I’ve been an avid traveler since I was in high school. I’ve backpacked around Asia, Europe, and Southern Africa. And in this context, when I say “backpack” I mean the old school living off a shoestring budget, carrying a heavy Lonely Planet guidebook, and staying in dirt-cheap hostels kind of backpacking. To this day, even though I’ve been on countless trips, packing is always stressful for me. It is a jigsaw puzzle that requires selecting the right clothes, the right gear, and the right bag, without spending a fortune. Over the years, I’ve had some interesting setups, and most of them weren’t lightweight or very practical. And I have yet to perfect the art of minimal packing.
On many of these overseas adventures, in addition to having a heavy canvas backpack of sorts, I usually carried a small day pack or large shoulder bag, that needed to carry a guidebook, once upon a time, a tape player, and then eventually a Discman, before I traded that in for an iPod. Or dare I admit, once upon a time, I was a big fan of the extra-large fanny pack that could hold TWO Nalgene bottles in the side pockets, with other knick-knacks dangling via carabiners. It never looked good, but it was super functional. The downside to all of the options I’ve explored: they are big, bulky, and heavy!
I discovered Six Moon Designs backpacks in 2021 when I was preparing for a six-week thru-hike of the Washington PCT. Due to a neck injury, I knew I needed something that would distribute the weight of my pack better than the traditional packs on the market. That’s when I fell in love with the Flight vest and Swift X. So when I saw they offered a travel day bag, the ePouch, I knew I would love its simplicity and functionality.
Design & Features
At 9oz (250g), this is an ideal travel bag or everyday purse. Not only does the bag utilize the awesome tech fabrics Six Moon Designs uses for their backpacks (LiteSkin LS21 or X-Pac VX21), but this bag is compact, lightweight, and has pockets galore. The front pocket is even lined with RFID-blocking fabric for peace of mind while traveling. In addition to all your travel documents, this bag easily holds all your chargers, batteries, smartphone, and tablet. Plus there is room for a book, your wallet, snacks, and other travel essentials. And I found the side pockets great for the Silver Shadow Mini Umbrella and a .5L water bottle. And the power port feature allows you to keep all your devices contained in your bag, while you charge them, a fun security feature.
Adventures in Amsterdam
I had the fortune of trying the ePouch on a recent work trip to Amsterdam. Admittedly, I was a little skeptical that it would be the magic bag because it was smaller than what I pictured and much smaller than any travel bag/purse I’d used before. However, I was pleasantly surprised by how well-designed it was. It had space inside for everything I needed while exploring a new city, especially in the rain. It turns out, that most travel bags and daily purses I’ve used are too big, and I don’t utilize all the space OR the bag gets too heavy to functionally and comfortably carry. With a more reasonable and better-organized interior, I was able to prioritize the items I needed, store them efficiently, and not feel weighed down.
Similar to my hometown of Portland, Oregon, Amsterdam gets a lot of rain in the winter. Knowing that I didn’t have to worry about my items getting soaked in the rain because the material was waterproof was a huge bonus that came in handy multiple times during the week. And, the mini-umbrella fits perfectly in the side pocket, so I didn’t have to get wet either.
While exploring Amsterdam, I needed to carry my portable charger, phone, wallet, water bottle, umbrella, and quick snacks. No problem with the ePouch. On a few occasions, I also used it for a few small items from the grocery/pharmacy, a notebook, and my hat. Again, no problem with the ePouch.
Another bonus was that it packed down really flat in my carry-on luggage when I opted to pack it away for portions of my travel.
In the end, I think the only real frustration I had was remembering my organizational system, and knowing what item I put in what pocket. But that level of organization comes with time and muscle memory with a product, and I’ll be building that on my upcoming trips!
Question for the design team: I wondered about the purpose of the clips on the shoulder strap. I couldn’t foresee a use case for taking the shoulder strap off. The shoulder strap seems like an item that should be permanently attached, and that adjustment might even shave some weight.
Conclusion
Not only will I take this on my next work trip or vacation, but I’ve even started using it around town as my daily purse. I love it because it doesn’t scream tourist, it is the right size, it has the organization I need, it’s lightweight and it is waterproof. I look forward to taking the ePouch on many more trips!
Leave a comment
This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.