Mountainsmith Modular Hauler 3 System : Must-Have Gear for Sloppy and Organized Travelers Alike

I prepare for road trips the same way I prepare for any trip. I leave everything until the last minute, and then run around like a mad woman throwing things into bags for an hour before I leave.

Thanks to Mountainsmith's Modular Hauler 3 System, my road trip to Portland last week was more organized than any trip I've ever taken.

First, I was inspired by the modular cubes to start packing the night before my trip. I used one cube for gear, one for food, and the third for clothing. The cubes are totally flexible, so I was able to pack them as full as I wanted, which made my random, run-around style work.

The clothing cube was easy: several pairs of underwear, several pairs of socks (although I ended up wearing one pair the entire three days -- you can do that with merino wool socks), two pairs of pants, a skirt I never wore, several shirts I never wore, two sets of P.J.'s (one for warm, one for cold), a windbreaker, a jacket, a scarf, a hat, a bandana, my jewelry kit, and so on.

I knew we'd have a mini fridge in our hotel room, so I figured it would be much cheaper to take food with us than eat out every day. It also gave me an opportunity to test out several food storage containers, such as a Zojirushi stainless steel food jar, velcro-sealed food bags by Graze Organics, and drawstring food bags by Blue Lotus. The food bag carried my SIGG thermos, my stainless steel water bottle, an extra water bottle and filter for my boyfriend in case he forgot his, a bag of muesli, a handful of Lara bars, oranges, my Preserve cutlery, a container of organic peanut butter, and several small food pouches containing my tea and other essentials.

I like that the cubes are durable (love the grid pattern on the outside of the cube) and have sturdy nylon handles. I can also attach a shoulder strap to each cube, and to the hauler, if I want.

The cubes are easy to clean, so if something would have spilled in my bag, it would have been easy to wipe up the mess (not one of the food or water containers I was testing leaked-yea!). I also like the bold, bright colors--it was always easy to know which back to grab. Each cube has a vinyl zippered top with a pocket for maps or quick-access or last-minute items.

The third cube was my catch-all bag. I tossed in a Leatherman tool, a flashlight, laptop accessories, iPod accessories, and my cosmetics and body products. After filling all three bags, I realized it would be much easier to pack them while they were in the hauler. So, please make note. Once the cubes are stuffed with all the stuff you don't need and the few items you do, they're trickier to get into the hauler.

The hauler works so well. It's made out of tough nylon, with heavy duty handles, straps that cinch up the bag around the cubes, and a handy strap that holds the sides together so that the bag maintains its shape. It's lined with a thin, grid-patterned nylon. Most important, it fits perfectly in my Toyota Corolla's trunk. I also like the side pocket on the hauler - I ended up stuffing so many last minute items in it like the maps I printed out and the hand wipes I forgot to put back in the gear cube.

I LOVED using this system. It made me feel organized and I still got to be a sloppy, inefficient packer. It was so easy to grab snacks out of the food cube at rest stops, and once we arrived at our destination, it helped me keep my things separate enough that I could find what I needed quickly.

Another bonus: For summer outings I plan on swapping out one of the cubes for my Mountainsmith Deluxe Cooler Cube.

Bottom Line : This is a must-have item for anyone who travels (even short distances), picnics, tailgates, or needs to haul a lot of items in an organized, easy-access manner. I think this would be a wonderful wedding or graduation gift.--E.D. (May '10) 

BUY ONLINE : $79 (hauler and 3 cubes, $18/basic cube), click to shop , 20% off and free shipping at altrec.com , click here for ebags-20% off.

Manufacturer's Site:  www.mountainsmith.com

Share on Facebook 

Sign up Now for Email Updates on Gear Sales