Ms Enduro Tool Pak
MS ENDURO TOOL PAK
CW EVALUATION
Dirtbike ditty bag
TO A DIRTBIKE RIDER, A WELL-STOCKED fanny pack is more valuable than an American Express gold card. The problem is that when you try to put everything you need into one, things can get mixed up or lost, especially if you try to empty the contents of your
roll-away tool chest into a tiny pouch strapped around your waist. What's needed is a pack that keeps tools organized and also has enough capacity to carry an assortment of trailside necessities.
While Malcolm Smith's Enduro Tool Pak (available in red or blue for $43.95 from Malcolm Smith Products, 850 Marlborough, Riverside, CA 92507; [714] 686-1006) won’t give you the storage equivalent of a mountain pack mule, it has features that should make it attractive to the trail rider.
Made out of durable, 1000-denier Cordura, the MS Pak combines two, large storage compartments with two smaller pockets on its waist belt. One of the large sections is a tool compartment, laced with an assortment of elastic loops and fabric sleeves to hold individual tools securely and neatly. Sewn into this section is a smaller, zippered pocket perfect for storing small, easily lost items. A heavy-duty, double-pull zipper secures the tool section, ensuring the tools won’t end up dropped along the trail like so many bread crumbs showing the way home.
The other large section of the Pak is a zippered storage area nestled behind the tool compartment. This is an open space for stashing things like a tow rope, a first-aid kit or other odd-shaped items. A Velcro-closed flap covers the entire top and back of the two compartments for added security.
Two small, zippered pockets, one on each side of the belt next to the main bag, are effective locations for small items such as change, safety wire and keys. A heavy-duty, adjustable nylon belt with a plastic buckle secures the Tool Pak around a rider’s waist.
Riders can also add an optional canteen system, because the Pak is configured to allow the attachment of a military-type canteen holder on the outside of each side pocket. MS Products supplies a insulated canteen cover and plastic water bottle for $16.95.
After putting this product through a year of hard use, we’ve gained a lot of respect for the Tool Pak. Several staffers have the Paks and we haven’t encountered any problems with them yet. It is one of the best ways to keep your trail tools organized and separate from your granola bars and carburetor jets. Once you get it packed, our advice is don’t leave home without it.
