top and I'd guess that it is one of the largest Patagonia logo's ever utilized on a piece of your gear? Leave the big logos for companies who have long lost their souls and let your quality design and material choices speak for themselves. Less is more.

[Skot Nelson]

> Here's a question: any of you try a messenger bag that opens
> AWAY from the wearer?

I have not, and have trouble imaging it but I like the concept. The Freitag F18 that I own opens the traditional way. The routine of sliding it around, loosening the strap and bit then opening it only to do the revers is definitely an opportunity for improvement.

In the scenario you describe hook and loop would be tough, I guess. Obviously, loop would have to go on the body of the bag so as not to snag clothing while exploring the interior.

An alternative closure such as a couple of latches would risk getting caught on clothes as well, I'd think.

I'm not an industrial designer, so I may not be envisioning this terribly well. I've a friend who is, who works in textiles and I may pitch the question to her this weekend.

[Nancy]

I bought the 2008 half-mass bag this year but ended up returning it to you. I wanted the smaller-sized bag but needed it to fit my 15" laptop. It did not fit! It seemed like there was enough room to make the sleeve wider so that would be my suggestion. I've been buying and using your products since my climbing days back in the '80's and still have some of those original items around today. I have always loved your stuff.

[Nick]

I know that you guys (Patagonia) are big on innovation rather than invention. Its cheaper/more efficient to take an existing successful design and improve upon it rather than starting from scratch. Case in point: the Aimless or Workender jeans. Essentially they are improved Levis 501s.

With that in mind, I propose that you guys start with the Chrome or Bailey Works messenger bags and improve upon their designs'.

From my humble commuting/messenger experience I've found that it's all in the shoulder strap. There should be left/right options and cell/radio/bike-tool accessibility on the strap. Also, I think it's great to have a quick way to loosen and retighten the shoulder strap so one can swing the bag 'round front without taking it off, thus averting the need to take off one's helmet. Once the bag is on it shouldn't need to come off.

The external reflector is a good improvement but I wouldn't hang my hat on it - it's really not that big of a deal. (I believe) most other messenger bag manufactures offer effective reflectors.

I also think there should be three sizes: M L and XL.

[Jared]

When I bike, I carry a high riding backpack designed for cyclists. It does not have the capacity of a large messenger bag, but it cinches to my back and won't flop around either. My comments on the bag depicted:
1) Too much logo: are you selling quality or are you selling the Patagonia brand? I'm very happy to pay up for Patagonia because I know that the technical clothing is well designed and made and because the company will stand behind it if it fails. I also admire the channeling of customer funds into many worthy causes. But I don't want to pay up to be "identified" with your brand. At the end of the day, you're not a co-op like MEC, you're a lucrative private venture owned by one of the wealthiest individuals on the planet. I have no more desire to walk around with Patagonia splayed across me than I would Fox, Microsoft, or Disney.
2) I have always been uncomfortable with the way Patagonia co-opted the Critical Mass name for its bicycle messenger bag. Critical Mass is owned by no one. For Patagonia to make a trademark out of it is an insult to the people who participate in it and uphold its ideals. I would like to believe this was a rouge act by a lower-level product manager, but, of course, your brand is "Patagonia" not "Chouinard."

Jared

[Skot Nelson]

> I have always been uncomfortable with the way Patagonia
> co-opted the Critical Mass name for its bicycle messenger bag

According to Wikipedia, the first Critical Mass ride:
> took place on Friday, September 25, 1992 at 6 pm in San
> Francisco.

Since I bought my first Critical Mass bag around the same time, and it had been in the catalogue prior to that, your statement lacks credibility.

[Jared]

Skot,

I have no recollection as to whether Patagonia made a bicycle messenger's bag in or prior to 1992 and I didn't save any back catalogues. However, I suspect whatever you did buy though was not branded "Critical Mass." When Patagonia actually filed for trademark protection with the USPTO on the name "Critical Mass" in 1999 (s/n 75874311), they claimed their first use of the trademark was in November, 1998. The application for trademark was not published for objections until July, 2000, and trademark registration was not granted until October, 2001. As you point out, cyclists around the world have riding in unstructured forums "under the banner" of Critical Mass since 1992.

-Jared

[old school]

Jared/Skot
Since I’m right next to the workbooks and catalogs (dating back to 1978) I looked up the history of the Patagonia bike bags and here’s what I found: As near as I can tell we made our first bike bag called the Courier Bag in fall of 1995, this was followed by the smaller Courier Bag’ette in Spring of 96. We introduced the Critical Mass Bag in Spring 99 and the Half Mass in Spring 2001.

As far as naming goes, I’m no lawyer but the way I understand it is that we have to trademark the names we use, because if we didn’t another company could use the same name and then force us to change ours, even if we used it first. It’s important to note that this doesn’t preclude anyone from using the name Critical Mass for anything but a bike bag so don’t worry, our lawyers won’t be issuing a cease-and-desist order to your local critical mass organizer anytime soon.

I’m sure YC, if he owned a computer, would be a bit amused to read that he’s “one of the richest individuals on the planet” While he is definitely pretty well off, he tools around in an old Toyota wagon, doesn’t even own a suit and I‘m pretty sure neither Warren Buffett nor Bill Gates have of yet hit him up for financial advice. I think that’s one summit he’ll never attain…but maybe if you bought another bag…?

-old school

[Skot Nelson]

I guess my memory of when I bought that first Critical Mass bag must be out of date. I guess I'm getting old.

As for this:

> I’m sure YC, if he owned a computer, would be a bit amused to
> read that he’s “one of the richest individuals on the planet”

YC is absolutely one of the richest individuals on the planet, unless you're daft enough to only measure that in monetary terms. That's a silly thing to do.

He even helped me get through the border once, although he may not have known at the time. The story's here
http://personal.penguinstorm.com/2006/09/gotta_like_yvon.php

[Old School]

Skot,
You'll get no argument from me, in non monetary terms he is as you say absolutely one of the richest individuals on the planet. Thanks for sharing your border story, glad those stickers came in handy.

-os

[allison]

what company publishes consumer criticism of their products? for this and so so so many other reasons - i love you, patagonia.

[Brett Schwager]

I have a spring '08 Critical Mass bag and got it in exchange for my old '03 Critical Mass bag because of some blown seams.

I don't wear my new bag ever because the main shoulder strap is way too long and isn't adjustable enough.

AND I'm even 6'3". I should take it into the Patagonia Seattle store and see if they have any recommendations.

[localcrew]

Brett, I think we can help! I read your comment and immediately went over and grabbed our Spring 08 bag to see if what you were saying is true. I'm 6' and about 180. I was able to get the strap down small enough that I almost couldn't fit it over my shoulder. To make sure I wasn't messing anything up, I took it over to on of our guys who measures in at 5'3" and tips the scales at 110. The bag rested comfortably above the hips and high across the mid-back. If it's inconvenient to get back to the store, give us a call at 800-368-6464 and one of our folks will be happy to help you fine tune your bag's adjustment.

cheers,
lc