Note: This is the first installment in what we hope is a semi-regular series on people who make ADV gear by hand. We’re open to suggestions of other businesses or individuals who work this way, because it’s a rare thing these days—Ed.

In the beginning, Wolfman Luggage was a family business, running out of a spare room in founder Eric Hougen’s house—and decades later, even with international production in place, Wolfman is back to those roots with the new Threadworks lineup (see our previous coverage of Threadworkshere).

But why the change, at a time when Wolfman was in-line with the competition, which almost completely outsources all moto gear production overseas? Hougen says there are multiple reasons. After a lifetime of designing moto gear and building it with his own hands from a pattern he drew himself, he missed that work. And, he found people have come to appreciate the idea of handmade-in-the-USA equipment, and are willing to pay more to buy it. But perhaps most importantly, he says that selling equipment he built himself allows him to stand behind his products.

“I can confidently say, ‘I made that and I know what that will do and how it will hold up,’ ” he say. “When you pull a product out of a box that you have never overseen, you only have your fingers crossed that it was made right.”

The Threadworks line is truly a return to Wolfman’s origins, because before introducing the imported WP lineup (waterproof bags with welded-seam construction). Wolfman started as a one-man show, with just Hougen making gear. Eventually it grew to a sort of cottage industry, with home sewers producing the gear and then sending it to Wolfman HQ, where it was packaged for sale. In the days before the Internet retail takeover, Wolfman had sales reps who would get the gear out to dealers. But now, it’s moved online, and only Hougen is building the Threadworks bags.

That’s a good thing if you’re a customer, because you’re buying gear that Hougen deems worthy of using on his own adventures. Whenever he puts a bag together, he asks himself “Would I use this?”.

“That is a very important statement to me, because I’m very picky,” he says. “I can confidently say these bags are built to last, 100 percent.”

Plus, working on the new Threadworks line as a limited-production series allows Hougen to do a fair bit of customization if the customer wants it. He isn’t interested in developing all-new patterns for a single customer’s request, or making significant changes to old ones; that takes a lot of time, and few customers are willing to pony up the funds necessary for specialized work like that.

Heraclitus said “the only constant is change.” Motorcycles evolve, gear evolves, businesses evolve. I evolve. Threadworks is the evolution of nearly 40 years of sewing experience, and 31-plus years of motorcycle experience rolled into one. Threadworks follows my riding style, sewing style- light, durable efficient designs –Eric Hougen

But because every piece of kit in the Threadworks line is hand-built, Hougen can use whatever materials the customer desires, within reason. Want a printed pattern of digital camo? Cartoon cats? A bright color that would never be offered by a mainstream manufacturer? Or maybe you want expensive hardware, or high-tech sailcloth construction? Hougen draws on resources from around the world to come up with suggestions for customers who want specialized gear. It might cost you more—some specialized fabric requires tricky techniques or specific tools. But if you visit Wolfman’s webpage, you can see Threadworks bags with a wide range of designs, and Hougen is happy to explore other ideas. He’s one of very few people in the ADV luggage space who can even offer this sort of product, because so little of this production is done this way anymore, at least in North America.

Here’s what’s in the Threadworks lineup right now, and how Hougen describes each piece of kit:

TW Base system(“I have been looking to evolve the bases for about two years… I re-vamped the whole concept of the base. I personally have not used side racks in years. I like the versatility of the base system.”)

TW Blackhawktank bag(“Riders have been asking for a larger tank bag. This one is about 30-40% larger than the Enduro. Its construction uses 3/8 foam as it is larger giving it more body. Ideal for bigger Adv bikes. Brought back a classic.”)

TW 7andTW 15Rolie bags(“Having three sizes of Rolies in the past, which to choose was a tough decision. So two sizes: The TW 7 Rolie is 7 liters- ideal for day rides, and ultralight over nights. I use this size more than anything as most of my rides are day rides. Like most riders. The TW 15 Rolie is 15 liters- ideal for overnight and multi day travel. The size was determined by the Largest Voile strap the XL 32. It’s about 30.5″ from prong to the first hole. 15 liters is just a great size.”)

TW Enduro Tank Bag(“I brought back a popular classic.”)

TW Enduro Duffle(“Simple easy companion…”).

TW 22andTW 40Duffles(“I wanted an easy duffle for those who want extra space. They are designed to fit the center section of each base. The 22 fits the E-Base center, the 40 the B-Base. I wanted a bag you can look down into, that has a large opening and easy access. Also something that could be used for more than moto travel.”)

The Greg Bag(“Since I revamped this waist pack, I have not worn a backpack since… It is more vertical than the hotdog-style around your waist. The “y” straps on the sides let you adjust how you want the bag to sit on your body. They also help tighten the bag to your body, eliminating bounce.”)

TWE-12 saddlebagsandDaytrippers(“I reintroduced these last fall. I changed some of the angles to make them fit better.”

There are also several useful accessories listed at the Threadworks page, including strap mounts and straps. See the whole lineuphere. One thing to note is that the Threadworks lineup is now built around a two-layer bag-within-a-bag system. With an inner waterproof liner, it’s easier to keep rain at bay, and the design offers other advantages too.

“Say you have a wet tent, what to do with it? With a single layer duffle bag, everything inside will get wet. With a bag within a bag concept, you can fold the liner down protecting and separating the dry from the wet,” says Hougen. Sounds like he has some experience with this!

In fact, that’s exactly the reality of the whole line: It’s based on Hougen’s experimentationandhis experience. And it’s made in the US, by someone the ADV scene knows it can trust. There is very little moto luggage that fits these description, and if inmates really want to buy local, as the comment section says so often, then they can start with Wolfman Threadworks.