Roark clothing has been around since 2009, and I have followed their arc of growth and storytelling since nearly the beginning. Overland Journal was only three years old when Roark hit the scene, and I was impressed by their stunning photography, unique destination stories, and even a few overland journeys tossed in for good measure. All these years later, I was able to test a few of their garments and bags on a trip to Los Angeles to collect a historic vehicle (a 1971 Ford F250 that I purchased from Carter at Nomad Wheels) and during a road trip up Highway 89 from Prescott to the Adrenalin Industries shop north of Salt Lake City.
The Roark collection changes with each season, often inspired by whatever far-flung adventure they are undertaking at the time. If you check out their Artifacts of Adventure page, it is packed with vehicle-based adventures, arctic camping, surfing, and Defenders in New Zealand. I have always admired the Roark brand, so it was time to give them a try.The test started with their roll-top Accomplice Missing Link 42L dry bag backpack and 14L Accomplice Shelter MOD that attaches to the larger bag (or can be used separately).
The 42L backpack was tested for weatherproofing and sustained five minutes of full submersion without water ingress. The zipper pockets had some ingress but are only listed as weatherproof, so they work as advertised. The shoulder straps are ventilated and padded for comfort and supported a modest load during a day hike in the forest. The sternum strap helped keep the load steady and reduced pressure on my shoulders, while the waist strap performed adequately for stabilizing the pack, though less so in supporting the load (due to a lack of padding). I also found the waist strap to be positioned quite high on my 6’1″ frame. The 14L accessory bag was a nice addition, and I used it to secure and waterproof my camera. One of my favorite attributes of the Accomplice Missing Link backpack was the understated colorway and lack of unnecessary straps, pouches, and pockets. The bag is also (just) TSA-approved for carry-on without the Shelter MOD attachment.
For clothing, I chose comfort and durability with a pair of their HWY 128 straight-fit denim jeans, a cotton t-shirt, and even a pair of their Passage 18.5 board shorts. Overland travel does not need to be a version of zookeeper cosplay (but you do you, if that is your jam), so I favored a few items suited to a road trip with my dad. We were flying to LAX with a few bags (a Roark 27L Passenger 2.0 bag for me) to pick up the old pickup and visit my dad’s old haunts around Highland Park and Eagle Rock. The pants proved durable and even endured a careless machine wash no worse for wear.
Overall, I enjoyed getting to know the Roark brand a little better and finally testing their products in the field. They list their products as “Fit for the Wild,” and this has proven to be accurate; their gear is a permanent addition to my kit.
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