Arriving at the trailhead, somewhere in upstate New York, I might start thinking of the Wicked Weed double IPA sitting in the bottom of my bag. One thing not on my mind, however, is breakage, thanks to something called the JetBag.
The ($20) is an invention that seems so simple, so intuitive as to almost be a gag gift. It鈥檚 a tall, narrow, padded sleeve intended for holding glass bottles and keeping them intact in your bag. Whatever one may say about its loads of thick padding, I can assure you it鈥檚 certainly more effective than wrapping your bottle in a Hanes undershirt. Designed for protecting glass bottles鈥攆ull of beer or wine or what have you鈥攊n checked luggage, the JetBag has a whole list of other applications, like carrying liquid toiletries or providing a little extra shelter for fragile souvenirs.
The JetBag is also particularly helpful for those who, like me, have foolishly poured beer into a Hydro Flask before shaking it around at the bottom of a bag for several hours, only to have the cap fly off and hit you in the face later on. The JetBag also has the benefit of being sealable and highly absorbent鈥攊f the worst should happen and your bottle breaks, the bag will both contain the mess and absorb the liquid, ensuring that it doesn鈥檛 spill out and gum up your gear and ruin your clothing.
And because it鈥檚 illegal to carry open alcohol anywhere but the trunk of a car, the JetBag is also an excellent tool for those who prefer to do their drinking back at the campsite instead of at the summit.