ALPAKA Pencil Case V2 Review

At first glance, you can tell that the ALPAKA Pencil Case V2 is durable, water-resistant, and tiny. All that is wonderful, but what will you use it for while traversing the globe? Let’s dive…or, better yet, wade in; it’s not deep enough to dive!

External Components

There are three colorways to choose from, and you’ll get a different material depending on which color you go with. You can pick from Black X-Pac X50, Black X-Pac VX42, and Olive Green X-Pac X42. Although each fabric has unique qualities, they’re all somewhat similar. They’re durable, have excellent water resistance, and are lightweight.

We’re working with YKK AquaGuard zippers, which help keep water out of (or in) the pouch. The zipper pull is easy to hold onto and durable enough to handle rugged adventures.

On either end of the zipper track, there’s a small loop, which is nice to attach a carabiner or hang onto while opening the zipper. It isn’t large enough to hold onto but has enough surface area to grab with your hand, so the lack of a handle isn’t an issue.

If you also have the HUB Keychain, you can attach it to the loop, making it easier to hang inside your daypack or at home. We dig the modular options this offers, but this case is less useful in that scenario than other ALPAKA gear we’ve tested, like the Metro Pouch. Either way, it’s nice to have the option, especially if you have a lot of equipment from ALPAKA.

We’ll get into what you can fit inside the Pencil Case shortly, but first, let’s chat about where you can put it. As mentioned above, it’s reasonably easy to carry. It’s small enough to fit into a large rain jacket pocket, sling, purse, or even your backpack’s travel water bottle pocket. It’ll work with most liner pockets inside your pack, too. When packing for a trip, it isn’t hard to find a spot for this thing.

It’s versatile, considering how many places you can fit it, but what can you fit inside, considering its small size?

Inside The Case

The interior has a 210D high-vis orange ripstop nylon lining, which makes it easy to find what you’re looking for, so long as it’s not a piece of gear that’s neon orange colored.

There’s no organization inside, but did you expect there to be? The smooth nylon feels durable, but pens and pencils can mark up the light-colored orange interior. Certain pen or pencil marks will clean up easier than others. Overall, we’re happy with the materials chosen here.

Okay, but what do you put in it? The obvious answer is pens, pencils, and other writing utensils. However, there are some additional configurations to think about.

If you don’t bring a lot of tech on trips, you can load it all inside here. Headphones, a couple of cables, a wall charger, and a battery or two will fit inside. If you try to bring much more than that, you’ll be out of luck.

If you’re into photography, you can stow your accessories inside and throw the pouch into your camera bag. Memory cards, camera batteries, cables, and cleaning cloths fit inside easily. Or, if you want to create a small desk setup for working at the coffee shop with your iPad or Chromebook, you’ll be able to fit most of what you need. A wall charger, Bluetooth headphones, Apple Pencil, and flash drive fit inside nicely.

If you haven’t noticed, it’s hard to pack this thing properly. It’s like a Rubix Cube; right when you think you’re on the right track, something puts you back where you started. However, once you’ve figured it out, it’s incredibly satisfying.

This isn’t a pouch you can use for every little thing. It won’t work for most items, but the things it does work for, it excels at. The only question that remains is whether or not you have a specific need that the ALPAKA Pencil Case V2 can solve.

TLDR: Don’t get it if you don’t know what you will use it for. Well, unless you enjoy tough puzzles. Then have at it!