Few leather goods embody the spirit of adventure quite like the Explora Rucksack. Over the years, it has become one of the most recognisable designs in the Westley Richards range, accompanying journeys both near and far. Equally at home crossing open countryside, navigating an airport or spending a week in the bush, the Explora has earned a reputation for combining durability, functionality and understated British style.
Its name is drawn from the legendary Westley Richards Explora gun, introduced in 1903 as a versatile ball-and-shot sporting arm designed to adapt to a wide variety of hunting situations. Much like its namesake, the Explora Rucksack was conceived as a capable companion, built to carry everything required for the day while keeping both hands free for the task at hand.
For Autumn, the Explora has been redeveloped with women in mind, creating a lighter, more compact rucksack that retains the adventurous spirit and functionality of the original in a more refined silhouette. Rather than simply reducing the dimensions of the existing design, every aspect of the rucksack was reconsidered. The proportions have been adjusted, the shoulder straps made finer, the profile slimmed and the hardware reduced to create a lighter and more elegant shape. While unmistakably an Explora, the Mini has its own identity, offering a distinct interpretation of the original while preserving all the qualities that made it a favourite.
The result is a rucksack equally at home in town, in the field or while travelling. Compact enough for everyday use yet spacious enough to carry daily essentials, it strikes a natural balance between utility and refinement.
Like all Westley Richards leather goods, the Mini Explora is handmade in our Birmingham factory. Designing and manufacturing under one roof allows our leatherworkers and designers to work closely together throughout the development process. Materials, construction methods and details can be tested, adjusted and refined at the workbench, ensuring every element performs as intended while maintaining the standards expected of a Westley Richards product.
The Mini Explora is available in a selection of carefully chosen materials, each lending the design a distinctive appearance. Our crocodile version showcases the natural beauty and individuality of the hide, ensuring that no two pieces are ever exactly alike. Combined with silver-plated fittings and meticulous craftsmanship by hand, it creates a striking piece designed to be enjoyed for generations.
For those who favour a softer look and feel, the Mini Explora is also available in sable suede sourced from the renowned British tannery C.F. Stead. Finished with leather trim and bespoke brass fittings, this version offers a more understated aesthetic while retaining the hallmark features of the Explora design.
Crafted from rich buffalo hide, another interpretation of the Mini Explora celebrates a material that develops beautifully with age and use. Over time, the leather softens and acquires a unique patina, making each rucksack increasingly individual.
Though smaller in scale, the Mini Explora remains true to the principles that inspired the original. Durable, purposeful and built to last, it is a rucksack for those who appreciate quality and value equipment that can accompany them through years of daily use.
This rucksack also marks the beginning of a new chapter for the Westley Richards leather collection. Alongside the forthcoming Mini Anson, familiar sporting designs are being reimagined with new proportions and uses in mind. Both are unmistakably part of the Westley Richards family, refined evolutions of proven designs.
The Mini Explora may be more compact and elegant in appearance, but its spirit remains unchanged: ready for adventure, wherever the day leads.
Westley Richards has been outfitting its clients for with fine leather goods as long as it has been building custom rifles and bespoke guns for them. Whether you are on safari in the African bush, in Paris for the weekend, or in New York on business, our heirloom quality leather luggage strikes the perfect balance between functionality, durability and timeless elegance. Made in our leather factory in Birmingham side by side with the gunmaking, the company offers a range of luxury travel bags made from leather and canvas, including holdalls, briefcases, backpacks, messenger bags and weekend bags. The perfect partner to our high quality safari wear and country clothing.
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