Alta
Climbing Gym Commuter Pack
Timeline
6 weeks
Spring 2025
Software
Rhino
Illustrator
Skills
Sketching
Prototyping
Sewing
Pattern-Making
Team
Kaia Jarvegren
Cate Chinn
Alta is a backpack for young adults who commute between work and the climbing gym. It solves the common hassle of carrying dirty gear in a separate bag without compromising on style or function.
CONTEXT
Climbing Is The New Gym
As the sport transitions to indoors, popularity rises among working young adults looking for exercise alternatives and accessibility. Most modern climbing gyms account for the commuter lifestyle (workspaces, showers, training gym), and is a low barrier-to-entry sport.
EXPERT INTERVIEW
Hillary Chen | 21, Competitive Climber, College Student
Walks 25 min to school, 15 min from school to gym
Climbing for 2.5 years, trains 4 times a week
Loves the climbing community because it’s forgiving, social, and mentally/physically stimulating
INCONVENIENT & DIRTY
Needs two bags to separate gear from personal items
Conscious of chalk getting everywhere
Accessing cards with a backpack is a hassle
USER NEEDS
Comfortable way to carry gear
Contain chalk at all times
Quick access to commuting essentials
CLIMBING INVENTORY
Few Essentials, Lots of Chalk... Everywhere
1 Chalk Bag(s)
2 Extra Chalk
3 Duffle Bag
4 Tape
5 Phone
6 Extra Clothes
7 Wallet
8 Keys
9 Climbing Shoes
PROBLEM BRIEF
Research Insights
Complex System
To meet all their needs, users default to multiple bags that cater to specific features at the cost of ease
Lack of Containment
Fear of contamination, not just clutter, drives the need for clean separation between gear and daily items
Points of Disruption
When quick-access items are buried, everyday transitions introduce unnecessary friction—like entering transit, the gym, or home
BASED ON OUR INSIGHTS
How might we design a commuter bag for college students who climb that keeps academic supplies clean and organized, while securely storing dusty sweaty climbing gear?
PERFORMANCE CRITERIA
Balancing Form & Function
Female Oriented Fit
Sizing and style should consider the female anatomy and preferences
Professional Yet Sporty
Pack should be able to seamlessly blend into a professional and athletic environment
Protects Essentials
Personal items should be kept clean and protected from damaging
Effortless Access
User should be able to grab important items without excessive rummaging
IDEATION
Exploring As Many Features & Forms Possible
ROUND 1
Paper Prototypes
Each of us explored a different direction to maintain an open mind for ideation. The sling prioritized features while the backpack focused on form.
*a third prototype was scrapped early on because it wasn't suitable for the scope of our project*
Sling
+ strap pocket
+ shoe container
- single strap
Backpack
+ organic & clean backpack form
+ extended hip attachment
- lacking pocket variation
REFINEMENT SKETCHES
Combining Many Iterations Into One
ROUND 2 PROTOTYPE
Using 3D Form For Pattern-Making
MOOD BOARD
Clean, Soft, Athletic
We wanted to communicate a softer aesthetic than traditional outdoor gear while maintaining those elements in subtlety
INTRODUCING
Alta
OVERVIEW
All-In-One Pack
Alta is designed for young adults to commute between work or school and the climbing gym. It solves the common hassle of carrying bulky, smelly, and dusty gear in a separate bag by offering dedicated compartments that keep climbing essentials separate from clean personal and work items. With a commuter-friendly form and subtle climbing-inspired details, Alta supports an all-day lifestyle, from professional to performance, without compromising on style or function.
THE PACK
Simplified Storage
Three Main Containers
Climbing gear is placed at the bottom, completely away from all other pockets. A middle pocket keeps clothing or other personal items organized from work items in the main container.
Laptop Sleeve
A dedicated sleeve ensures the laptop is truly free from dirt and is easily accessible
THE STRAPS
Convenient Access & Female-Oriented Fit
Pockets integrated in the straps hold membership and transit cards securely. The fabric sternum "strap" solves the issue of digging into the female chest as it distributes weight evenly across.
TECH PACK
Material Details & CMF
We finalized on white fabric to best mask chalk dust for peace of mind. Black zippers contrast the fabric to further communicate the separation of items, and subtle pink accents cater to our target female audience without being too bespoke. To tie in elements of the climbing sport, we braided the zipper pulls and grab handle.
Thank You~
<— ALL WoRK
