EVERGOODS CIVIC Access Pouch 0.5L Review

The EVERGOODS CAP1 and CAP2 are two of our favorite pouches on the market. So, when EVERGOODS sent us a pre-production sample of their new half-liter version of the Civic Access Pouch, we were amped to see how this smaller kit performs.

However, when we got it in hand, we realized how small this thing was and couldn’t help but wonder how useful it would be while traveling. Let’s dive in and find out!

External Components

The primary exterior material used on the half-liter CAP is 420D high-tenacity nylon. It is more durable than we expected; the CAP1 and CAP2 are 210D, which is twice the denier than the larger versions. We aren’t complaining, as this adds durability and structure. In addition to rugged fabric, the exterior has a PU, or polyurethane, coating, which will help keep the elements and unnatural phenomenons, like a boba tea spill, at bay.

The pouch is padded in all areas, which helps protect whatever gear you’ve got stored inside. No matter what angle you carry, hold, or accidentally drop it at, the stuff inside is safe.

The zippers on the pouch are from YKK. If you’re familiar, you know what we’re about to say, as we say it often. YKK zippers are the finest in the land, and we’ve found them to be the most durable in testing. The pull is simplistic and minimalistic, making it easy to use and stay out of the way when you’re stowing and grabbing the pouch from your travel backpack or daypack.

If you want your gear to look similar, ensure that you pull it out of an EVERGOODS pack. At the time of writing, we have just added the Civic Travel Bag 26L (CTB26) as a Pack Hacker Pick, a list of our absolute favorite travel gear. For now, it’s the first from the brand to make the cut; however, you’ll have to wait until the end of this review to find out whether we think the Civic Access Pouch 0.5L will join it on the list!

Woah, where were we? Oh yeah, zippers… A loop on the end of the track is handy for closing the zipper, especially if you load too much stuff inside the pouch. Additionally, it’s the only way to attach the bag to something or carry it without putting your hand around it. It is thin but feels durable enough, and we aren’t that bummed there isn’t a handle.

On one of the sides, a small piece of black fabric looks like a logo tab. However, there’s no logo here; it’s blank. Typically, on EVERGOODS packs, there’s a similar black logo, but it’s a hook-and-loop fastener with a diagonal line on it. The designers seem to have thought the pouch was too small to include such a feature. We agree with that and dig that they went for a minimalistic piece of fabric instead of a louder logo. Long story short, we’re into it!

This pouch is shaped like a rectangular prism, with one of the corners on either side rounded off for a smooth zipper track. It can sit on any of its four long sides, which is handy. The all-over padding assists this, as it’ll never be sitting on thin fabric. If you have a heavier piece of gear inside, that may determine which side should rest on the ground.

The Civic Access Pouch 0.5L is shaped similarly to a large sunglasses case. It’ll fit in a large coat pocket, glove box, bigger sling, or just about any travel daypack or backpack. Though a sunglasses case is the most widely understood shape we can liken it to, we can’t help but throw out another comparison to help you get the picture.

If you were a kid in the 1990s, or early 2000s, you may have, at some point, wandered into a gift shop at a museum or a souvenir store while on vacation. While browsing through the nicknacks with your grubby little child-like fingers, you probably came across a plastic tube with a gel-like liquid inside, populated by small fish and other aquatic animals made of plastic. When you squeeze it, one end would bulge, and the plastic would fold into itself, allowing you to squeeze it repeatedly. Somehow, someway, these little dohickeys never popped. Holding onto the EVERGOODS Civic Access Pouch 0.5L feels similar to hanging onto one of these little plastic toys, but without the fish, goopy stuff, and increased parental anxiety about the possibility of it popping in the car on the way home.

If you need something larger than this half-liter design can offer, the CAP1 and CAP2 are worthy competitors. However, all three pouches have vastly different designs catered to work for their capacity; they’re not just shrunken or enlarged versions of other pouches they offer. Before jumping ship and moving onto something more significant, let’s look at what this can do!

Inside The Pouch

When you open the zipper, two sides of the pouch become the base, transitioning into a desk caddy. Because of this design, it’ll sit flat, making it easier to load and unload things into the pouch, especially considering how small it is. Our issue with other small tech pouches is often access—given there’s so little space, we want to be able to wrangle it the best we can. With a standard zipper opening, that can be challenging. Accessing your gear is easier with this one’s wide opening and stand-up design.

Two zippered pockets are inside the main compartment, one on either side. One is mesh, and the other is liner material, which some users will like. If you’re always anxious about leaving something behind, toss that gear inside the mesh pocket so you can see it. Use the liner pocket for pencils or drawing implements, as none of your artistic tools can leak out as easily into the main compartment. Or, if you’re using the pouch as a makeshift toiletry container, toss wet gear, like a toothbrush, on the mesh side to dry without getting mildewy.

The rest of the space inside the pouch is wide open. There is a limited amount of it; however, it’s yours to work with. Sunglasses fit nicely here, as you might have guessed, but you can stow a small battery bank, longer charging cables, a dongle for your MacBook, or other toiletry and tech items.

Like other EVERGOODS gear we’ve tested, this pouch isn’t for any specific use. There isn’t any wholesale organization to give every piece of gear a dedicated home, which may deter some travelers who prefer that kind of segmentation. Because of these design choices, you can use the Civic Access Pouch 0.5L as a toiletry, tech, or everyday carry pouch. You won’t be able to fit as much gear inside as if you went with a standard-sized version of any of those pouches; however, versatility is key here, and that’s why we’re rocking with this thing.

That said, we understand that this isn’t for everyone. Some people need (or just want) to bring more gear along for the ride, and this might not have enough space to cut it. Still, we see a way that this can work its way into your pack-out. If you’re a tech-heavy user who has filled up your CAP2 and you want some extra space for smaller gear or don’t want to haul around the 2-liter version all the time, this pouch makes for a great daily use pouch to go to the coffee shop for the afternoon.