Grid-It: flexible storage folio for gadgets and cables

Grid It uses a clever-looking combination of elasticated cross-cables to allow travellers and those who need to store/arrange tools to array their stuff in a handy, versatile layout.

Grid It (via Crib Candy)

• [Andrew Molloy]

  I’ve wanted these for about the last 2 years but they’re prohibitively expensive to try and get/import here in the UK.

  • [Daemonworks]

    It’s just interwoven elastic staps and a stiffened backing board. Not all that difficult to make.

    • [Andrew Molloy]

      I’m lazy. But yeah if I get around to it I wouldn’t mind having a go at MAKEing it.

    • [fxq]

      Some of us have completely functioning hands yet cause natural disasters whenever we touch scissors.

      I’m open to anyone who wants to make me something comparable for $20.

• [Stu Hackett]

  Great design idea. I’m sure there’ll be a DIY project for a mock up one available soon. I may even have a go myself.

• [phenocopy]

  I think this has been boinged before, though I can’t find the post. I bought one of these as a holiday gift for my father a few 2-3 years ago and got one for myself as well. It’s a little heavier than I would like, and I don’t use it as much as I thought I would, but I also travel less than I used to. It is useful to see all your chargers and whatnot laid out in one place, making it easy to tell that there’s a hole where the camera battery should be, so don’t zip up your suitcase until you find it, etc.  It would be nice for someone who was on a bus and truck tour or similar. 

• [cubby96]

  I own two of these, in different sizes and have given them as gifts with much success – to the right kind of people.   I do not use them at home, but find them indispensable for travel.  My bags get far fewer stops for secondary screening now that all of my gadgets and attendant cables are neatly coiled and organized.  Plus I know very clearly if something is missing.

  Are they perfect?  No.  One thing the above photos don’t show is the flexible (thin neoprene?) zippered pouch that they come with.  The pouch zips around the *neatly organized* gob of cruft you have accumulated, so that it is beyond prying eyes.  It stretches a bit, but I would like a little more space than what is offered.  Thicker items, such as my old digital camera or my really old iPod Video (2007-ish) in a hard case, don’t tend to fit well near the edges where the zippers close, or do so with some strain.

  As for weight, it goes in one of my carry-on bags, so I don’t really care that much.  Those of you who are trying to save every last ounce might find that having such a thing compels you to fill it (it looks cooler full) and carry more than you need.  Avoid that and you’ll appreciate these for what they are.

• [Christopher Locke]

  My spouse gave me one of these a couple years ago.  I absolutely love it for traveling.  I use a messenger-type bag, where everything goes into the slot at the top.  If mymints, earbuds, ipod, batteries, camera, pens, flashlight, etc aren’t attached to anything, they all end up in a pile at the bottom of the bag, getting pummeled by my sketchbook, laptop (or ipad) or nerdy nonfiction hardback.  With everything neatly tucked into the Grid-It, all the little things in a heap become another flat unit that files nicely with my other broad, flat items.

  On an airplane, with the seat in front of me only inches away, and my bag tucked under the seat, it’s nice to not have to rummage through the bag to find a small thing that fell to the bottom.  I simply open the bag, pull out the Sheet of Small Items, and leave it on the tray table usually for the duration of the flight.

• [Andrew Molloy]

  Found a DIY link that’s a variation on it. http://www.designsponge.com/2011/08/diy-project-vintage-book-travel-tech-organizer.html

• [wooodster]

  If only they were available in Europe !

  • [digi_owl]

    Checking amazon.co.uk and there is one or two resellers showing up.

    http://www.amazon.co.uk/s/qid=1321301336/ref=sr_so_7?ie=UTF8&me=A3E1P7440O2BJ&rh=p_4%3AGrid-IT&page=1

• [Anony Mous]

  I have one and it’s very handy to keep all your electronics accessories neat and ordered for travelling. It really is a great idea. A few things they could work on though. I think the zippered pouch in back is useless for anything other than pieces of paper. And since all those strips of rubber bands pulling horizontally and vertically the thing doesn’t lay perfectly flat. Oddly enough they make no snag girls headbands in the same material, and like the elastic in your underwear, it will eventually disintegrate. So I feel like that will eventually happen to this too…

• [TokenCapitalist]

  Not impressed. The military’s been using MOLLE for years and it’s a much wider accepted standard.

• [Mike Kai]

  The inventor of the Grid-IT has a new kickstarter project up at:  http://kck.st/v6eE4E

• [ronin2000]

  Cocoon items/ Grid-it can be bought in Europe at http://www.grid-it.eu