Vests that function primarily as storage aren’t exactly a new concept. Runners and hikers have long been using them to carry hydration, energy bars, and all sorts of stuff on the go as an even more useful alternative to running belts. The Topologie Backpack Vest takes that activity-specific accessory and turns it into an everyday fashion garment.
Out front, it designed to look and wear like any stylish vest that you can use to add a layer of warmth to your outfit for the day. Around the back, though, it comes with a backpack-like main compartment, along with exterior pockets, allowing you to carry a good load of gear without having to bring your favorite everyday backpack along.
The Topologie Backpack Vest looks like any casual vest, with open armholes, a round neck, and a zippered closure out front. It has a relaxed fit that should make it suitable for casual wear, while looking like it will wear pretty nicely with most everyday outfits. Out front, it gets two zippered hand pockets and two zippered chest pockets, each with a vertical opening, so you have a place to store items you want to keep within easy access throughout the day, with each pocket housing multiple mesh pockets for organizing stuff. To further accentuate the casual aesthetic, it’s got the brand’s logo printed in large font across the chest.
At the back, it looks more like a backpack than a vest. The main compartment even comes with a rolltop closure, which sounds absolutely absurd for a vest, complete with a top flap and a buckle strap closure to keep the whole thing secured. At the bottom part of the rear is a mesh pouch, while a pair of zippered pockets are available on the sides. Suffice to say, this has as much storage options as some traditional backpacks we’ve used over the years, which makes it quite the utilitarian accessory.
The Topologie Backpack Vest comes with hidden webbing straps you can use for adjusting the fit, along with a front buckle that seems to simulate the function of a sternum strap for those days you’re packing the main compartment with plenty of stuff. Some of the compartments, by the way, comes with carabiners and attachment loops, giving you plenty of options in storing smaller gear, making this as much a backpack as it is a garment. The tough part, of course, is the fact that you’ll have to take off the entire vest any time you need to get anything from the main compartment, since there’s no way to just hang it off one shoulder and swing it around like you would normally do with a backpack.
According to the outfit, the garment is made from BNW Reflective fabric, which combines recycled polyester with glass microspheres. That’s right, it uses tiny specks of spherical glass to get that shiny, reflective look, which, we guess, makes it handy when you want to be somewhat visible in low-light settings, such as when you’re riding your bike at night. It’s water-repellent, too, so your gear should stay dry through most drizzles.
The Topologie Backpack Vest is available now, priced at $279.
