Review: Gregory Gear Pods

Gear's like money—we never seem to have too much. And like money (at least in the hands of a wise & wealthy investor), it pays to keep things organized, in a carefully curated portfolio. Which is where Gregory's Gear Pods come in. Part of the Alpaca Gear Organization collection, these modular containers work great on a standalone basis, and they also stack nicely; several of them even fit together to save space and keep things tight. The Alpaca Gear Pod 5 ($30) is the smallest of the suite, with five liters of storage; the heavy-duty fabric, padded bottom, and semi-rigid frame keep fragile items protected, while the mesh makes them visible—no more unzipping just to check what's where. Speaking of zippers, the Gear Pod has two, with oversized pull-tabs, making opening & closing a breeze. The lid opens all the way, too, and stays open; it doesn't constantly (read: annoyingly) try to close on you like so many storage boxes do. For larger items, or to accommodate more stuff, move up to the Alpaca Gear Pod 10 ($35), which holds a full 10 liters of food, clothing, supplies, or other miscellaneous items; four of these pods stack perfectly inside the Alpaca Gear Box, a hard-plastic case for the most serious of organizers out there. Both pods carry a lifetime warranty and are available at gregory.com.