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Hyperlite Mountain Gear Packing Pods Review

Hyperlite Mountain Gear Pods are cuben fiber storage cubes that fit perfectly into Hyperlite's backpacks

Hyperlite Mountain Gear’s small and large packing pods are the ultralight equivalent of the luggage packing cubes that people use to pack travel bags. They’re U-shaped to fit snugly into Hyperlite’s backpacks and can be used in place of a white plastic compactor bag to provide extra moisture protection for the gear stored inside them. They won’t survive a complete dunking because they have sewn-on (untaped) zippers, but they increase the space utilization inside a Hyperlight backpack so there’s virtually no wasted volume inside. Made out of Dyneema DCF, they’re also exceptionally lightweight, so you can swap them out for your existing stuff sacks without a weight penalty.

Specs at a Glance:

  • Small size pod: 1.2 oz. 6.8L
  • Large size pod: 1.3 oz, 10L
  • Made from: DCF11 Dyneema Composite Fabric
  • Click for complete specs

In addition to better space utilization, I’ve found that the biggest benefit to using them is organizational because I can pack many more items into one than I do today into several smaller stuff sacks. For example, my quilt, sleeping pad, sleeping clothes, and electronics all fit snuggly into one, which I can then shove to the bottom of my pack. This keeps them all together and separate from stuff higher up in my pack which is packed more loosely for more frequent access. When unpacking in camp, the clamshell design makes it easy to find exactly what you want without a lot of digging around, because the top zips open like a footlocker and you can pull out exactly what you need.

It helps to zip the pod half way when stuffing bulky items like a quilt to sleeping bag
It helps to zip the pod half way when stuffing bulky items like a quilt or sleeping bag

Here are a few more observations about the pods:

  • When stuffing one of the pods with a bulky item like a quilt or sleeping bag, it’s best to zip it up halfway before you start stuffing, because it’s too difficult to close the lid if it hasn’t been already “started.”
  • If you overstuff the pods, the flat part of the U-shape (that slides down the inside of the back of your pack) becomes rounded and can barrel (uncomfortably) into your back.
  • The pods come in two sizes, one for use in Hyperlite’s 2400/3400 series backpacks and the other with their 4400 backpacks. I tested a small and a large pod from the 2400/3400 size.
  • The pods also work well in backpacks from other manufacturers including the Mountain Laurel Designs Exodus 58L, a Zpacks Nero 38, and even an Osprey Talon 44. I doubt that was intentional, but it’s a happy accident.
  • Each pod has a white label area that you can write on with a sharpie, but I suspect it will be permanent, so proceed with caution.

These Hyperlite Mountain Gear packing pods aren’t revolutionary and they really are just stuff sacks with a unique shape. But they are a clever way to help you organize your gear and pack it in a way that efficiently uses all of the space in your back. I was surprised at how much more gear I could get into my backpack when using them, which becomes increasingly important as the weather becomes colder and the amount of sleep insulation I need to carry increases.

Hyperlite Mountain Gear Packing Pods

Weight
Durability
Space Utilization
Volume
Moisture Protection

Space Optimizer

Hyperlite Mountain Gear's U-shaped packing pods are the ultralight equivalent of the luggage packing cubes that people use to pack travel bags. Made with Dyneema Composite Fabric (formerly cuben fiber) they're an ultralight alternative to stuff sacks that improve space utilization in backpacks in addition to moisture protection.

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Disclosure: The manufacturer provided the author with sample pods for an honest review.

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23 comments

  1. Are the pods compatible with the water bladder?

  2. I was out of town (camping) when you first posted this. Thank you so much for your thorough commentary on the pack and pods. I’ve been intrigued by this system.

    You did mention, sort of tongue in cheek, a bear resistant pod. An Ursack might fit into a pod (in those places Ursack is approved).

  3. Are the pods compatible with packs arc blast 55L?

  4. Is it the large pod you use for quilt, sleeping clothes, etc?
    Thanks.

  5. Do you think the large pod for the 3400 is overkill for a 20 degree down quilt (Loco Libre Ghostpepper)? I would mainly like to store my quilt in a dry(ish) bag since it is the only thing I’m very concerned about getting wet (already have a small stuff sack for other misc. items that would be adversely impacted by water).

      • I have a pack on order that became postponed by Hyperlite due to the holiday rush. The owner announced $25 gift certificates for all those with back ordered items, so I might just pick one of the large pods up on a discount.

      • Nathan, did you ever receive your holiday order? I ordered two accessories the 1st week in January. At the time, the posted time to ship was three weeks. 4.5 weeks later, nothing, but Hyperlite actually changed the supposed wait for accessories to one week. I waited another week, still nothing. and when contacted they said another week. I feel I was being jerked around, so I canceled the order. There are other suppliers.

      • Hi Al, just saw your question. I did receive my pod. Took several weeks, but did arrive, and is a great solution for my quilt.

  6. Hi Phil, do you think these packs will fit well in Gossamer Mariposa 60?

  7. You say these can replace a trash compactor bag – just want to be clear, if I keep my sleeping bag in a pod in the bottom do you think it’s unnecessary to use a pack liner if you won’t be fording any big rivers? I’d love to ditch the liner. Thanks!

    • These HMG packs are highly water resistant unless you cut a hole in them or burst a water bladder inside your pack. Pack liners have many uses beyond just waterproofing…they can be used to separate wet gear from dry inside your pack or as bivy sacks on cold nights.

      • I had a water bottle in the top of my pack leak. The gear in my HMG pod got completely soaked. The water did not seep around the zipper. I am extremely disappointed in the performance of this gear. I would have been much better using a garbage bag.

        • You have to use a dry sack with welded seams if you want waterproof protection. Maybe you should store your water bottles on the outside of your backpack next time.

        • The problem wasn’t the pod but user error. Next time store your water outside the pack. Doh!

  8. Thank you so much for the review! I’ve been using trash bag in pack. It always leave some gap on the bottom of backpack. May give the pods a try.

  9. A bit more info for those looking at these pods and wondering about sizing/capacity, the 12.3 liter pod (largest of the group) will fit a 20 degree EE quilt, 25″ rect. pad, inflatable pillow and pad-liner. Might could fit more but I don’t want to overly-stress the zipper. When loaded, it fits snugly into the bottom of a Mariposa 60–even though it’s intended for larger packs.

  10. Very useful review, thanks! Do you happen to know if these pods are compatible with the Kakwa 40?

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