Backpacks. Besides holding your stuff, what are they good for? That’s the question the creators of the Atlexa Backpack posed when setting out to develop their invention — the first modular backpack that itself can transform into a piece of sports equipment.
Short for “Athletic Exercise,” the Atlexa launches on Kickstarter on Oct. 24, and is a modular, lightweight fitness and outdoors backpack. The bag’s stretchable straps make it versatile as easily transportable workout gear.
“A backpack is traditionally considered as a piece of sport equipment, but if you think carefully you realize its main purpose was to only carry other sport equipment,” a release from the Atlexa team reads. “From this day on we can finally say we reinvented the backpack and turned it into legitimate sport equipment.”
Along the bag’s main flat compartment and the smaller compartment in the yellow “X,” you’ll find various pouches and bags that can be used to house smaller items, water bottles, and more. You can even attach separate bags and pouches to the base for added modularity.
And for all that it offers, Atlexa is still incredibly lightweight.
“We always imagined it to be as light and unobtrusive as possible. It’s the perfect backpack for activities where you’re constantly on the run, always mobile and always in a need for more space,” the release says. “Atlexa’s ergonomic and minimalistic design almost lets you forget you’re carrying it on your back.”
The Atlexa team worked closely with fitness instructors, trying tons of prototypes, and studying fabrics, load capacities, and applications to find how to use any and everything around us for a proper workout. It can be used in a forest, a crossfit gym, or while walking down the street.
“This product wasn’t just about styling, you know, making things pretty,” Nina Malovrh, an industrial designer on the Atlexa team, said. “It was about enhancing a really good idea with a design.”