The BAD Guy: Malcolm Vetterlein

It started as a build-a-better mousetrap scheme.

I knew something about fabric. I better! I had worked for a company called W.L. Gore. That’s right: the makers of Gore-Tex.

And I knew something about duffel bags. Actually, not a lot. But I used them all the time. On the job, to haul samples around on the road. Off the job, for everything I loved doing—skiing, hiking, cycling, traveling—as a way to haul my many toys and necessities. But all too often, those bags would fall apart. Zippers would explode, seams would burst, fabric would tear.

I had a passion for well-made products, but I wasn't seeing any really durable, beautiful duffel bags. The kind I'd be proud to own. So it just made sense. After all, I’d just bought my first house, quit my job, my wife and I just had twins. Why not start my own company? Actually, it made no sense whatsoever. But I know it was the right decision.

Back then, 16 years ago, a duffel was either an olive-green canvas Army job, or a nylon tube with a zipper down the middle. I knew I could improve upon it. So I enlisted the help of a designer, and together we crafted a duffel design that was easy to use, made with durable materials, and stood out aesthetically. We aimed for a perfect marriage of form and function. What we got was the Best American Duffel. From the trademarked B.A.D. logo to the rugged CORDURA® fabric and the big clamshell zipper opening, we reinvented the duffel bag.

We knew it worked. Though my testing grounds were less the trail and more the tarmac as we hauled loads of kiddy gear around, we knew the design was highly functional, and the materials and workmanship were super rugged.

But how to sell it? It’s easy to sell Gore-Tex to Seattleites, but a $100 duffel bag to the world? Fortunately, we had an opportunity to supply bags to the 1990 Trans-Antarctic Expedition: a grueling, 3,700-mile dogsled trek across Antarctica led by polar explorer Will Steger. What a test! Following a thumbs-up from all the explorers after a successful expedition, we were feeling pretty confident. We submitted a duffel to Outside magazine for a duffel review. What resulted was none other than a rating as “the best all-around duffel bag available” and a photo on the front page of the review section. Within days we were inundated by calls to our 800 number requesting brochures and bags.

BAD Bags became a real business. However, we are still small because that’s how we stay focused on supreme quality. We still make almost all our duffels right here in Seattle because local businesses keep local economies strong. We still care about each customer and their experiences with our duffel bags.

And, just like you, we like duffel bags that work well and look cool.

Happy travels!

Malcolm Vetterlein