I’ll keep this short and sweet. I am pretty ambivalent about the standard Topo Designs Accessory Bag, they can feel oddly bulky and like overkill. But I was intrigued by the Topolite variant which uses a lighter fabric for the same Accessory Bag.
This is the correct way to execute this Accessory Bag, and it’s fantastic.
Materials and Size
Made out of ‘40D lightweight 100% recycled nylon ripstop with silicone water resistant coating’ and measuring 9.5″w x 7.5″h for the Medium model (only size available at writing). It weighs a scant 1.6 oz.
Good stuff.
In Use
These pouches, by design, are really easy to stuff full of gear. They hold much more than you think they should. This new lighter weight model does it even better as it more easily flexes around your gear. I’ve used it for first aid kits, for odds and ends in my work bag, and lately for my hiking bag odds and ends.
If you need an amorphous bag to stow random stuff in, but still be able to access it reasonably well — that’s the sweet spot for this bag. Moreover, the way the opening is designed, means there’s very little chance of gear spilling out when you open it all up.
For me, it’s the combination of all three of those: lightweight material; amorphous designs that holds a ton; and a design which keeps small items from spilling out which means this is a stellar bag. Those three work together to create one of those hidden gems of an item.
I often carry a Peak Design Packable Tote Bag with me, I like it because it takes up no room to carry, and comes in very handy. That’s what this bag is to me, a little accessories bag which takes up very little room, works really well, and comes in handy more often than not. It’s simple and effective organization for almost any use.
Overall
Topo Design’s Accessory Bags are not bad, but they never worked for me. But in this new TopoLite variant they are great bags which work really well for me.
A must own item in my book.