Sea to Summit TPU Accessory Case
Test Series by David Wyman


(image from website)

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Test Phases:

Initial Report - January 3, 2012

Field Report - March 24, 2012

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Tester Information

NAME	David Wyman
EMAIL	wyman(AT)wymanhq(DOT)com
AGE	33
LOCATION	Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
GENDER	Male
HEIGHT	5' 10" (1.78 m)
WEIGHT	175 lb (79.40 kg)

While I've been camping for years, I've only been backpacking for a short time. I'm trying to find the right equipment, alternating between tent and hammock. My dog usually comes along on the longer hikes, and my wife and toddler join me on the shorter ones. I tend to carry more gear than I need resulting in a heavier pack, but I'm working on that. When I hike with my dog and/or my wife and son, we take it a bit slower, stopping frequently to enjoy the forest. I rarely hike fast unless I'm trying to make up time.

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Initial Report - January 3, 2012

Product Information

Manufacturer	Sea to Summit
Website	http://www.seatosummit.com/
Product	TPU Accessory Case
Year of manufacture	2011
MSRP	N/A
Features (from website)	* Totally welded construction - no stitching
	* Watertight triple-fold Velcro closure
	* A touch-screen device will work while inside the case!
	* Welded seams, die cut anchor points
	* Convenient neck strap included
	* Flexible and crease resistant
	* Freeze Proof - Will not crack in extreme cold
	* High strength, PVC free TPU material
Weight:
Listed:	0.7 oz (22 g)
Measured:	1 oz (28 g)
Size:
Listed:	4.7" x 6.6" (12 cm x 16.5 cm)
Measured:	5" x 7.5" (12.5 cm x 19 cm)

Initial Impressions

My first impression of this case was that it felt flimsy. The material is very thin and it didn't appear much more durable than a basic Ziploc® bag. The roll top closure folds over three times and is secured by two strips of Velcro. The design of the closure does seem fairly robust. The whole case is very lightweight and, despite seeming flimsy, appears well made.

Trying It Out

The case may seem fragile but, upon stuffing it full of items I might normally carry in it (wallet, keys, cell phone, small camera, spare matches and fire starter), it held up surprisingly well. Its thin material allowed it to stretch a bit to accommodate the various sized items and it had a very solid closure even when full.

The included neck strap works fine for what it is, but the accessory case seems a bit too large to hang around my neck when hiking to this will likely ride in one of the cargo pockets on my pants or in my pack. I can see the strap being useful at night to hold the case in my hammock to keep some essentials close at hand.

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Field Report - March 24, 2012 Trips Taken

February 18 - 21: 4 days, 3 nights in Allegheny National Forest, Pennsylvania
Temps ranged from 40 F (5 C) during the day to 20 F (-7 C) at night.

• Day 1 - Henry Mills to a shelter - around 6 miles (10 km).
• Day 2 - shelter to Triple Forks area - around 5.5 miles (9 km).
• Day 3 - Triple Forks to just before Heart's Content parking lot - around 7 miles (11.25 km).
• Day 4 - day hikes around Heart's Content and then driving home.

Thoughts and Impressions

This case works very well for me as a small essentials case. It fits inside the cargo pocket on my cargo pants and is waterproof enough that I use it for my critical items. I stuffed it full with my small ID wallet (license, credit card, a bit of cash), emergency blanket, small LED light, pocketknife, matches, and a few fire-starters. Having those protected from the elements in my pocket is definite peace of mind.

I tried to use it with neck strap but the thin strap is a bit uncomfortable around my neck and the lack of a quick-release attachment makes me a little leery of keeping it around my neck.

The neck strap does come in handy, however, inside my hammock. I clipped a small carabiner to it and attached it to the top end of the hammock which let it hang just far enough in the hammock to keep a flashlight, a granola bar or two, my gloves and balaclava close at hand.

The plastic held up in my cargo pockets despite some rough use. No rips or tears and the closure kept the moisture out as well. The cold temperatures were not extreme and the plastic never got brittle or hard. I forgot my camera on this trip so I didn't get to test how well it worked at keeping it protected or how well pictures could be taken while inside the case.

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Summary

Likes:

• The Medium size holds a decent amount of items without adding significant weight
• Fits well in my cargo pockets
• Neck strap makes it useful in my hammock

Dislikes:

• Neck strap doesn't feel comfortable and the lack of a quick-release on it makes me unlikely to use it around my neck

Thanks to BackpackGearTest.org and Sea to Summit for this opportunity. Check back in two months for the final report.