A couple months back my friend requested a pair of hip-packs. They had to be relatively small, hold a mini u-lock, and have a secure pocket for a cellphone. Here's what I came up with:
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqp4LlJFcf_m_zn8qSo7zjWohK0bJZvkyvE_FnDz3Ip7zXCPJGtJuVoxJIzMiVVE7ZQnE9meu65TGNBspktkLY2B2_-tevaShNIkD2oblxD7K6-3iZ1lW961mhJpR7bC4yGvdG2j0mJi8/s400/IMG_0036.jpg)
8" across the top, ~5.5 deep, 6x2 on the bottom. 1000d Cordura nylon, acrylic-coated poly liner.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqQhU22X6XUJY96yNW4ogvb64ZEpQzDKk4UIV_uJ4aXanTfHevgx9FdCUOu45G-ktOgnS4xojyBqNxopicBRhs0Y-JYrj1BI7FrqwzAdLwlMgdv6LvfTs2RoHFF-q0qXcd9qFeTvarLB8/s400/IMG_0038.jpg)
I usually don't use velcro, but since this was a special job I made an exception.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiO4BMzfzT3DIDbLgrnq6rbaAKaTX6Ht9MbRs6X-eGMQm2a6Su4iEcNcn0hyphenhyphenL0NgDCREMMWGZuYZDOaq_pGR_ipgQHsYge8x2o_KxVr4Hb3b5zZE9BU4h_sSXDyU83-XP7kuxBeggYsFYY/s400/IMG_0040.jpg)
Typical u-lock holster design. There's some thin padding in the u-lock straps on these, though.
Now, here's how I got to the above bags...prototypes galore:
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdLjwD5CKp4ricNJ0TPQNj0qhSs2DEu8iNYV5pNwa082aTlHgQdbmlSu7LRizdGbrhIy9UZUOfJXiN2eq1fz-GZUEr_mU7YdFDT2OH8mI_zJcLXBDgA9-mzJqnZ3eax9DbmBTOnxucK64/s400/IMG_0029.jpg)
This is a nearly complete bag. I pretty much just moved the label and nudged the zipper up a bit. On the final packs, the pocket is lined with a mil-spec oxford nylon.
Below is the first finished design. Zipper pocket, floating liner...super water-resistant but hard to get into. The final design is a little smaller than this but has better accessibility.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhphL25bgPOme0qWEIW2jxRT785pDe5bOBR7WR6KdQcPYW4F6VngOFz_v3pH4lLQcotXgCG_vMPoNkkq_6sjMauwzxIYDpFlQJSa8U27aVp2PyQyLqCuRM_z9bvIUZ3REtZhDq4GNx_cC8/s400/IMG_0006.jpg)
Dumb place to put a label. Whoops.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiH3urtB71kcAk7GGoJMz2ddUEkYIcroi15buik6XQpHYHdhv4wG9iHPDaYLrNAQPTtgeJfXLWGs5quEIPzVRpbC_IEJk8l0UPb_HG1qghMxzPoyOBX3rnoEFl6I8sI9W5hCmebhYJdmQU/s400/IMG_0007.jpg)
Same lock holder strap. I'm also not wild about how the binding looks on this bag. It's an okay design (I use it a lot)...just a li'l goofy on a bag this small.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1F3BDwHKarcBnWNz-z0e9coupKcaAW8DFWH9x_oml1R-nANhDEPfmt0jUVMLBfXy3WPMGAhlwZNn9BnSmODanVXL4XMkwsh_gMuADuissRE6tMmt_VCexiRgVLiYME4pfbDR4c1XufoI/s400/IMG_9994.jpg)
For scale.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNmlpjZny4qylmBtcKapw8gfjQJr3k9Gud_1M-841OKAgHwwNjd79Gi3D2J8W8td5et95yGIoE2ZS7vkWynlTsPr6Xef5zDTQAJQVV3re0GqaaaocNyHXAWw1iDahfgH7p2zNrYyVcGI0/s400/IMG_0027.jpg)
No floating liner (above). But no holes in the corners. Hell no.
And here are most of the prototypes I made, excluding some paper ones...and I gave one of the vinyl ones away before I took this. A big thanks to the public library for providing me with such fine prototyping material. Books are great.