A few weeks ago, we got word from Innex that they’d picked up the exclusive distribution rights for the G-Pak Universal Organizer. It doesn’t sound all that fancy, but this is probably one of the best pieces of travel gear we’ve used in a while, and when Innex says “universal”, they mean it.
According to Innex, the G-Pak is “built to hold, protect, and carry multiple on-the-go gadgets.” That is a huge understatement; we used the organizer for about a week and found it to hold tons more than just our gadgets.
At first glance, the organizer is pretty small. It’s about the thickness of a decently-sized laptop briefcase, though it only measures about 10 inches square. The size is also very deceptive, as there is a great amount of versatility here once you get over the brand new packaging smell.
Open the G-Pak’s two plastic buckles on the front to reveal a wetsuit-like material protecting your gadgets and a few SD or memory card slots on one side, and a space for pens, styli, and business cards on the other. Unzipping the main pouch will reveal a rather cavernous area for collecting your gadgets, as well as a removable foam liner that can be used to store another 30 memory cards, game cartridges, business cards, cables, or any combination of them.
The main area of the G-Pak is lined with soft felt to prevent scratching any of your gadgets and while it doesn’t seem like it’s enough space at first glance, here’s what we managed to put in the case without damaging anything (or feeling like our gadgets were rubbing too close to one another):
- PlayStation Vita
- Nintendo 3DS (and its charger)
- 2 DVDs with full-size cases
- 8 SD cards
- 4 Nintendo 3DS cartridges
- 4 PlayStation Vita game cartridges
- 2 Xbox LIVE subscription cards
- 3 ballpoint pens
- 1 Post-It Note 5″ x 3″ pad
- Small stack of business cards
- 1 PS3 game with case
- Samsung TV remote
When everything was closed up, the case was expanded a bit, but the buckles held on, and we didn’t have any worry about our electronics inside. We’re super paranoid about scratches, so if we say they’re fine, they’re fine.
We did this test to the extreme to show just what you could fit. If you’re going to travel with three games, you’ll probably take them out of their cases, saving more than half the space in the organizer. You’re probably also not going to travel with half your game collection, all your SD cards, or a TV remote (no, the TV itself didn’t fit inside. It’s not that big). The point was to show just what you could carry if you absolutely had to.
Our one gripe about the G-Pak is the buckles on the front feeling a bit plasticky for our tastes. We have no doubt in the world that they’ll hold on, and even one is more than enough to do the job, but the plastic feel just bugs us. And the smell of this thing isn’t anything to write home about, but that’s pretty par for the course for cases like these, so we can’t really fault Innex on it.
There are no less than three ways to hold the G-Pak: with the included shoulder strap, from its handle on top, or just palming it like we probably will. Really, what more do you want from a tiny yet huge gadget holder?
When we head to E3 in a few short months, the G-Pak will be replacing our usual gadget carrier for the plane because it’s small enough to be comfortable to carry but large enough to hold all our stuff. It’s also the small enough so as to not count as a carry on bag at the airport.
The best part about this whole thing is probably the price. At a penny under $25, you really can’t go wrong with the G-Pak. There are great uses for this thing all over the place, and if you end up wearing it out, replacing it isn’t much of an expense, either.
The fine folks at Innex have thrown up a video of just how much the G-Pak will hold, so be sure to take a look for yourself. If you try it out, let us know how you fare on Twitter and Facebook. There’s also a hot pink one in the works, so for the ladies and fashion-conscious gentlemen out there, stay tuned!