Purdey Sporting Agency’s (PSA) manager, Matt Smith, is only days back from a successful trip to La Flamenca, the legendary Spanish partridge estate, when we ask him what he particularly likes about Purdey’s new Lightweight Field Luggage Collection. “It's perfect for the grouse moor or the riverbank," he says, referring to (his personal favourite) the Field Game Bag, "especially when you're planning on spending long periods of time away from the car, but need to have gear for every eventuality to hand. That's not to mention the fact that all three bags are incredibly practical, surprisingly durable, and, to top it off, wonderfully versatile."
“Since 1814, Purdey has designed objects with purpose, made to perform flawlessly and endure,” says Giles Deacon, Creative Director of Purdey. “The lightweight Field Luggage Collection continues this tradition, reflecting Purdey’s longstanding relationship with the field and a deep understanding of how equipment is actually used – quietly confident, enduring and engineered for modern use.”
Made in the UK, the collection’s three bags are cut from ultra-light yet hard-wearing polyamide field canvas in Purdey’s newly introduced signature colour, ‘Sporting Green’. Rooted in sporting tradition and historical field kit, the tone sits seamlessly within the landscapes it was designed to inhabit. “Its a lovely natural colour,” says Smith, “and as it gets knocked around it will develop a nice patina and begin to look like the kind of kit that’s been used forever. It's hard-wearing enough that it'll survive being thrown about in the backs of vehicles – or worse.”
Across the collection, considered details add durability without unnecessary weight: reinforced stress points, intuitive pocket placements, brass fittings intended to mellow with age, and leather piping that helps the luggage retain its shape. The Purdey 1814 Webbing – inspired by the striped interior of 1860s leather gun case covers discovered in the archives at Audley House in Mayfair, London – adds flexibility and strength, as well as a nod to the brand’s heritage.
“The luggage you take on shooting trips needs to be able to stand a bit of rough and tumble,” grins Smith. “But it’s also very important that it’s not going to weigh you down as you’re walking between pegs or grouse butts, for example. Once you’ve got your waterproofs, a warm layer, a Vartersay Cape, your ear defenders, spare batteries, plasters, etc. you’re not going to want any more unnecessary weight.”
As for the Field Weekend Bag, the largest of the collection, Smith says that with some “inventive folding” you’d be able to pack for much longer than the prescribed weekend. “The fact that it’s waterproof too is a huge advantage, especially for the PSA team who spend a lot of time ferrying clients’ belongings from A to B, often in compromising weather,” he adds brightly. “After all, the last thing anyone wants is their kit getting wet before they’ve even started.”