I just stumbled upon this thread.
I'm the owner of Alpine luddites. Just a note that all of the karrimor styles I build are take offs of the originals. I have them in my shop. main difference is my packs are all custom fitted, all seams are taped and ,if metal hardware is used, probably works smoother than the original hardware.
i bought my first Karrimor in 1986, a hot ice.
I learned to sew at a high standard working for Dana Designs in Bozeman Montana in the off season from guiding, when I built much of my own gear. I have always worked in the outdoor industry, including a stint as sales manager at Macpac in New Zealand and some work with crux in the uk.
You can see my work at the Bespoke Handmade Bicycle show in Bristol in May, as i stared showing my custom bike bags there. I usually bring a few sacs too.