Clakit Clips and Pouches are patent-pending clips and pouches designed by backpacking hikers who realized, during one of their treks in the mountains, that everything they needed was in their backpacks. Which meant they regularly had to stop hiking, take off the packs, open them and dig around for the water bottle, the cell phone, the snacks, the permits or tissues or whatever. Crazy, they said to themselves.

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So they decided to create some small versatile packs that you could easily clip to your backpack straps in front and in which you could stow frequently needed items within easy reach while walking. And that’s how the Clakit line of clips and pouches was born.

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Clakit comes in several different shapes, all of which attach to a sturdy adjustable plastic clip with teeth that clamps securely onto your backpack or other strap. You choose the style that fits what you want to carry – water bottle, phone, etc. – and your small carrier sits right on your chest. The clip is adjustable so that it can work on other types of straps to as long as they have some thickness. And for those of us boomers who need to carry a lot of stuff, these could be a real shoulder-saver.

One of the packs, called the Clakit StrapPack Radio/GPS Clip Pouch ($19.95 on Amazon), has two strong hook-and-loop attachments – front and inside back – so you can adjust the height of the stretchy strap that goes over the top, which holds the items in and allows you to carry items of different sizes. I put a small reading glasses case in there along with my cell phone/camera and I can even fit a few business cards in with all that. Plus, this model also has an elastic strap that goes horizontally around the pack – I slip my sunglasses in there I decided to attach one of these on the strap of my big tote bag I’m saving much wear and tear on the purse zippers – I’d been constantly unzipping and zipping one zipper so I could move the phone in and out of the purse. Now I can spare the zipper and still get the phone easily. In fact, sometimes and I can actually leave my poor exhausted purse at home and just carry the tote-bag-cum-Clakit-pack. I love not having to carry two items and now I don’t lose my phone, glasses and sunglasses in the bottom of the giant tote bag.

By the way, if you’re like me and already have a selection of little packs, you can just buy the Clakit clips and see how they work with your own carriers. Brilliant idea, Larry Schessel, Clakit Founder/CEO.