Paul Kalifatidi visits the design and fabrication studio of Loam Equipment, makers of custom technical accessories in beautiful Bellingham, Washington. Rachel Bjarnason and Alan Martinez craft one-of-a-kind frame bags that add character and function to bikes throughout the Pacific Northwest and beyond. But there’s much more to Loam than frame bags. Take a peek behind the scenes at Loam Equipment…

Loam Equipment began with the desire to create high-quality outdoor gear under one name. Rachel and Alan have been in the sewing industry for over three decades. Before Loam, they worked for a white-label design firm creating products for various outdoor companies. Their specialty was in gloves, and you’ve likely worn some of their work. When I walked into their shop, I saw prototype products they had designed for other companies. Unfortunately, I couldn’t photograph their white-label creations, but I did capture all of the goodness they’ve been creating under the Loam banner. After years of making compromises, meeting price points, following trends, and designing for mass production, they wanted to create bespoke products that felt special. That’s how Loam Equipment was born.

To start off, I like the name. To those who live in more arid locales, a “loamer” is a fresh trail. Loam is the soil that fills the woods here in the PNW. It is comprised of a blend of sand, clay, and organic matter, such as decomposing ferns and pine needles. This soil makes for a dream-like riding substrate: velcro-like grip, supportive cornering, and raw fun. To name one’s company after such a surface implies that it is to be desired, coveted, and ridden. Loam Equipment’s product aligns perfectly.

Loam Equipment helped my friend Dillen Maurer, of Baphomet Bicycles, prepare for his attempt at being the first amputee to finish the Tour Divide. I watched Alan and Rachel measure, design, and sew some of the things that Dillen will be carrying, and I got insight into their workflow. Perhaps the thing that impressed me most was watching Rachel make half of his frame bag in about ten minutes. With Dillen, they have devised a few new bags that might eventually make it to their product catalog, such as their hip-pack/backpack resupply bag and saddle bag that utilizes a cradle system for stability. His front handlebar roll is quite unique as it integrates with the “tusks” of his Pink Pony touring bike.

They devised a handlabr bag that doubles as a hip pack or backpack, allowing him to carry extra supplies in various sections of the route. Like many Loam bags, they created a custom print for Dillen’s frame bag. Printed on the fabric is a map of the Great Divide route alongside other sponsors. This bespoke work is Loam’s bread and butter. Outside of the climbing gym, I’ve seen a Kona e-bike where the battery was hidden inside a Loam framebag. Rachel and Alan advertise this work on their website, reach out to them with any idea, and they’ll work on entertaining it.

Recently, they relocated from their tiny garage workshop to a much larger space. Coincidentally, I visited their new shop under previous ownership. It was once the home of Yeomalt Design, a high-end architectural design firm specializing in metal fabrication. Rachel and Alan, experts in fine creations, moved into a space already steeped in artistry.

Walking through the shop, I struggled to understand how they managed to operate out of their home garage for so long. The walls are covered in CAD (cardboard-aided design) props, fabric stockpiles, and the floor space is a maze of cutting tables and sewing machines. One of my favorite items from their shop was this neat ergonomic Japanese chalk “pen” for temporarily marking fabric. Now that they have more room, they are bringing in extra help. Their assistant, Davis, showed me a prototype vest pack that he’s been working on. It is truly unique, and I’m excited to see what he does with the design.

I asked all three of them to bring in some of their bikes and we went down the street to Whatcom Creek for some photos. Alan had his Kona Explosif built up with a rigid fork, dynamo-powered lighting, and comfy touch points to make it a comfy commuter and tourer. Rachel brought her Kona Unit X with a capable OEM build and Loam accoutrements. Davis showed up on something pretty different: a repaired, repainted, and restickered Marin Rift Zone. Bellingham is home to hundreds of character-absent generic mountain bikes, and Davis’s Marin was like riding a new loamer when every other trail is blown-out dust. I loved it.

Rachel and Allen rooted Loam in Bellingham for a reason. Here, we have fantastic riding of all kinds and a great community of people and companies. Loam has collaborated with local businesses such as Ground Keeper, which manufactures frame protection kits and fenders. Ground Keeper provides the plastic parts for their saddle bag harness. It’s clear that Bellinghamsters (our unfortunate but proudly worn moniker) love Rachel and Allen’s products. I can guarantee that there is a Loam framebag strapped to a Kona Sutra outside the climbing gym downtown. I can promise that one of their Arrow frame bags is riding in the front triangle of a Transition Patrol up on Galbraith. Leaning into this, they’ve done some printed fabrics that feature topography from Bellingham’s riding areas.

Dillen and I  joined Rachel and Alan on a little overnight ride in the Chuckanut Mountains. There were two goals: have a good time and heckle Dillen as he set up his tent. The goals were achieved. We had a perfect Bellingham weekend: gentle rain that was a joy to be in, sun that eventually fought through the overcast, mist that filtered said sunlight into rays, and lots of loamy trails. If you were one of the barred owls that flit through our forests, then our campsite would have only been a five-mile flight back to the Loam shop. We reveled in this type of public land access. How lucky we are to live here.

Around the cold yet calming flame of my alcohol stove, we discussed a great deal. I had numerous product ideas to pitch, including one or two not-so-stupid ones that Loam might consider exploring. Rachel and Alan described their vision for Loam: continue expanding their product range and moving into areas that most bag makers typically don’t explore. Their previous experience designing gear of all types will play a part. Alan mentioned that he would love to make a shoe.

I would love an X-Pac shoe. Their experience creating designs for other major brands taught them that making a business sustainable, in the sense that it sustains their lifestyle and their families and remains viable as a venture, is incredibly important. The goal isn’t to become a big brand; the goal is to be a good one. Frankly, I think they are already there, and yet I’m still looking forward to watching their evolution. I hope that Rachel, Alan, and every mom-and-pop shop can weather the political shitstorm of tariffs that we are currently dealing with.

Loam Equipment is a proud supporter of Dillen Maurer’s project to ride the Tour Divide as an adaptive athlete. His attempt is a fundraiser to support the Range of Motion Project, a nonprofit organization that provides prosthetics and care to people in underserved communities worldwide. Unfortunately, he had to bail from the Tour Divide this summer with an infected residual limb, but the dream is still alive, and you can follow along as Dillen grows some seeds that I imagined were planted in his mind somewhere in Montana.

To Rachel, Alan, and Davis, thank you for your hospitality and kindness. I wish you straight cuts, seams that lay flat, and loamy trails.