Green Guru Vulcar Bag

While the ancient Mayans used the sap of the rubber tree to make balls, human figures, and bindings to secure their axe heads, rubber history took a dramatic turn in 1839 when a diligent inventor from Woburn, Massachusetts named Charles Goodyear figured out how to weather-proof this gummy material into a pliable product that didn't melt in the heat or crack in the cold.

He called the process vulcanization in homage to the Greek god of fire. A century and a half after Goodyear's breakthrough, a Boulder-based company named Green Guru has taken to recycling old truck and tractor inner tubes into a functional, eco-friendly messenger bags. I've been using their Vulcar bag for a few months now.

This 4.48-lbs. vulcanized rubber bag may be a bit heavier than those made from other synthetic materials but it's as durable and spacious as it is good for the environment. At 18" wide x 12" deep, the Vulcar is large enough to be an all-purpose bag. It fits the bill as a gym bag (with running shoes and thick towel); it's wide enough to accommodate a bulky yoga mat; and it's sufficiently waterproof inside to endure the soggiest of soggy clothes, a quality I appreciated after my first "hot" yoga class.

However, the bag is best utilized as a laptop/school bag/brief-case. With three large zippered pockets (one outside; two inside) and interior "organizer" sleeves for pens, pencils, and all of my electronic gadgets save a flat-screen TV, I can transport a virtual supply closet wherever I go. The overlapping flap is fastened with both Velcro and two buckle closures, which means the contents are both secure and dry should I get caught in the rain or spend a week on a 72-foot yacht in the Caribbean interviewing its skipper for a book on the world's greatest ocean kayakers, as I recently did. My Vulcar, holding laptop, power chord, pens, notebook and books, was a constant companion during the arduous hours I spent on deck typing up my notes in a picturesque harbor on the island of Antigua. Tough work, but someone's got to do it.

Bottom Line:  A rugged, waterproof messenger bag made of recycled truck inner tubes (the haul handle is a road bike tube) that features a padded ergonomic back panel and removable carrying strap made from two inch wide recycled webbing. -- J.G. (Jan 09)

Price: $149.95 at NIMLI

Manufacturer's Site: www.greengurugear.com

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