Photo courtesy seatosummit.com

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INITIAL REPORT

2 Jan 2012

PRODUCT DESCRIPTION

The Sea to Summit TravellingLight(tm) Thermoplastic Polyurethane (TPU) Clear ZipTop Pouch is a flexible plastic leak-resistant pouch, specifically designed for conveniently storing 1 qt (950 ml) of liquids to be TSA carry-on compliant.

The pouch comes with six leak proof bottles: three 1.5 oz (40 ml) bottles; three 3 oz (89 ml) bottles. Each bottle comes with a dropper insert and a screw top lid. Each lid has a nipple in the middle that closes off the dropper hole. The bottles each have a small white area for a hand-written label/inscription.

The top of the pouch has a leak resistant YKK zipper. This top area has been reinforced with a rugged nylon type material. On each end there are grab tags that help ease the zipper pull. The grab tags also have holes punched in the middle for an accessory strap or clip to be attached.

INITIAL IMPRESSIONS

The zipper opening is easy to handle and works well. The included bottles all fit easily with room to spare. As I am planning to take this case and its contents backpacking, I'm still deciding what I'll store inside. I can see that it would be ideal for plane travel. For backpacking, I know I could use the leak proof bottles for storing miscellaneous spices perhaps, or lotion, bug repellant, first-aid items, biodegradable soap, or even water purification chemicals.

This could be a great piece when I backpack with a group of Boy Scouts, for example, but I need some time to strategize what I want to put in the bag. For example, I want to be careful about what types of things I mix in the bag so in the off chance of an accidental spill, I'm not mixing edible food items with non-edible chemicals.

INITIAL SUMMARY

PRO—Easy to open and close zipper. Handy leak-proof bottles to store a variety of contents.

CON—None so far.

FIELD REPORT

20 Mar 2012

FIELD LOCATIONS AND CONDITIONS

During this field report period, I've taken the pouch on two overnight backpacking trips and three day hikes.

Jan 27-28: Fossil Springs Wilderness, near Strawberry, Arizona. With a poor winter season (e.g., very little snow), my scout troop decided to tackle Fossil Springs, where numerous underground springs gush thousands of gallons of water at a balmy 70+°F (21+°C) year-round. We backpacked 8.5 mi (14 km) and swam in the river pools. Overnight it was in the 30s°F (-1°C) and during the day it was in the upper 50s°F (10°C). The elevation change was 3,000 ft (914 m) (i.e., 1,500 ft/457 m down and back up).

Feb 24-25: O'Leary Peak, near Flagstaff, Arizona. Here we dropped off the scouts for a hike-in to base camp and then spent the next day hiking and exploring the ancient Sinagua ruins around the area. It was unexpectedly cold, with the overnight temperature a brisk 18°F (-8°C). The daytime temperature was 50°F (10°C), but the wind kept everything feeling very cool.

PERFORMANCE IN THE FIELD

I typically store all my backpacking "sundries" in a small nylon stuff sack: general hygiene items, first aid, bear-bag throw kit, journal, fire starters, etc. I upgraded the stuff sack and put all these items in the travel case. My kit is small, and everything fits nicely in the case.

One thing I really like about this case over the stuff sack is that I can easily see what is inside my kit. I've noticed it takes me less time to locate an item I'm looking for and then easily retrieve it. The zipper enclosure has worked great and I'm finding it easier to use, even with gloved hands in cold weather.

The case has proven durable and weather resistant. Tossing the case on the snow and ground/tree litter hasn't hurt or scratched the bag at all. Water and snow have not penetrated the case during drops in the snow while packing or unpacking my gear. Hopefully using this case doesn't make me careless in the future!

The case has maintained a very pristine look with no discoloration, warping, or cracking.

I've only used three of the leak-proof bottles to date. I'm still looking for good uses for the bottles as I'm such a minimalist backpacker and I don't often bring a lot of extras unless I really plan to use them. So far, I've used the bottles to store dry items like seasoning, and liquid items like olive oil. For the dry items, I removed the inner seal so I could extract the seasoning. Liquids work great with the seal and I haven't seen any leaking.

FIELD USE SUMMARY

I'm pleased with the accessory case in many ways: it's zipper top is easy to open and use; the pull tabs help make opening and closing easier; the clear plastic makes finding and retrieving items easier; the plastic maintains its shape, pliability, and color; and the plastic doesn't stick or snag in my pack.

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LONG TERM REPORT

22 May 2012

FIELD LOCATIONS AND CONDITIONS

I have been able to go on four more day hikes and three additional backpacking trips during this test phase.

Apr 6-7: Fisher Point, near Flagstaff, Arizona. My son and I went on a backpacking trip to Fisher Point and had a blast! The overnight temperature was a cool 40°F (4°C) with the high during the day in the high 60s°F (15s°C).

May 5-6: Flagstaff, Arizona. No moisture, just a hot, dry day in Flagstaff. The high temperature was 72°F (22°C) and the overnight low was 45°F (7°C)

May 16-20: Appalachian Trail, near Damascus, Virginia. I had an opportunity to attend Trail Days in Damascus where I backpacked and hammock camped along the Appalachian Trail. On May 17, I endured a storm that dumped 3 in (7.6 cm) of rain in a few hours. The high temperature was around 80°F (27°C), and the low temperature was in the high 40s°F (5°C).

PERFORMANCE IN THE FIELD

This has been a real handy case to have during my backpacking trips. I used this case as a replacement for my most-used accessory kit that holds my hygiene kit, first aid, bear bagging, etc. The zipper got a lot of use and I never had a problem with snagging or the teeth misaligning, etc. The see-through plastic was great because I could quickly flip the bag over to find what I was looking for before digging around.

I stored the kit in the top pocket of my backpack. During my trip to Virginia, I was happy to have a huge rain storm where I could test the weatherproofing. I experienced no leaks or problems during this short 4-day trip.

I used the bottles for a variety of tasks for each trip. I used one of the larger bottles to hold denatured alcohol for my cook kit, and I had multi-purpose soap in a smaller bottle, and some cooking spices in a few other bottles. The inserts are a little difficult to pop off, and when I was filling up the soap bottle I got a painful scrape under my fingernail when I was trying to open one of the smaller containers. None of the bottles leaked and I found that I really liked the drip/squirt feature of the bottle, even though they are hard to open.

When cooking meals, I liked that I could squirt the fuel into my stove with more control and accuracy than with a wider opening. The dripper opening was also useful for my soap container because it helped me conserve and use minimal drops when needed.

FINAL SUMMARY

The travel case has been a great accessory bag for backpacking. I like the see-through plastic so I can find items quickly. The bag doesn't snag or stick to my backpack. The zipper and the pulls work great and seem to keep out water.

PRO—Waterproof. Great see-through material. Bottles are spill-proof and provide great control over liquids.

CON—Bottle cap seals are hard to open.

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I would like to thank Sea to Summit and BackpackGearTest.org for providing me with the opportunity to test this product.