Made By Inmates For Inmate / Made By Inmates For Inmates - Wolfman Luggage - Adventure Rider

狼人行李has been around for years, one of the best-known names in Dual Sport and Adventure Luggage, the backstory is very interesting if you’ve never heard it first hand from Eric.

Tell us about Wolfman, what were your humble beginnings?

I have a Degree in Apparel Production from Colorado State University. I never liked making clothing.

Backpacks, and bags were more my style. I started Wolfman in the mountains near Nederland Colorado. We had a two-bedroom house at the time and I used the spare Bedroom.

How long have you been in business?

In 2020 Wolfman will be 27 years old, at which point I will have owned Wolfman for half of my life. (For the record, there was no Internet when I started Wolfman, hard to believe.)

I have been told by someone that I was making Dual Sport Luggage before Dual Sport was cool.

The Grandfather of Adventure Luggage.

Why do you make parts for motorcycles, what inspired the passion?

I love making things. I love Sewing. I love motorcycles. An easy match.

Can you give us a basic shop tour?

This is hard to do now. We have changed the Wolfman business model to be a remote Business. (We copied this Business model from Kurt and Martha forget of Black Dog Cycle Works). I have a Design Studio in our Basement in our house in Colorado. We manufacture and use Fulfillment centers in the US and Asia to store and ship our products anywhere in the world. It is best to see all that goes on via the following:

What was your first product, and do you still make it/ sell it or something like it?

The first product I ever made was a Fanny pack to carry books. I still use the design today for personal use. The first Motorcycle product was a tank bag that converted into a Full-size Fanny Pack. We have not made that is 15 years or so. It was way ahead of its time.

How do you test your products before offering them for sale, any unique methods?

Firstly, since I have an extensive background in sewing and RF welding.

All products begin with patterns. I am a classically trained pattern maker. All of the Wolfman Patterns are made by hand. I like patterns rather than just cutting out fabric and hoping that it all will fit together.

我缝制的样品，确保所有的作品符合织带及拉链等，然后进行测试。检查多个自行车的契合。检查安装等，然后使用它。围棋和骑，击败它，打破它。然后查看包，并使其更好。

Once the initial test is complete, I will ask a friend or one of our Ambassadors to use the product. I’ll get their feedback if applicable and improve the product. Then move the product into production.

I personally like simple products and make them as durable as possible for years of use. I have figured out the “Special Sauce” of putting together a durable product. This philosophy of quality build first has served us very well.

I also worked with all of our manufactures instilling this concept into their manufacturing.

Where do you get your inspiration, your thoughts, and ideas, do you accept suggestions from customers/ friends?

I get inspiration from everywhere; I can look at a lady’s handbag and see some new technique of how a zipper was set. I look at the outdoor industry often.

Great designs and concepts are never static and should be built upon. I feel I have created a great foundation of products for Wolfman and I build on that. Subtle improvements along the way without changing the core of the product.

I have used suggestions from customers and riders. In the early days, there was no one really doing adventure luggage, we were making some of it up as we went along. We took suggestions from riders. There is a good and bad to this sometimes the person who made the suggestion wants ownership….

Do you have a product in your line that you feel is genius, but the public doesn’t buy too many of but you feel they should, could you highlight that?

My at the moment all-time favorite luggage is the UnRack System, especially the 2020 Series. The UnRack system does not need side racks, in fact, it works best without them.

它也克ives a dirt bike a complete bag carrying system. I made the foundation of this series with the Rolie Saddlebag Mount in 2010. Yes, in 2010.

I was working on a saddle bag project, we wanted to Add Color to the saddlebags and my son said you should make a 303 Rolie into a saddlebag…. I told him I did that years ago and showed him a Rolie Saddlebag Mount.

他说：“做这项工作。”所以我做了。第一E和B基地有超过30个缝纫操作，使他们很费力。2020年我在一个更简单，更稳定的方向去了。

2020 B base

The Versatility of the UnRack System is amazing. Since it is completely customizable for your riding needs. Most of us do day rides, so I can add 3 small rolie bags for a day ride. I can also add up to 6 liters of fuel to the bases. Using the 2020 Large Rolies I can get an easy 60 liters for the B-Base.

The customers who have the current system have really enjoyed the versatility, ease of use and stability.

You are one of the first major sellers of soft luggage, how have adapted to the challenges of constant release of new models, does this affect you too much or are most of your product reasonably universal?

使通用行李比自行车专用道路更加困难。当我为比尔摩托车的行李在创业初期，行李很容易，因为我只需要专注于一个单一的自行车所有的安装点，等等。

随着通用行李您必须是适合，安装，设计很有创意。你是一个内胆包适合摩托车20辆，不只是一个。我们已经与我们的设计和产品树立在市场上最新的行李阶段。

Has the development of new technology changed the way you can produce your products?

Absolutely, sewing is a very basic method to join materials. It is easy and can be very durable if done correctly.

RF Welding (Radio Frequency) welding is a method of joining compatible materials together with radio waves at a molecular level. The radio waves excite the molecules of each material and they intermingle and bond. It is very strong and waterproof.

The RF machines are very big much larger than a sewing machine and require special tooling.

每个设计都有自己的工具，因此前期的资本成本是高的。此外，你最好喜欢你的设计或它会花费你。此外，我们现在可以使用激光切割机织物，我们不模切任何更多的则是通过激光来完成。它是如此冷静地看到在这个过程中的机器。

You have recently made a big change to your product line, can you explain this, and why it happened?

Is this Waterproof? Is the first question we get asked.

在过去，没有。2020年是。

I hate rain covers; I could never make them fit correctly. So, I needed to make a change to our business as we could not get enough products from our US manufacturers.

We even had to create in-house sewing production for the last 4 years. I wanted to make everything waterproof.

We sourced an RF Welding company out of China. I began the journey on January 7^th,2019 redesigning the entire line. I lived in China for most of April 2019, setting up production.

I spent the summer testing and checking the bags. My son and I returned in late July to finalize the line.

How many different unique products do you sell/ make?

I condensed the line for 2020. I looked at our line and strategically chose what would stay and go. The Current 2020 line has 18 Core products, 6 replacement part kits, and a few carry over items.

哪个产品是你最好的卖家呢?

Our Tank Bags, Tail Bags, and Saddles are our bread and butter. All universal fit for adventure bikes.

Could you say that all or a large part of your product line is US-designed /made?

我所有的设计在位于科罗拉多州Longmont我的地下室工作室。制造是在中国完成。我们选择中国没有因为成本的原因，但他们所提供的制造。我们正在使用的面料，我把它定制。这是我用过的最昂贵的面料之一。

多长时间从一个想法走，到设计，到原型，在货架上的最终产品？

Well, I designed and introduced 18 items in about 8 months. This is a huge undertaking. Our first production run was completed a few weeks ago. With RF Welding, it takes about 90 days to get one simple product done.

Do you have any new products coming out for the 2020 bikes that are unique, interesting or that has been a challenge?

I used all of our sewn products as the base for the 2020 line. So, all of it will be unique and now waterproof.

Do ADVrider and its inmates play a big part in your business, do you offer any kind of incentive or discount for inmates? (what is your user name and main vendor thread link)

I am a relatively private person, so I am learning to be much more involved in our“World of Wolfman” Vendor Thread. My user name is Wolfmanluggage.

I just want to thank all the riders who have supported Wolfman all these years. I hope to all of you who have let Wolfman carry your life, you have gone places you would have never gone, and you have gained experiences you never would have.

All with the joy of motorcycle travel. We hope you will take us along on your next adventure where ever that may be.

Woof!e