Who is Minaal gear designed for?
- We design for the person who needs to have complete, no-question trust in the tools they use. Why do they require that total peace of mind? Because they've got more interesting things to do than worry about their gear.
- What types of trips do we see people using our bags and accessories for? An incomplete list: domestic business travel, a meander to the local market, 6-week carry-on-only European honeymoons, daily commutes, one-bag travel, digital nomadism, photo/video shoots, extended road trips, cross-continental train journeys (¡hola! Amtrak, my sweet love), and more.
- More important than the specifics of the journey: we see a community who care about being present in whatever they're doing; who cultivate an ability to stay clear on what's important. They care about the people they meet – and the people they're yet to meet. They're curious, they explore, and they stay in flow – no matter where they end up.
The Long Version
IN THIS ARTICLE
Our Context
“Wouldn’t that be nice?”
Those four words are where most dreams used to end. But today, if you’re curious about something, you can go find out for yourself.
Everything you could ever want to explore or learn is at your fingertips, you just have to be curious enough to ask:
“What happens if I...?”
We design tools for people who ask that question. Who seek meaning, not likes. Who want to own their time, not more stuff.
What happens if I... live and work out of a van for a year?
We build things that make it easier, and more enjoyable, to be curious.
And it doesn't need to be some fancy world trip! No need to drop out and become a vagabond (...unless you want to). The local is just as interesting as the international.
So scratch the itch. Take the course. Apply for that remote job. Tell her. Tell him. Buy the ticket. And start your days with the question:
“What happens if I...?”
What You're Looking For
If you want to avoid dragging wheeled suitcases up endless flights of stairs and across cobblestoned streets in Lisbon; if you want to skip queues and move effortlessly through security at LAX; if you’re ready to ditch your unwieldy 80L hiking pack and embrace a more minimalist travel style – then you’re a lot like us.
PERSONAL INSIGHT: DOUG (MINAAL FOUNDER) 👋
We started Minaal to solve our own travel gear problems, and we still use every product today. So we know what's important when you're on the move.
Some core needs that we always keep in mind when designing new gear:
- 1
- Convenience & Efficiency: save time and energy by having everything you need, and nothing you don't.
- 2
- Quality: reduce waste & invest in quality to save in the long run.
- 3
- Peace Of Mind: you can trust our gear, so you have one less thing to worry about.
At home everywhere.
Design Philosophy
Everything we create is designed to keep you in flow through security, cities, borders, meetings, collabs, and every other chapter of a fulfilling life.
Every product we create has to tick our Five Design Pillars:
- Nothing Unnecessary: We believe in simple solutions – not gimmicks, ornamental dangly things, or over-complication.
- A Reason For Everything: We consider every last detail. Ask us any ‘why’ – we’ll have an answer.
- Gear You Can Trust: The best products – for you, and for the planet – are the ones that last. We obsess over every detail, component, and process, and back them all up with a Lifetime Warranty.
- Timeless, Not Trendy: We don’t chase trends. Instead we aim for timelessness, with clean lines, streamlined silhouettes and classic color palettes.
- Reimagined For Today: The walls between work and play, formal and informal, location and career are gone. Our products are designed for effortless transitions between environments. We challenge ourselves to make tools for the way we really live today – and will live tomorrow.
Summary
Nothing should stand in the way of exploration. Not the status quo, inexperience, a lack of funding, or even (especially!) people saying, “that’s a dumb idea.”
When we decided to make our own ‘one bag’, we had no idea what we were getting into.
That naiveté was an advantage.
In the end, our crazy idea connected us to a community. People who, to our surprise and gratitude, were stoked on what we were trying to do – and had ideas of their own. They funded our first product to launch the company, and now we spend our days helping people explore the things they’re curious about.
Any questions? Contact us anytime.