ALPAKA Gear Zip Pouch

A sleek, small zippered urban pouch that’s fashionable, tough enough for the outdoors, and designed for travel.

Street Smart to Trail Tough

I was drawn to the ALPAKA Gear Zip Pouch because it’s sleek, stylish, and black. Totally street. I recommend it because it’s made out of durable, weatherproof carbon neutral X-Pac® fabric, lined with contrasting orange ripstop nylon, and sealed with YKK waterproof zippers. ALPAKA Gear produces the Zip Pouch in small batches, which prevents waste and allows them to make small improvements on the design. The pouch I tested has new, smaller zipper pulls, improved accessibility to the main pouch, and contains RFID material to protect credit cards. Nice!

This small but mighty pouch has been a stellar wallet for me during a variety of outdoor adventures, including long walks in the rain and regular lake swims. Even when I wore a hoody (when I should have worn a rain shell) and got soaked in the rain, the contents of my Zip Pouch stayed dry. Same when I forgot to seal my swim buoy property, and it filled with water while I swam.

Storage and Organization

The Zip Pouch can be used to store tiny gear, such as memory cards for devices, pocket tools, batteries, and other electronics accessories. I’ve been using it as a minimalist wallet. There’s a divider in the main pocket so I can keep my “essential” cards (I.D., health insurance, credit card) separate from a handful of my business cards. I stash a lip balm in the outer zippered pocket, but it could be used for cash and coins. The contrast color gives the pouch a sporty look and makes it easier to find items inside.

I really appreciate the upgraded zipper pulls. They are just the right size. Large enough to make it easy to quickly open the pouch but not so large they get fussy. There’s a flat loop on one side of the pouch made out of a tough nylon strap. Most often I use the loop to attach the pouch to a lanyard inside a larger bag so I can always find my wallet fast. I have also worn the pouch on the end of a key lanyard I wear when I’m out and about and don’t want to carry a bag or don’t have pockets.

The Zip Pouch is almost a bit big for my skinny jeans front pockets (pockets in men’s pants are much bigger), but it fits easily into my zippered track pant pockets (the bottom half of my COVID uniform that I’ve decided to keep wearing for the rest of my life) and many jacket pockets.

Bottom Line

The Zip Pouch is one of my favorites of the many small zippered wallets I’ve tested because it’s incredibly stylish while still providing superb functionality and durability. I love the outdoors, but I don’t dress like a hiker. I’m a city gal, so I love sleek black gear that helps me cultivate a smart look.

Details

Available in Black and Green Olive, both with orange contrast lining. Dimensions: 5″ x 3.3″.

$25

Manufacturer: alpakagear.com