Engearment

Gregory Alpaca Gear Organization Collection 

Gregory Alpaca Gear Box ($119.95 for 2 boxes)

Erin Trail

Detailed Review

As a multisport athlete, I have a LOT of gear.  And that gear kind of ends up in makeshift storage solutions which then kind of end up all over the place.  A few weekends ago, my husband and I embarked on a garage organization overhaul, basically taking our pile of bikes + bike gear and organizing everything so we can once again park a car in that garage space. Gear generally consists of bike stuff: gloves, MTB pads, winter gear (beanies, buffs, gloves), helmets, and smaller bike tools. Over the years, I’ve accumulated a variety of storage containers, generally milk-crate style bins and a few collapsable larger tote bins. The problem with this set up is that it’s bulky and it’s easy for things to get lost or separated. And I’m constantly moving things from inside the house, around the garage, in the van or in my SUV, and then out to the trail. And since things were spread across 3-4 different unlabeled bins, I’d usually have to pack all the bins or risk not bringing something important with me. 

Enter the Gregory Alpaca Gear Organization Collection

Gregory Alpaca Gear Pod 10 Details

These are sturdy and well-made small storage containers.  The bottom and sides are a stiffer foam and the top is a mesh fabric that zips closed. It also has a top handle and a smaller side loop for easy grabbing. Since the walls are stiff, they’re stackable and hold their shape, but they will also collapse flat when not in use. 

The Gear Pods stack nicely and fit inside the Gear Boxes (4 x Gear Pod 10 per box) or inside the Gear Basket.

Gregory Alpaca Gear Box Details

The Alpaca Gear Box is a plastic bin that comes with a clear polycarbonate lid.  The lid has seals to keep the dust and water out (when latched).  The lid + latch design is really well thought out, where users can unlatch one side and the lid hinges open (without coming off).  The polycarbonate lid means that you can see what’s inside the box without opening the lid. And the Gear Box is intentionally designed to perfectly fit 4 of the Gear Pod 10s. Handles are molded into the Gear Box’s base and it’s sized just right so it’s easy to grab and carry around.

Gregory Alpaca Gear Basket 70 Details

The Gear Basket is a really versatile piece of this collection.  It’s a large bin that’s durable and sturdy.  It has an aluminum frame around the top opening and internal fiberglass supports in each corner that keeps the basket from collapsing when in use.  When it’s time to store the Gear Basket, the fiberglass supports unfasten at the bottom, which allows the basket to collapse flat. There’s also a lengthwise internal zipper, which is great for preventing smaller items from getting lost.  The Gear Basket has roughly the same footprint as the Gear Box but is 6 inches taller.  The height, combined with the open top allows for storage of more bulky or awkward items, like bike shoes, helmets, or even a bike pump.

 How I’ve Decided to Use The Gregory Gear Storage System

I’ve taken the 4 Gear Pods and have used them to store things by groups (my gloves, my MTB pads, my husbands MTB pads, my winter gear). Everything is grouped by function and can be moved around based on season. 

I thought the mesh top would be nice, thinking it would allow me to easily see the contents inside each bin.  The problem I encountered though, is that most of my gear is black… the mesh is black… which means you really can’t tell what is inside the Pod.  I wish that each Gear Pod had a spot where you could insert a label card, so you could write down the contents.  (my work around was neon duct tape which works, but it also isn’t pretty). The mesh does allow for ventilation, though, which is really great for sweaty gloves and pads. Everything is constructed really well and I know that I won’t have any issues with zippers or fabric wear as things age.

I’m using the Gear Box as long-term storage, where I put the out of season Gear Pods inside, along with any other items that I use infrequently. In the future, we’ll probably put the Gear Box inside our van and use it to supplement our kitchen storage. 

[insert Gregory Gear Basket holding.jpg  caption: Engearment reviewer Erin Trail holding the Gregory Alpaca Gear Basket 70]

The Gear Basket goes on top of the Gear Box and I’m using that to store the in-season Gear Pods and frequently used bulky items like bike shoes and helmets. Since the Gear Basket has an open top, the bike pump is also located there, keeping it out of the way but also accessible.  The more frequently used items are in the Gear Basket because I know that I’ll be grabbing the Basket and placing it in the back of my SUV or van for bike rides.  Having my gear organized AND accessible means I’ll have everything and I won’t show up at the trailhead with only a left shoe and a right glove. 

I expect as I get more practice using this gear system, I’ll swap things around and maybe use them for things other than bike gear storage.  But that’s the beauty of the Gregory system: it’s highly modular and adaptable while also being designed to be moved around and used in outdoor environments.

Erin Trail