My face lit up when I opened the package from Hartford Gear Co. Inside, I discovered vibrant, pencil-case size Pack Pods, in bright teal and coral colors, and ultralight Dyneema Trail Pouches — all made by Hartford Founder Georgia Wetmore.
Just the sight of them put a smile on my face. The first thing I noticed was how incredibly straight and uniform the stitch lines were along the water-resistant, YKK zippers. I further examined the insides, outsides and all sides of the gear with my critical eye, only to find that it was perfectly constructed.
Hartford Gear Co. Dyneema Trail Pouches Review
The Hartford Gear Co. Dyneema Trail Pouches are made out of super strong, ultralight and waterproof Dyneema Composite Fabric (DCF); this particular one being the 1.43oz/yd goldilocks weight. The pouches’ seams are backed up with Dyneema tape, reinforcing stitch strength and increasing water resistance, which gets affected once sewn because of needle punctures.
The added side tabs on both ends of the super smooth, YKK water-resistant zipper — along with the brightly colored zipper pull — make opening and closing the pouch easy. Even now, after hundreds of pulls, the zipper hasn't once gotten stuck, skipped a tooth or let any moisture in.
In fact, I trust the water-resistant capabilities of the Hartford Gear Co. Dyneema Trail Pouch so much that I use a large sized one (8.25” x 5.25”) for my passports, birth certificate and other important paperwork that really should not get wet.
As for the rest of the ultralight Dyneema Trail Pouches, I use the small one (4.25” x 3.25”) as my wallet, both for everyday carry and on trail, with cash, cards and loose change bouncing around inside, testing out the seam strength. (A+ so far)
And the medium one (6” x 4”) is sized perfectly for my menstrual accessories, including some extra TP.
I love the unique patina that each DCF pouch gets as the wrinkles, or ‘scars of adventure’ start to build upon them, making them truly your own.
Dyneema Trail Pouches Pros
-made from lightweight, waterproof DCF fabric
-seam-sealed with DCF tape for added durability and water resistance
-water-resistant YKK zipper
-highly water resistant
-impeccable craftsmanship
-easy to use
-available in a range of sizes
Cons
-only available in two awesome colorways!
-once you have one, you want two more!
SPECS
Small - 4.25” w x 3.25” t - $8.99 USD
Medium - 6” w x 4” t - $11.99 USD
Large - 8.25” w x 5.25” t - $15.99 USD
WEIGHT
0.2 - 0.3 oz
MATERIALS
Dyneema Composite Fabric - 1.43 oz/yd
#3 YKK Uretek water resistant zipper
Dyneema Tape
Hartford Gear Co. Pack Pods Review
The Hartford Gear Co. Pack Pods are made from lightweight, waterproof, and abrasion-resistant XPac VX21 fabric, which holds its shape really well. The seams at either end of the cubed cells are reinforced with grosgrain ribbon for extra durability and water resistance.
The pencil-case sized Pack Pods (2” x 2” x 8”) are perfect for the small electronics I want to keep clean, dry and contained, like my cords, chargers and GPS device. I use my second pod for scented toiletry items that go into my food bag at night; it houses my regular length bamboo toothbrush like a dream.
Again, the wide pull tabs (at either end of the two-way, YKK #3 water-resistant zipper) make opening and closing the Hartford Pack Pods trouble free. The two-way zipper also means you don’t have to fully open the whole case, if you know which end of the bag the item you need is located (hint: use the Hartford Gear Co. tag for reference.)
The Pack Pods come with a good size hanging loop at one end, for when you need to: string it up to dry, place it on a hook, or hold it up to admire its beauty. While the Pack Pods are available in a range of colors, I find the brighter hues make them easy to locate (especially in the dark, or when they get jostled and buried in the bottom of my pack), and hard to forget if I set them down somewhere.
Hartford Gear Co. Packs Pods Pros
-made from lightweight, waterproof, abrasion-resistant XPac VX21
-made with water-resistant YKK zippers
-highly water resistant
-grosgrain ribbon on seams for added durability and water resistance
-available in a range of great colors
-easy to use
-two way zipper for easy access
Cons
-they are so awesome, you have to order them fast before they sell out!
-more sizes, please!
SPECS
Pencil-Case Size - 2” x 2” x 8”
$15.99 USD
WEIGHT
0.8 oz
MATERIALS
Fabric: XPac VX 21
YKK #3 Uretek water resistant zipper
Grosgrain ribbon on seams
Bottom Line
Hartford Gear Co.’s lightweight bags are smart, simple and straightforward backpacking accessories. Georgia steers clear of overdesigning, or adding too many bits and bobs. The Hartford Trail Pouches and Pack Pods have everything you need, and nothing you don’t.
Ali Becker is a freelance adventure writer and narrative storyteller who shares compelling conversations about personal transformations, overcoming limitations, wellness education and adventurous situations. You can follow her rambling adventures on social at @thisisalibecker or at her blog thisisalibecker.com.
