This Bag's Backward Zipper Helps Prevent Robberies

While traveling in an unfamiliar place, chances are you’ve slipped your backpack off your shoulders and held it by your side so no one would sneak up from behind, unzip it, and steal your belongings. Scottish designer Sarah Giblin believes there's a better way.

When Giblin was 14, she was mugged at knifepoint, and her belongings were taken from her rucksack. When she was in college, she accidentally walked around with an unzipped bag, and the rain ruined her papers. Midway through a travel-filled adulthood, Giblin had a revelation: She should invent a backpack with zippers that face the wearer.

Last year, Giblin created RiutBag (pronounced “Riot Bag”), a sturdy, water-resistant backpack with storage openings on the pouch’s back side. After a successful Kickstarter campaign, she was able to fund a first production run in China and distribute it to customers.

Recently, a second crowdfunding endeavor allowed Giblin to make two new RiutBag prototypes, which come in slim and large versions. Both backpacks contain pouches that hold a 15-inch laptop, travel documents, and other necessary items.

Watch how RiutBag works in the video above, or visit Giblin’s website or Facebook page for more information.