a review: the brog tool bag - @broverland #off-road #storage #solutions
Blue Ridge Overland Gear - Tool Bag
Function and design:
The first thing that stands out about this product is how robust it feels and how you instantly know it is going to fill a very important niche in your overland vehicle or around the garage or farm. The first thing noticed was the seat belt material handles showing you this bag means business and is meant to hold some weight, which is inevitable when hauling heavy tools around. The bag opens flat via a strong zipper and has molle material on the inside which includes 6 removable 12" pouches made out of a clear "string reinforced" vinyl which makes tool identification simple. That is likely my favorite feature and the fact that the clear panels can be removed very easily due to the VELCRO backing and molle panels inside the bag. I have pulled tools out of Matts (Blue Ridge Overland Gear) tool bag working around his shop and can vouch for the long term durability. Looks like it’s been drug around for years in the back of his cruiser or slid across his garage floor as many times and other than some dirt and debris shows no sign of failure, which says a lot. Included on the outside of the bag is 3 rows of 1" webbing and a molle panel making it compatible with other BROG gear to add additional pockets/storage for other items like zip ties or smaller electrical supplies.
Overland Applications:
The obvious use of this bag is for carrying a very adequate amount of tools on extended trips in the vehicle. This is what it was designed for and this is what it does beautifully. In the event you need tools (hopefully you won’t) you know where they are, they are organized, and you know they aren’t going to bounce out of place over rough terrain. We carry the basics when we are out exploring and this bag has proven to gobble up all of these basic tools with plenty of room to spare for extra items that you may not typically consider carrying along.
Other Applications:
We tend to try and be packing minimalists and don’t want to carry extra gear, especially extra tools that are heavy and take up some space. We also like to find products that are versatile and this is one of them. When I received this bag i had been brainstorming ideas to make an on the go "kitchen kit" to try and make lunch stops more efficient and organized. This was around the time I was building/installing a custom drawer system with integrated cutting/stove surface into the 4runner. I looked at this bag and realized it’s pretty much perfect in this role as well. I have utensils in one pouch, cooking spatulas etc. in another zipped pocket and utilize two other pouches for organizing cooking spices. This is truly perfect as you can quickly see all spices you have available which makes accessing them a breeze. I have used a carabineer to hook this bag on the roof rack cross bar (or on the Engel handle) near the cooking area for ease of access. This gives great visibility to all of the contents and makes putting everything away a total breeze. My goal was to be able to pull over for lunch and have the stove and all needed cooking items deployed within 5 minutes and this bag allows that to happen and does it beautifully and durably.
Final Thoughts:
Since we have a nicely stocked tool bag riding along in the Tacoma this bag has taken on a new role as a kitchen kit/spice organizer and we couldn’t be happier. Although Matt says he’s made a kitchen kit concept in the past and hinted at a future model (fingers crossed), we will be using this bag to fill both needs in the interim. While this bag is meant for "tools", and does that job wonderfully, it can also be a great organizer for a variety of overland tasks (spices are tools too!!). This bag is currently listed on the BROG website for $99.99. These products are built to last and this is no exception.
Written by: Jeremy S. Styles
For more information and ordering - Blue Ridge Overland Gear: Tool Bag
http://www.blueridgeoverlandgear.com/Tool-Storage-s/1859.htm