Sometimes you just use something for months… and only after a long time you realize how darn good and useful it has actually been during all that time! And that’s exactly my story with the ITS Tactical Gizmo series and the HPG Tool Roll.
I’ve been using this stuff for about a year (or more) and just realized how important it actually was in all my trips. Not once or twice, not just during my overlanding outdoor adventures, but also each weekend… if not every single day! So here is a short summary of how I actually use it now.
It’s all started for me with the original full size Gizmo, or should I say “that big Gizmo”. At first I’d been using it as a stand-alone bag, a default gear storage in my car. Later, when I finally added the Gizmo Lites (4 of them to be exact, plus a velcro vehicle mounting kit) and the HPG Tool Roll it has all become a foundation of my modular car storage system.
So now I usually carry either 3 Gizmo Lites (GL) in there and some extra accessories, or 2 GLs plus a medical kit in a black Zip Bag and some extra oversized gear. Sometimes I also add a HPG Tool Roll with my bushcraft essentials for easy grab & go. So here’s my Gizmo packed with Gizmo Lites and HPG ToolRoll:
I keep the Gizmo Lites either inside my full size Gizmo or sometimes I just grab it and stuff into my pack – these pouches are so easy to get in and out thanks to oversized grab loops at both ends. Plus of course they attach perfectly inside velcro enabled modular packs, like the Arcteryx LEAF Assault, the Tasmanian Tiger Modular 30 series or inside the LEAF Courier 15 messenger bag.
And now more details about the Gizmo Lites, or if you prefer “quarter Gizmos”. These are now my storage units – easy to fill with smaller stuff and just about the perfect size for most of my EDC/overland small tool & gear. It opens up fully with a side-to-side zipper and it’s equipped with a velcro back for easy attachment to other modular stuff (covered by default by velcro loop panel). On top of that I have one arranged as a mini photo-bag with crucial accessories for my Fujifilm camera system.
Here it all is in detail, the content of my 4 Gizmo Lites and a size comparison vs a small EDC-sized pack:
Gizmo Lite 1
tools storage
Gizmo Lite 2
edc, cordage, bungee etc.
Gizmo Lite 3
firestarting, knife & gear maintenance
Gizmo Lite 4
mini photo bag
Gizmo Lite inside EDC pack
(Mystery Ranch D-Route)
And how I store all that in my car? It’s simple and ingenious! First of all you can get car velcro panels so that you can attach the small Gizmo Lites inside your vehicle. However I found out that Gizmo Lites attach directly to the fibrous material on the inside of the trunk in my ride, how cool is that? So I usually hang my big Gizmo (with 2 GLs inside) on a carry hook, and I simply stick that to the sidewall via velcro with another one or two.
The small velcro strip on top of each Lite makes content ID quite obvious. I couldn’t be more happy with that setup.
And how I store all that in my car? It’s simple and ingenious! First of all you can get car velcro panels so that you can attach the small Gizmo Lites inside your vehicle. However I found out that Gizmo Lites attach directly to the fibrous material on the inside of the trunk in my ride, how cool is that? So I usually hang my big Gizmo (with 2 GLs inside) on a carry hook, and I simply stick that to the sidewall via velcro with another one or two.
The small velcro strip on top of each Lite makes content ID quite obvious. I couldn’t be more happy with that setup.
Bottom line – the Gizmo system by ITS ticks all the boxes for me. I’ve been using it for well over a year now and I can’t even think of using anything else instead… they’re reliable, super tough (real deal Cordura), perfectly sized, US made and absolutely reasonably priced. If you start using them today they’ll pay back the full value quicker than you could even imagine. Considering a modular / EDC storage system? ITS have really nailed it! In any possible aspect you can think of.
And last but not least – some brief thoughts on the HPG Tool Roll, which is kind of compatible with Gizmo setup. It fits great inside a pack, and velcro backing allows for easy car attachment too, just like Gizmos. I usually keep some small bushcraft-oriented stuff inside: knife, folding saw, fire-starting gear, rolled gloves, some fatwood etc.
It’s a really handy roll and weighs next to nothing. Easy to organize stuff on the go, you can just unroll it on the ground or even hang on a tree, car door etc.
