The Gregory Alpaca Gear Tote 30 was designed for quick and easy access and is made with a collapsible aluminum frame connected to a flexible base for durability and protection. It’s designed to fit behind the front seat of your vehicle to make use of the footwell space while offering easy access to gear in the back seat. It collapses to save space when not in use and comes with a mesh bag for storage. The Gear Tote has easy-to-grab handles, reflective gear loops on all sides, and a large interior zippered pocket to separate smaller items if necessary. The Gear Tote is also made from blended recycled fabric to reduce its carbon footprint by 27%. It comes in two color schemes, Slate Blue and Mirage Tan (tested), and retails for $59.95.
Features
The Tote comes collapsed down flat. Its collapsible space-saving design makes it handy to put away when not in use. When not used, it goes into its included stuff sack for storage. It takes up almost no room when collapsed and can be tossed into a closet, on the shelf, or just about anywhere. It packs 18″ long x 10″ wide x 3″ thick in its stuff sack.
To erect the Tote, push the bottom downward, move the top-frame-mounted corner fiberglass supports inward, and fasten them to the bottom-corner Velcro hook-and-loop attachment systems. It’s very much like putting up a tent. I found it simple and quick to pop up the Tote. Once everything was snapped into place, the Tote was secure and stable. The Tote still had enough body and material flexibility to stuff it full of gear, letting it bulge in places if needed.
The Tote’s anodized aluminum frame offers excellent rigidity, and its wide opening provides easy access to its main compartment’s large cavernous enclosure. The bag hangs downward from the rectangular alloy frame and has one deep pocket on the interior’s backside for additional storage. The Tote utilizes a structured/stiffened bottom with two layers of fabric and foam padding for protection and durability. For additional ruggedness and longevity, the upper main body of the Tote features a double-wall material construction.
The interior zippered pocket separates smaller items from the main compartment. That pocket offers plenty of room and goes all the way to the bottom of the Tote, and it is perfect for both smaller and flatter stuff. The large main compartment provides 30 liters of storage capacity, with interior dimensions of 13.5″ tall x 16″ long and x 8.25″ wide. Surprisingly, it holds plenty of gear and is especially good at carrying taller items, though I usually place my jacket and apparel items within it.
The side handles are large and long enough to make it easy to carry the Tote around, though I wish it came with a shoulder strap for taking it over longer distances. I took it to a couple of outdoor festivals, and it was nice to have all my gear right in front of me, like having a wide-opened duffle that was the perfect size to carry any needed gear, electronics, apparel, and food. The fall-away handles were functional and stayed out of the way, so they didn’t interfere with gear extraction.
It fits perfectly behind a vehicle’s rear seat and footwell, making it ideal for road trips. It was nice to be able to grab and retrieve things from the back seat without resorting to opening a more oversized duffle. I did have to move my seat in my truck forward to fit the Tote, but it wasn’t that much of an issue.
Bottom Line
The Gregory Alpaca Gear Tote 30 is well-made and built like a tank. It utilizes rugged double-walled fabrics and a robust rectangular anodized aluminum frame that allows it to stay open for easy access to your stored items. The fall-away handles don’t interfere with gear extraction and are wide and long enough for easy carrying. The cavernous 30 liters of storage space can hold various gear, including cooking supplies, electronics, apparel, and food, making it ideal for camping, rock climbing, mountain biking, concert festivals, road tripping, etc. The dimensions of the Tote (tall, wide, and not too deep) made it ideal for placement behind the front seat of a vehicle. It was handy to toss back there and provided quick access to items.
It features a highly functional, collapsible, space-saving design that makes it handy for storage when not in use. It was simple to assemble the collapsed Tote via its frame-mounted integrated fiberglass supports attached to the bottom of the Tote.
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