The Ancoats “Hot Tropic” Special Ops Tote.

What?!?

The Hot Tropic is here. This is the first Ancoats Special Ops Tote where I’ve paired two Multicam prints…and then hit it with Hot Orange - starting with that YKK Aquaguard zip. A Multicam Tropic 500d Cordura faced X-Pac X50 laminate on the outside, contrasting Multicam Arid webbing, and then reversed Cordura 500d on the inside with more Hot Orange Aquaguard, Retina Burn binding, and hand dipped Orange pullers!

This Tote is a brakes off, no-holds-barred, Japanese inspired mixed camo Cobra spec version of the Special Ops 4-way tote. You have two decisions: Which Colour Cobras, and what front strap. Everything else is locked & loaded.

◉ Large 4-Way Convertible Tote
◉ Austri Alpin Cobra buckles
◉ YKK Aquaguard Zips - Orange
◉ Waterproof laminate materials
◉ EVA 3mm padding
◉ Fully Loaded interior - Lap Top section plus zipped drop pockets, an organiser panel, and with an extra internal ‘D‘ ring on this drop. Retina Burn Orange Binding.
◉ Twin adjust front handle.
◉ Modular ready with Webbing Accessory Strips.
◉ Luggage Pass Through.
◉ Multicam Arid Velcro morale patch fields.
◉ Multicam Arid 20mm Accessory straps with Fidlock closures.
◉ Clean lines.
◉ Urban style.
◉ Overkill construction.
◉ Bitchin’ Style, Handmade in Manchester with fastidious attention to detail, a bad attitude and fast haircut 🤟🏻
◉ Size: 42cm (width at top) x 44cm (height) x 9cm (depth at base) x 35cm (width at base).

It’s an Ancoats 4-way Tote, made from Cordura faced Dimension Polyant X-Pac X50 material. A technical laminate, with that super hard wearing Cordura face makes it durable and and ready for a rain squall. The Hot Tropic totes will come with Austri Alpin Cobra back strap hardware as standard. These “Special Operations” Totes come specced up and ready to implement unconventional Tote operations by air, land, or sea during combat (school run) or peacetime (the BMX park) as members of elite teams, or when you’re backed into a corner on your lonesome. This version has a tropical feel to it, and by mixing up the camo it’s a playful twist on a milspec look. The Hot Orange zip builds on that probably makes this RADDEST tote to date. Just take a look at those “hand dipped” zip pulls. I’ve rubber coated them in Hot Orange to match the AquaGuard zip and Cordura lining colour. I wanted to put together something that sets the tone for Ancoats in ’24. This is it.

The Ancoats Tote really is an incredible Urban carry piece. It takes care of your everyday carry requirements, whilst also converting between 4 methods of carry, to best assist you through your day.

This version takes it further with additional accessory mount points, via two strips of accessory webbing, incorporating a patch field, creating a secondary grab handle, as well as utilising the lower strip as a pass through for you Roller Trolley handle at the airport. Those accessory webbing additions allow you to hook accessories on, or find alternative ways to piggy back the Tote to other bags, or other bags to the Tote! It’s really down to how hard you’re willing to explore and test.

The Hot Tropic tote comes with Milspec Multicam Arid webbing all round, unless you select for the Orange front tote strap in seatbelt webbing as pictured. Hardware is predominantly Aircraft grade aluminium and some of the best looking hardware bar none. Austri Alpin Cobra back strap buckles as standard. AustriAlpin Cobra buckles (patented) are without equal, the world's safest, most finely crafted, and strongest load bearing quick release fasteners available. OVERKILL! Seen here in Coyote, matching the Arid webbing…but don’t sleep on those. I only have ONE PAIR of them, and Austri Alpin, as yet, has officially never made even a single one of the current versions of these buckles in Coyote. That’s right, these are NOS (New Old Stock) “Cobra The Original”, from my secret stash. I simply can’t get any more, ever. If you aren’t fast enough on the trigger for it though, hold your tears, I will also initially be offering units with Olive Cobras (which hook up with the darker tones in the Tropic Camo) and units with Black Cobras (which match back to the rest of the hardware).
Three EPIC options.

There are two Multicam Arid patch fields on the Tote, one is on the front in place of the usual Ancoats Label. An additional Ancoats fly out label is used here, but it allows for personal customisation with a patch of your choosing. There is a second patch field semi hidden on the reverse of the bag.

To further enhance the carry experience, I include a pair of Fidlock Magnetic buckled 20mm Multicam Arid Accessory straps. They have Ally ‘T’ bars at each end, and work together with the PALS style accessory webbing strips. These first (and maybe only!?) Hot Tropic Totes are so special I want them to go out as the Full Deal. No compromise. I’ve used these straps for securing a skateboard to the tote, as well as for additional stability when securing the Tote to a backpack, and even strapping a kids balance bike to the Tote (listen up new dads!). The potential use case scenarios are limited only by your imagination and propensity for discovery. Get amongst it and find your own way!

Inside: the bag is specced with a fully loaded interior, using Orange reversed Cordura Brand 500d Nylon. This is tough, which coupled with the exterior fabric means it’s ready for a tough life. The Orange Everything lining means you open the Tote up and have no problem finding your stuff, and also gives a nice bright hit, right before your Retinas melt off the back of your eyeballs.
You’ve got a laptop divider panel with twin zipped 15cm deep drop pockets, an Organiser panel on the front wall with an extra ‘D’ ring to hook your keys or bottle to, and the back of the bag is padded with 3mm EVA to ‘take the edge off’, whilst offering some additional protection and structure.

The front Tote strap on the Hot Tropic Tote is dual adjustable. It’s not easily extracted from the fittings, so this does not mean that the strap is interchangeable, but replacement or modification to an alternative strap is possible without damage to the bag (would require cut and sew). Plus, you know, it’s just cool.

Please Note: As before, this is has to be on a limited pre-order. The fabrics are in hand, but in limited yardage. The Cobras are hard or impossible to get (That NOS Coyote “The Original” is out of production). The zip is bought in specially for this project. One day there may be more, but I can’t guarantee that. Once the 3 options are accounted for, we’re done.

Love, Peace and Sewing Machine Grease
John
💚