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Getting your stuff together and keep it that way with Colonel Littleton’s Zip It pouches

NEWS – Colonel Littleton has released a new series of organizational pouches call Zip It. The pouches come in three sizes, which are conveniently called (from smallest to largest)

  • Zip It No. 1
  • Zip It No. 2
  • Zip It No. 3

All three pouches are made from high-quality, full-grain, dry-milled, vintage brown leather. Unlike in many of Colonel Littleton’s products, these pouches are made from a lighter weight leather so they don’t add a lot of extra weight to your briefcase.

All of the pouches have a top zipper to close them and sport a small metal plate which can be customized with up to three engraved initials.

The Zip It No. 1 is 4.625 x 6 inches and has a 4.5 inch zipper. It is designed to hold smaller items such as change, thumb drives, lip balm, etc.

 

The Zip It No. 2 is 7 by 9.5 inches and has a 8.25 inch zipper. It is designed to hold larger items phones, snacks, charging cables, etc.

 

The Zip It No. 3 is 11.5 by 16 inches and has a 14.5 inch zipper. It is intended to hold thin laptops, paper pads, large computer tables, file folders, etc.

 

All of these pouches make a statement and should last for a lifetime.

The pouches are available for ordering now from the Colonel Littleton online store or their storefronts in Lynnville, TN.

  • Zip It No. 1     $  94.50
  • Zip It No. 2    $ 118.50
  • Zip It No. 3    $ 167.00

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Getting your stuff together and keep it that way with Colonel Littleton’s Zip It pouches originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on August 16, 2019 at 10:00 am.

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Colonel Littleton Possibles Bags review

REVIEW – In our hectic lives, our world can get pretty crazy at times with work, school, home improvement projects, travel, etc. We have several spots in the house we call the Danger Zones, where if you’re crazy enough to leave something important in those spaces, you do so at your own risk.  I’m pretty AR about some things and have several sanctuary spaces I keep my gear so 1) I know it’s safe and 2) I have it when I need it and don’t have to go searching around the house to find my stuff when I’m late getting on the road. All that said, I also like keeping my gear organized/protected in these spaces and use various boxes, bags and bins to make that happen. Colonel Littleton has created three general purpose leather pouches to help do just that, called the Possibles Bags. He’s sent me one of each size to checkout for this review.

What is it?

The Possibles Bags are handmade drawstring leather pouches created to hold nearly any small to medium item(s). The Possibles Bags come in three sizes: small/No. 1, medium/No. 2, and large/No. 3.

In times gone by, people used bags like these for trips into the wild and stuffed them with medicines and survival items. It’s still a jungle out there – only the essentials have changed. Today, you might stash your bag with jewelry and accessories, coins, mobile phone, etc. Use them to hold your valuables in your golf bag, or to hold your cat’s eye or aggies. The possibilities are endless.

Hardware specs — Sizing & Weight

  • Large No. 3 – 9.5″ H x 7.5″ W / 1.4oz
  • Medium No. 2 – 7.25″ H x 6.5″ W / 2.1oz
  • Small No. 1 – 5.13″ H x 3.75″ W / 2.9oz

Design and features

The Possibles Bags are handmade in the Colonel’s workshop from soft, dry-milled leathers. They have a simple, practical design meant to carry anything from some of your EDC bits/cables to your golf balls. The drawstring closure ensures that what you put in them stays safely and securely within. The design and engineering on these bags are very old school but are meant to be nearly foolproof.

These bags are constructed from two pieces of leather stitched together with thin nylon thread. The leathers are soft, supple and has a wonderful smell. The bags feel great to hold and will last many years of use, growing softer with time.

The top opening is held closed by a round leather lace drawstring threaded through brass eyelets. These eyelets not only serve in the closure system but adds strength along the top of the bag similar to rivets.

There is a small circular piece of leather that the drawstring ends go thru that enables you to synch the bags closed. There is a small copper tab on the drawstring ends to keep the leather cord from coming undone.

The back of the bag has the Colonel Littleton logo, product name, warranty, and Lynnville, TN embossed into the leather.

Our family and friends have a semi-regular card game we play (Tripoly) and keeping your stash of dimes in a safe and known location is key. I’ve decided the black No. 2 bag is the perfect size to do this. Plus when I belly up to the card table with this bag, it reminds me of an old western movie as the cowboy sits down to play poker and plunks their bag of loot on the table. I’ve also been using the largest of the pouches in my 1943 Navigator Bag to hold all my EDC gear that rattles around the bottom of several of its pockets.

What I like

  • Excellent handmade craftsmanship
  • Soft, supple dry-milled leather
  • Simple/practical design

What needs to be improved

  • None

All three sizes of Possibles bags are available in black, vintage brown or saddle tan leather. There is a brass tag for your initials.

I have easily found uses for the No.2 & No. 3 bags but am still searching for a purpose for the smallest of the trio in my world. It’ll most likely end up holding some jewelry that is currently bouncing around our safety deposit box.

Final thoughts

Like all of the Colonel Littleton gear I have used over the years, the Possibles Bags are made with the same old world craftsmanship and attention to detail I have come to know and appreciate. These bags are relatively basic, yet not only get the job done but give off a vibe of times gone by. The Possibles Bags are made of high quality leather and materials and will certainly last the test of time.

Price: Large (#3) – $75 / Medium (#2) – $65 / Small (#1) – $55
Where to buy: available directly from the Colonel Littleton website.
Source: The sample of this product was provided by Colonel Littleton.

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Colonel Littleton Possibles Bags review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on May 24, 2019 at 11:00 am.

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Bellroy All-Conditions Essentials Pocket review

REVIEW – For a while, I’ve been searching for a product that will carry and help me organize me some of my essentials while traveling (and maybe on a daily basis, too).  I wanted it to hold and organize my wallet items and travel documents and have room for some other items as well.  Maybe something that I could stuff into my travel bag and an airplane seat pocket.  I’ve been a pretty big fan of Bellroy’s wallet’s for some time, having reviewed several of them here at The Gadgeteer, and their Elements Pocket Wallet remains one of my all-time favorites.   Bellroy discontinued their Elements line and replaced it with their All-Conditions line, and while browsing the collection I stumbled upon the Bellroy All-Conditions Essentials Pocket, which looked like it might meet all of my requirements.  How did it do?  Let’s find out!  Gadget on!

What is it?

The Bellroy All-Conditions Essential Pocket is a bit challenging to define succinctly.  It’s a wallet-like zipper pouch with a weather-resistant leather exterior that’s large enough to carry a Plus-size smartphone inside and also includes organization slots and pockets that can hold several other small essentials.

Hardware specs

  • Available in two water-resistant exterior materials:
    • All-Conditions 100% full-grain leather in Black, Charcoal, or Burnt Orange colors for $139 each
    • All-Conditions woven in Charcoal color for $89
  • Interior: Nylon
  • Holds 4 to 12+ cards
  • 5 internal pockets for coins, keys, folded bills, cables, etc
  • Fits a passport and p to a Plus-size iPhone
  • 184mm x 120mm (7.2in x 4.7in) footprint
  • Includes a Micro travel pen with refill
  • 3-year warranty

Packaging

I always appreciate Bellroy’s packaging, and the All-Conditions Essentials Pocket’s packaging is no exception. It’s an envelope/pouch made from heavy-duty cardboard and printed on its exterior is what appears to be a topographical map, implying travel and adventure.

The underside of the package’s flap closure tap reads, “ALL-CONDITIONS | water resistant | responsibly sourced | NON-TOXIC Materials to Give A LIFETIME OF happy service.”  Also, note what appears to be a small piece of paper just above where it reads “Refill – Pull here” with two arrows.  This is a cleverly-placed small envelope containing a refill for the included Micro travel pen.  More on this below.\

What’s in the package?

  • Bellroy All-Conditions Essentials Pocket
  • Micro Pen refill inside small envelope
  • Cardboard insert (not shown)

Design and features

My initial impression of the All-Conditions Essential Pocket was that it has a very cool, minimalist look, and feels like it is built from high-quality materials and manufacturing methods.

The exterior material looks and feels like leather and has a soft yet durable feel.  However, it doesn’t have any of that characteristic leather smell that you would expect from a brand-new leather wallet.  It wondered if this was because this leather material is perhaps treated with some type of moisture-resistance process that may dull that new leather smell.

Because the Essentials Pocket is part of Bellroy’s All-Conditions line of products, and because they tout the durability and in particular the water resistance of this leather, I decided to perform a simple “Farmer John” type test, as seen above.  I poured a bit of water on the Essentials Pocket and it immediately formed a bead and did not soak in.  I let it sit like this for several minutes before wiping the water off, and there was no evidence that water had even been present.  I have yet to be caught in the rain with the Essentials Pocket, but if I do, the results of this quick test give me some confidence that whatever I place inside it will stay dry.

In addition to the moisture-resistant exterior material, the Essentials Pocket is equipped with a water-resistant YKK zipper.  This zipper has plastic teeth that are attached to a plastic or rubberized material.  Although the teeth are plastic, they do mesh together and I had no issues opening and closing it.  The teeth mesh in such a way that helps contribute to the overall moisture resistance of the Essentials Pocket.  Another subtle feature is that it zips a bit shy of halfway around its perimeter.  This is actually a really useful feature because, on the closing end, the zipper comes up a bit higher, which helps somewhat capture and prevent items from falling out of the Essentials Pocket on that end.

In addition to the zipper, the Essentials Pocket includes a fairly unique zipper pull that consists of a short length of cord with a knotted end and a length of shrink-tubing over the cord.

The cord’s knotted end and the shrink tubing combine to make this zipper pull easier to grip than a standard zipper pull, even while wearing gloves or with wet hands.  The first time I encountered a zipper pull like this was when I purchased my GORUCK GR1 rucksack several years ago.  Note also the color of the zipper pull’s cord, which is color-coordinated with the Essentials Pocket’s interior; more on this below.

One of the aspects of the All-Conditions Pocket’s design that is quite obvious immediately is its size.  I’m not going to lie to you—it’s big.  However, there is a caveat to this.  While the Essentials Pocket looks and largely acts as a wallet, I suspect that there is a good reason that Bellroy dubbed this a “pocket” and not a “wallet,” and that is because it is much more than a wallet, as will be described in detail below.

To give a further idea of the Essentials Pocket’s size, in the photos above I’ve placed my iPhone 6 Plus in my Magpul Field Case to the right of it.  As you can see from the photos, the Essentials Pocket’s footprint is large enough to accommodate the iPhone within the case.  However, is the Essentials Pocket actually wide enough for this?  Read on and find out.

In the photo above, I’ve placed my Bellroy Elements Pocket Wallet above the Essentials Pocket.  The Elements Pocket Wallet seems to be made from the same or similar material to the Essentials Pocket, and that’s a good sign because the Elements Pocket Wallet has held up very well over time and near continuous use.

Next, let’s take a look inside.  The interior is made from a different fabric than the exterior, and in a sort of medium blue color.  Also, lots of space in here.

The bottom of the interior has a small leather tag stitched into it that reads “Made in India with Care.  Outer: 100% Full-Grain Leather.  Inner: Nylon.”  This interior nylon fabric is more cloth-like than the exterior water-resistant leather.  It is medium blue color (color-coordinated with the zipper pull cord), which helps see items down in the pockets in lower-visibility situations and also has a very faint grid pattern.  The material is fairly heavy and flexible (but not stretchy), feels durable, and is carefully stitched.

One side of the interior has two layers of pockets.  The outermost layer is a bit odd—it has a deep, narrow pocket on the left end, and along the remainder is a long, shallow pocket that runs rest of the entire length of the Essentials Pocket.  The innermost layer has two deep pockets, one that is about 2/3 the length of the Essentials Pocket, the other’s length is the remaining 1/3 of the overall length of the Essentials Pocket.

The other side of the interior has a small, narrow pocket on the left end that holds the included Micro travel pen.  The other pocket is a very large pocket that can hold a passport or a notebook.

Let’s take a look at the Micro travel pen.  As mentioned above, Bellroy has also included a refill in a small envelope.

The Micro travel pen has a sort of black chrome color and includes a clip to secure it into the Essentials Pocket.  It is quite slim and small, which helps it fit into the Essentials Pocket and not take up much space.

The Micro travel pen is operated by twisting the cap which extended the ink cartridge.  There is also a very small Bellroy owl logo on the clip.  It does feel a bit flimsy and because of its small size, the Micro travel pen is not particularly comfortable to write with, but for short-term jotting of notes or for filling out those landing cards, it works just fine.

Next, let’s load up the Essentials Pocket and see how it does.  To simulate what I might be carrying during an international trip, I loaded it up with my iPhone 6 Plus inside the Magpul Field Case, my passport, a short Apple Lightning cable, a set of iPhone earbuds, a few cash bills, and 6 cards.

The cards and cash fit in the innermost layer of pockets with some room to spare.  I coiled the Lightning cable and the earbuds and placed them into the long, shallow, outermost pocket—not much room to spare in this one.  I also placed the iPhone 6 Plus in Magpul Field Case into the main open space and it did fit—so far.

Quick side note on that deepish, rather narrow pocket on the left side.  I thought that it might be sized for a key, so I tried to place one of my keys in it.  As seen in the image above, it really didn’t fit, or at least a key of this shape wouldn’t fit or not without some fairly serious gyrations.

Next, let’s look at the pockets on the other side of the interior.  Starting on the left, the Micro travel pen sits securely in its little pocket.  To the left of this, I’ve placed my passport, which fits quite well with room to spare.

Above, a closeup of the Micro travel pen in its special pocket right next to my passport.

Just for fun, I slid a Moleskine Pocket Cahier Journal into the passport pocket.  The Pocket Cahier Journal is 3.5in x 5.5in, which is slightly larger than a US passport, and it also fits in this pocket just fun.

In the photo above, all of the gear above (with the exception of the key and the Moleskine Pocket Cahier Journal) has been loaded into the Essentials Pocket and zipped it up.  As seen, it’s a bit crowded, but it does still zip closed.

One more thing about the All-Conditions Essentials Pocket: it’s effectively too big to fit into any pants pocket—it will stick quite far out of a back pocket and has almost no hope of fitting into a front pocket—unless you are wearing pants with side cargo pockets, which will probably fit fine.  However, keep in mind that, as discussed above, the All-Conditions Essentials Pocket is really not a wallet, but an essentials organizer, so it stands to reason that it probably won’t fit well into most typical wallet-carrying places.  It fits fine when tossed into a bag or backpack, however.

What I like

  • Looks cool
  • It holds a lot of items, including a passport or notebook and a Plus-size iPhone
  • Exterior material and zipper are durable and moisture-resistant
  • Zipper pull is easy to grip and pull
  • Lots of organization features inside

What needs to be improved

  • It’s…big.  Too big to fit into most pants pockets, unless you are wearing cargo pants, but should fit fine in a jacket pocket or bag.  However, I can accept this, because, although the Essential Pocket looks like a wallet, it is really an organizer pouch.

Final thoughts

I’ve reviewed several Bellroy products here at The Gadgeteer, and I’d been intrigued by their All-Conditions line and especially the largish All-Conditions Essentials Pocket.  And, like the previous Bellroy wallets I have reviewed, the All-Conditions Essentials Pocket did not fail to impress.  It has impressive moisture resistance due to its exterior material and zipper, and internally it has multiple pockets that can be used to organize and carry several EDC-type items, including a passport and Plus-sized iPhone.  It’s a large item, but it needs to be kept in mind that it’s not actually a wallet, it is more of a rugged organizer pouch, and it probably won’t fit into most pants pockets, but will probably fit fine in a jacket pocket or in a bag.  If you are in the market for a smart-looking, durable organizer pouch with Bellroy’s reputation for quality of materials and manufacturing, then the All-Conditions Essentials Pocket is worth a look.

Price: All-Conditions woven model is $89, All-Conditions leather models are $139 each
Where to buy: Visit Bellroy.com or Amazon to order
Source: The product sample for this review was provided by Bellroy.

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Bellroy All-Conditions Essentials Pocket review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on February 15, 2019 at 9:00 am.

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8 Gear pouches that will organize your EDC gear

VIDEO – I thought I’d try something a little different and created a video where I talk about 8 gear pouches from 5 companies that you can use to keep your EDC gear organized. Here are the pouches that are included in the video.

Electronics Travel Organizer and Tech Dopp from Zero Grid

This gear pouch is 9 x 4.5 inches and is made of water-resistant ripstop nylon. It’s available in black or silver. As you can see, I have the black version.

The pouch has a wrap around zipper with a paracord zipper pull that opens the pouch like a book to reveal 2 panels of elastic straps and a zippered pocket.

The elastic straps and the zippered pocket let you customize how you want to organize your gear. You can use them to hold flash drives, cables, pens, and more.

The Zero Grid Electronics Travel Organizer and Tech Dopp will easily keep your small items neat and organized and at $24.95, it’s a bargain when you consider that it comes with a lifetime guarantee.

Price: $24.95
Where to buy: Zero Grid

Tom Bihn Snake Charmer

This pouch is available in a variety of colors and in either Cordura like you see here, or ripstop nylon.

The Snake Charmer features a webbed loop on the side and top along with a carabiner on the other side so you can easily grab it from your main bag.

There are two zippered compartments that each have a plastic ring that you can use to attach small items. But the main feature of the Snake Charmer are the see-through mesh panels that let you easily see what’s inside.

Price: $25 – $30
Where to buy: Tom Bihn

Pad & Quill TechFolio Classic Cord Organizer

The Pad & Quill TechFolio Classic Cord Organizer is a leather and canvas folding wrap-style gear holder that features a full-grain leather construction that looks nice when brand new but will look even better after it’s gotten some scuffs and scratches.

The folio is held closed with a strap and button type of closure which you may or may not like. Personally, I am not a big fan of it because it requires too much effort to use.

Inside the folio are three canvas slots with strap and button holders, a dedicated Apple Pencil slot a, a zippered canvas pocket, and 2 SD card slots. The Pad & Quill TechFoilo Classic Cord Organizer looks great if you’re into rugged gear, but it really isn’t designed to hold that many items and the $80 price tag is something else to consider.

Price: $79.95
Where to buy: Pad & Quill

Waterfield Gear Pouch and Tech Pocket


First, let’s look at the gear pouch which is available in 3 sizes and colors. I opted to try the smallest version in a brown waxed canvas that has a great look and feel that will only get better as you use it.

The gear pouch features a zippered pocket on the front that has Waterfield’s iconic gold liner that makes it easy to see the items inside and a wrap around zipper gives you access to the main compartment which has 4 slots that you can use to organize your small items. The Gear pouch is small, but it can surprisingly hold quite a few items which make it one of my favorites.

Then we have the Waterfield Tech Pocket which is only available in one size in either black ballistic nylon or the same brown waxed canvas as the gear pouch that I just showed you. Like the gear pouch, the tech pocket has a zippered pocket on the front that has the gold lining. But instead of a zippered main compartment, the tech pocket has a magnetic closure. The interior is lined in a soft dark plush material that provides some padding and protection. Two open slots provide some extra organization.

Price: $39-$49
Where to buy: Waterfield

Bellroy Classic Pouch, Pencil Case, and Pencil Case Plus


First, we have the Bellroy pencil case and the larger pencil case plus. The smaller pencil case is priced at $39 and comes in 4 colors. It is a simple zippered tube-shaped pouch that is sized to hold pens and pencils but can be used for all sorts of small items. The plus-sized version is $6 more and is slightly bigger to hold more gear.

The $49 Bellroy Classic Pouch is made of the same canvas material as the pencil cases, but it’s a larger clamshell type pouch with a wrap-around zipper that has a leather pull tab. Inside the pouch is a roomy storage area with a large open topped pocket on one side and two stretchy pockets on the other side. Although the Bellroy pouches are simple, I really like them because they don’t have features that get in the way. They are designed to hold your gear easily and simply just the way I like it.

Price: $39-$49
Where to buy: Bellroy

Which pouches are my personal favorites?

I like all of the pouches that I’ve shown you here, but if I had to pick favorites, I’d go with the Waterfield gear pouch and the Bellroy pouches just for their simplicity, look and feel.

Check out the video below and let me know if you’d like me to continue creating videos like this one on a regular basis or if I should just stick to written reviews.





Source: The samples for this review were provided by Zero Grid, Tom Bihn, Pad&Quill, Waterfield Design, and Bellroy.

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8 Gear pouches that will organize your EDC gear originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on January 28, 2019 at 8:00 am.

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Pad & Quill’s new TechFolios will tame your cable chaos

NEWS – When you love gadgets and gear as much as we do, you sometimes run into problems finding the cables needed to charge those gadgets. Throwing them in the bottom of your gear bag isn’t the best habit because it’s hard to see and find them, let alone the fact that they can become damaged by kinking or becoming tangled on other items in your bag. One way around this issue is to have a dedicated pouch just for all your cables and little gear bits. I’m actually working on a roundup video of several gear pouches, and that’s why the new TechFolios from Pad & Quill caught my eye. These folios are designed especially to hold cables and small items. They are made of full-grain leather and are available in three sizes and are priced from $59.95 up to $119.95 for the Pro size. The middle-sized Classic version is available now while the other versions are coming soon. Head over the P&Q for all the details.

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Pad & Quill’s new TechFolios will tame your cable chaos originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on January 14, 2019 at 8:00 am.

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