Urban Bags

Based on our popular Do-Gooder tote bag, the Do-Betterer is a larger, wider and … betterer version.

The tub-style design features a flat base so it sits open, ready to be loaded with everything you need for your daily missions.

Do-Betterers were designed with grocery or market shopping in mind, but they're ideal for a range of other uses too:

• Great for picnics
• Carry a family-size pile of sandy towels and soggy togs
• Big enough to fit a good range of tools
• Rob can fit at least a week's supply of frozen pies and tommy sauce into one of these

The Do-Betterer is a super-handy, go-anywhere, do-anything carry bag. It's strong enough to carry super heavy loads, and will last you for years and years. Keep it by the back door and use it every day.

• Made by happy people in the Cactus workshop in Christchurch, NZ
• Ultra C-Canvas is super tough and durable
• Two dome closures keep your stuff from spilling out
• Backed by a lifetime warranty on materials and workpersonship

Meet the Do-Gooder - don’t let it’s simplicity distract you from it’s complete awesomeness!

Here at the Cactus HQ we get our choice of all the packs and bags we sell, and the one the you’ll see us with more than anything else is the Do-Gooder. It started out as reusable shopping bag that would really go the distance, but once we made a few we quickly realised it had far more potential than that.

You’ll see us bring our lunch and office essentials to work in a Do-Gooder, stuffing the roadtrip “get at them while you’re driving” bit and pieces in one, carrying muddy cycling shoes and helmets around, and loading them with beers and sausages when it’s BBQ time. At the farmers market the Do-Gooder makes the other pseudo-eco plastic bag alternatives look disposable.

We wanted Cactus tough, so 12oz C-Canvas was the obvious choice - it’s so tough we carried Jan in it round the office. Your guess as to how much she weighs, but more than Rob (who back when he was a climber referred to his forearms as “Da Boyz”) could carry in one hand! Cactus durability means it’ll last a really long time, and of course it comes with a lifetime warranty even though we doubt you’ll need it. It’s also easily repairable. Yes, long lasting and repairable - that’s all good stuff for the environment we reckon.

• Super durable and washable proofed European 12oz C-Canvas
• Deep enough for good carrying capacity
• Pre-bent straps that stay on your shoulder
• Internal pocket to make sure your phone/wallet/keys aren't always at the bottom
• Construction backed by a lifetime warranty on materials and workmanship

Move over stylish New York laptop cover labels, NZ made is coming to town.  Carry your laptop in your backpack, satchel or tote?  Protect your laptop with our hard wearing, tough as nails canvas laptop covers.

Available in two sizes, these laptop sleeves are well padded, have two pockets and feature hard wearing Cactus super velcro.  

The ultimate laptop case to protect your most useful colleague or study buddy.

Dimensions

Small: 25cm x 37cm (inside the cover)

Large: 27cm x 42cm (inside the cover)

A simple shoulder bag for the modern urbanite. Please note - not all colours and sizes available at all times.

We’ve been using lots of our Ultra C-Canvas lately and it’s such a nice fabric we couldn’t resist making a day to-day bag out of it.

Once again the theme with this one is simplicity and durability. Given how varied our customers are we aren’t even going to try and guess what you might want to carry in your Witness, but we’ve designed it to be perfect size for everyday use if you don't like to be burdened with too much excess stuff.

• The main bag has enough space for a book or two, your iPhone (no doubt), and your lunch
• The medium Witness will fit most tablets (painkillers or the digital kind) or a small laptop
• An internal pocket with sections for your wallet, phone, and pens.
• Easily adjustable shoulder strap
• Grippin Buckle flap closure - fast, secure and lasts forever
• Construction backed by a lifetime warranty on materials and workmanship

The Subductor is a c-210n6 lined courier style shoulder bag, but has a squarer shape, making it suitable for A4 papers, folders, and meetings. The Subductor comes with a cross-strap which pulls it around your body; avoiding that dreaded forward swing as you’re passing the Brooklyn bus. A superb around-town equipment vehicle and incredibly hard-wearing to boot. We do bang on about our stuff lasting a long time, but it’s true. Davie Robinson’s one of these is still going strong after 15 years and due to the design’s lack of dependence on zips and high construction values it should pretty much last forever.

• Corner covers to protect your stuff from even the worst Wellington southerly
• Fully lined with c-210n6, for the same reason!
• Two front pockets for convenient access to your wallet/phone/keys/u lock
• Fat 50mm shoulder strap

A stylish, functional, and Cactus-tough roll-top back pack.

The Ruckus is our ideal backpack for urban life – fits your laptop, lunch, bike lock, spare jacket, and still has room for that copy of The Luminaries you haven't finished reading yet.

• Internal mesh zip stash pocket, and external low-profile zip pocket –  for the detritus of urban life.
• The external sleeve is perfect for storing spare shoes or jandals.
• Slim profile for stealth and comfort.
• Roll, latch, cinch – adjust the volume to your needs with a roll-top closure that's quick and easy to use, secure and weatherproof.
• Cactus 'Device Drop Redundancy' design. The internal sleeve sits up from the base of the pack, to protect your laptop from meeting the concrete when you set down or drop your pack.
• Bike-light attachment tab.

Made by happy people right here in our factory on Lichfield St, Christchurch, NZ.

These back packs last for generations. How cool will it be when your Portal gets passed down to your children's children to tell them that it's one of only a few ever made right here in Christchurch!  An awesome day pack, school pack, uni bag or just an everything everywhere day pack.

Constructed using C-1000n6 and Cactus’ ethical construction techniques, the Portal is perfect for your round-town, to and from school, throw everything at it bag.

• C-1000n6 fabric
• Internal hanging pocket
• Large capacity 3D front pocket

The Henry backpack is our fast and light adventure pack for a big day, or even weekend, out. Top loading to handle different size loads easily, we’ve kept things as minimal as possible, using lightweight fabrics where feasible, to enable you to forget about the pack and get on with the task at hand.

The reasonably large main bag will mean adventure racers and speed freaks will push the limits of what is viable with such a lightweight bag, yet the C-Aircell harness and shoulder straps keep the comfort levels high enough for a ultra lightweight multi day MTB trip. A shock cord compression system allows easy stowage of a jacket on the outside, and our oversized lid means lots of storage and maintains protection for the main bag closure if the bag is full or if you’ve got stuff under the lid. Run, hike, bike, ski, you name it - the Henry backpack is your number 1 lightweight option.

• Easy access side pockets with one handed closures so you can get to food or water bottles on the go
• A mesh pocket on the back panel
• Internal hydro sleeve with convenient routing for the tube to keep you hydrated
• Bladder tube retainer on the shoulder straps to keep the tube handy. The tube runs on the outside of the shoulder strap, not internally where it could end up rubbing you the wrong way
• External shock cord for excess clothing, and for load compression to keep things stable on your back

Made from our super tough C-Canvas, the Cactus Bean Bag is suitable for chilling out in indoor or covered outdoor use. 

Fabrics: Ultra is our classic, super-durable 12oz C-Canvas.

This bag comes empty. Fill with the stuffing of your choice - beans, foam padding, old jerseys... If you're going for the bean option, we'd recommend a 100L bag for super sloppy, 150L for the perfect balance or 200L for a firm seat (or for that 'showroom' perfect look). For a kind to the environment bean fill, check out FriendlyPak's bean bag fill - they have a maize starch based foam bead which performs like polystyrene beans but they're 100% biodegradable and compostable.

Bean Bags made right here in the Cactus workshop and are a great gift for yourself or someone who loves a good chillax.

Products that are good for people and good for the planet are our jam. So, when one of our crew had the brainwave to re-purpose some old billboards that were destined for landfill into Cactus bags, we didn't think twice. Expertly sewn by the team here in Christchurch, this billboard skin has a new lease on life as a Do-Gooder tote bag.

No two bags are the same - each one cut from a different piece of the billboard - so if you order online, our dispatch team will pick the design for you - think lucky dip! If you'd rather choose the pattern yourself please come in-store. 

These Do-Gooders are made from the Kids Can Kids on the Steps billboard.

The Do-Gooder features everything a normal Do-Gooder tote bag has ie deep for good carrying capacity, pre-bent straps that stay on your shoulder and an internal pocket to make sure your phone/wallet/keys aren't always at the bottom. 

These bags are an awesome little slice of up-cycled goodness and are the perfect pack for cruising around town, day tripping or commuting. They also come with what we are fondly calling 'battlescars'. This means there are the usual creases you might expect to see on something that's been something else in a former life. 

If you're the sort of person who likes your Hugo Boss "just so" and often wears one of those weird pieces of fabric stuff into your suit chest pocket, these bags aren't for you. However, if you believe that whether it be your body or your bag, it looks better when it shows the impacts of a life well-lived, you might just want to take a look at these puppies.

The Vacuole was the first backpack ever made by Cactus. The fact that some of the originals are still around is testimony to its pedigree. The classic design lends itself towards versatility and this had ensured its enduring popularity. Over the years (25 and counting) we’ve updated it with new materials and ideas to maintain its relevance. If you are only going to own one pack, the vacuole is a strong contender. Designed for heavier day loads the harness sports our c-aircell fabric, and a 38mm webbing waist belt.

• C-aircell harness and a 38mm webbing hip belt all contribute comfort and stability be it lugging books to university or ski touring
• Internal hydro sleeve to keep you on the go
• Compression straps stabilise the load, take the stress off the zip, and allow awkward items
  (camera tripod, perhaps?) to be carried externally
• Ice axe loop and shock cord for crampons keep the winter options open, and can be used
  for other things – axe loop for your flashing bike light, shock cord for – well – anything…
• ‘Road kill’ front pocket for those wee items – keys, wallet, phone etc
• Includes No Worries 5yr Guarantee
• Covered by Cactus-Tough Lifetime Warranty

The Vacuole was the first backpack ever made by Cactus. The fact that some of the originals are still around is testimony to its pedigree. The classic design lends itself towards versatility and this had ensured its enduring popularity. Over the years (25 and counting) we’ve updated it with new materials and ideas to maintain its relevance. If you are only going to own one pack, the vacuole is a strong contender. Designed for heavier day loads the harness sports our c-aircell fabric, and a 38mm webbing waist belt.

• C-aircell harness and a 38mm webbing hip belt all contribute comfort and stability be it lugging books to university or ski touring
• Internal hydro sleeve to keep you on the go
• Compression straps stabilise the load, take the stress off the zip, and allow awkward items
  (camera tripod, perhaps?) to be carried externally
• Ice axe loop and shock cord for crampons keep the winter options open, and can be used
  for other things – axe loop for your flashing bike light, shock cord for – well – anything…
• ‘Road kill’ front pocket for those wee items – keys, wallet, phone etc
• Includes No Worries 5yr Guarantee
• Covered by Cactus-Tough Lifetime Warranty

The Henry Lightweight backpack  is our fast and light adventure pack for the big day, or even weekend, out. Top loading to handle different size loads easily, we’ve kept things as minimal as possible, using lightweight fabrics where feasible, to enable you to forget about the pack and get on with the task at hand.

The reasonably large main bag will mean adventure racers and speed freaks will push the limits of what is viable with such a lightweight bag, yet the C-Aircell harness and shoulder straps keep the comfort levels high enough for a ultra lightweight multi day MTB trip. A shock cord compression system allows easy stowage of a jacket on the outside, and our oversized lid means lots of storage and maintains protection for the main bag closure if the bag is full or if you’ve got stuff under the lid. Run, hike, bike, ski, you name it - the Henry is your number 1 lightweight option.

• Easy access side pockets with one handed closures so you can get to food or water bottles on the go
• A mesh pocket on the back panel
• Internal hydro sleeve with convenient routing for the tube to keep you hydrated
• Bladder tube retainer on the shoulder straps to keep the tube handy. The tube runs on the outside of the shoulder strap, not internally where it could end up rubbing you the wrong way
• External shock cord for excess clothing, and for load compression to keep things stable on your back

This is the cycle commuters dream over the shoulder satchel. Based on the messenger bag, this bag is designed for carrying your laptop, notebooks, phone and fancy pens (with compartments for each). Designed by an actual bicycle messenger and after months of engineering, prototypes and deep discussions the Mercury is a winner for all of you cyclists out there. It's also ideal as a travel satchel or work laptop carry bag.

Comes in Black canvas with Black trim, or Black cordura with Blue trim.

Like all things Cactus, it's built to last. Unlike all things Cactus, this puppy has a few complex features:

• Separate padded laptop pocket (fits a Macbook Pro 15" (of course)) - fleece lined and everything
• 4 smaller pockets for pens, Pod Wallet, business cards, Moleskine notebooks, Iphone and whatnot
• Corner gussets on the lid to keep the rain out of the inside
• Reflective strip (small enough to be cool, bright enough to be safe when commuting at night)
• Quick release buckle on shoulder strap
• Quick and easy grab loop to adjust shoulder strap length
• Shoulder strap comes with cross strap to keep it from moving around and can be used both left and right
• Key loop
• Includes No Worries 5yr Guarantee
• Covered by Cactus-Tough Lifetime Warranty

Derived from the classic kids tog bag, the Cactus Duffle is (obviously) a more robust version. Made from our 12oz Premium Canvas, this is a handy go-to bag for lots of things (for grown-ups too!) - shopping, swimming, the gym, overnight bag, BBQ's, nappies, dirty bike shoes... 

Sticking quite close to the success of the original, simple 'Duffle' design but with a Cactus twist like Cordura reinforcing at the bottom, a tough draw cord to boot and the styley Cactus logo, this has to be one of the best Duffle Bags in history.

The Cactus Duffle comes in different colour choices so if you get multiple, there's no confusion whose it is or what it's used for.

It shouldn't take long to figure out where we got the name for this friendly, helpful, simple... and generously proportioned tote. (Sounds just like someone around here).

This is a souped-up version of the ever so popular Cactus Do-gooder. It's the same size and shape but has a zip and shoulder strap. Suddenly you can do so much more with it. Hide away your personals, tip it upside down, ride your bike with it on and stuff it full of tools because the shoulder strap is great for the extra weight. 

The Do-gooder started out as reusable shopping bag that would really go the distance, but once we made a few we quickly realised it had far more potential than that. Add a zip and a strap and we have the Wobbit. 

• Super durable and washable proofed European 12oz C-Canvas

• Deep enough for good carrying capacity

• Seatbelt webbing straps (that's strong!)

• YKK zip

• Internal pocket to make sure your phone/wallet/keys aren't always at the bottom

• Construction backed by a lifetime warranty on materials and workmanship