EVERGOODS CIVIC ACCESS PANEL 2L (CAP 2L) REVIEW

FOREWORD

This is a story about inspirations, passions, and triumphs. And as all stories go, they always begin with a good backstory. It all started when two men from both rather different soft-goods backgrounds came together and started a passion project which ultimately birthed the new brainchild of the carrying community, Evergoods. 

For those who are new to the Evergoods lore, we should begin with the people who founded this new household name. In the year 2016, Jack Barley, also known to be the former GORUCK co-founder, met up with outdoor industry veteran Kevin Dee, which at that time had recently left Patagonia, and started their own company based out of Bozeman, Montana. They’ve managed to combine their years of experience with developing outdoor gear and eventually launched their first bags on Kickstarter, which are the now infamous Civic Panel Loader 24L, dubbed CPL 24 and Mountain Panel Loader 30L, MPL 30. They’ve poured their passion and efforts into crafting some of the most versatile crossover and travel bags on the market right now. 

Now fast forward 6 years, they’ve launched their first pouch in the civic line, the Civic Access Pouch 2L, also abbreviated as CAP 2L amongst the carry community. This pouch certainly pays homage to the civic line as it maintains all the hallmarks the civic line has to offer. I would say that this pouch definitely came in due time, given that organization is now placed in such high regards for us EDC centric people. CAP 2L was promised to be a do-it-all everyday organizer pouch with an intuitive, adaptive layout and boy does it deliver. I promise you it is nothing like what came before it, in regard to its organization and clever use of compartmentalization, this is indeed a showstopper.

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MATERIALS 

The outer shell is made from their own proprietary fabric, a 420d HT nylon 6,6 with PU coating. This basically means that the fabric has a high tenacity 420 denier face with equal yarns in the warp and weft of the fabric, creating a perfectly balanced weave. This is different from their 500D offerings on their civic line of backpacks, as those are textured nylons, meaning they have undergone air-jet-texturing, giving it a more matted appearance, also increasing the abrasion resistance of the fabric. But this is not without its flaws as it tends to have the reputation of attracting dust, lint, and the occasional dog fur due to its textured surface. However, this 420d offering gives a more lucrative offer, as it maintains the balanced weave of the 500d, meaning you still get that dense feel in your hands, yet not compromising on the appearance as it tends to look neater after longer commutes, having dust and dirt brushing right off with just the sweep of the hand. And it does give off more of a sheen under sunlight due to the lack of texturing. Balanced weaving gives a boxy, grid-like surface texture, with no apparent flow or visual movement in any direction. It looks and feels like this super-regular, static, and monotonous surface. It might seem boring some but can be quite beautiful under discerning eyes. The inner lining is a 210d HT nylon 6,6 HT with PU coating on back and has a silicone finish on the face. It has a contrasting lighter gray color, making it ideal for situations where lighting is of concern for the user. Evergoods has tried and tested their fabrics on multiple occasions and settings before setting it aloof in the market, so you can count on them when it comes to fabrics.

The zippers are all of YKK’s, the Japanese manufacturer which is trusted world-wide for their impeccable production standards and thorough quality control processes for zippers. For the outer zippers they are mainly YKK #8RC, RC meaning reversed coiled as the teeth of the zippers are reversed and facing inwards, giving it a more subdued and streamline appearance. The zippers used in the pouch, however, are of a smaller size, #5RC. They are both coated with a DWR finish, otherwise known as a durable water repellency finish in the outdoor and textiles industry. This is a chemical finish added to textiles at the end process, so that water would repel off the fabric, giving the zippers an added protection against the elements. 

There’s also tiny paracords tied to the zippers inside the pouch, making it easier to grip the rather small metal zipper pull. The outer zippers, however, are tied with larger nylon strips that match the color of the pouch. And because it’s not an Aquaguard zipper with a PU lamination, the zippers feel buttery smooth, providing a very intuitive experience overall.

The mesh used in all Evergoods bags is one of, if not the best, I've seen out in the market today. They have a certain thickness and stiffness to it that gives it a sense of strength, certainly able to withstand the wears and tears of everyday use. 

The outer shell of the pouch is fitted with a Velcro patch on the Evergoods logo printed on it, and there’s a multitude of patches that can be attached to it, for a more personalized feel of course. Or you can simply purchase the glow-in-the-dark patches from Evergoods. It adds extra visibility in low light conditions. These patches are available as a separate purchase from our store.

The whole structure of the pouch is maintained by the use of foam padding, giving it a more structured, boxier shape. Some might argue that it makes it a tad bulky, but I personally am a fan of it. It adds an extra layer of protection for the tech inside, making it more secure as a whole. Also, this makes it possible for the pouch to stand up on its own too. 

There’s also a one inch webbing handle lining sewn to the top and bottom of the pouch. This makes getting the pouch in and out of the pack less of a hassle. This way, whether you put it inside a crammed bag right side up or upside down, there's always something to hold and pull on while getting it out. The handles are also accompanied by utility loops and these may be used to hook on key chains, key organizers, carabiners, or to secure it to hardpoints in bags to prevent it from moving about.

AESTHETICS 

The CAP2L is a modest pouch that doesn’t draw any unwanted attention, yet it manages to capture the attention of those who appreciate simplicity and functionality. The CAP2L maintains the aesthetics of the civic line, keeping it rather subdued, streamline and functional. It can fit into just about any setting you would place it in, from café runs to the office, it does it all, without even breaking a sweat. 

It might look unassuming to some, but I promise you, there is so much more than meets the eye, read onto the next section to see where this pouch really shines. But if you want a pouch that stands out in the crowd, you can go with the signal blue color offering or the limited-run burnt orange that’s down the pipelines. So, if you’re interested in that, be sure to subscribe to our newsletter to get first-hand information of when it arrives at our store. 

ORGANIZATION 

All in all, the organization is the real star of the show for this pouch. They really elevated the standards of compartmentalization with the CAP2L. Well, let us begin with the outer compartments. On the outside, there are two front vertical pockets that one can use for more quick-grab items such as cables or candies. Make note to not place important items such as hard drives in them since these external pockets aren’t that secure, as there aren’t any zippers guarding them. Bulkier items won’t be able to fit too as the pockets are relatively tight.

I did struggle a little to find a use case for these pockets during my time with the CAP2L since I tend to pack the pouch a little full in the main compartment. But these pockets are still useful if one knows how to pack the pouch efficiently. 

There is also a zipper placed on the upper edge of the pouch, and that gives an external access into one to the two main compartments of the pouch, this being the upper lid compartment. This is more often than not, an on-the-go pocket for me as I would keep my Airpods, a pen, my peak design wrist strap and rolls of Kodak Colorplus 200 in them. There is also a red accented key-leash inside, just the right pop of color for when we need to grab our keys at a glance.

When the pouch is zipped open, this is where the pouch truly shines as it quickly transforms into a mobile workstation. Once fully opened up, the CAP2L reveals two main compartments, one being the lid compartment, and the other being the main cavity. This is a very clever design from the Evergoods team since it utilizes every single inch of available space in the pouch. An added advantage is that when opened, it doesn’t take up much space around the desk area and everything you need is just a hand-reach away.

The main cavity can basically be divided into 2 halves, separated by a floating pocket that can be moved forward and back to accommodate your tech and belongings. What’s really unconventional is that this floating pocket is not stitched to the floor of the CAP2L, so it can be placed diagonally if needed. This pouch is fitted with a YKK #5RC zipper and inside this pencil case-like compartment is where I place my USB type C hub, along with memory cards inside the small slot in the middle of the pocket. 

The section where the Evergoods info patch is facing has 3 slit compartments where it can hold smaller items such as an extra camera battery, wires or even an extra roll of film. And the taller slit pockets facing the other side of the floating pouch can fit larger items such as a laptop charger, a power bank, a hard drive or even a computer mouse. The middle compartment in between the slit pockets and the floating pouch is where it accommodates the main bulk of the pouch. I’ve been able to fit 2 power banks, 2 rolls of film or even a point and shoot camera if I was using this to set up a more camera-centered configuration, provided that the surrounding pockets are unoccupied. On some occasions, it can also fit a Sony A7iii with a lens but the trade off is that the lens must be detached from the body when placing it in the pouch. 

In conclusion, I have rendered the CAP2L to be a confluence of form and function.

PRO vs CONS 

END VERDICT 

I have enjoyed my time using the CAP2L, appreciating the little details the pouch has to offer. The design language really conveyed what Evergoods as a company stand for: intuitive designs and thoughtfulness. The way it handles the various carry setup you throw at it really fascinates me; it becomes what you need it to be. Gone are the days where we had to ruffle through our bags to find our wires tangled up, or digging through the pile of belongings just to find our pens and knick-knacks. It really does shine as a desk organizer, so much so that I’ve found ourselves enjoying it more as a portable way to keep our gear organized than as merely a means to carry things around. 

This is Evergoods first foray into pouches and yet they are already checking so many boxes for us carry enthusiasts, one can only imagine what they have to offer in the days to come. Definitely a big win for Evergoods indeed! There’s a reason why it got voted as the Best Everyday Accessory Champion for the ninth Carryology Awards!

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