Sneak peek... I've been working on new post for my site where I showcase five options for a sketching & watercolor travel/field kit. One of the options that I've featured & reviewed is a HLT pouch. I used the size 2 for my review, but I'm sure the features are the same for each pouch.
Just in case my observations will help someone, I'll share my photos and short summary of my review below. The review won't go live until later this week, and search engines hate duplication so please don't share the photos and/or my review anywhere else except here on the forum. Thank you!
Oh yes, if you need any additional photos or info, just lmk. :)
No surprise, the HLT has turned out to be a fantastic on-the-go watercolor/sketching travel kit. With a bit of trepidation, I chose the HLT in a size 2 because I wanted the extra space but I was concerned that it would be too large and bulky. Plus, I didn't want my tools to block the zippers on the interior pockets. Although this pouch measures large, it has turned out to be extremely lightweight and highly portable. I also love that it fits in the chin pocket of my S25 with plenty of room to spare.
A small hack... I used a seam ripper to remove the stitching that separated the two back-to-back interior zipper pockets, making it one large pocket. This allows me to fit larger items into this storage area and access my supplies from either zipper. I really like this option! I also clipped in an extra TB pouch (another hack because it's a TB wallet with the interior dividers removed). I was delighted to discover a hidden slip pocket behind the interior mesh pouch. An A6 or smaller journal fits perfectly. The HTL has so many little sweet surprises!
My fav thing is how the HLT pouch can be securely held in one hand while open. This allows me to use the HLT as a mini sketching “easel.” The pouch is so lightweight yet balanced so well that this works extremely well. Well done, TB!
So far, the only issue I have with the HLT is the interior elastic. Because of the way it's sewn, the elastic loops have a lot of play. Because of this, the elastic works much better with larger tools than slim items like pencils and pens. I had to attach pocket clips to my pencils to keep them from sliding out, and even though I double-stacked my rulers, they are also very loose. I don't like this lack of security because I've lost plenty of nice fountain pens, brushes, and other items when they've slipped out of organizational pouches unnoticed. Or into a river. :(
Also, I was surprised that only one of the interior webbing strips is elastic; the other is standard webbing that doesn’t stretch. Although the molle webbing is great on the outside, I can’t really figure out a use for this on the inside. I kinda hope Bihn considers double elastic webbing in the future, and also figures out a way to tighten down the loops. If so, I’d immediately purchase another HLT.
Like everything Bihn makes, the quality is superb. And the HLT is literally stuffed with organization goodies. Now I kinda think I need a size 1 in Seapine... :D
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Originally Posted by anarchone
