Well, it came today! I know staying home from work would do the trick.
I've given it a test run to the coffee shop with my cell phone, a bottle for my 4 month old, something to wipe her face with and my day planner. IT'S SWEET!
I slung it around the mirror of my Land Rover to show it off...my digital has no timer setting so I'm not in the picture.
The color is not what I thought it would be...can I dye it? What color and how much? I'm also going to darken up that strap too.
Very nice! I will be getting one of these for more every day use. There really not priced that bad either. I just came from Tandy leather and spent 19 bucks to replace my leather strap on my MKVII.
I purchased the RIT Fabric Dye from my local grocery ($2.37) in a DARK GREEN color. I went back and forth whether or not to add some black or brown dye to it, but in the end just decided to try the Dark Green by itself (hoping that the already Tan color would provide the necessary darkening to OD Green (it did!). I did wash the bag twice, in a HOT water, warm rinse cycle (the second time WITHOUT any detergent). While the bag was still wet I put it into the dye solution (per directions on the box). I then let it sit and extra 30 min. (total of 1 hour). Then I washed it once on WARM, then twice on COLD rinse cycles. To let it dry I just put it out on my deck and let the sun do it's thing! I just followed the directions on the package and let the bag soak an extra 30 minutes and BAM! A beautiful looking MK-VII! I could not be happier! So don't be discouraged if you cannot find an OD Green bag out there (but you can find the tan ones). Get the Tan and try this little trick on your own. You will not regret it!
Mr. Dalexs, make sure this is on the FAQ you are working on.
Thanks for the info Sergei! It looks like it might be dying a bag this weekend before I install that new strap. Glad this was posted. Also do most of you use compression rivet for the strap or that strange scew thing and does anyone have a link for that screw thing? I dont think the strap will do well in the washing machine.
I like it as khaki. I just really thought it would be green when it came. Obviously, Sergei has the remedy if you want it more green. I just checked the photo at Todd's Costumes and their offering looks green, but now I wonder whether it would be so when it arrives.
Sir Ernest wrote:
I've given it a test run to the coffee shop with my cell phone, a bottle for my 4 month old, something to wipe her face with and my day planner. IT'S SWEET!
I have both an MKVI and VII and the MKVI was used exclusively as a diaper bag for about 3 years. If you get those travel pack baby wipe containers, they fit great in the rear face inside pocket. A couple of
Huggys or pullups, and you're all set to go. Even my wife appreciated it,
instead of lugging around those huge "bag 'o everything a baby needs for 2 weeks."
And thank you Sergei for bringing that up. I'll put it on the list.
Use a MKVII as a diaper bag... hmmm... so maybe I can convince my wife that this hobby isn't totally frivilous! "Honest! It's for the baby!"
Trading in one Classic Pooh baby blue diaper bag for a MKVII? - yes sir, sounds like a plan!
I got mine and tried to use the heck out of it to break it in. I upgraded the strap and buckle on it, but now I hardly ever use it. I have a regular MKVII that I wasn't using and thought that I should be using that, instead of using it as a display only.
Anyway, I think that once you get that "newness" look out of it, it's fine. Personally, I wouldn't dye it. I'd just break it in.
If you wash it with very little detergent *take the strap off!! * and no other clothes and then let it air dry it will get broken in fast, although when you take it out and it dries its stiff... all you hafta do is rumple it up and roll it between your fingers and it really quickens the breaking in process.
DISCLAIMER: This worked on mine although I have heard of shrinkage of the bag when you do theis, I am not responsible if it nesses up.
BTW you wash or dye the bag without the straps. I would buy what is normally called, "Chicago Screws" that act as the punched in fastener. With the screws you can unscrew the straps and reattach later without problem. You can get the screws from Tandy, a local tack shop. Home Depot may have them.
Well, my fingers are killing me, but my strap is nice and flexible now. I sat and watches "The Catacombs of Rome" and worked it last night. I will be darkening it up tonight.
As for the Khaki color of the bag...it's kind of growing on me. I think I'll hold off on the dye job for a while.
Sergei wrote:I would buy what is normally called, "Chicago Screws" that act as the punched in fastener. With the screws you can unscrew the straps and reattach later without problem. You can get the screws from Tandy, a local tack shop. Home Depot may have them.
-S
Thanks again Sergei looks like its a trip back to Tandy for me. But it will be worth it. I have used the commpression rivet in the past and if you dont hit those suckers perfect they kick off to one side and I didnt like how that looks or trust it for strengh.
That's a great pic of your new bag on the Range Rover.
I'm jealous of your truck...I love the old trucks.
Now you just need to put a bunch of rocks in that bag
and drag it behind the Range Rover for a couple of
miles to give it that 'Indy' look.
RANGE ROVER........... :evil: RANGE ROVER................ :evil:
If you're lookin' for a fight pal! You're going the right way about it! Me and Daniel, we'll 'enlighten' you as to what's a Range Rover and what's a LAND ROVER
Ian, you're starting to sound like MK when we were on the Queen Mary last May, and somebody made the mistake of calling her a 'boat'. 'SHIP, it's a SHIP, dang it!!!" exclaimed MK!!! eyes wildly looking around for the miscreant who had made the mistake of calling the love of his life a 'boat'.
"Anybody caught calling my beloved 'ship' a 'boat' again will be tossed out of one of those little round windows in the wall!" he exclaimed!.
(well, maybe I made up the second part, but the first part DID happen.....really!! )
Doesn't the WPG website show the bag as an OD Green? Mine is coming next week and I expect it to look like whats on the web site. I wonder why it wouldn't?
Ian, you're starting to sound like MK when we were on the Queen Mary last May, and somebody made the mistake of calling her a 'boat'. 'SHIP, it's a SHIP, dang it!!!" exclaimed MK!!! eyes wildly looking around for the miscreant who had made the mistake of calling the love of his life a 'boat'.
Well, I feel honored to be compared to such a 'legend' as it were!
The second part sure made me laugh, wit is (almost) never lost on me! I hope.
Land Rover's ARE as different from Range Rovers as a ship from a boat, for a start, Land Rovers are proper vehicles, whereas the Range Rover is for the 'pampared' market
Want proof? Well mine and Daniel's vehicles combined age, must be getting on for a century! And they're still going strong. So it's the millage and the years this time!
Sir Ernest, did you notice any weird smells from the strap your bag came with? WHen I recieved my WPG bag, the funk coming from the strap was unbearable. Just curious to see if you had the same problem.
* and no other clothes and then let it air dry it will get broken in fast, although when you take it out and it dries its stiff... all you hafta do is rumple it up and roll it between your fingers and it really quickens the breaking in process.
Me and Daniel, we'll 'enlighten' you as to what's a Range Rover and what's a LAND ROVER 
hmmm... so maybe I can convince my wife that this hobby isn't totally frivilous! "Honest! It's for the baby!" 
Oops, my mistake. I was still working on my first cup
)
