Aer Simple Kit Review

The Aer Simple Kit is exactly as the name describes it—simple. There aren’t many bells or whistles, and the whole pouch fits almost anywhere when empty. Will we find a use for this thing, or is it too small to be helpful? And is it worth the price? Let’s dive in and find out.

External Components

The Aer Simple Kit is crafted from Ultra200X by the brand Challenge Sailcloth. This material is super lightweight but retains excellent durability and water resistance. That said, it does come with a few cons. The material is a bit loud when you touch it, whether it’s moving against your fingers or other fabric, and it constantly looks slightly wrinkled. Though some travelers won’t be able to get over those features, we feel that the positives overshadow the negatives. It’s incredibly lightweight, durable, and water-resistant; typically, you only get two of those three.

The zippers are from YKK and have a PU coating for waterproofness. Water could get in through small holes at the end of the zipper track where the head closes the compartments, but this is typical for larger zippers with a PU coating. If you’re looking for something completely waterproof, this isn’t it. The zippers are smooth and operate efficiently, which is a perk. The pulls are Hypalon, which has a texture to make grabbing them easier, even in rainy weather.

The pouch has two loops: a smaller one on the right and a larger one on the left. They help open the zipper and enable you to attach the pouch to things with a strap or carabiner. Additionally, you can carry the pouch with either of them, though the larger one is easier to hold onto.

There’s very little going on here externally, though it’s a small pouch, so we weren’t expecting much.

Inside The Kit

Despite its small size, there are a few ways you could use this pouch. You could use it for toiletries, though you may not be able to fit everything if you have a larger set of bathroom goodies, and it isn’t TSA-approved. For tech, you can fit a lot of smaller gadgets and dongles, though there isn’t much padding to protect your gear from bumps and knocks.

Our favorite use for this pouch was as a junk drawer. Do you need to bring something, but don’t have another place to store it? Throw it in the Aer Simple Kit! It isn’t massive but slots nicely between other pouches and organizers for your overflow or specific use case gear.

The front pocket is small and lacks depth. However, it works well for AirPods, headphones, small cables, smaller toiletry tools, and flat items. You can also carry cards or cash here, which is handy for trips with multiple currencies.

The main compartment has a gusset on the bottom that, if packed correctly, will enable the pouch to stand independently. If not, it’ll still tumble over. If you’re using this as a tech pouch, it’s nice to let it sit on your desk while working. If you’re using it as a toiletry pouch, you can set it on the counter in the bathroom.

You can fit larger items here because the pocket is larger and has more depth from the gusset. It works well for a mouse, battery bank, larger tech items, toiletry consumables, and other bigger gear.

In our experience, finding a specific use case for the pouch was hard, though we appreciated its versatility and ruggedness. As mentioned, it’s a solid junk drawer for your travel backpack or daypack, and it takes up almost no room when empty, so it’s a solid item to include on your next trip if you want to ensure you stay organized throughout your journey.

That said, it costs around $40 at the time of this review, which is quite steep considering it doesn’t have a specific function. There are tons of pouches on the market with a similar design that offer just as much organization for your essentials. While we appreciate the durable materials used to make this pouch, it seems a bit over-engineered for its intended purpose: keeping small items in check.